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Australia will let flight passengers use electronics gate to gate
A number of countries are starting to change those outdated rules on the use of personal electronics on flights, with some places taking slightly longer than others. The latest to follow suit, in a gadget-friendly list mostly comprising of US-based airlines, is Australia. Earlier today, the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority finally approved the request from Qantas and Virgin Australia to allow passengers to keep their devices on at all times while traveling, from liftoff to touchdown -- so long as they are kept on Airplane Mode. As expected, this only applies to handheld electronics, such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers; anything that weighs more than 1kg (2.2 lbs) will need to remain stowed during takeoff and landing. It is effective as of tomorrow, so now you won't have to throw a fit the next time your Virgin Australia steward tells you to turn that phone or slate off.
Gogo launches next-gen in-flight internet, with better speeds and more capacity
Gogo is pretty much the standard for in-flight internet. But, as much as it's saved our workaholic butts on a number of occasions, we've always said there's room for improvement. Speeds are often on the low side and connectivity can be unreliable on a plane packed with fellow web addicts. (For example, say a flight to Vegas for CES.) ATG-4 is the company's next generation of in-air service that should drastically increase capacity and improve speeds. The connection will have a theoretical peak bandwidth of 9.8Mbps, more than three times the current network and uses EVDO rev.B as part of its backbone. ATG-4 is being rolled out on 25 craft to begin with, including planes operated by Virgin, Delta and US Airways. There's a few more details in the PR after the break and we'll be back soon with a hands on to let you know if Gogo's new network lives up to the hype.
Virgin America and Lufthansa Systems unveil new in-flight entertainment system coming in 2012
Alright, so in-flight entertainment systems aren't exactly the sort of thing that people camp out for days to get first crack at. But, for those who spend a lot of time defying the laws of gravity, an upgraded seat-back system could be the difference between a pleasant trip and urinating on the cabin floor in disgust. In late 2012 Virgin America will start rolling out a new system, developed with help from Lufthansa, called BoardConnect. We don't have all the details about the next generation of Red at the moment, but we can tell you it will include an HD monitor in every headrest, improved WiFi connectivity, and the ability to interact with your personal electronics (though, how and to what end is still somewhat unclear). Each seat will have a QWERTY-equipped remote for navigation and playing games, as well as chatting with other passengers via in-flight IM. In addition to live TV, music, games, flight tracking and on-demand movies, passengers can also order in-flight meals and peruse what we presume will be an electronic version of SkyMall -- for the shopaholics on board. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details.
Wii unique like 'Google,' says Nintendo
IGN did its best to make sense of yesterday's Nintendo Wii announcement by going right to the source, Nintendo. According to Nintendo of America's VP of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, Wii is the next in a line of unique product/service names that includes, Google, Virgin Airlines, Amazon, and Napster. But Wii surpasses these beloved names because it operates on multiple levels. "It looks like two people with heads who can play," says Kaplan. That's odd, to us it just looks like Nintendo doubled the letter i.While Kaplan successfully dodged questions about Wii's inherent phallic connotation, she did have a few words for the haters: "Live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it..." And to that we add, just wiigle with it![Thanks Gareth]
