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All the "Dude, Get Your Own" ads for download
You've seen one ... now see them all! All seven of the "Dude, Get Your Own" ads are now available for download. They all take place in an airplane with an annoying passenger from hell. Check them out:Air Hair - Watch | Download for PSPBelt Check - Watch | Download for PSPCheat Code - WatchDeparture - Watch | Download for PSPHotel Homies - Watch | Download for PSPMovie Killer - Watch | Download for PSPPotty Humor - Watch | Download for PSP
New PSP commercial takes to the skies
Sony's "Dude, Get Your Own" campaign is finally in full swing. The first of the ads to appear on prime time TV involves an overzealous passenger on an airplane completely entranced by his neighbor's PSP. What follows is 45 seconds of pure annoyance. While it gets the point across, this kind of advertising still feels immature: it fails to showcase the PSP's true capabilities, and doesn't seem to target a different audience than their previous ads.Who thought the urinal ad was better? [Via Adweek]
Weather forecasts could be aided by sensor-laden aircraft
We know, it's rather disappointing to check the local forecast on your Melitta MS1MSB or Wii weather channel, only to find the conditions completely not as you expected once you stroll outside, but those guesstimates could be getting a bit of help from weather tracking airplanes. Boeing has filed a patent application that would "using airborne radars to measure wind vectors," essentially strapping weather-sensing nodes onto an airplane so that it collects real-time data whilst passing across remote regions of the planet that typically get ignored. Better yet, the data could even be cross-referenced with nearby planes in order to estimate the best actual forecast for a given region based on numerous information sources, potentially yielding a more accurate look at forthcoming weather. Of course, all logic here would point to humanoid meteorologists being established to interpret and disseminate the information, but until all this gets real, we'll be playin' it safe with the weather forecasting umbrella.[Via NewScientistTech]
Japan to ban Wi-Fi gaming on planes
Wired's Game|Life passes along word from the Yomiuri Shimbun that "Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport plans to ban local wireless gaming from flights," because the Wi-Fi signal could allegedly interfere with airplane instruments. That's odd, because Lufthansa has been offering in-plane Wi-Fi service to its fliers since early 2003, and we don't remember hearing about any navigational problems or horrific plane crashes being caused by the system. The FAA agrees that in-air Wi-Fi is safe -- they approved a United Airlines plan to offer a similar service back in mid-2005.We suppose it's better to be safe than sorry when dealing with potentially plane-crashing communications interference, but we'd still like to see some definitive evidence of the harm caused by our little portable systems before giving up our in-air wireless multiplayer.
FCC hits brakes on in-flight calling (for now)
The seemingly never-ending "will they or won't they" saga involving the FCC, the FAA, airlines, mobile carriers, and the extraordinarily annoying plane passenger sitting next to you has taken another unexpected turn this week. On the heels of a CTIA study suggesting that so-called "picocells" placed on planes to communicate with phones won't completely eliminate paralyzing interference with ground towers, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin suggesting that the feds should hold off on lifting the in-flight calling ban. Apparently, the big issue revolves around phones operating on bands that aren't supported by the installed picocell; in the absence of that local communication, the handset goes right back to mussin' and fussin' with the traditional towers several miles below -- potentially with disastrous effects to the network and other users, never mind the fact that no one's managed to conclusively prove that aircraft systems won't be affected. For what it's worth, the chairman's suggestion is just that -- a suggestion -- and doesn't prevent the agency's commissioners from approving the move anyway. While we're the first to agree that the thought of a couple hundred passengers yakking away in tight quarters is a starkly frightening one, we're not sure it's the FCC's place to be legislating away annoyances -- let the feds do their technical due diligence, we say. Word has it the picocells can be tweaked to fix the CTIA's concerns, and if that holds up, airlines will decide individually whether to let customers dial (or, at the very least, access data services) mid-flight. From there, we'll all be voting with our dollars.[Via Techdirt]
LEGO Autopilot takes to the skies autonomously
Seems like LEGO mods are gaining quite a bit of steam these days, as not only are the amount of block-based creations growing by the week, but Bosch has even unveiled a dishwasher specifically made for the hopelessly obsessed. Just in case the LEGO-based Wii concoction isn't down your alley, the self-proclaimed LEGO Autopilot could be just what the voyeuristic side of you has been yearning for. Modeled around HiTechnic's NXT Acceleration / Tilt Sensor kits, it's apparently possible to build a UAV for your personal indulgences with less than a grand in cash, and if you add on the optional webcam and Bluetooth controls, you could definitely fetch a sneak peek in faraway locales. The autopilot system reportedly "controls the rudder, which keeps the plane flying level," but manually altering the servo arm can give you a taste of manual controls if you get tired of watching. Of course, this here endeavor certainly isn't aimed at the faint of heart (or budget-minded), but be sure to hit the read link to see what you're in for if you decide to give this a go.[Via Slashdot]
Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport puts omniscient X-ray to use
We don't envision very many people enjoying the idea of having TSA employees seeing every curve their body has to offer, but unfortunately for those who fail the primary metal detector test at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, you could be in for such a treat. While airport shoe scanners have already garnered sufficient criticism for holding up the show rather than helping things out, the "backscatter" X-ray machine is officially being trialed in Arizona as a means of snuffing out hidden "explosives and other weapons" that can't be detected by other means. While the technology allows the viewer to see just about every follicle on your body (and any stray .500 Magnums adorning your person), there is still currently a workaround if you're not entirely comfortable with going full-frontal before boarding your flight. A TSA spokesperson proclaimed that the process is completely voluntary, as folks who get dinged by the metal detector can opt for a standard pat-down in order to clear things up. Interestingly, the officials operating the machine have reportedly "adjusted the equipment to make the image look something like a line drawing" rather than detailing all your 2,000 parts, but critics suggest that altering the image also hampers the chance of discovering contraband in the first place. Still, unless this causes some serious uproar in the near future, it looks like it's there to stay, and folks traveling through LAX and New York's Kennedy Airport will likely face a similar beast (if they so choose) before the year's end.
Smile, you're on Big Brother's in-plane camera!
The folks in the UK aren't laissez-faire about this Big Brother thing one bit, them and Germany are throwing £25 million (bout $49 million US) at the "problem" of monitoring airline passengers with small cameras and microphones in every single seat back to monitor for suspicious behavior. The system will be able to detect rapid eye movements, excessive blinking, twitches, whispers or other symptoms of somebody trying to conceal something, and check the data against individual passenger profiles for alerting the crew to a potential terrorist. Airlines and privacy advocates aren't terribly stoked about the idea, with the airlines saying it'll take 10 years to outfit planes with such systems and the money would be better spent "on preventing terrorists boarding aircraft in the first place." Privacy people figure that "it will put people off flying because they will feel uncomfortable." However, Catherine Neary, the project team leader assures that under the Data Protection Act, all audio and video recordings will be destroyed at the end of each flight. That makes it all better, right?[Via Smart Mobs]
Google, Microsoft set to snap aerial photographs on Australia Day
If you were forced to be photographed by airplanes soaring over your homeland in a jovial time of celebration, would you rather Gates & Co. have the negatives, or the future dominator of planet Earth? Aussies will have the option to make their choice on January 26th, as both Microsoft and Google have separately announced flyovers to occur on Australia Day in which high-resolution photographs will be snapped. Microsoft's motive is one with cultural and artsy underpinnings, as the company hopes to arrange individuals in order to form objects, scenes, and colored patterns from above, while Google seeks to cover more of the country for use in Google Maps and is encouraging individuals to distinguish themselves to get a free ride right into its mapping software. So if you're a Down Under native, or you just so happen to be hanging out in Centennial or Moore Park on Friday morning, toss up an Engadget poster, will ya?
MD-10 departs LAX with Northrop Grumman's Guardian anti-missile system
Considering all these homemade sentries we're teaching mischievous folks how to build, and all the zany ideas popping into folks' brains after catching the Jack Bauer power hours, it's no surprise that our Department of Homeland Security is equipping as many aircrafts as it can with anti-missile systems. While we'd heard that Boeing's laser-equipped 747-400F was ready for takeoff, and that these aircraft-mounted weapon detection systems weren't too far off, it looks like the DHS has completed the first step in rolling the technology out. An MD-10 cargo plane took to the friendly skies from LAX airport today as the "operational testing and evaluation of the laser system designed to defend against shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles" began, and while its doubtful that we'll be seeing the very pricey Guardian system on typical passengers flights anytime soon, equipping the Civil Reserve Air Fleet is potentially one of the uppermost priorities. And for those paranoid folks who can't wait to get this on their next Southwest friendly fare flight, you should probably consider how much coin you'd have to lay down to help compensate for the $1 million installation cost (per plane), not to mention the $365 airlines would be forced to cough up each flight for "operational and maintenance costs" -- yeah, we'll hold off for awhile.
Virgin America showcases pimped out aircraft, lobbies for US flights
If you've never heard of Richard Branson before today, you just might become one of his best friends after checking his aircraft. The billionaire in charge of Virgin Atlantic wants to bring the company's "passion for innovation and technology" to America, and while we've seen glimmers of hope for air travel within the States, it seems that VA's alternatives demolish the current US-based offerings (although there's word that the Panasonic eFx system will be hitting US flights in the future). Utilizing a somewhat cheesy lobbyist website, the airline is attempting to garner public support to allow them to reverse the US DOTs decision to disallow VA from taking flight on American soil. But regardless of politics, the real news here is the plane's interior; first class riders get a plush, leather seating area with a flipout LCD, while "normal" passengers still get a fairly comfy looking chair and a seat-mounted 9-inch touchscreen LCD. Moreover, each passenger gets their own 110-volt power outlet (adapters, be gone!), USB port, and Ethernet jack. The VA-engineered RED in-flight entertainment system only rivals SIA's KrisWorld system, and delivers music, gaming, movies, and even food choices right to your screen. While some may find this tough to believe, you'll even encounter a full QWERTY keyboard, live TV via Dish Network, on-board email / IM / chat, the ability to create playlists and transfer them to connecting flights, and pretty much anything else you'd need to not want to ever reach your destination. So if you're interested in helping Mr. Branson make a few more billion, and would like to fly the friendly skies in complete and total geek heaven, be sure to hit the read link to vouch your opinion, and click on through for a YouTube demonstration of all the aforementioned niceties.[Via NewTeeVee]
Swiss daredevil cruises the friendly skies with winged jetpack
Sure, watching Wowwee's FlyTech Dragonfly buzz around the room at your command elicits quite a few positive emotions, but we can't even fathom the thrill (not to mention the feeling of impending death) that would come from cruising the skies via jetpack. Yves Rossy -- a Swiss daredevil whom we all look forward to living through vicariously -- says he has become "the first person to gain altitude and maintain a stable, horizontal flight thanks to aerodynamic carbon foldable wings." While we've seen jetpacks before, and realize that folks have taken to the air on similar devices in years past, Reuters is giving us a sneak peek at Rossy's flight, which he took on the kerosene-powered, back-strapped vehicle -- and we admit, it looks like quite the thrill ride. So if you're looking to quell your fears before picking up one of your own (hopefully) in a few years, be sure to hit the read link for a live action video (and a good reason to grin).[Via Fark]
SIXAXIS + model airplane = killer flight sim
While we've seen some crafty folks turn a Wiimote into a mouse (twice), the engineering minds over at Zedomax apparently figured they'd offer Sony an alternative to that sure-to-be-sued motion-tracking gizmo it has "patented." Of course, maybe the project was just to show off a good bit of snazzy soldering skills and a horrendously slipshod computer rig, but it's impressive nonetheless. Although it can't take flight like the FlyTech Dragonfly, this SIXAXIS airplane can control the motions of a flight simulator (or other joystick-enabled programs) by actually maneuvering the model in the manner you'd like your on-screen, pixelated counterpart to fly. Moreover, the propeller even kicks it into high gear to simulate the thrill of the flight in the comfort (and safety) of your own room. While the list of hardware (and background knowledge) necessary to create this thing is far too long to cover here, you can get your feet wet with a Cubloc controller, an accelerometer, and about 40 hours (or more) of unused vacation. But if you're ready to take the leap into the modding elite, there's no better place to start than the read link below (and the vid after the break).
Fly the friendlier sky with your iPod
Apple has teamed up with a handful (if you have a 6-fingered hand) of airlines to offer iPod integration, making your long flight a bit more comfortable. Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United will deliver the first "seamless integration" between the iPod and their own in-flight entertainment systems. These airlines will provide passengers iPod seat connections that will power and charge your iPods in-flight and allow your video content to be viewed on the seat back displays!"There is no better traveling companion than an iPod, and now travelers can power their iPods during flight and even watch their iPod movies and TV shows on their seat back displays," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "We're excited to work with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to offer iPod users an even better in-flight experience."The in-flight iPod perks will be available starting in mid-2007 and Apple is working with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring even more airlines in-flight iPod connectivity in the future. I hope JetBlue is next in line. I bet Steve Jobs' Gulfstream already has this feature. Thanks for sharing, Steve!Thanks to all who sent this in!
Ryanair planning in-flight bingo, gambling
Singapore Airlines has its heavenly seats, and Virgin has textual Q&A sessions, so you knew Europe's low-cost leader in air travel had to find a gimmick of its own to implement before long. Should its in-flight calling proposal get the big thumbs-up from regulatory agencies, the airline is planning on giving customers the ability to play online bingo and a "number of other instant-win games" that will offer jackpots in excess of £200,000 ($380,000). To assist in promoting the in-flight gambling service, the company has teamed up with JackpotJoy to offer Ryanair's games on its website, and Ryanair's own CEO has already announced his plans to make "millions upon millions" off the deal. While we're certainly down with in-flight gaming creating lower ticket prices, encouraging gambling in order to so is admittedly dodgy, but if all goes as planned, you can roll your own dice starting in "mid-2007."[Via CNET]
Boeing's laser-equipped 747-400F ready for testing
It looks like scenes from Independence Day and Star Wars may not be so futuristic after all, especially considering Boeing's recent unveiling of its heavily modified (and laser-equipped) 747-400F. Following the recent "first light" phase on its ATL-packin' C-130H, the "airborne laser (ABL) aircraft" was officially introduced at a ceremony in the firm's integrated defense systems facility in Wichita, and it was announced that all systems were go for "testing." Even the branch's director, General Henry Obering III, threw in a Skywalker reference as he insinuated that the forthcoming plane represented "the forces of good," and unleashing it was akin to "giving the American people their first light saber." Just be careful where you bust that bad boy out, Mr. Obering. [Via FARK]
Life-sized balsa wood toy plane fails to liftoff
For the average child, killing hours on end tossing an easily assembled balsa wood toy plane isn't an uncommon occurrence; for Mark Clews, however, those flat packed crafts weren't exhilarating enough. The 24-year old bloke spent six whole months building a "life-sized edition" to the same exact specifications as the kits he adored as a wee boy. The aircraft boasted a 20-foot wingspan, was 15-feet in length, and was constructed with a slightly tougher wood than balsa. However, his engineering (and physics) skills weren't nearly as sharp as those carpentry ones, as he expected "an enormous rubberband" wound countless times around the propeller to launch the plane into flight. Unsurprisingly, the craft jolted forward a meager five feet, and "even backwards" on another attempt, rendering his project a failure. In an presumed attempt to alert others of how not to get airborne, his impressive (albeit permanently grounded) creation will be on display at the Learn to Fly expo next month in London.[Via FARK]
Sims on a plane
Electronic Arts is working with Pogo.com -- purveyor of casual internet games -- and in-flight entertainment company DTI Software to expand its dominance into the air. Even on flights, the jabbering tone of Simlish will pull you away from loved ones, sleep, and work. DTI expects The Sims 2 and a handful of Pogo's games will be added to its in-flight service by Q3 2007. Specific rollout will relate to individual airlines, but DTI tells us that it expects the games to be offered on portable media players throughout the cabins. These games are often free, but pricing will also be determined by carriers. Most of all, we want to play our DS Wi-Fi in the air, but Boing's Boeing's Connexion has recently been shelved. While other WiFi options might fill that market, we like seeing these casual games offered to people who don't travel with handhelds. Anything that gets gaming exposed to non-gamers seems good.
Business jets to get 3G access in the air
If you're a jet-setting highfalutin business executive, you probably can't afford to live even a few precious hours on your private jet without being connected to the outside world. Executives, fear no longer, because 3Way Networks and Triagnosys have partnered together to build the first 3G communications network that can be installed on any private plane. Contained within a four kilogram (under nine pounds) low power box connects to a satellite signal that communicates with a terrestrial base station. 3Way Networks says that the box will allow 10 simultaneous voice calls and offer HSDPA rates of up to 3.6 MB/sec. No word on if it's actually been field tested by 10 suits who've been strung out on caffeine for days and are on the final leg of a trans-Pacific flight back to New York -- we figure that by that point, they might be actually coming to blows over bandwidth.[Via The Register]
Virgin tries text Q&A for in-flight spunk
If you're in the 99+ percent of folks on non-WiFi-enabled flights, and are well aware that cellphone use while in-air is probably coming later rather than sooner, Virgin Atlantic is hoping to grab your attention. As airlines helplessly grasp at off-the-wall gimmicks to acquire more non-ticket sales and provide a more luxurious and exciting experience to the customer, Virgin seems to think it has a hit on its hands. The London-based company has stated its plans to introduce the "world's first in-flight texting service," that has nothing at all to do with SMS; rather, passengers will be able to text any fathomable question from their seat-back television screen to an existing "land-based text answer service" that supposedly will answer any queries "within minutes" -- not a bad feature to have if trying to brush on a language before arriving in a foreign country or scouting out the nearest Engadget reader meetup. The company has suggested interrogations could arise about popular entertainment in cities, how to survive jetlag, or cabin conversation starters. While there may be more thrilling ways to get to your destination, sometimes a good 'ole fashion plane ride is inevitable, but at least Virgin's Q&A game can help you ignore your boredom (or the awful in-flight movie) when flying the friendly skies.
