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Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies
Whether you covet your Irish friends' ability to make in-flight cellphone calls or value your aerial naps too much to care either way, you must admit that the promise of in-flight SMS, MMS, voice messaging, and text email is tantalizing. To this end, the kids at Asiq have announced a little something called the Bluetooth Access Point. This device uses the aircraft's satellite link to send data to your respective carrier, eliminates the need for a picocell, and boasts up to 3Mb/s speeds. Now let's see how quickly this bad boy gets approved for use! (Or not.) PR after the break.
Korean Air subsidiary renting out PSP Go consoles for in-flight gaming
Korean Air subsidiary Jin Air has a new trick up its sleeve for entertaining passengers going to and fro South Korea. The airline is now offering a 16GB PSP Go to rent for in-flight gaming. No clue what games are on the device, but it's probably the best 4,000 won (about $3.50) you can spend -- assuming, that is, there's more than a sudoku app.
Aircell to start in-flight video download service later this year
Aircell may have skipped out on having a presence at CES this year, but that doesn't mean that nothing is going on in the wide, wacky world of in-flight internet. The company confirmed to us via email that it's planning a new video download service for 2010, a little something that'll go by the name Gogo Video. PC World was able to sit down with Eric Lemond, director of product management for the company, and they found that the service will be a lot like the iTunes Video Store in function. Users will be able to tap into their onboard WiFi in order to suck down TV shows and film rentals, which will be available for viewing up to 24 hours from the time of purchase. The files themselves will remain on the laptop (as in, this isn't just a streaming service), and while the exact launch date has yet to be nailed down, we are told that it will only be available for Windows laptops initially. Prices should range from $2 to $4 based on the programming, though we're still waiting to hear what kind content partners will be signing on. Fret not, jetsetters -- the unfriendly skies are about to get a bit more bearable.
Virgin America and Google gift flyers with free WiFi for the holidays
While those legacy airlines are scheming to charge you more to fly over the holidays, Virgin America is making it even easier to choose its services over the rest. Announced today, the airline (which should expand to more cities on the double, just so we're clear) has teamed up with Google in order to bring gratis WiFi to all flyers throughout the holiday season. If you'll recall, VA recently made known that every single one of its aircraft was equipped with in-flight internet courtesy of Aircell, and between November 10th, 2009 and January 15th, 2010, your surfing will be on the house should your find yourself in a seat. Not a bad way to spread a little holiday cheer, huh?[Via Engadget Spanish]
In-flight calling soon to be allowed south of the border
While in-flight WiFi is slowly becoming a reality in more and more jets going to more and more places, in-flight calling seems to be stuck in a holding pattern. Whether that's good or bad news depends on your like or dislike of hearing folks blab on their cellys and/or your propensity for wearing headphones mid-flight. If you answered "love it" or "I don't go nowhere without my Boses" you may want to consider a trip south of the border -- that's Mexico, not the glorified rest stop in South Carolina. Soon, travelers there will no longer have to keep their handsets safely stowed or in airplane mode, with the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes, or SCT (the Mexican FCC equivalent), approving cellphones en-masse for flights anywhere in the nation. This cancels an earlier edict made in 2001 banning their use, and while Mexico's federal government still has to approve things, that's not expected to take long. So, who's willing to risk swine flu, gang violence, and other overly-sensationalized risks to get their mid-air talky on?[Thanks, Xavier M.]
US Airways launching Gogo in-flight internet next year, to show WiFi logo when booking
Our wildest, most frenzied dreams are coming true, airline by airline. As Aircell steps in to infiltrate yet another legacy carrier here in America, US Airways has finally caved to the pressures of being an airline in 2009 by announcing its intentions to get Gogo on a select few of its planes. Starting in early 2010, Gogo in-flight internet will be added to its fleet of 50 A321 aircraft, and while that's certainly not a jaw-dropping amount, it's better than zilch. Of note, US Airways also has plans to let consumers see if their proposed flight will have WiFi when booking online, and while we can't help but celebrate such an achievement, we're also mighty fearful that this will lead to yet another fee for the privilege of riding on a WiFi-equipped plane. You know -- considering that this airline once refused water to passengers on a 6.5 hour flight last August.[Via Gadling]
Aircell offers short haul, 24-hour Gogo in-flight internet passes
It's a technology lover's dream come true: in-flight internet. Knowing that all too well, Aircell has decided to expand its pricing options for its Gogo services, which are currently available on select flights from Virgin America, AirTran, Delta and America Airlines. In order to better serve more customers on flights of varying lengths, the company has today announced two new options: a Flight Pass for short haul flights and a 24-Hour Pass for those doing a same-day return or connecting on multiple short haul flights. The former will run WiFi addicts $5.95 for flights lasting approximately 1.5 hours or less, while the latter will provide 24-hour access on a single airline for $12.95 (though it's only available initially on AirTran and Delta). If you're doing an unfathomable amount of cruising the friendly skies, there's even a 30-day unlimited pass for a single airline that'll set you back $49.95. Now, if only Gogo would get going on more planes, we'd happily take advantage.[Via Gadling]
Video: Wi-SKY promises in-flight 45Mbps downloads, does nothing for your troubled conscience
So, we know you're as giddy as a child on Christmas morn' every time one of your flights turns out to have WiFi. But what if we told you that those puny 900+kbps transfers could soon be dwarfed by download rates as high as 45Mbps? This is Wi-SKY's claim, made during a presentation at the Immarsat Aeronautical Conference. According to Electronista, the technology relies on a series of radio towers that are each capable of broadcasting a distance of up to 54 miles. The company has yet to announce any airline partnerships or a timeline for deployment, so don't expect to do any bandwidth-intensive tech blogging from the skies over Laramie any time soon. But we do have an octane-fueled, high-adrenaline video for you. Peep it after the break.
Virgin America lights up entire fleet with in-flight WiFi
Hold up AirTran -- not so fast with those wild claims of in-flight WiFi superiority. If you'll recall, the aforesaid airline proclaimed that it would soon be the first to have its entire fleet doused with Gogo, but it looks like Virgin America has swept in to claim that title. We should point out just how unfair the challenge is, though: VA has 28 planes as of today, whereas AirTran has 136. At any rate, we're still thrilled to see airlines duking it out in order to get more WiFi to more fliers, and we fully anticipate that every new aircraft added to Virgin America's fleet will be lit from day one. Now, if only they'd allow Skype functionality for more than just an Oprah demonstration, we'd really be playing with fire.[Via Gadling]
AirTran brings Gogo in-flight WiFi to every single flight
Listen up, jet-setters -- AirTran Airways just got a lot more attractive. Starting this summer, this very airline will become the "world's first" (Virgin America will have its comparatively small fleet of 28 fully equipped by Memorial Day) to equip all of its aircraft with in-flight WiFi, and when we say "all," we mean "all." Much like the half dozen other Aircell airline partners, AirTran is also utilizing Gogo technology, but it's doing so across its entire fleet of Boeing 737 and 717 aircraft. If all goes to plan, all 136 AirTran planes will be broadband-enabled by "mid-summer," and as with other Gogo-equipped planes, patrons will be asked to pony up $12.95 for access on flights over three hours and $9.95 for jaunts that are three hours or less. Of note, "handheld devices" can hop online for just $7.95 regardless of flight length, though we get the idea that VoIP calling will still be disabled.
Ryanair brings in-flight calling to 20 aircraft, but you'll never use it
Oh sure, the idea of having in-flight calling capabilities is pretty awesome, but actually biting the bullet and paying international roaming fees in order to indulge is likely to be a stretch. Ryanair, one of Europe's low-cost airlines, has finally equipped 20 of its planes (all traveling to / from Dublin) with in-flight mobile service after promising it around 1.5 years ago. Ryanair confesses that typical prices will be around €0.50 to send a text message and between €2.00 and €3.00 per minute to make and receive calls. In other words, you'll probably be keeping your conversations to yourself until you touch down, but at least it's there in case of emergency. Or something.[Via Gadling, thanks Conrad]
Southwest details in-flight WiFi plans, announces partnership with Yahoo!
Southwest got official with its WiFi plans late last month, but avid travelers who favor the only airline worth flying anymore (okay, Virgin America and JetBlue aren't bad either) were left wondering about most of the details. Today, the company has fired up a single Row 44-equipped flight, and it has announced plans to equip three more airplanes with in-flight WiFi by early next month. Furthermore, it has nailed down a partnership with Yahoo! in order to offer an in-flight homepage with "destination-relevant content." The service, which has yet to receive final FCC approval, will be tested over the next few months, and if all goes well, we're left to hope, pray and beg that the airline rolls it out fleet-wide. There's no mention of an actual price here, but it would totally rule if it bucked the trend and provided it to everyone for free. Right, everyone?[Via Gadling]
British Airways announces limited in-flight cell use, let the parties commence
British Airways has announced they'll start offering limited in-flight cell phone use on flights from London to JFK. Passengers will be allowed to send text messages and use data, but not to make actual calls (thankfully -- because we all know how annoying that would be). Several other airlines have launched similar trials, including bmi and Qantas -- which has announced they will allow usage for all passengers on domestic flights --while Dubai's Emirates airline actually allows mobile voice calls on its domestic flights. The British Airways trials are set to start sometime this fall on its business-class only flights. Seriously, guys -- can you make it any more clear that you can't stand the sight of us proles?[Via Mobile Burn]
Aircell's Gogo in-flight internet coming to United Airlines
Aircell already managed to coerce American, Delta, Virgin America and Air Canada into installing its Gogo in-flight internet equipment into at least a few of their airplanes, and now United Airlines can proudly say that it's no longer looking in from the outside. Starting this year, a baker's dozen of the company's Boeing 757s -- which will fly between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and California's Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport -- will be armed and ready with WiFi for the people. Pricing will remain set at $12.95 for the entire flight, and service is expected to roll out during the second half of this year.
bmi launches in-flight communications trial, voice gratefully excluded
We all know how the British hate lagging behind the French, so it's no shock to see bmi following Air France in the in-flight communications game. The airline has just announced that it will soon launch a six month trial of the OnAir service, though not surprisingly, voice calls will not be a part of said run. Instead, users in a single A320 making loops from London to Moscow will be able to send text messages whilst airborne, and in case that's too boring, users with GSM data cards will also be able to hop online. There's no mention of a VoIP ban, but given the clear anti-voice stance, we doubt the kind attendants would let you chatter long before giving you the evil eye.
Gogo in-flight WiFi taking off in six Delta flights tomorrow
We already knew that Delta was pushing its in-flight WiFi plans ahead, and starting tomorrow, a half dozen MD-88 shuttle flights will be live with internet from 35,000 feet. As with Virgin America, Delta Air Lines will be relying on Aircell's Gogo technology, though it will go down as the first US carrier to initiate a "fleet-wide rollout." Eventually, over 300 domestic mainline aircraft will enable guests to surf the intarwebz from way up high, and you'll know if the one you're boarding is lit if you see one of the above pictured "Wi-Fi Onboard" logos on the boarding door. The launch flights -- which will run from December 16th through the 31st -- will provide gratis access to the web, while standard pricing of $9.95 on flights of three hours or less and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours will presumably kick in on January 1, 2009. Happy trails, and don't forget to give us a visit while you're up there.[Via Switched]
Delta pushes in-flight WiFi plans ahead, Gogo to hit 2,000 planes in 2009
Here's something that doesn't happen everyday with legacy airlines -- an announcement that something is actually ahead of schedule. After hearing that Delta would equip its entire US fleet with Aircell's Gogo in-flight WiFi in 2009, along comes a release from Aircell that says otherwise. In fact, it proclaims that "Delta Air Lines is expected to launch service before the end of 2008." Furthermore, the company has confessed that "most major US carriers are in advanced discussions with or are already contractually committed to Aircell," which certainly bodes well for avid travelers who take issue with long periods of disconnection. Aircell is hoping to have its in-flight internet tech installed in 2,000 commercial aircraft by the end of 2009 -- talk about making the friendly skies "friendly" again.[Image courtesy of Gadling]
Aircell's Gogo in-flight WiFi goes live commercially on Virgin America
The time has come, internet mavens... to comment on this post from 35,000 feet up, of course. After launching to a select handful of lucky souls last week, Virgin America has gone live with its Aircell-engineered Gogo internet service on select flights. As of now, an undisclosed amount of VA flights will offer guests unlimited use (with certain restrictions around VoIP, we hear) while in the air for $12.95 on flights longer than three hours and $9.95 for flights under three hours. The airline's entire fleet should be WiFi-ready by Q1 2009, but for now, why not kill some time tracking planes with live internet access? Fun, right?
Air Canada inks deal with Aircell for in-flight WiFi
Check it, Canucks -- Air Canada is following in the footsteps of several other airlines by finally taking the plunge on in-flight WiFi. Similar to American Airlines, it has landed a deal with Aircell in order to bring the intarwebz to the friendly skies on select flights. Starting next spring, certain transborder flights from the Great North to the West Coast of America will give passengers the option of hopping online for C$12.95, and Charles McKee, the airline's vice-president of marketing, has asserted that it has every intention of rolling the service out "across its North American fleet" in the future. Now, if only every other airline would follow suit...[Via Jaunted]
American Airlines goes live with in-flight WiFi service
At long last, "you are now free to surf the intarwebz while flying." Okay, so maybe it has been possible in the past, but American Airlines is taking a huge leap forward in the US market today by giving passengers aboard long-haul Boeing 767-200 flights the option to hop online during the trip. The GoGo service, which is being provided by Aircell, will charge customers $12.95 for access to the world wide web, though Reuters points out that VoIP calling is "not available." Delta, US Airways, et al. -- time to get with the program.[Via Dallas News, thanks Travis]
