Tagged With "inflight entertainment"
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Re: Delta Hangs Up on Inflight Calling
Delta just moved up on my list of preferred airlines! I can see it coming -- calling and non-calling sections in planes.
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Re: Delta Hangs Up on Inflight Calling
Times change and along the way, behavior once deemed unacceptable, often becomes the norm. I've noticed this principle at work especially where phones are concerned. I'm so pleased to see a CEO take a stand for simple courtesy, even when it seems to fly in the face of popular notions of what's acceptable. I hope now other airlines' managements have the gumption to follow Delta's lead.
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Re: Fast Start for New Inflight Device Rules
This is ironic. Electronic devices which, themselves, become rapidly obsolete are making videos about them obsolete simply by the popularity of the devices.
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Re: Put Stuttgart on Your Travel List
Many European towns have a Central Square where concerts and displays by local groups entertain us. Is Stuttgart like this ? Does it have Art Galleries that survived the war years ? Stuttgart isn't one of the places you associate with tourists in Germany but you've given us a taster. Thanks Rob !
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Re: FAA close to new rules on inflight devices
About time, PHeymont! Thanks for getting this posted.
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Re: A Day at the Zoo: San Diego, California
Thank you, Andre! This was the third zoo I've ever seen giant pandas in. And by far it was the best one. They had two pandas, in separated but adjoining enclosures (one male, one female). Both were sitting there eating bamboo and seemed to enjoy watching the throng of people walking by them. It was as though the zoo's visitors were there to entertain the pandas, rather than the other way around. As for bears, I'm always happier to see them in a zoo than on a hiking trail in the Rockies...
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Re: Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
It seems to me the smart thing for all the airlines to do would be to offer free wifi for any device, any flight, any distance. Southwest has stood out from the crowd by continuing to offer a free checked bag when others haven't and have gained loyalty as a result. May it continue. I understand that baggage fees have added a huge amount to the bottom lines but brand loyalty is worth a lot too. By giving away a $2 item and thereby correcting the notion, to a certain degree, that airlines mean...
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Re: Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
I do think currently there are some band-width limitations to the wi-fi on planes. For example, there's not enough capability to support 200 people being on their mobile devices at any given time (remember this requires two way connectivity). So the cost may be just a barrier to limit access to the technology. But I like the idea. Costs will come down, technology will improve bandwidth, and offering it free will be a perk that may help people favor one airline over another.
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Re: Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
Originally Posted by DrFumblefinger: "... Costs will come down, technology will improve bandwidth, and offering it free will be a perk that may help people favor one airline over another." Indeed. As we know, with airlines as with travel in general, where there's a will there's a way.
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Re: Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
Actually, the new technology that we've reported earlier here, and which is being implemented by most carriers, vastly increases both speed and bandwidth. I suspect offering a bit of it like this will help them sell what had previously been a fairly unsatisfactory commodity...
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Montreal: Je Me Souviens
There are many great cities to visit in Canada, two of my favorites (for different reasons) being Vancouver and Montreal. Vancouver has one of the most breath-takingly beautiful settings of any city in the world, and I’ll be discussing it...
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SKY2BUY takes a swing at SkyMall's old audience
With SkyMall out of the sky and its name sold in bankruptcy court, the way is open for others to try selling to passengers inflight (SkyMall had exclusive deals with the airlines), and SKY2BUY, owned by an investment capital firm and ScotteVest, a...
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In-flight movies meet the airline censors
I've often wondered about some of the movies and videos I've seen: "How would that play out on a plane...especially not knowing who might be sitting next to my "private" seatback screen. So it was interesting to learn from Megan Snedden's blog ...
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Can 'smart' seats make crowding bearable?
That's sort of the idea behind some new design initiatives for airline seating. Panasonic, and some others, are betting that by designing all the elements of a seat together (seat, inflight entertainment screen, power outlets and more) the elements...
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Inflight products can be a lucky break for small suppliers
If you've wondered about the mints, chocolates, food specialties and more that pop up on airline menus and amenity kits—sometimes brands you've never heard of—it's not necessarily because the airline's going with the lowest bidder. As this...
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Cat Cafe Nyanny, Akihabara, Tokyo
SeeSaw takes us to a Tokyo cafe where cats are honored guests as humans stop for a relaxing moment after a hectic day.
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Visiting Key West and the Hemingway House
Stephanie shares a visit to the Key West, a highlight of which was exploring the Hemingway home.
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Top five reasons to visit Baltimore, Maryland.
Why should you visit Baltimore? Stephanie outlines the top things to see and do in this charming city.
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NYC Transit Museum: An urban railfan's heaven
Housed in an old subway station in Downtown Brooklyn, the Transit Museum tells as much about the city's history as it does about trains.
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May 15, 2020: Lurs, Copenhagen
DrFumblefinger first encountered lurs—a type of ancient bronze horn—when he saw this statue of two lur players in Copenhagen City Hall Square.
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Where to get Discounts on Oman Airlines Flights
Sponsored content about discounted flights on Oman airlines.
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Reno's Wall of Resolutions
Reno-Tahoe International Airport marks the season with a space for reflection and promise.
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What to see in Sydney | 10 Essential Places
Some suggestions for fun activities when visiting beautiful Sydney, Australia (sponsored content)
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Not just passengers want free WiFi...ask Spirit!
Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant are U.S. ultra-low-cost carriers famous for wanting a nickel for everything they don't charge a dime for—and they're also among the very few U.S. carriers not offering WiFi. If you've wondered why,...
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When the safety video becomes inflight entertainment
Be honest: How many of you keep on reading while the flight attendants give you the required safety briefing and show the video? (in the interests of honest disclosure, I plead guilty). But in recent years, there have been a number of attempts...
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Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park (Where Gumbo was #126)
Gumbo was visiting the Old Faithful Inn , a historic lodge in Yellowstone National Park (one of the USA's UNESCO World Heritage Sites). Described by some as the world's largest log cabin, the Inn is situated immediately adjoining...
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August in France: Not so dead after all!
With August and the traditional French exodus to the beach just ahead, visitors might wonder just what there is to do in Paris, or in France generally. The truth is that while many stores and restaurants take extended vacations, many are open, and...
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Inflight entertainment may soon watch you!
Thales' mock-up of what the system might look like. Just like Santa Claus, your seatback screen may soon "know when you are sleeping, and know when you're awake," according to Japanese inflight entertainment maker Thales. At the...
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Star Wars World Premiere: Now boarding at gate...
In a coup that's sure to excite envy among both frequent fliers and Star Wars fanatics, Air France has scored a coup: a deal to show the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens on four U.S.-to-Paris flights on Dec. 15, days before the theatre release. ...
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"American Treasure Tour"—Extensive Collection of Americana
Love Americana? Then Stephanie Kalina-Metzger has the perfect tour for you, featuring some of the most unusual and rare vintage items you'll ever see.
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Family Travel: Lower Stress with Spa Services, Music, Food
Jessica Kane offers solutions for reducing stress and enhancing the fun of a family vacation.
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Passport Woes
Passports -- we can't travel without them and many of us enjoy seeing the various stamps we collect on our journeys. Bob Cranwell shares some colorful passport-related moments in his illustrious travel career.
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Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Where Gumbo was #268)
Gumbo was visiting an excellent museum in Denver, its Nature and Science Museum. The museum has many galleries as part of its permanent exhibits and featured two interesting exhibits when DrFumblefinger visited, one on the Dead Sea Scrolls and one on Nature's Bioluminescence.
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AT&T aims to compete with GoGo for inflight
GoGo has sewn up most of the installed inflight WiFi in the U.S. and has aims on the rest of the world, but AT&T Wireless has now announced it will go into the market next year with a different technology. GoGo uses plane-based antennas to communicate with satellites for WiFi service; AT&T, which owns a dense ground-based cellphone network, plans to use ground-based antennas and to use 4G LTE rather than WiFi. DETAILS from Bloomberg News. TG note : AT&T...
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Delta Hangs Up on Inflight Calling
Now that you can keep your devices on gate-to-gate, attention has turned to inflight calling. Since the FCC announced it's getting ready to legalize inflight calls there's been a storm of controversy, with many saying they don't want to spend 8 hours...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 13, 2014: The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
One of the most famous structures of the Roman empire, the Colosseum, still stands some 2000 years after it was built. It's a truly remarkable feat of architecture, engineering and craftsmanship -- one of the world's great iconic...
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FAA close to new rules on inflight devices
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/technology/faa-nears-new-rules-on-devices.html
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La Dolce Vita (Part 1) Rome: Ruins of an Empire
(Interior of the Colosseum, revealing tunnels below the floor) One of the challenges in crafting these blog posts is deciding how to best convey my impressions of a travel destination. How to best discuss a city as fascinating and historic as...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 12, 2014: Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
Ireland is well known for it's music, food, brews and friendly fun people, all of which (and more) can be found and enjoyed in Temple Bar. Temple Bar is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in...
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American follows Delta with free entertainment
American is making all its inflight entertainment free, following Delta's lead. But when will we get free Wi-Fi?
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Air New Zealand does it to Hollywood
Air New Zealand's mini-movies draw on Hollywood cliches to present the required safety info.
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Learning to make the waiting lines fun
An innovative graduate program at Savannah College of Art and Design focuses on designing theme park queues that entertain the waiters.
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Rome: Ruins of an Empire
In the first of two parts, DrFumblefinger helps us to a sense of Rome as it was in its heyday
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Four Days in Columbus, Ohio
From its famous zoo to an old German village, Stephanie Kalina-Metzger has excellent suggestions for spending some time in historic Columbus.
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PEZ Visitors Center, Orange, Connecticut
Jonathan L takes us on a nostalgic day trip to visit the PEZ Visitors center in Orange, Connecticut
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Fast Start for New Inflight Device Rules
Apparently anticipating yesterday's FAA announcement of new rules for inflight electronics, Delta and JetBlue had already submitted their compliance documents to the FAA, and may begin the new rules as early as today or tomorrow (Nov. 1-2). American...
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Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
You can't make a call...but now you can text, check mail and browse the internet inflight on your smartphone for less. Delta has introduced $1.95 WiFi passes for cellphones, and others are sure to follow. DETAILS
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Onboard WiFi Sky-High? Suit blames GoGo's size
A Federal judge has allowed a class-action lawsuit against GoGo Inflight over their near-monopoly of WiFi service on U.S. airlines, and the resulting prices. GoGo presently has 85% of the market; they're only missing Southwest and part of ...
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Gate announcements: Gone with the future
You may not even have noticed, but those long strings of gate and connection announcements just before landing have quietly ended.
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Flier survey: Bytes beat bites
Turns out that today's travelers want consistent, fast connections, and that more than half would pick that over inflight meals.