Today’s Hot Topic should really be titled “Bluetooth v3.0″ but, to put the ongoing hardware convergence into perspective, we need to look at one concept driving PEDS, or in other terminology, Mobile Phones and Mobile Internet Devices (MID’s). And don’t worry, we have Inflight Entertainment impact…but we will get to that later.
The CS-LL concept can be described as the next movement in the mobile chip world who’s goal is to increase the “gozinta’s” and “gozouta’s” of mobile devices. As we rely more on portable electronics as our go-to device, the ability to interface with new sources such as cameras, Internet, DVD Players, iPODs, keyboards, mice, etc. and new output devices and locations like LCD screens, MP3 players, Internet, etc, your mobile device needs new connections at higher speeds, utilizing less power. Frankly, so does anything working with, talking to, and generally involved with IFE.
Remember the concept of hardware convergence in the first paragraph? Well the latest specification divulged by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group meeting, v3.0, really ramps up the possibility of much higher data rates…up to 24 Mbps! The new Protocol Adaption Layer mimics the 802.11 specifications and with 2 radios (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), the latest Broadcom devices allow bifurcated data channels that let the low speed information move thru Bluetooth connections and the high bandwidth content fly down the Wi-Fi highway. What once was 3 Mbps (v2.1) is now 24 Mbps, and by using the Wi-Fi protocols, better battery efficiency is an additional benefit.
Now, the IFE connection! Bluetooth v3.0 at 24 Mbps would have some potential for data loading. Assume that a 2-hour movie in H.264 or WMV might require 1.2 to 1.5GB of storage, so you can calculate the loading time based on the Bluetooth 3.0 level of deployment. With built in Wi-Fi protocols, one can imagine the flexibility of offering a data loader that operated in wired and/or wireless modes that could be offered as “one size fits all”…it adapts itself to the loading interface.
But the real interesting application is the one using your Bluetooth v3.0 MID on an airplane. That story has already been written and you can view that application in our premier edition of the IFExpress Special Edition – link below. Further, we really got interested in the cabin potential for this new version of Bluetooth after we wrote the story. So, we contacted Ron Chapman, the Australian IFE developer featured in the Special Edition about his expectations and view of Bluetooth in the cabin.
Ron told IFExpress, “The next generation 3.0 phone becomes your inflight video screen, particularly for those regional airlines that cannot afford to install the inseat or overhead IFE. Think of the weight, power, fuel, and cost savings! Safecell airlines will provide the very first step in this direction with some content capability. Both broadcast and individual download. Yes I know it’s a small screen but look at the Nintendo DS, where will it go with Bluetooth v3.0? When we created the Safecell concept in July 2006, I was of the opinion that if your cell phone can replace your camera and MP3, player then it will replace your DVD player – you don’t need to be Einstien to work that one out. So now, it looks like it can happen. With the amount content today’s generation handles and the integration of Bluetooth v3.0 into TV’s, all the IFE manufacturer needs to do is implement a short range low power chip in each screen/seat. Passenegers could then carry on thier own content and watch on the inseat screen (or vise versa) and no more cables to plug in. Obviously battery life is key, but at the moment phones are as good a DVD player and better than laptops on battery.”
- Kevin Kahn on Redefining Mobility: Carry Small, Live Large
- New Bluetooth 3.0 specification approved
- Bluetooth 3.0 arrives with promise of eightfold speed increase
- Wikipedia: Bluetooth
- IFExpress Special Edition: ASI SafeCell
LAKE FOREST, California – 07 April 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), a leading global provider of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and communications systems, congratulates five of its customers for their “best in-flight entertainment.” For ten years, the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards have acknowledged those airlines that have used technology innovation to benefit the flying public. The 2009 award honorees are:
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Qatar Airways
This year’s winners were commemorated at an event at the Aircraft Interiors Exposition in Hamburg, Germany.
“Each year, the World Airline Awards seeks to recognize airlines for their ongoing efforts to utilize technology in order to benefit the flying public,” said Paul Margis, CEO of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are delighted that these five outstanding airlines have been recognized for their ongoing efforts in innovations that enhances the passenger experience. We applaud them for their creative use of IFE technology to provide the best quality product and service for their passengers.”
The 2009 World Airline Awards are based on the annual World Airline Survey by SKYTRAX, which was conducted between August 2008 and March 2009. The prestigious and highly coveted awards are recognized around the world for its global, independent passenger survey of airline standards.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
TEMPE, Ariz. and COSTA MESA, Calif., March 9, 2009– US Airways (NYSE: LCC) and Lumexis Corporation have partnered to test an innovative, next generation in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. On certain flights, US Airways customers will have access to hundreds of on-demand IFE options including movies, music, games and shopping.
What makes Lumexis Fiber-To-The-Screen™(FTTS™) the next generation system when compared to current IFE solutions is its advanced fiber optic technology, which requires less hardware and reduces the system’s weight by as much 50 percent. The Lumexis technology replaces traditional copper wire-based systems that were heavy, offered limited bandwidth and required under-seat boxes that reduced passenger leg room. The FTTS™ system substantially reduces the overall cost of ownership by lowering acquisition cost, minimizing spares provisioning, reducing fuel burn (from lower weight) and decreasing repair/maintenance costs (from simpler architecture). It also has the ability to provide HD quality content.
Customers can find themselves in the middle of a rock concert at 35,000 feet when they tune into Bon Jovi: Live from London (US Airways asks that passengers refrain from body surfing while the seat belt sign is illuminated) or young travelers (and those that are young at heart) can immerse themselves in an aquatic adventure with Finding Nemo.
Recently installed on a US Airways Airbus A320 and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for operation during regular revenue flights, the system will be available for passenger use on a flight trial that begins today. The installation was designed and overseen by Inflight Canada, and FAA certification was accomplished through Aero Certification & Engineering.
Lumexis’ robust IFE system will offer US Airways’ customers more than 250 hours of content with 227 entertainment options including: 30 movies ranging from family fun to action-packed, 86 entertaining and educational television programs, four audio books, 100 music CDs with musical programming available for even the most discerning fan and seven games. Customers can choose their on-demand entertainment through an intuitive seat-back touch screen and pay using a debit or credit card in the seat-back unit.
The aircraft will primarily fly between Santa Ana, Calif., Phoenix and Atlanta. Tray table liners with instructions on how to use the system, specially trained flight attendant product experts and a Lumexis representative will be available on all flights to assist customers and US Airways flight attendants working the flight. A survey is included in the system to allow customers to provide input on the types of entertainment they prefer and how the system can be enhanced.
US Airways’ Senior Vice President, Marketing and Planning, Andrew Nocella said, “US Airways is proud to have contributed to the development of the Lumexis system. During the flight trial we plan to learn more about the types of programming our customers want and how they want to pay for them. We’ll be testing bundled pay-per-use and a la carte pay-per-view options at different price points. Testing this system provides yet another option as we continue to expand our “pay for what you choose to use” business model. The data we’ll gather will also help us determine our long-term domestic in-flight entertainment plans.”
Douglas Cline, CEO of Lumexis added, “The IFE Industry was introduced to superior performance and ease of using FTTS™ at the World Airline Entertainment Association Convention in Long Beach, Calif. last year. As a result, airlines and aircraft manufacturers around the world will be closely following this first-ever deployment of a fully fiber optic-based network. The Lumexis team is delighted to be getting airborne with US Airways and to working with its cabin crews and passengers during the trial.”
About Lumexis
Lumexis Corporation is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of advanced In-Flight Entertainment and Communication Systems built on a core competency in fiber optic technology. With headquarters adjacent to Orange County, California’s John Wayne Airport, the company may be reached at +1.714.641.4900 or on the Web at www.lumexis.com.
About US Airways
US Airways was America’s number one on-time airline in 2008 among the “Big Six” hub-and-spoke airlines according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,100 flights per day and serves 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The airline employs nearly 34,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers our customers more than 16,500 daily flights to 912 destinations in 159 countries worldwide. And for the tenth consecutive year, the airline received a Diamond Award for maintenance training excellence from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its Charlotte, North Carolina hub line maintenance facility. For more company information, visit usairways.com. (LCCG)
Lake Forest, California – March 04, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication systems, today announced that TUIfly Nordic, a leading charter airline based in Stockholm, Sweden, has chosen the Panasonic eFX in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for three (3) B767 aircraft. When the aircraft enters service in April 2009, TUIfly Nordic will be the first charter airline in the Nordic region to equip aircraft with full in seat audio and video on demand (AVOD).
The Panasonic eFX system is a fully digital system that delivers entertainment and productivity tools in a sleek, single-aisle package. Travelers on TUIfly Nordic flights will be able to enhance their flying experience as soon as they settle into their seats with the eFX system’s world-class digital entertainment options, including music, movies, games, TV-series, destination presentations and moving map.
“TUIfly Nordic is spending the largest investment ever in interior cabin installations, including in-flight entertainment,” said Jim Hofverberg, Communications Manager TUIfly Nordic. “Our goal is to make travel experience as enjoyable as possible and Panasonic’s innovative technologies give our passengers a more value-rich and advanced in-flight experience, as well as differentiate our brand among competitors. Also, the eFX system’s capabilities for communicating personalized content and advertising will help us increase opportunities for in-flight revenue generation.”
TUIfly Nordic, a part of TUI Travel PLC and the Fritidsresor Group, operates holiday charter flights to destinations in the Canary Island, Egypt, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Florida, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Maldives and Thailand from airports in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Thomson Airways, another member of TUI Travel PLC, is also a customer of Panasonic Avionics.
“Working with TUIfly Nordic expands and strengthens Panasonic Avionics’ relationship with the TUI Group,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are proud that TUIfly Nordic chose the Panasonic eFX system as it breaks new ground for in-flight entertainment in the Nordic region.”
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 2,600 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
The bottom line is… we will keep this issue short because the story is still developing. This past week, Utah courts delivered a ruling on the Digecor vs. eDigital lawsuit which is far more complicated than it appears on the surface and deserves more space than we can devote to it here, therefore, we will provide links to dig deeper – you can Google the rest.
The eDigital V.S. Digecor court battle has an initial ruling and the summary resulting Court Ruling. While we have not had time to dig deep on this subject we wanted our readers to get the story first. Among the findings were issues that pertained to judicial jurisdiction and a NDA decision that purportedly prevented eDigital from selling in the IFE arena. The eDigital news release came in from Robert Putnam, Sr. VP who told us, “Attached, please find today’s press release regarding recent court action in the e.Digital/digEcor business litigation that vindicates e.Digital’s longstanding position that it is free to conduct its lawful business without non-compete restraint or obligation to digEcor.”
Obviously, there were sales in the balance here and based on eDigital’s past views and the court outcome; they will take a more aggressive posture on sales and promotion in the future. Further, we believe eDigital has a few new products that are itching to see the light of day.
We asked Digecor for a statement and they said; “Digecor will be issuing a position statement in response to the recent court decision between Digecor and eDigital in the forthcoming week. We note that this case is not decided on some claims and it would be improper to comment until the rulings are completed. ” Look forward to their side of this developing story – coming soon.
There you have it, and as an old newspaper feature writer once told us, “There must be a story in they’re somewhere… but if there isn’t, there should be one!”
We may eat, sleep, and breath In-Flight Entertainment here at IFExpress central, but sometimes our industry problems are simply lost in the events of the times. This is one of those times… at least here in the US. As aviation, and a heckuva lot of other industries, take a nosedive, there are forces at work that promise to build a better world – aviation not withstanding. Recent events in New York may be the poster child of things to come. Seeing all those passengers standing on the wings of an A320 surrounded by first responders looked like the most one could make out of a really bad day flying. Actually, that imagery may be the beginning of some good news, badly needed. An airplane loss good news? More on that later.
No doubt, the forthcoming economic experiences will be humbling. The effects on all of us will be more taxes, more stress, more headaches, more loss, and if we are lucky, more hope. While we all tighten our belts in expectation of the forthcoming year, it has to be worth the cost if we can see the possibility of a better future, a cleaner environment and a healthier aviation industry… a couple of years down the road (US Economy 2.0). From the airline point of view, recent fuel increases have created leaner airlines. Ones not necessarily in tune with passenger needs, but airlines that can survive lean times.
From the perspective of US citizens, we know there is going to be more donation of personal time and personal contribution to our neighborhoods, our economy and our environment. This will be true, to one degree or another, in almost all other countries and while crappy slogans like “we feel your pain” are better left for soap operas, one could say it applies here. Moreover, we tried to think of a positive message to send out to our readers like the Chinese proverb used in the Hot Topic title. Euphemistically, it could be considered a curse as well, but as one might expect, no Chinese person has ever been accorded the attribution of the saying. So in that vein, we have to consider that current events, while interesting, might be starting to take a turn for the better! Hey, perhaps the glass is half full?
As we mentioned earlier, note should be made of a recent aviation incident in the US, the US Airways Flight 1549. We wanted to acknowledge the airplane – the Airbus A320. While the obvious heroes of the stricken flight are unquestionably the captain, crew, and first responders, the durable little plane from Airbus endured a landing on water, deployed chutes and rafts, supported passengers and crew on its floating metal fuselage and wings, while generally acting as an aluminum life raft for some 156 people. This did not go unnoticed by us and we offer a tip-o-the-hat to all the professionals at Airbus and US Airways who build, support, fly, and maintain such a fine product.
http://www.neatorama.com/2009/01/18/simulated-cockpit-view-of-us-airways-hudson-river-landing
When connectivity becomes ubiquitous aboard commercial flights— and we’ll be there sooner than you think — the productivity unleashed will be extraordinary. Hundreds of millions of educated passengers, captive in an airplane for billions of hours a year, will be able to work, play, create and connect to their world on the ground.”
