This IFExpress sure looks like an old fax newsletter we used to publish…however, we left out the “Rumors, Rumors, Rumors” bit, sorta.

Sources have told us that Aircell, recently announced the completion of the private placement of equity securities totaling $176m to new and existing investors. The financing will be used to provide funding for capital investments for network expansion and operating needs we hear.

A Senior research analyst with Piper Jaffray, Gene Munster, is forecasting 2010 sales of iPhone and iPod Touch devices to reach 36 million in new sales, an increase over his estimate of 25.7 million for 2009, with the new tablet shipments for 2010 estimated to reach 10M. We expect the new device from Apple to be a table that can be configurable for the 0 – 20 set and 20 up crowd dependant upon what apps you select (buy). This translates to a bigger market share. Add that to the Kindle and Kindle-like devices and travelers will be toting more junk that ever aboard your favorite flight. And speaking of Kindle, when are we going to see that e-reader technology on IFE? For that matter, wouldn’t a Kindle, tether or semi-embedded be a light weight, low power, IFE product? If the TAS bans electronic gadgets, it may!

Re: Last weeks Hot Topic, we received a nice email from Nick Gray, Flight Display Systems; “Nick Gray from Flight Display Systems here. Saw your email on the 52 from ACS and just wanted to note that we have also delivered at least one 52″ HD monitor to a private VIP owner in the Middle East. Other news is our Blu-ray player 2nd generation will be released soon. It is already installed on many aircraft with happy VIP customers. Thanks – we all love reading your site and the emails. Nick.” Check out his website below…very nice.

A long-time reader wrote us: “If we all go back to horse and buggy, there would a lot less danger in travel for everyone, right? Between the TSA, the FAA, and people who demand perfect safety and security, we might as well close up shop. Even at my place of work now, and I suspect in others, there are people who say that the best way to get from here to there (as in participating in ARINC or WAEA meetings) is to drive if it’s local; take the train if it ‘domestic’; and fly only because ships take too long . . . . . what kind of endorsement is that of our industry?” He has a point.

Next, some housekeeping:

The usually excellent Inmarsat Aero Conference is set for April 20 – 23 in San Francisco this year. It looks like the focus is on Swift Broadband, but don’t forget the crab, cioppino, and the Coit Tower as well. See link below.

An industry source told us that Bill Peltola has popped up on the radar again, this time at Panasonic as Director, CGS Operations and Planning. No doubt, he will be heading to SoCal in the near future. If his email follows standard Panasonic protocol you should be able to contact him at bill.petola@panasonic.aero, or you can probably find him at the bar at the Inmarsat conference mentioned above!

Clark Snyder, S VP, Thales has retired. If we ever hear back from him about his whereabouts and contact information we will pass it along.

Inmarsat Conference 2010: http://www.regonline.co.uk/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=805097

Flight Display Systems: http://www.flightdisplay.com/