Boeing 787 Gets Android Entertainment System

[Guest]

Boeing decided to use Google's Android operating system as the foundation for the in-flight entertainment system in its 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Boeing 787 Gets Android Entertainment System : Read more

 

[beardguy]

Netflix streaming provided by Delta ... only 9.99 per movie.

Angry Birds ... $1 per game.

 

[icepick314]

wouldn't it be easier to just hand them a tablet instead of having gesture control?

 

[beardguy]

[citation][nom]icepick314[/nom]wouldn't it be easier to just hand them a tablet instead of having gesture control?[/citation]

I think they would get damaged pretty fast ... unless they had some serious armor.

 

[jn77]

Why is this news? I would think that something like this is expected. What I would find more interesting is car entertainment systems. Look at it like this. It still costs about $500 for a head unit with a dvd player for your car.

My EVO 4G is cheaper than that head unit and does more than that head unit, the EVO has HDMI for multi channel audio as well as HD Video and I can get a $19 DVD player if I really want to use DVD's but it is easier to throw any music or videos you want on a 32gb or now 64gb Micro SDHC Card in the phone.

Just need an easy way to get 7 channel audio into the after market amp in the car.

 

[drwho1]

I would only care if airlines would STOP charging for luggage and drop their over-priced air fares.
Supposedly that's because "they are not making enough money", yet they order 820 planes at $216 million dollars.... and they don't have money?

Something is wrong with that picture.

 

[70camaross396]

I am Just waiting for the headline.... Microsoft sueing Boing over android IP infringments.

 

[rosen380]

[citation][nom]JN77[/nom]My EVO 4G is cheaper than that head unit...[/citation]

Being fair--
On Tiger Direct, I can buy a DVD head unit for under $200 with a 7" touch screen display. On the two most expensive ones they carry [of 56] are over $452.

Your EVO, without it's subsidizing contract costs how much? $600+? It only costs less to the consumer [for the hardware/OS] because you are tacking on atleast two years of service with expensive phone and data plans.

 

[genghiskron]

i just cant wait for some little kid to play fruit ninja on the back of my seat

 

[rosen380]

[citation][nom]drwho1[/nom]I would only care if airlines would STOP charging for luggage and drop their over-priced air fares.Supposedly that's because "they are not making enough money", yet they order 820 planes at $216 million dollars.... and they don't have money?Something is wrong with that picture.[/citation]
[citation][nom]70camaross396[/nom]I am Just waiting for the headline.... Microsoft sueing Boing over android IP infringments.[/citation]

From what I can tell online, there are about 10000 commercial flights in the air, world wide, at any given time. If there is one plane on the ground boarding, refueling, etc for every one in the air, then we're talking 20000. That a couple percent of that number are scheduled to be built over an unspecified amount of time, doesn't seem too out of line. If an average plane is in service for 10 years before being retired, then to have 20k planes flightworthy, they need to be producing about 2k a year.

 

[gamebrigada]

[citation][nom]JN77[/nom]Why is this news? I would think that something like this is expected. What I would find more interesting is car entertainment systems. Look at it like this. It still costs about $500 for a head unit with a dvd player for your car.My EVO 4G is cheaper than that head unit and does more than that head unit, the EVO has HDMI for multi channel audio as well as HD Video and I can get a $19 DVD player if I really want to use DVD's but it is easier to throw any music or videos you want on a 32gb or now 64gb Micro SDHC Card in the phone.Just need an easy way to get 7 channel audio into the after market amp in the car.[/citation]


Your evo 4g is actually 600 dollars. You signed a contract for 2 years and pay the company the rest over those 2 years. Your car head unit has an amplifier. Amplifiers are expensive. Very Expensive. In fact, in a 500 dollar unit, the amplifier takes up about 100 dollars. The head unit also uses a lot more materials than your phone, to cover the single or double din form factor. You should be glad it only costs 500 dollars... Because car head unit manufacturers make less per unit then phone manufacturers.

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]gamebrigada[/nom]Your evo 4g is actually 600 dollars. You signed a contract for 2 years and pay the company the rest over those 2 years. Your car head unit has an amplifier. Amplifiers are expensive. Very Expensive. In fact, in a 500 dollar unit, the amplifier takes up about 100 dollars. The head unit also uses a lot more materials than your phone, to cover the single or double din form factor. You should be glad it only costs 500 dollars... Because car head unit manufacturers make less per unit then phone manufacturers.[/citation]

You also forgot to mention that units in cars are designed to operate under some pretty crazy environments (and before any asshat claims otherwise, I suggest you take a look at automotive validation specs), and phones like the EVO 4G, well, if the thing takes a dump and resets you suck it up.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]icepick314[/nom]wouldn't it be easier to just hand them a tablet instead of having gesture control?[/citation]
They would have to hold the tablet, rather than sit with a drink, reclined and gorming away at a movie for 2 hours, plus a loose tablet would be a safety hazard in case of turbulance.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]70camaross396[/nom]I am Just waiting for the headline.... Microsoft sueing Boing over android IP infringments.[/citation]
Chances are Boeing will pay the $7 per unit, they will make it back the first flight that goes out, why deliberately look for trouble?

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]rosen380[/nom]From what I can tell online, there are about 10000 commercial flights in the air, world wide, at any given time. If there is one plane on the ground boarding, refueling, etc for every one in the air, then we're talking 20000. That a couple percent of that number are scheduled to be built over an unspecified amount of time, doesn't seem too out of line. If an average plane is in service for 10 years before being retired, then to have 20k planes flightworthy, they need to be producing about 2k a year.[/citation]
That would equate to about $140,000 in 10 years?
Relatively speaking that is chump-change to both Microsoft and Boeing, it would probably cost that much for Boeing to have a lawyer walk in the front door.
Much easier to make a simle phone call to say "we are cutting a cheque for $140,000, m'kay?" and everyone walks away happy.

 

[growup]

[citation][nom]genghiskron[/nom]i just cant wait for some little kid to play fruit ninja on the back of my seat[/citation]

Or have crazy bird dreams to realize that you wake up to everyone playing angry birds, random bird gaucking gestures will become really annoying fast after one flight.

 

[nebun]

how how much will they be charging for this so called technology we can't do without?

 

[eddieroolz]

Considering a lot of people will have devices of their own, I'm not so sure this is really necessary.

 

[tinmann]

I can just see Apple turning a dark shade of envy green.

 

[kryojenix]

[citation][nom]icepick314[/nom]wouldn't it be easier to just hand them a tablet instead of having gesture control?[/citation]
QANTAS's budget airline JetStar gives out portable media entertainment tablets to those who pay to rent them, instead of having screens on the back of each seat. Makes sense, since these days many of us have our own phones/laptops ... unless they are still enforcing zero handluggage on international flights due to terrorism. (Pointless unless they confiscate all shoes and underwear as well).