Zune Inflight Audio

[cmbtking]

while this does have no effect on me because i haven't flown in over 10 years, this is a great step in the advertising of Zune....because like Dave said...it's going to be shown now to millions of people each year...

[CrowdAds]

[JJohnson]

I'd like this even more if it were on Delta, where I usually fly internationally. A full-on Zune interface on their music system would be great.

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by turdbogls

So i just saw something about being able to rent an ipad for a flight for like $8.50.....so naturally you should undercut them and offer a zune hd loaded with movies, give em wireless, and let them enjoy. They will be blown away and it gets the product into their hands as well. Everyone knows people fall in love with this device once they play around with one.

I'm on it, turdbogls.

As you might expect, I'm spending a lot of time learning about the airline industry right now - tons of opportunity, very captive audience just begging to be entertained.

iPads as portable inflight entertainment devices is something that I know a lot of folks want to try - simply because of the brand value that "iPad" has - but which is fraught with problems.

Airlines need much better battery life than an iPad can offer, customization (ie: can't delete content, can't copy content off, can't "change" content), shrinkage protection, physical protection (ruggedized, screen protected), etc... JetStar in Australia has announced they're going to trial an iPad program - and a lot of folks in the industry will watch closely - but I think there are a TON of challenges to be addressed before this becomes any kind of mainstream IFE technology.

Not that those are problems any other portable device won't have to address, but I think the iPad in particular suffers from more of them than most.

Cheers, Dave.

[maxtank]

Saw the ads on my flights this past week. They even mentioned it durring their pre-flight announcements.

UA should say "please turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones, Zunes, and MP3 players" Instead of the normal IPOD reference.

[Madhouse24]

Great news!!!

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

I'm on it, turdbogls.

As you might expect, I'm spending a lot of time learning about the airline industry right now - tons of opportunity, very captive audience just begging to be entertained.

iPads as portable inflight entertainment devices is something that I know a lot of folks want to try - simply because of the brand value that "iPad" has - but which is fraught with problems.

Airlines need much better battery life than an iPad can offer, customization (ie: can't delete content, can't copy content off, can't "change" content), shrinkage protection, physical protection (ruggedized, screen protected), etc... JetStar in Australia has announced they're going to trial an iPad program - and a lot of folks in the industry will watch closely - but I think there are a TON of challenges to be addressed before this becomes any kind of mainstream IFE technology.

Not that those are problems any other portable device won't have to address, but I think the iPad in particular suffers from more of them than most.

Cheers, Dave.

[ubi79]

This must have taken a lot of time and work;

Congrats Dave on a job well done!

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by ubi79

This must have taken a lot of time and work;

Congrats Dave on a job well done!

Thanks very much, but lots more work to do yet. Still, it's a fun project and hopefully trial passengers will respond well.

Cheers, Dave.

[m_k]

Forsooth!

Microsoft has worked hard to customize 500 devices and provide unique content for those flying with United Airlines. The software giant has held meetings with content providers and movie studios to pre-load the devices with the latest content just out of movie theatres and pre-DVD.

Verily, it must need be that such a glorious task be done bereft the millstone of zune.exe, lest yonder loading of The Content take longer than The Journey itself!

Blessed be the Sages of Redmond, who saw Wisdom in hiring the massive staff, and investing the untold millions of Samolians requisite to the task of unlocking The Dark Key of Barricaded USB!

And now, by all that's fair and good, such a gift as this shall be shared with ALL The Loyal? So that they... nay, so that WE, may likewise revel in the blissful joy of fast, easy, lightweight USB interfacing of OUR Zunes, too?

Say it's so, fair lord of the interfaces, say it's so!

[Maxis]

Originally Posted by lip

It's an ok development for the Zune brand but for our Zune HD's...really who the f cares...unless you fly as much as Dave, it has little impact on our Zune HD world....hopefully this wasn't the big announcement he was on about...

+1

Ok .. zuneHD out about a year and they just managed to finalize an airline deal with 1 airline for marketing benefits ..

yawn ..

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by m_k

Blessed be the Sages of Redmond, who saw Wisdom in hiring the massive staff, and investing the untold millions of Samolians requisite to the task of unlocking The Dark Key of Barricaded USB!

Err... I think you're asking if all 500 devices were loaded with a special program that didn't require the Zune PC Client, and if so, could you have a copy?

Actually, no - all 500 devices were loaded using the Zune PC client, with Targus 7-port hubs plugged into laptops (as many as the laptop had USB ports), and devices plugged into those hubs.

Cheers, Dave.

[FallenArms3]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

Err... I think you're asking if all 500 devices were loaded with a special program that didn't require the Zune PC Client, and if so, could you have a copy?

Actually, no - all 500 devices were loaded using the Zune PC client, with Targus 7-port hubs plugged into laptops (as many as the laptop had USB ports), and devices plugged into those hubs.

Cheers, Dave.

Sounds like some intern had fun

[Strider_Aus]

What a tease ! Putting these devices on US-Aust flights with no AUssie release !!!! C'mon Dave ! I want legit, Aussie credit card Zune Pass membership without all the friggin around to make it work outside the current US market..... Will a PLEEEASSSSE help ?

[m_k]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

Err... I think you're asking if all 500 devices were loaded with a special program that didn't require the Zune PC Client, and if so, could you have a copy?

Actually, no - all 500 devices were loaded using the Zune PC client, with Targus 7-port hubs plugged into laptops (as many as the laptop had USB ports), and devices plugged into those hubs.

Cheers, Dave.

Color me shocked!

But, I'll give you "eating your own dogfood" props for inflicting that torture on yourself! ;) (Keep it up! Eventually, you'll DEMAND "lite" access!)

PS: Did you know that you can cascade USB hubs? (I think the maximum is something like 128 devices total per USB controller.) Just think of how FEW laptops you could do it with using that method (not to mention the money you'd save on heating the building! ;)

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by m_k

PS: Did you know that you can cascade USB hubs? (I think the maximum is something like 128 devices total per USB controller.) Just think of how FEW laptops you could do it with using that method (not to mention the money you'd save on heating the building!

Absolutely - but each time you cascade, you decrement the maximum throughput per connector. We found a happy medium cascading a few hubs, but doing so over a few "parallel" machines.

Cheers, Dave.