Hasta La Gadget!

Apple‘s iPhone and iPad reign supremacy above the clouds when it comes to in-flight internet access according to a new infographic being detailed today. The popular in-flight WiFi company Gogo has just released some detailed information regarding what devices are most preferred, at least while in the air. With smartphones and tablets taking in nearly 67% of all devices read on for the full breakdown.

The last time you were on a flight how many Android tablets did you see compared to the iPad or iPad mini? Whether you’re a fan or not Apple still reigns supremacy in this regard. According to the number of devices connecting to Gogo’s services, the iPad is the device of choice above all others for in-flight entertainment.

Overall tablets take up 35% of all connected devices with laptops coming in at 33%. Then smartphones come in a very close 3rd and will soon pass laptops, currently sitting at 32% of all in-flight connected devices. Then the folks from Gogo break this down even further to reveal how far ahead in the sky Apple is over the competition.

In 2013 out of all mobile devices being used to connect through Gogo, 84% are running Apple’s iOS while only a small 16% are being powered by Google’s Android OS. If you single it down to smartphones the iPhone holds 73% of all users, while Android sits around 26%. Oh, and we can’t forget about BlackBerry and Windows Phone. The two combined only make up around 1% and aren’t even in the infographic. While this shows great numbers for Apple, in 2011 Android was only being used in 3.2% so they are certainly on the rise.

So when you’re 36,000 feet in the air what are you doing? Aside from checking destination weather or entertainment options, Gogo states most are just doing general web browsing. Mobile has certainly taken over the traditional laptop when it comes to travel WiFi needs, and Apple’s iOS is at the top of that list.

[via Gogo]

Apple dominates the sky according to WiFi provider Gogo is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google Glass is just a couple months away from being shipped to developers, and Google is hoping to have them available to the public sometime before the year’s end. In the meantime, people are pondering the implications of the new technology and are coming up with all the ways that Google Glass could be used, including JetBlue, which has come with their own concept for how the glasses could be used for air traveling.

On its Google+ page, JetBlue posted up a few concept images of what traveling could look like through Google Glass, with the caption, “we would continue to help the world view air travel through a whole new lens.” With Google Glass, you could check the status of your flight, get directions to baggage claim, look up taxi fare estimates, and even see where a good place to park would be.

Of course, $1,500 is quite a bit of money, and while a wearable computer like Google Glass could be worth every penny, most consumers won’t want to pay that kind of cash, especially when their handy-dandy smartphone can do the same kinds of functions. Then again, it seems Google Glass is all about the convenience factor and not having to carry around a smartphone at all.

Either way, JetBlue’s concept is actually really stellar, and it makes us want to get a pair for ourselves to make traveling easier. The airline’s Google Glass concept is a part of Google’s own marketing campaign that asks users to tweet or post the hashtag #ifihadglass and explain what they would use Google Glass for.

[via Business Insider]

JetBlue shows off Google Glass concept in airports is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

By all logic bats shouldn’t be able to fly. They’re basically rats with wings, yet somehow they manage to soar through the air, and researchers at Brown University have finally figured out how. But since they’re not the easiest animals to work with, Kenneth Breuer and Sharon Swartz created this biologically accurate robotic bat wing that perfectly mimics the creature’s motions. More »

It’s been quite a dramatic beginning for the 787 Dreamliner, probably one that Boeing and the airlines weren’t hoping for, but reoccurring failures to the lithium-ion batteries in several 787 aircrafts resulted in the entire fleet getting ground in order to investigate the issue. However, after a few weeks of investigating and troubleshooting, Boeing has completed its first flight of the 787 following the grounding.

According to Reuters, Boeing said that the test flight was “uneventful,” meaning that the two-hour flight didn’t experience any problems, and the lithium-ion batteries seemed to hold up. The plane took off from and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA, and the test crew on board were there to collect detailed information on the batteries while in-flight.

In the meantime, Boeing is redesigning the batteries as a temporary fix until a permanent solution is thought up. While a “temporary fix” might make some flyers queazy, Boeing notes that numerous tests will be run to make sure the redesigned batteries are in 100% working order before they put the planes back up in the air.

It doesn’t look like Boeing will be doing any test flights today, but it’s guaranteed that the company will be conducting numerous test flights over the next few weeks to get to the bottom of the issue. The battery problem has cost airlines tens of millions of dollars, and that number may continue to increase as long as the birds are left on the ground.

[via Reuters]

Boeing completes first 787 test flight following battery investigation is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

After the FAA decided to ground all Boeing 787 Dreamliners last month, a massive investigation began to determine the cause of the battery failures inside the new planes. It turns out that the batteries were overheating and literally melting. However, in order to get all 50 Dreamliners back up in the air, Boeing will be redesigning the battery as a temporary fix.

The battery redesign would minimize the risk of a meltdown happening, thus reducing the risk of a fire on board, which is what was suspected of happening in the past on the new planes. Again, it’s not Boeing’s permanent solution, but they say it’s the quickest way to get the planes back up in the air the safest way.

The redesigned batteries will have more space and separation between cells, and Boeing is also planning to add enhanced heat sensors. Plus, the company also plans to make the battery cells more rigid to keep them from moving around. We’re not sure if the cells were prone to moving around beforehand, but either way, it looks like Boeing is fully committed to using lithium-ion batteries in the 787, rather than nickel-cadmium batteries found in most other planes.

Boeing has hundreds of engineers and other experts working around the clock to resolve this issue, but there’s no word one when the new planes will be ready to fly again. The last we heard, investigations were going smoothly, but there was no rush to get the aircrafts back in service, so it could be a while before we see them in the air again.

[via WSJ]

Boeing to redesign 787 battery as a temporary fix is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.