flying
Entertainment
11:00AM Damian Francis | For those of you who read Giz’s sister site, Lifehacker, you’ll probably know that editor Angus Kidman writes a lot of stories about flying. I thought I would join his flying reporting club by putting a bit of a Giz spin on this. And I’m hoping to open this up to the community as well for opinion.
Two weeks ago I was in Japan. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself, “Hold on Damo, you’re in Japan now. And you were in Japan two weeks ago? What’s the go?”. Well, true story. I was back in Sydney last week and am now back in Japan, but aside from severe jet lag and a wallet full of yen, it did give me a bit of an eye opener when it came to airline options. More »
Flight Test: Business Vs Economy Class
11:00AM Damian Francis | For those of you who read Giz’s sister site, Lifehacker, you’ll probably know that editor Angus Kidman writes a lot of stories about flying. I thought I would join his flying reporting club by putting a bit of a Giz spin on this. And I’m hoping to open this up to the community as well for opinion.
Two weeks ago I was in Japan. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself, “Hold on Damo, you’re in Japan now. And you were in Japan two weeks ago? What’s the go?”. Well, true story. I was back in Sydney last week and am now back in Japan, but aside from severe jet lag and a wallet full of yen, it did give me a bit of an eye opener when it came to airline options. More » 
Phones
Foreign Airlines Rushing To Offer In-Flight Phone Service
4:30AM Adam Frucci | In America, you need to keep your phone off between takeoff and landing. But on foreign airlines such as Emirates and Ryanair, you’re welcome to make calls in-flight. Better them than us. More »
Vehicles
Stay At the Hotelicopter: The World’s First Flying Hotel
9:20AM Sean Fallon | Since 2004, the company behind the Hotelicopter has been working to modify a Soviet-made Mil V-12 into two world firsts: the “world’s biggest helicopter” and the “world’s first flying hotel.” More »
Vehicles
Two-Seated Flying Machine Sounds Like the Perfect Daredevil Date
4:00PM Elaine Chow | Nothing screams something special for the missus like the chance for you both to cheat death together. Get on this Tanarg two-seated flying thing and you won’t be able to pry her off you. More »
Gadgets
Water-Powered Jetpack Would Be the Most Godly Firefighting Tool Ever
11:28PM Mark Wilson | You know how some jerk in a water gun fight always cheats by grabbing the hose? Well, this pilot could totally beat that guy at his own game. More »
Online
United Airlines Wi-Fi to Cost $US13 Later This Year
3:27AM Mark Wilson | United has announced more details regarding their long-planned inflight internet services. Coming in the second half of this year, Wi-Fi will cost customers $US13 per flight. More »
Phones
11:30AM Nick Broughall | I say! Have you heard of this jolly good technology being sprouted on the interweb, old chap? It’s a British invention, naturally. British Airways is letting its passengers check in via their mobile phone. No, no, not just on the iPhone – although they’ve offered that since July – on any mobile phone with a mobile browser. They’re even offering the service in 11 different languages. I know: you have to wonder about the state of the Empire when our national airline offers something in French, but at least we beat those buggers across the Pond to the punch. The best part, other than it being British, is that you don’t even have to download any additional software – just point your mobile browser at www.ba.com/mobile and enter your booking number and surname. What’s that? Why yes, it is jolly good. Well, I’m off to enjoy the miserable British weather. Huru!
[BA] More »
British Airways Offers Check-in Via Mobile Phone In 11 Languages
11:30AM Nick Broughall | I say! Have you heard of this jolly good technology being sprouted on the interweb, old chap? It’s a British invention, naturally. British Airways is letting its passengers check in via their mobile phone. No, no, not just on the iPhone – although they’ve offered that since July – on any mobile phone with a mobile browser. They’re even offering the service in 11 different languages. I know: you have to wonder about the state of the Empire when our national airline offers something in French, but at least we beat those buggers across the Pond to the punch. The best part, other than it being British, is that you don’t even have to download any additional software – just point your mobile browser at www.ba.com/mobile and enter your booking number and surname. What’s that? Why yes, it is jolly good. Well, I’m off to enjoy the miserable British weather. Huru!
[BA] More »
Gadgets
Ear Pressure Equaliser Sucks On Your Eardrum to Un-Pop It in Planes
8:20PM Kit Eaton | Now that’s a headline you won’t see often, and yet that’s exactly what this gizmo does. You pop it in your ear, and squeeze it to create negative pressure outside your eardrum, thus compensating for the sometimes painful inward-flex caused as the aircraft you’re flying in descends from altitude. Or you climb back down a mountain. There is a safety vent, so nothing should go bang (ouch!)… as befits a device developed by a professor from the Tinnitus Research and Balance Clinic in Melbourne Australia. Still, since it costs a surprising $US60, I’ll be sticking with my Eustachian tubes, thankyouverymuch. [OhGizmo] More »
Gadgets
Qantas Now Pretty Sure That Your iPod Didn’t Almost Crash Their Plane
7:00PM John Herrman | Early last week a Qantas Airlines Airbus A330 surprised (and injured) its passengers with an inexplicable 300ft climb, followed by an even larger drop. Initial reports seemed to place blame on interference from personal electronics — something that Qantas had claimed before. After the news made the rounds the situation became muddied, with Qantas claiming that the initial news reporting misrepresented their claims and reporters backing away from the story. In any case, rest easy, Australian in-flight gadgeteers — it wasn’t your fault. More »
Networks
