Apple has recently announced having integrated-iPod entertainment systems on airlines Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United by mid-2007
From the press release:
These six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.
On long flights, battery life has been an issue with the iPod, so I think it's a good thing -- it does however add more one thing before traveling, and that's to load up the iPod with movies and shows before a flight. Of course if iPod chargers and displays become the norm for airlines, expect little iTunes Store kiosks to show up at airline terminals, or Apple with preloaded iPod Videos packed with a selection of movies. If you have enough stores, you could even set up an iPod rental business -- simply return the iPod to the store after the trip is over. Charge outrageous overdue fees, and I think you've got a business model.
Of course, if interference from personal electronics plays so much havoc with take off and landing, imagine what a plane full of iPods could do...
Check out this ipod/wow/aircraft post:http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=11211166&sid=1&pageNo=1It is almost a TLDR (too long didn't read) post.. but if you slog through it, it is worth it.
Yes, I've actually posted about this story before:
http://www.mikehuang.com/blog/2006/09/wow_ipod_terrorism.html