I-Pad rental coming to JQ

[Blackadder]

Jetstar to put iPad on in-flight menu | News.com.au

 

[Mal]

That's actually pretty sad - and I'm not just saying that because I'm not an Apple Fan-boi.

Some of the potential pitfalls I see:
- How does JQ control what is added to the iPad once in a customer's hands? Are they wiped after each time a customer uses one, or are we going to start seeing reports that someone was handed an iPad that contained cough?
- The iPad isn't a particularly tough device. How many will be broken in a short period of time?
- iPads with their glossy nature are difficult to clean.
- iPads are probably 5-8x as expensive as other styles of media players that JQ would be using.
- As a much more attractive item to steal, are customers going to have them stolen when they leave them on their seat to take a toilet break?
- Should a customer be "on the hook" for a ~$600 item on loan to them while on the plane? What if a child breaks one?

So please help me out. Why should they be offered on JQ flights?

 

[ejb]

Mal,

I had the same thoughts as you. If people go to great lengths to steal airline cutlery what will they do to get their hands on iPads?

I do think however that they will be wifi only and have this feature disabled prior to use so I see no danger in people adding inappropriate content.

My only concern would be breakage and other pax grabbing them while asleep or in the toilet, also as you mentioned children dropping them.

I think this is a gimick that JQ are using to get some free publicity not unlike Ryan Air's "charging to use toilets" scam everytime they need a bump in the news.

ejb

 

[harvyk]

You'll probably find they have RFID tags hiding in them somewhere, and JQ planes will probably have a detector to get around the problem of people walking off with a free iPad...

They certainly look (and feel) a little fragile, that said I expect that it would take a deliberate amount of force to actually break one.

Also iPads are relatively cheap (I expect JQ would be given a really good rate), the content loaded onto them would be the expensive part. Also I expect they will be seriously locked down, so no loading of your own apps (which would be impossible without a Wireless network connection of some description)

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Having just watched a movie on mine, I can confirm it will drain ~50% of the battery from one 2 hour session. This means it will need USB power somewhere. Although I guess this is no worse than the current DVD players they hand out......

This almost seems like Jetstar will get them very cheap, if not free as a product placement style deal so Apple can push more product....

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Anything is better the current 1970's purchased from Tandy devices...anything.

 

[simongr]

Having just watched a movie on mine, I can confirm it will drain ~50% of the battery from one 2 hour session. This means it will need USB power somewhere. Although I guess this is no worse than the current DVD players they hand out......

This almost seems like Jetstar will get them very cheap, if not free as a product placement style deal so Apple can push more product....

That seems at odds with other reorys about battery life. I would take it back if I was you.

I also dont think apple needs more
marketing gimmics given they are running out of stock.

 

[markis10]

Watching a movie draining the battery to 50% are 120 minutes makes sense if the quote battery life is 10 hours, decompression of the movie would have the processor working at 100% or max power as opposed to looking at a ebook or listening to music and of course the screen drains the most power. The Australian got 75% battery life after two hours using a mix of apps : Putting iPad through its paces | The Australian

 

[medhead]

That's actually pretty sad - and I'm not just saying that because I'm not an Apple Fan-boi.

Some of the potential pitfalls I see:
- How does JQ control what is added to the iPad once in a customer's hands? Are they wiped after each time a customer uses one, or are we going to start seeing reports that someone was handed an iPad that contained cough?

This are for rent while on your flight with DJ. As per the current system they are passed out in the air and collected prior to descent. During this time wifi and 3G (if 3g models) has to be turned off, they don't have a usb port. Exactly how is the customer going to install content in those circumstances? Where would they get it from? Perhaps from their laptop, but if they have their laptop with content on it why would they pay to rent an ipad to then install a movie to watch when they could watch it for free on the laptop?

- As a much more attractive item to steal, are customers going to have them stolen when they leave them on their seat to take a toilet break?
- Should a customer be "on the hook" for a ~$600 item on loan to them while on the plane? What if a child breaks one?

So please help me out. Why should they be offered on JQ flights?

Again given out and then collected. RFID or not, I'm pretty sure that if it was stolen by another pax then the crew would just say ok everyone stay on the plane while we search your luggage, or we get the police to do that.

Why should they be used by JQ - they are light, relatively cheap, convenient, hip and a point of coolness and difference.

I agree they might get broken easy.

 

[cosi]

Reported today in Asia Business Traveller Jetstar, the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas Airlines, will be offering iPads on international and domestic routes in phases by year-end. The airline will rent out the gadget for US$9.70, which they can use to watch movies, listen to music, read books and newspapers or play games although internet browsing will remain disabled. The scheme was first introduced on a trial basis in June on domestic flights, proving successful

 

[djfuzz]

[Edit] Oh my God, speaking of thread necro, I've just responded to a four month old post. Ignore.

 

[samh004]

The airline will rent out the gadget for US$9.70

So AUD$10.

Not bad. And I realised the age of the thread.