Your latest iPod accessory: A commercial passenger plane
Just when you thought you had every iPod accessory available, Big White goes and does something like this....
It must be the biggest and most expensive iPod accessory ever conceived: iPod owners can now attach a commercial passenger plane to their MP3 player.
Apple is teaming up with some of the world's biggest airlines to allow iPod owners to watch video streamed from their iPods straight onto the in-flight entertainment system.
iPod owners will also be able to charge their iPods from plugs on their seats. Apple has partnered with six airlines to deliver the iPod Integration service.
Expect new in-flight announcements like, "The captain kindly requests that some of you unplug your iPods because the navigation computer is speaking in a really slow voice like HAL at the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey, thank you."
"There is no better travelling companion than an iPod, and now travellers can power their iPods during flight and even watch their iPod movies and TV shows on their seat back displays," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing.
"We're excited to work with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to offer iPod users an even better in-flight experience," he added.
In-flight iPod connectivity will be available on the partnering flights, beginning mid-2007. Apple is also working with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring other airlines in-flight iPod connectivity in the future.
Next time you see some fool bragging about their half-a-grand's worth of Shure headphones, you can feel smug in the knowledge that your iPod was once charged off a Boeing 747. -CS