I've just hit the 50th flight where I've had the Kindle out and in use. 50 flights in a row where nobody tells me to turn off my book. Landing here in SFO. Fun Fun.
--------------------------------------------- Rick Segal, Partner, JLA Ventures [email protected]
Isn't it up to you to be responsible for your own actions and not wait for the flight attendant to catch you while you risk the safety of everyone on the plane?
Maybe the risks that it will cause harmful interference are low, and maybe the flight attendants should recognize the device, but does that mean that you shouldn't have to follow the rules like everyone else does?
Posted by: Jason | August 07, 2008 at 14:56
Jason
The risks are virtually non-existant. The airplane sits in a field of radio waves on the ground and while taxiing and there has never been a demonstration of interference. In fact, it is so much of a non-issue that many foreign carriers along with Delta have 802.11 wifi networks running on the plane, and are working on micro-cells for cell phones on the plane.
The reason it is currently verbotten is that the FAA and the FCC are extremely risk averse, and no government agent wants to be known as the guy that allowed "that" to happen.
Posted by: Jack | August 07, 2008 at 16:09
I should have put some smiley faces into my comment. I was just poking a little fun, just as Mr. Segal was poking a little fun at flight attendants who don't recognize (or care about) an ebook reader. The post even has "Fun" in the title. :)
Posted by: Jason | August 08, 2008 at 07:22
It's been that kinda week, Jason, I know how you feel... :-)
Posted by: Rick Segal | August 08, 2008 at 08:45
Funny that you've had no trouble. They made me turn off my Sony Reader a few times on United and Alaska. I guess that being black and more symmetrically shaped makes the Sony Reader look more like an electronic device than the Kindle.
Posted by: David Geller | August 25, 2008 at 13:55