According to Engadget, Microsoft and United Airlines are going to be extending their partnership which saw Zune branded content appear on the in-flight entertainment systems this past year, by providing Zune HD portable devices on long-haul flights to Hong Kong and Australia.
When I saw the story about iPads being used as IFE devices this spring, and now this Zune announcement, I thought it was pretty silly, and something I would never use, however after now flying United trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific in the past 12 months, and being subjected to no in-seat IFE or five channels of rotating content, I now think this is a very good idea.
In the past, I have been spoiled by Air Canada and their seat-back TV on every flight they operate, but when you think of the costs involved in outfitting an entire fleet of planes with Millions of dollars in equipment, and then take in to consideration the added weight and believe it or not, the huge costs related to the added weight, this idea of portable devices really makes sense.
