In several talks I’ve given over the last year or two, I’ve lamented the experience of in-flight entertainment as an example of how un-personalized systems can be. As a a member of a few airline loyalty programs I yearn for the day I can sit down and the screen in the seat in front of me welcomes me and provides a personal experience. Although it’s not quite at that level, I’m encouraged by the work of Lufthansa Systems who are using Windows Embedded to transform the in-flight passenger experience in the same way that car makers like Ford and Fiat have used it to change the experience for car and driver.
With their BoardConnect system, rather than watching movies and listening to music on the plane’s built-in hardware (which can leave much to be desired in the way of sound fidelity and picture quality), passengers will be able to watch in-flight entertainment on their own devices. And airlines will be able to offer much more in the way of content: e-books, catalogs and menus, along with a larger selection of movies and music. Of course there needs to be a DRM system to back all of this up which is where our PlayReady technology comes in.
