Comments

I think it's fabulous that Tom is so excited about being able to send blogs from mid-air that he wrote a three word post. For him, that amounts to positively speechless.

Posted by cathy at October 12, 2005 8:51 AM

now that's irrational exuberance.... it is almost like the lady lamp leg stand in The Christmas Story.

Posted by Bert Blevins at October 12, 2005 9:48 AM

Now you're just showing off!!!

Posted by Mark JF at October 12, 2005 9:52 AM

Can you see/sense the coming changes from up there?
Certainly the vibe of a New World.....

Cheers!

Posted by Michael J at October 12, 2005 10:20 AM

Before we get too excited about this, let's look at the details. This service is available on eight airlines, five of which are Asian and three European. None of the big four bankrupt US carriers offer this service, nor do the discount carriers. Thirty bucks for a ten hour(?) flight is pretty steep, even to read and post on TP dot com. Although I don't know this for a fact, I am willing to bet that this service is not available in coach, which is where most of us have to fly. I think this falls into the category of interesting gimmick until it becomes 1)matter-of-fact-ubiquitious-every-plane-every-seat-standard-like-a-seat-belt; and 2) free, or almost.

But, hey, that's just me.

Posted by Mike at October 12, 2005 11:43 AM

Mike - I think you're being a bit tough here. "Gimmick"? Or are the 8 airlines involved early adopters? Will travellers move to them to avail themselves of the service? You've got to start somewhere and this is it.

Posted by Mark JF at October 12, 2005 12:46 PM

Mark, I'm just talking about the Henry Ford model. Ford took autos from playthings for the rich and made them tools for the masses that improved the quality of life for just about all Americans. I would gladly be an "early adopter" if I could afford to, which I can not. I have to wait until the new "thing" becomes a commodity in order to be able to afford to use it. And, so do most of us. I can't gush over expensive toys the way some people can, because I can't buy them. Give me a quality tool for a reasonable price, however, and I'll rave about it until the cows come home...

Posted by Mike at October 12, 2005 1:14 PM

Hey Tom, when do we get a post about Gap's new store Forth & Towne?

Posted by Andrew E at October 12, 2005 2:16 PM

I am a reasonably decent student of innovation. Almost every serious innovation arrives as a gimmick with weirdo users. One of my favorites is the spool audio tape recorder, predecessor of so much invaluable stuff. It's first "successful commercial" appearance was almost exclusively in Tokyo bars, where drunks got off hearing their voice. Air Conditioning had no valuable use--and was first introduced frivilously in a handful of movie theaters. (And, good lord, there sure as heck was no use for the first portable computers--Popular Mechanics used to have articles on how to save dinner recipes in your kit "PC.") (Tom Watson jr, IBM chief, famously said, post WWII, that he could imagine a "global" "market" for no more than 5 mainframes; mini-computer and DEC founder Ken Olsen infamously said, in the 70s I believe, something like "There is no reason for anyone to have a computer in their home"--of course a quarter century later there is no reaqson to have a DEC.) (A famous Daimler Benz "market research" study, circa 1905, forsaw a market for no more than 1,000,000 cars--because of a shortage of chauffers! Cars were toys for the weekend use of the rich.)

Concerning another point, I cant see why a wireless service would be--or even could be--restricted to Biz or First class. In fact as I was milling around at the gate, a young woman simply came up to me (I could have been ticketed to sit on the wing) and gave me a card for 30 free wireless Internet minutes.

Posted by tom peters at October 12, 2005 2:24 PM

P.S. I'm on the ground, no longer even wireless, in D.C.

Posted by tom peters at October 12, 2005 2:30 PM

Tom: Yes, I think the wireless airplane is probably a good bet, but it isn't at a point yet where I get excited about it. I never said it wouldn't take off, only that it was in a "toy" stage right now. I'm kind of a "wake me when it really happens" adopter, not an early adopter. I need to be because, as you and I both said of early autos, many of these things begin as playthings of the rich. Frankly, I'd be more impressed if airlines could figure out how to give good service, lower fares, and make a profit for their stakeholders.

Posted by Mike at October 12, 2005 2:42 PM

Mike, re last sentence ... they can! Jet Blue will soon take us part-time Bostonians to NYC for $40. And I bet they make a buck. No more Amtrack Acela for me. (Let alone USAir.)

I do a lot of long haul--these "frivolous" features matter.

Posted by tom peters at October 12, 2005 3:17 PM

That´s full interaction, Tom.

Posted by Felix Gerena at October 12, 2005 3:22 PM

Amazing - TP sends Blog postings from an Aeroplane and I couldn't get a cup of tea on the train today in England! - A long way to go British Rail :-)

Posted by Trevor at October 12, 2005 4:01 PM

Wireless hi-speed at the Radisson Moscow worked like a charm. (And, ye gads, the Borcht (sp?) was in-cred-ible!)

Posted by tom peters at October 12, 2005 4:08 PM

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But could you get a cup of tea? :-)

Posted by Trevor at October 12, 2005 4:17 PM

at logan airport in boston, wi-fi $7.95 for 24 hours, though of course you're only here for 2 hours anyway. norway next stop. afraid there won't be wi-fi on my plane. drats!

Posted by Erik at October 12, 2005 4:24 PM

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Trevor, didn't try--but the coffee surely wasn't for the faint of heart!

Posted by tom peters at October 12, 2005 5:38 PM

It is great to see that the airlines are trying innovative things; although, the price tag does seem a little steep. But then again, they don’t have much competition at 20,000 feet up in the air and maybe it will save them from bankruptcy. In my mind, this is long overdue and I look forward having a network available the next time we go to Hawaii or Australia.

Posted by RTodd at October 13, 2005 5:48 AM