American Airlines boosts in-flight experience with Galaxy Tab

by Steven Mostyn - Jun 16 2011, 14:55

Looking to sneakily expand the appeal of its Galaxy Tab mobile computer, consumer electronics specialist Samsung has struck a deal with American Airlines that will see passengers exposed to the device for long periods while in the close confines of a hurtling aluminum tube. Genius.

More pointedly, the 10.1-inch version of the Galaxy Tab (Wi-Fi) will be made available to premium flyers as a new and intriguing element of the overall in-flight entertainment package. Sorry, economy.

According to American Airlines, it will be carrying some 6,000 units of the sassy touch-screen device across select domestic and international flights beginning later in 2011—with the Tab replacing the airline’s current personal entertainment system.

Those initial flights include New York to Los Angeles, New York to San Francisco, Miami to Los Angeles and Boston to Los Angeles, along with certain international destinations throughout Europe and South America.

The first North American airline to present its customers with access to a branded tablet device, American Airlines has indicated that its partnership with Samsung will enable it to provide premium passengers with access to “a modern and innovative in-flight entertainment experience.”

It has also said hosting the Galaxy Tab is another dimension of the company’s drive to “revitalize the fleet and invest wisely in new products and services to modernize and enhance the travel experience.” 

Beyond its spacious 10.1-inch touchscreen display (1280x800), the Galaxy Tab also comes equipped with Android 3.1 (Honeycomb), a dual-core 1GHz processor, a rear-facing 8.0 mega pixel camera, a front-facing camera for video chat, an on-board Web browser, multimedia support, and motion-sensing technology.

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