Qantas has announced they will begin a trial run for an in-flight entertainment system centered around Apple’s iPad tablet, initially limiting the test to a single Boeing 767-300 which allows streaming of music and video content to all of the aircraft’s 254 seats.

In what it’s trumpeting as a ‘world first’, Qantas will next month begin trials of Apple’s iPad for in-flight entertainment, using wi-fi to stream content to the tablets from a central server on the aircraft.

The central server will use 5 WiFi access points throughout the aircraft, of which each iPad can connect to using a custom pre-loaded ‘Q Streaming’ app that bypasses Apple’s default iOS homescreen and instead presents users with an on-demand library of content to stream. Qantas says that if any passenger decides to take one home with them, the iPad will be essentially rendered useless outside of the aircraft thanks to their Q Streaming app lockdown.

Passengers who opt to bring their own tablet or laptop can also hook into the new content streaming system, and Qantas will additionally allow a 24-hour viewing window for those using their own device if the movie is cut short by the flight. If successful, Qantas will add an additional 10 aircraft to the program and they’re also considering bringing it to the Airbus A330.

I don’t know about you, but the prospect of being able to hook my iPad into a content-rich streaming system would surely make a cross-country flight a lot less unbearable.

[Australian Business Traveller]

Jetstar Airlines are going to offer passengers in-flight iPads for AU$10 per flight from April, pending licensing agreements with Apple. We reported that Jetstar Airlines had a successful trial period for a iPad based in-flight entertainment system, last summer with the intent to launch before Christmas, so it’s safe to say things went well.

The iPads will come preloaded with movies, music, magazines, books, and apps, replacing the current in-flight entertainment systems. The launch will start on Jetstar A320 flights, but marketing manager David May says:

If everything goes as planned — and I see no reason why it wouldn’t “fly” — the airline will expand the service to every aircraft “because the iPads are so much slimmer and lighter than our existing units”

So, would you want your local airline to implement an iPad-based entertainment system? Would you use it?

[TUAW]

Needless to say, the announcement from Sonos that you can now control all of this via your iPhone is really exciting! I personally don’t use Sonos, but I have a friend that does, and he filled me on on the scoop…

I have 5 zones of Sonos in my house. And let me give you a break down of why I use this product versus others. Sonos allows me the ability to access several sources of music via a wireless hand held controller. 

This controller has hard buttons, a touch sensitive scroll wheel, and a large LCD display for metadata and navigation. Now with the controller I can access some amazing things. First, I can access any shared music files on my personal computer including my itunes library. Beyond that the music selection is near limitless. I can access several on-line subscription services (free 30 day trials included with the purchase). Rhapsody, Pandora, Napster, Sirius, and 1500 pre- loaded internet radio stations, all from my handheld controller(s)!  I can search via all the expected criteria, and build Pandora stations right from the controller! The Sonos system transmits this data wirelessly from a sending unit my router out to each room, or “zone”. In each room is a Sonos receiver/amplifier connected to various speaker types depending on the specific room.  This is where it gets fun.  With the controller I can turn each zone on or off, select the music of choice, and control the volume of each zone independent of one another! I can “link” zones to have them all playing the same music, or not!

Now that I have explained the Sonos concept you are wondering where the iPhone comes in to play right? Well, enter the new Sonos controller application!  Being that the controllers are a cool $400 apiece (and worth it!), how much cooler would it be to have Sonos at my finger tips from the moment I walk in to my wifi network right here on my $200 iPhone! Well, being that Sonos is wifi based, 801.11-ish, its is all possible.

Pros: I get total control of my zones on my iPhone. I love this, its brilliant.

Cons: I use Sonos as my alarm clock (thats right), but I can’t control the alarm via the iPhone application.

Also, the iPhone should be a zone in itself! I could be mowing the lawn listening quite literally to almost anything I could ever want.  Hopefully these changes are just an update away!

You can find out more about Sonos and other cool “entertainment solutions” by visiting Entertainment Solutions in their store or online.