KIOSGEEK

Mmm… we like where this is headed. While legacy airlines in America are struggling to outfit their fleets with in-flight WiFi alone, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways is showing ‘em how it’s done. The airline has just inked a memorandum of understanding with Panasonic Avionics for the “provision of full broadband connectivity on all Cathay Pacific and Dragonair passenger aircraft.” Yeah, you read that correctly — by early 2012, Cathay will make 50Mbps internet service, in-flight GSM cellphone service (voice, SMS and data) as well as live and pay-per-view television …

Looks like YouTube’s having quite the day. The site has officially rolled out Leanback, its television-friendly interface first espied during Google TV’s big unveiling. The interface works via keyboard arrow keys — sorry, no option to use the mouse — letting you scroll through your feeds / recommendations, categories, playback options, and search bar. Videos encompass the entire browser menu and will crank up the HD when available. So far, we’re seeing snappy response with navigation, and some utter embarrassment at the (unfortunately accurate) suggestions YouTube is throwing our way.
Meanwhile …

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

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In a world of connected screens, the venerable TV continues to wait in isolation while the personal computer and …

It’s sort of affordable by Mamiya standards, but the $17,990 asking price affixed to the outfit’s new RZ33 large-sensor digital camera kit is still apt to detract all but the most professional of professionals. Boasting a 33 megapixel CCD sensor, CompactFlash support and a promise to produce mind-blowing images, this beast-of-a-digicam is said to offer “cable-free digital operation [that's] just as smooth and trouble-free as shooting with film.” As you’d expect, it’s fully compatible with all RZ system lenses, viewfinders and (most) accessories, and you’ll also find rack and pinion …

Nothing like rumors of corporate layoffs to throw 89,000 Microsoft employees into unproductive turmoil. This time the rumors are being mongered by the Wall Street Journal and TechFlash, both of whom have been told to expect “far smaller” cuts than the 5,000 heads lost during the global financial downturn. And while it’s easy to come to the conclusion that this round of layoffs is the result of the Kin debacle, keep in mind that Microsoft is entering a new fiscal year — the perfect time (from a budgetary perspective) …

We never thought we’d live to see the day where we were talking on a shoe, Get Smart-style. Technology still hasn’t advanced nearly enough to make authentic shoe-talking anything more than a distant dream, but the next best thing — a phone from a shoe manufacturer — is now available. Actually, “available” is a bit of a stretch since the Puma Phone has only launched in nine European, African, and Middle Eastern countries so far, but we’d hope that a wider launch is on the way. And hey, to be …

You know all those precious lenses you’ve been stockpiling for your SLR since the 90s? They’re still safe for another couple of decades, but in round about 2030, you’re gonna be trashing all that glassware and buying yourself a Wonder Camera. Why would that be? Canon is pretty confident that by then it’ll have figured out how to do a single lens capable of going from macro shots all the way out to a 5000mm focal length. And yes, apparently it’s small enough to fit in a young girl’s hands. …

It’s just a tablecloth and a piece of paper, until you pull out a Nexus One, at which point it magically becomes an arena where toy robots fire off punches. Augmented reality isn’t anything new, of course, but Qualcomm seems determined to bring it to cell phones in a big way — launching an AR game studio, sponsoring a $200,000 developer challenge, and announcing a free software development kit (which will see open beta this fall) all on the same day. The company partnered with Mattel to build the Rock …

More PS3 news from Sony. What was already known to be a fall release has just narrowed to September 30th for Sony’s $199 PS3 Surround Sound System — at least in Japan. As you might recall, this budget Sony soundbar with integrated sub-woofer and S-Force PRO Front Surround technology tethers up snuggly with your PS3 over optical digital supporting Dolby digital, DTS, MPEG-2 AAC and Linear PCM audio formats. Model CECH-ZVS1 then bounces the surround sound off the walls when placed in front of your television. It’s not Sony’s best …

We’ve usually pleasantly surprised by the interface technology out of Redmond, but we rarely see Microsoft tackle anything as simple as a TV remote control. However, a July 1st patent application by the software giant describes a fairly interesting gizmo with controls on multiple sides. With a six-axis inertial sensor package, the unit always knows which direction is up and activates only that side — allowing engineers to slim down the unit (or cram more buttons into the same space) by putting contextually-aware touchscreens on any surface of the device. …