At a time when planes were propeller driven, and only very rich people could afford a round-trip ticket, entertainment on board was extremely simple – eating like in an expensive restaurant, reading newspapers and smoking cigars with good whiskey, and also, probably, communicating with others respected people who flew on the same flight. Fortunately, aviation has developed rapidly and today many can afford a flight, and the question of what to do on board, as it was relevant in the middle of the 20th century, remains so today. However, unlike those who flew in the 50s, we have a new tool for onboard entertainment – electronics. In this post, I want to suggest several ways to practice in flight, and also invite you to share your ideas or experiences. Go!
Movies and TV shows on the tablet. I am considering this option first, because it is closest to me. Serials, films, which I wanted to watch for a long time, are downloaded onto the tablet, but everyone did not get it or 'there was no time'. On the plane, especially when the flight is not short (2-4 hours), but long, over 5 hours, you will definitely find time to watch a movie. Here, of course, ideally you need a tablet with a comfortable stand and a capacious battery, but there are almost no such devices today (except for Lenovo Yoga). The diagonal of the screen is personal preference, for me this is an eight-inch model and is enough for me, but I suppose some will be more comfortable with a 10 or even 12 'device.
Games on a smartphone or tablet. The second option for using a tablet, as well as almost the only one possible for a smartphone in flight, is gaming. Today there are a lot of cool games for mobile platforms, there are plenty to choose from, respectively, even on a long flight, you can play so much that the flight will pass almost imperceptibly.
- Game classics for Android / iOS
A tablet will be more appropriate here, in my opinion, simply because there is a larger screen, but a smartphone will do. But for the rest, the smartphone will not work, as it seems to me, just because of the small screen. Reading from it for a long time is harmful to the eyes, watching a movie is also not super convenient. Games remain.
Handheld games. Here we are talking about the PlayStation Portable, Vita and the Nintendo 3DS line (standard and XL versions, as well as their new iterations). I don’t know if any clarification is needed? Take a laptop with you with your favorite game or games and now you have something to do for the whole flight. Here I will share my joy – I decided to understand what Nintendo is and took a 3DS XL with the game Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – in the next flight (but who am I kidding – I'm already playing everything) I will test it!
Reading on an e-book. Our material is about what you can do in flight using various electronic things, otherwise I would suggest an easier option: reading a paper book is always and everywhere a great way to have a good time (besides, you will not be asked to put it away during takeoff and landing). But in our case we are talking about reading on an e-book. It actually has its advantages, even if you love the smell of paper and rustling of pages.
First, an 'electric book' is lighter than almost any paper one. Secondly, in it you can carry thousands of your favorite books (well, well, hundreds), and if you take paper books with you, then it is unlikely that it will go further than a couple of books, because it is corny hard and takes up space in your bag or backpack.
Music on the smartphone. Here it is, the second option for using a smartphone in flight is to put on headphones or plug earplugs into your ears and enjoy your favorite music. If this is not yours, then you will hardly be enough for more than an hour, but believe me, there are many people for whom the phrase 'listening to music' is not an empty phrase. And they can listen to hours of pre-loaded new albums from their favorite bands, listen to their favorite classics from different genres, and just listen to something familiar for hours. As for me, this is a very good option for resting in flight, the main thing is that there are good headphones with sound insulation.
In the comments, I invite you to share your thoughts on what you can do on the plane with the help of various electronic things, not necessarily just those that I have listed above. And to the author of the coolest commentary, I will send an invite to buy a OnePlus Two smartphone, I have it idle, but someone may probably come in handy.
