Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Fine, in theory, but...
How many people with a 3G Kindle realise that it contains a cellular radio, or know that it's a transmitting device that needs to be turned off? We all know (I hope), but I'm damned sure that there are an awful lot of people out there who don't know.
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And if they don't know and they let the screen go to the screen saver and put the Kindle away without turning it off, the 3G will be on the entire flight. They won't be looking at the book and they will think that screen saver = off.
Lets face it, how many folks know how to turn off an IPod, Kindle, Sony reader? For most people off=no text for me to read = screen saver. I had a flight attendant show someone how to turn off their IPod. Something that I had no clue was needed. In my mind off for the IPod was not listening to music.
I would guess that the majority of e-readers that are put away before flight are actually "on" and in screen saver mode. If someone has accidently left on the 3G or the WiFi they are not trying to kill everyone, they just didn't realize that it was on. I have forgotten to turn my cell phone off in the past. It was not an intentional oversight, I normally turn it off. The plane landed just fine. No one died, there was not even problems with turbulance, no navigation systems were impaired (we arrived early even).
The reality is that even when people follow the rules, there is a percentage that is accidently not following the rules. And no planes have gone down or ended up massivly off course because someone left their cell phone or or their WiFi on during take off or landing.
I am sorry, but it is a non-issue. If it was an issue we would have heard about it by now. Instead the FAA is discussing running the necessary tests to prove it is a non-issue and allow people to use these devices.
Personally, I hope that they never allow cell phones to be used because I don't want to listen to peoples converstations. I can see myself being very rude and talking to the person on the other end of the conversation if my seat mate starts jabbering away. I am not concerned that using cell phones will crash the plane, I just don't want to be stuck listening to people talk on their cell phones while flying.