martinmarv - Slashdot User

+ - B-2 stealth bomber to get computer upgrade-> 0

Submitted by

martinmarv

on Friday July 11, 2008 @07:50AM

martinmarv writes "Flightglobal is reporting that the B2 stealth bomber is to receive an upgraded flight management system. According to the article, Northrop Grumman is "upgrading the B-2's 256Kb-class processor chip with a Pentium-class Lockheed Martin integrated processing unit, with the improved FMS to feature 1Gb/s computational speed". In addition, there will be "a new disc drive with fibre channel interfaces". The Register also reports on this, and points out that at first-glance this looks like technology from the 1990s!"
Link to Original Source

+ - Gulfstream tests wireless "fly-by-wire" co 0

Submitted by martinmarv on Tuesday May 27, 2008 @07:47AM

martinmarv writes "Gulfstream are testing various control configurations on their new G550 aircraft. According to Flightglobal, the newest innovation is using wireless to pass data that has traditionally been passed using "fly-by-wire" technology (and more recently fly-by-light). There are advantages to this approach in that there are no wires to be broken or damaged if other components fail, but it is currently only being considered as a back-up method, at least in the short term.

Let's hope that the encryption is very good!"

+ - iPod docks to be fitted to Air New Zealand planes-> 0

Submitted by

martinmarv

on Tuesday May 13, 2008 @06:07AM

martinmarv writes "Flightglobal has a story about iPod docks being installed as part of Air New Zealand's in-flight entertainment systems, along with "video and audio on demand (AVOD), moving map, games, USB media player, and other entertainment options". This is part of the Panasonic X-Series IFE (In-Flight Entertainment) systems — (PDF Link).

It looks like this could be the "next generation" of in-flight entertainment. It's great that people can bring their own music along, although why they can't just plug earphones into their iPods is not clear. Also, it would be restrictive if this applied only to iPods (and not to other media players). Perhaps this is so that the user can control their playlists on the IFE screen?"
Link to Original Source

+ - PS3 European launch delayed to March 2007

Submitted by martinmarv on Wednesday September 06, 2006 @04:52AM

martinmarv writes "According to the BBC News website, the PlayStation 3 launch date for Europe has been put back to March 2007. They quote Ken Kutaragi ... "Mr Kutaragi blamed the European delay on problems in mass producing elements of the high-definition Blu-ray disc drives in the machines." .
This will give the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii an extra 4 months head-start in the next-gen war (and no doubt it will delight Zonk).

The US and Japan launch date is still set to be November this year."