Netbooks and Wifi at 30,000 feet

Once you have had wifi, you will never go back.

What became clear very quickly is whilst a lot is made of the interactive screens and VOD on the back of airplane seats - it is best described as having a television with your own remote control at your seat. At the end of the day it is still just a passive experience.

Whilst there is no overwhelming difference between internet access on an airplane or at home/work - I did clock 200kb/sec on a download - you are physically restricted to your seat and it allows you to be somewhere completely difference. This could be twittering with your friends in a different time zone, going through your outstanding emails which you haven't got to or just catching up with news. It makes a six hour flight a valuable experience and all for the princely sum of $6.95.

In a similar manner, my trusty Asus 901 netbook was fantastic - when the person in front decided to have a sleep and put his seat down the small screen remain completely vertical. And what's more Virigin America also have power supplies under the seats, so when my battery gave up after 4 hours (on a 6 hour flight) I just plugged it in.

Fantastic, incredible - thank-you Mr Branson for showing the world how it should be done.