For those traveling in and around Asia on Singapore Airlines, it sounds as if your flights are about to get a bit more connected, and potentially more talkative. A new in-flight connectivity system based on Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband (collaboration with OnAir) is expected to provide passengers on medium- and long-haul flights with “access to Wi-Fi internet and mobile telephony services.” This should, in theory, enable patrons to send and receive SMS text messages with their GSM-compatible handsets, send and receive emails on their laptops and smartphones and potentially make and receive voice calls. SIA expects to have the first of its fleet equipped in the first half of 2011, with introductions to happen in progressive fashion on its Airbus A380, Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Hopefully there’s no annoying aunty in the next flight of mine when I board Singapore Airlines, or I’m going to throw my old laptop to her face. That’ll give me a new excuse to buy a new laptop.

SOURCE via Bername