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Southwests Broadband Aboard

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by Kevin Maney
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Jan 23 2008 12:00am EDT

Southwest's Broadband Aboard

Now Southwest is looking into offering broadband Internet on its flights, joining Alaska Airlines and JetBlue and American in testing the concept.

Here's the thing: You know it's going to happen sooner or later. Every passenger jet will have broadband. And it will change the experience of flying. You could work. You could go on Joost or Hulu and watch TV -- and before long, see live sports over the Net. You could get on Skype and make phone calls.

This is actually terrible news for books and magazines. Trapped airline riders are a valuable market for both, and if these people now have Web access, will they buy that P.J. Tracy thriller at the airport bookstore before boarding?

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