chartier says: Oh, it was crystal clear way back in 2008 when I wrote about this for Ars Technica. and it’s crystal clear today, assuming you can look beyond your own nose. The reason is cultural, not technical. Who wants to be crammed into a tin can for one, two, four, or more hours on a flight right next, in front, or behind someone blabbing on their cell phone about the latest ad campaign, the progress of mom’s cancer treatment, or the really, really hot guy from class? Not a single damn person on this planet, that’s who.

» SFB says: Here’s another take on the issue we posted earlier. However, we take issue with this stance, because it’s a different thing entirely — the fact of the matter is, the cultural reasons for blocking cell phones make sense. However, Bilton was very careful to emphasize his argument around iPads, Kindles and MP3 players — all devices that, if used properly, would annoy nearby passengers as much as someone using a reading light to pore over a copy of The Atlantic; and all devices which are allowed in mid-flight. In fact, in the case of a Kindle, it’s the opposite of annoying. “But, why can’t I read my Kindle or iPad during takeoff and landing?” Bilton wrote. “E-readers and cellphones can be easily put into “Airplane Mode” which disables the device’s radio signals.” We need to look beyond just cell phones when we think of “electronic devices.” We’re past that. — Ernie @ SFB