united

Security Researcher Claims to Have Commandeered a Flight in Mid-Air

While United is busy offering free miles to researchers who can root out bugs in its website, there’s a much larger cybersecurity risk the airline still refuses to touch: The possibility of a hacker accessing critical avionics controls through an in-flight network. https://gizmodo.com/united-cant-even-be-bothered-to-pay-money-for-finding-s-1704639413 Which, it so happens, is exactly what cybersecurity researcher Chris Roberts has…

United Can’t Even Be Bothered To Pay Money For Finding Security Bugs

Bug bounty programs are pretty common among tech firms: the likes of Facebook and Google (although notably not Apple) will offer you hundreds of thousands of dollars in order for exposing security flaws in their products. It’s a good system, and one United Airlines wants to use: just without offering cold, hard cash. Instead, United…

Every Major Airline’s Wifi Service, Explained and Ranked

You know that Louis C.K. joke about wifi on airplanes? He says, “It’s fast, and I’m watching YouTube clips. It’s amazing—I’m on an airplane! And then it breaks down.… And the guy next to me goes, ‘This is bullshit.’” It’s so true. Wifi on airplanes is absurdly cool, but only if it’s even available on…

A Gadget That Stops Seats From Reclining Caused a Plane-Diverting Fight

Planes are giving us less and less leg room so it’s no surprise that quarrels break out between passengers over space. Yesterday, one such altercation got so heated that a plane was diverted to Chicago. And at the heart of the conflict? A nifty little device called the Knee Defender, which prevents seats from reclining.…

If you’re ever on a United flight and your Wi-Fi craps out, there’s something you should know: You’re entitled to a full refund. Apparently, United’s flight attendants are supposed to keep this little courtesy a secret, but you can head over here to fill out a request for a service refund. The more you know.

How to Book Travel Online for Less

With clear skies and rising temperatures around the country, the summer travel season is nearly upon us. And unless you’ve got money to burn or a first-born to offer, now’s the time to book your travel plans. Here’s how to get away without breaking the bank. Timing Is Everything Airline ticket pricing is a fickle…

United Airlines Doesn’t Give a Damn What You Lost on Their Planes

Steve Silberman suffered through a flight from Hell. Not only did United attendants ask him to switch seats when the woman next to him irrationally demanded so, but after forgetting his Kindle on the plane, the attendants refused to grab it. As the story goes, moments after stepping of the plane, Silberman realized he had…

Are Rising Gas Prices a Cure For Obesity?

There may be one benefit to the rising cost of gas. It could make Americans less fat. Some economists like Dr. Charles Courtemanche, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, suggest a dollar increase in gas could curb driving and slash the obesity rate by 10%. Other economists believe five million obese adults could…

All Hell Breaks Loose After Slap Fight on a United Flight

It all started when a passenger on a Ghana-bound United flight out of D.C.’s Dulles Airport decided to recline his seat. That pissed off the passenger behind him, leading to an exchange of heated words between the men, and the recliner being “smacked in the head.” That’s right: the very act you’ve fantasized about countless…

The Berzerker Black Hawk Helicopter That Helped Kill Osama bin Laden

Everyone wants to know exactly how the take-out-bin-Laden-operation went down. Part of what we know for sure is that badass Navy SEALs did the shooting, and were carried to the site by another elite team—the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, or SOAR (aka the “Night Stalkers”). The bird of choice appears to have been specially…

The Best Science of the Year

2010 was a great year for Science. NASA’s space plane (and the Dolly lineage) were resurrected while a secret laboratory Neturino observatory was built under the South Pole. Check out our best science stories of the year! 1. The Real Story Behind NASA’s Resurrected Space Plane Why did NASA quietly move two long-grounded X-34 space…

United Adding Wi-Fi to a Measly 13 Planes

United Airlines is getting Wi-Fi…sort of. Only 13 Boeing 757s will receive Aircell’s popular Gogo service for coast-to-coast flights by November. The price will range from $13 for laptops to $8 for smartphones and other small Wi-Fi devices. [Chicago Tribune via CrunchGear]

United Airlines Wi-Fi to Cost $13 Later This Year

United has announced more details regarding their long-planned inflight internet services. Coming in the second half of this year, Wi-Fi will cost customers $13 per flight. https://gizmodo.com/united-to-offer-in-flight-wireless-106607 The service, provided by Aircell’s GoGo (no surprise since they pretty much rule the spectrum), will initially be available on 13 Boeing 757s that fly between New York…

Penguin United’s Quad Charge Station Takes Four Wiimotes Simultaneously

Nyko’s Wiimote charge station has been on the market for a while now, dutifully rejuvenating two Wiimotes at a time so you don’t have to. How could you improve on that concept? By introducing a charge station that charges FOUR Wiimotes simultaneously. Penguin United’s solution does just that, plus comes with fancy green and blue…

United Airlines Offering iPod/iPhone Connectivity on International Flights

United Airlines may be screwing passengers with hefty ticket prices and bag fees, but if you are an iPod/iPhone user, the friendly skies just got a little friendlier. A new deal makes United the first U.S. carrier to offer iPod and iPhone connectivity to its in-flight entertainment system. Passengers will be able to plug in…

United Pampers Geeks with iPod Connector and XM Radio

I admit, I don’t like flying, but book me on United’s new “First Suite” service and I’ll literally be on cloud 9. In addition to your own 15.4-inch LCD, the service has seats that come with their own iPod connector so geeks like me can keep their player juiced on those long inter-continental flights. Once…