Honeywell's ePaxx Provides Affordable E-mail

Honeywell has introduced its all-new ePaxx Services, providing airborne e-mail via Honeywell's Inflightmail service. Users will be able to access online data including news, stock quotes or even a passenger moving map display in business aircraft that do not have a high-speed data connection. This makes ePaxx a very accessible and affordable system because it can be fitted to any aircraft with an airborne telephone and a 115-volt/60-Hz power supply.

The only additional items needed are a notebook PC, a network router and connecting cables that can be carried on the airplane-all available at any consumer electronics store for around $2,000. This means that customers can use their own laptop, their own regular e-mail service provider and their own regular e-mail address for a seamless transition of usage from the ground to the air.

"This is the ideal system to provide desperately needed connectivity for business people who travel on a light- to medium-heavy business jet, or any airplane where the cost of a high-speed data connection may be too difficult to justify," said Don Shell, Honeywell's cabin services business manager. The inflight e-mail system is fully functional and available immediately. Other elements, such as the international news service, a stock price service and the moving map, will be added from early 2003 onward.

By Robert Hewson