I wish the airlines would spend the money on more enjoyable amenities. Other than a book, I can't imagine being burdened with (or entangled in the wires of) much of the crap that folks seem to need to carry along). Nor does the IFE provide much in the way of constructive "entertainment" (although I believe more sophisticated geographic trackers would get my attention - unlike Lindbergh, satisfied that the green meadow above the rocky cliffs was Ireland, I've been around long enough to want to know ... in Ireland we're passing over).

Listen to music? My God, we're barraged with music all the time, including the bass drum in the car next to me at the red light. Quiet is one of the greatest blessing of hearing. As for movies, my home TV provides more and more variety of movies than I'll ever watch, and a flight without the usual Hollywood dreck can be pleasant.

Gossip or news on the IFE? Both will be there when we land, ready to assail and assault us from screens and speakers everywhere but in the crapper.

Just think, if you didn't have your laptop, your IPod, your gameset or the alternatives on the IFE, you might actually have to engage in polite discourse (with sense enough of when to shut up) with the folks about you.