3DS' wireless always on? ...What about planes?

[AugustFall]

One of the main reasons I continue to buy the Nintendo handhelds is that I often fly inbetween Scotland in the US (Also they are awesome).
This news however that the 3DS (something I was quite excited for) will have it's wifi on all the time to combat piracy makes it a lot less appealing.
Now I can't play it while on a plane and double awesome it will have way lower battery life.

It's been said before but the handheld consoles are becoming less and less useful for mobile-gaming, unless you define mobile gaming as gaming while walking around your house with a careful eye on the battery power and always near a power socket.

What's your take on handhelds becoming kind of useless for actual travel? Do you agree/disagree? Do you mind?


Edit:

... planes allow the use of wi-fi devices while in flight now, just not during take-off and landing.

-m

Thanks to this and the tiniest amount of research it is apparent that the wifi thing isn't going to be a huge problem. The battery thing still sucks though.

 

[Dexiro]

I can see it being a problem. If I was on a plane I'd probably want to play my DS, It's just a good job I have other handhelds.

 

[Matt_LRR]

... planes allow the use of wi-fi devices while in flight now, just not during take-off and landing.

-m

 

[crimsonshrouds]

Well that sucks but i dont travel often so it doesnt bother me considering if i do travel im driving.

besides unless it has new tactics games with no gimicky touch screen crap im not getting it

 

[ultrachicken]

... planes allow the use of wi-fi devices while in flight now, just not during take-off and landing.

-m

That's true, but I get the feeling that the main beef that the OP has with the 3DS is that its battery life won't last him the plane trip.

 

[SturmDolch]

Do you mean it has to be connected to a WiFi network at all times..? Because that's just BS.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about the plane. You can use wireless devices during flight. Hell, I think Virgin Airlines even has in-flight WiFi.

 

[Rednog]

... planes allow the use of wi-fi devices while in flight now, just not during take-off and landing.

-m

Maybe on flights in the US, but as a person who travels several times a year back and forth from Europe to the US for several years, I have yet to find a plane that has allowed any wi-fi devices on at any point during the flight. I've been on LOT, Lufthansa, and Swiss airlines and they've all said no wi-fi devices at all.

 

[AugustFall]

Do you mean it has to be connected to a WiFi network at all times..? Because that's just BS.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about the plane. You can use wireless devices during flight. Hell, I think Virgin Airlines even has in-flight WiFi.

Yep the 3DS will always have it's wi-fi on so people can't skip updates.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Do you mean it has to be connected to a WiFi network at all times..? Because that's just BS.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about the plane. You can use wireless devices during flight. Hell, I think Virgin Airlines even has in-flight WiFi.

Yep the 3DS will always have it's wi-fi on so people can't skip updates.

Easily foiled! I'll just play in a Faraday Cage!

Except I might want those updates.

 

[SturmDolch]

Yep the 3DS will always have it's wi-fi on so people can't skip updates.

Aha, but what I meant was: do you need to be connected to play a game? Like with many recent Ubisoft PC games.

 

[dbmountain]

I reckon there may be an "airplane mode" or something to that effect

 

[Belgian_Waffles]

They will probably charge the battery to have extra life to accommodate for wi-fi always being on.

"That's just my opinion though no need to spread it around."

 

[Scars Unseen]

As far as I know, All Nippon Airways doesn't allow wireless devices to be used at all in flight, regardless of whether its wireless is actually activated. So unless Japanese Airlines (which I haven't flown)has a different policy, there is no point(as far as travel goes) in being able to turn off wi-fi. At least not in Japan, the country this device is coming from.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

Has there ever been a recorded crash attributed to electronic interference?

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

I reckon there may be an "airplane mode" or something to that effect

This. IT would be unwise of nintendo to not include an airplane mode, and have nintendo ever been unwise?

 

[Scars Unseen]

I reckon there may be an "airplane mode" or something to that effect

This. IT would be unwise of nintendo to not include an airplane mode, and have nintendo ever been unwise?

Power Glove
Virtual Boy
Licensing Zelda to Phillips
Screwing over Sony prior to the N64
Alienating SquareSoft prior to FF7
I'm sure there are others.

To their credit, they did manage to survive their mistakes.

 

[Scars Unseen]

This is not the post you're looking for. Move along.

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

I reckon there may be an "airplane mode" or something to that effect

This. IT would be unwise of nintendo to not include an airplane mode, and have nintendo ever been unwise?

Power Glove
Virtual Boy
Licensing Zelda to Phillips
Screwing over Sony prior to the N64
Alienating SquareSoft prior to FF7
I'm sure there are others.

To their credit, they did manage to survive their mistakes.

I stand corrected, although if that nintendo playstation thing happended, we wouldnt have the playstation 1!