Development of LEDs began more than a century ago, but the first practical versions were produced in General Electric labs in the 1960s. Until 1968, visible and infrared LEDs cost on the order of $200 per unit, and thus had little practical use. In 1968, Monsanto mass-produced visible red LEDs suitable for indicators. Hewlett-Packard advanced the concept for uses in alphanumeric displays, which were integrated into HP's early handheld calculators.

Duncan Aviation has developed an iPad-compatible wireless interface for cabin management systems. The iCabin application connects an iPad to an aircraft's CMS, providing passengers with a remote for sound, video and cabin lighting on aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi capability. The fully customized iPad application doesn't interfere with other onboard systems or change functionality, says Duncan. It also may be used to control most audio and video equipment. A wireless cabin control application for Android devices is also being tested.

Among inflight connectivity trends as observed by OnAir, the SITA/Airbus satcom connectivity provider, three key findings stand out: (1) Over 95% of passengers use the GSM network, the default for most mobile devices, for calls, text messaging, emailing and mobile data. (2) Of those passengers buying inflight Internet access, more than half use smartphones or tablet computers, reinforcing the fact that on airplanes people prefer to use mobile devices, not laptops.