This week’s IFE news release from digEcor announcing the sale of their XT product to Blue Pacific is a very hot topic indeed. digEcor has thousands of the digEplayer 5500’s in service around the world, including Pacific Blue who is planning on upgrading their units to the digEplayer XT’s. The company claims low price drove the win and will be offering a hardware and content deal to the folks down under, serving flights in Australia and New Zealand. Pacific Blue’s multi-year contract extension will more than double the past number of flights served by their previous contract. Brad Heckel, President and COO of digEcor told IFExpress, "digEcor is pleased to have won this bid given that we went through a tough competitive bid process, in which we were compared to other portable providers. Best of all, one of the main reasons that Pacific Blue selected the digEplayer XT is because of the flexible leasing program that digEcor offers. The result - Pacific Blue is upgrading its PMP program at a price that exceeds expectations."

We should mention that Pacific Blue will be renting the XT’s to passengers with content provided by digEcor which will include: movies, TV, music, music videos, and video games. The company also offers gambling software and a feature we really liked - executive and other book summaries (as well as books) on screen and in audio format

We asked digEcor’s Adam Williams about the portable market in these high-fuel-price times and here is what he said, “We think the digEcor XT has fantastic opportunities based on weight savings to the airlines, contrary to what some might think. The possibility of rental revenue streams coupled with light-weight make portable entertainment a winning combination for airlines.” As IFExpress has predicted in the past, airlines will be looking towards lighter, portable hardware to provide IFE for single-aisle aircraft and in applications that can utilize the pay-for-play paradigm. In the past, we have heard airlines cost each extra pound on a yearly basis as valued as much as 100 to 200 dollars in extra fuel burn per year – based on weight and wheels, tires, and brake costs. Think about it!

Adam told IFExpress that their new website will be complete prior to the WAEA so look for it! And when you are at the conference you will find digEcor at Booth #645.