Hawaiian Airlines is raising the stakes in in-flight entertainment.

In August, Hawaiian will launch a new personal entertainment system on its transpacific routes, Gizmag reports.

Passengers on flights from Hawaii to Australia, American Samoa and Tahiti will be entertained by the digEplayer, a self-contained portable audio-visual gadget.

Travelers will be able to choose from a number of distractions including up to ten full-length first run movies, ten short programs or sitcoms, 20 music videos and 100 songs.

First class passengers will be provided with the gadget for free, while those in the cheap seats can rent one for $10.

The player`s portability makes it ideal for airline travel and it is specially designed to fit in either the seat tray or on a passenger`s lap.

Some travelers may have already encountered the digEplayer, as Hawaiian piloted the gadget for two months last year. Positive feedback from this trial encouraged the airline to purchase 1,500 players for its flights.

Gordon Locke, Hawaiian`s senior vice-president of marketing and sales described customer response to the players as ``phenomenal``.

``The units were an immediate hit and sold out on every flight we tested them on. Customers raved about having their own personal entertainment system and the freedom to pick and choose movies, TV shows, and music that matched their interests,`` he said.

It is thought that the digEplayers will be particularly popular with families. Parents in the trial reported that they were a great way to keep children entertained on long flights.

Hawaiian Airlines will be the first airline to offer the digEplayer on transpacific flights