At Home with Tech

When I boarded my plane from Las Vegas back to New York City after attending the NAB convention, I found a little surprise. As I sat down in my window seat, I noticed that the traditional LED entertainment screen built into the seat in front of me… was missing. 

Sure, I understand that shorter flights may no longer offer this traditional amenity, but this was five-hour trip. Huh.

Instead, I read instructions on how I could stream free content from my phone using the plane’s Wi-Fi. 

This is progress?

The Show Begins

So after liftoff, I turned my attention out the plane window and discovered the real show was just beginning. 

It was a clear morning with just a few wispy clouds. From 30,000 feet up, I could see… the entire United States. (Well, not exactly, as we’d probably have to be in orbit for that kind of view. But it felt like I could see everything. Just not all at once.) 

For the next few hours, I took in the beautiful shifting view, and it was way better than any movie I might stream on Netflix.

It’s not like people never look out their window during flights, but you really need perfect weather to maximize the opportunity. If you haven’t done this lately, I highly recommend you look out for the this experience the next time nature makes it available.

Put Your Phone’s Camera to Work

And it’s shockingly easy to snap some great photos with your phone. You just need to hold it close enough to the window to avoid in-cabin reflections.

Here of some of the photos I snapped with my iPhone 15 Pro Max along my journey home. The order is from west to east, beginning in Nevada and ending somewhere in the eastern half of the U.S. after it finally clouded over.

Enjoy!