The Plaza in New York offers iPads in every room

Software

If you’re planning on staying at the The Plaza hotel in New York, you have one more thing to look forward to, and that’s iPads in every room and suite. Since January, the five star hotel has put iPads in all guest rooms for a multitude of reasons. One of the coolest? The custom app that the iPad runs. Replacing an older touch panel, the new app allows guests to control lights in the room, change their heat and air conditioning systems, order room service, make restaurant reservations, request wake up calls, communicate with the concierge, and even print boarding passes. According to the general manager of the hotel, their previous system, “wasn’t sophisticated enough for what we wanted to do” and they ” chose the iPad because it is a great piece of equipment that is here to stay and won’t disappear tomorrow.” Sounds good to us. Video of the iPad running the custom app by Intelity after the break.

[Via Luxist]

77 Comments
  • http://twitter.com/ros_jo Jordan

    Smart business

    • FiftyDollarBurger

      Nearly $50 (a ridiculous $30 plus almost $20 in tack-on fees) for a burger and fries?

      Label that iPad user a SUCKER!

      Shove the iPad.

  • Anonymous

    So ridiculous! If you’re going to put anything then put an android device. I can’t understand what’s the big deal with apple. They build cheap and badly designed products, unlike htc. Us in the goofan (aka apple hater) nation know better.

    • Failllll

      ur an idiot. The plaza is also right across from the flagship apple store.

      • Anonymous

        Oh and speaking of stores (thanks for reminding me!); have you ever seen uglier and badly designed stores? The stores look horrible! They look cheap. We, goofans (aka apple haters) would rather have a radio shack than an apple store!

      • Failllll

        Im not a huge apple fan but i think ur a freaking retarded. Their stores hold many architectural awards. Much better than android stores. Oh wait android has no stores. Why is it that everyone on the droid or iOS side has to hate the other? LET IT FUCKN go. Everyone doesn’t have to use the same OS.

      • Anonymous

        @Faillllll

        Android and DROID do not need stores. They are open and free. Being locked to one retailer is bad for the consumer and does not offer choice or competition. However if DROID did DOES stores they would have widgets EVERYWHERE. It would be glorious.

      • Ultraseven32

        congratulations you “We, goofans (aka apple haters)” not only are stupid but also cheap. well done.
        i really hope you dont speak for all google fans”, i believe that are many ppl out there – google fans- that have better and intelligent things to say about apple and the competition in general basis. stop giving bad name to that people. stop saying “we” and say it “i”. i also believe that companies like google / apple among some many others represent technology and innovation and no one can deny that. but you other hand jst criticize and hate apple with same passion that some extremist countries call USA as a big satan. you sounds so close minded so last century. competition is good. competition is what makes research and quality products land of consumer hands. when joo joo guys announced their tablet the whole industry said no for the concept, until one company( apple) yes apple make a tablet real ( magical? dont think so, functional? heck yeah! ) if now sansumg/motorola/lg and some others is jumping into tablet market is thanks to apple to take the risk first. if there was no market for tablets the whole industry would be LOL on apple now but i guess hat the results was way different than that. im not criticizing ’cause u “hate” apple. please not that. it’s jst ’cause things that you say jst makes no sense. did somebody raped you and that person was using an ipod or wearing a t-shirt from apple or something? dude grow up! move on! google is a serious company and their products is getting better every day and they dnt need u or nobody else being a jerk. and apple will not close the doors jst because u hate them. grow up. b4 u start trashing me with ur apple phobia: i do like apple products. not every of them. i moved to imac when i get tired of using pc’s who didn’t last long, when i get so many virus using MS OS or have to get some anti-virus programs for. i bought a used imac in 2006 which still works very well. jst saying that cause u said that apple products are cheap. i have no regrets at all. my browser? google chrome. do i see myself using android product in near future? yes i do. i have zune i have ipod i have laptop pc i like choices. see? COMPETITION IS GOOD FELLA. open ur mind and be fair.
        stop talking through your nose. the non sense “we” thing, the “i hate apple” i’ts funny jst the first 50 posts after that its very annoying and boring.

      • http://twitter.com/SenorDickhaus Señor Dickhäus

        “Goofan” is a really pathetic name for someone who hates Apple. I can’t think of anyone who would be proud to be called a “goofan.”

      • Anonymous

        @Señor Dickhäus

        Goofan (aka Apple Hater) Nation is an internationally syndicated association of POWERFUL individuals with almost religious LOVE for Google and their management. Google’s ability to give all their products for free and share their profits with the world makes them God like!

        @Ultraseven32

        Goofans (aka Apple Haters) can’t read long documents like that because of our brilliance. And don’t call me Shirley! Or Fella! :-)

      • Anonymous

        @Failllll

        It’s REEEEETARD!

      • http://twitter.com/Leedskiddo Daniel Ratcliffe

        I dislike Apple for a different reason. Because unless you jailbreak, you’re locked to iTunes App Store for apps. However I also merit that a lot of people prefer it that way. I bought into BlackBerry (initiate flame war no 2) instead. As Failll says, not everyone has to use the same OS. BlackBerry just works, are entitled to use your opinion. I’ll happily use a Xoom, GTab, or Playbook. But iPad continues to sell well. Every company has innovated, and every company has copied (still LOLing from that story of Google getting sued by Oracle).

        I don’t call BS on this article though, as it is a best seller. Why not let people use a best-selling device when they stay with you? Oh, and for the record, I’m posting this off a MacBook. Love it in every way.

      • Michael Scrip

        Did anyone read the article?

        “Replacing an older touch panel, the new app allows guests to control lights in the room, change their heat and air conditioning systems, order room service, etc, etc, etc…”

        “…their previous system, ‘wasn’t sophisticated enough for what we wanted to do’”

        They had a system already… but it wasn’t capable enough to do all the things they wanted.

        Maybe it was easier to work with Apple… who makes both the hardware and software… to develop a custom app for their major hotel.

        Instead of working with Google… and either Samsung or Archos, who have shipping tablets available now…

        Sure, maybe in a year, the Motorola Xoom might be up to the task.

        But, they announced their plans for this iPad app way back in June 2010.

      • Sonya

        Goofan is being sarcastic and making fun on “Fandroids”

    • Anonymous

      I’m calling BS too Goofan,

      If this place is a true 5 star hotel it would have Motorola Xoom’s in each room. People staying at hotels such as the Plaza want open and free OS that offers choice and competition for the consumer. Also, what are the patrons going to do without widgets? This has fail written all over it. I know I will NOT be staying at the plaza because of this. I wil stay in the Motel 6 that has a free Galaxy Tab for each person who stays though.

      • Anonymous

        OMG! It can’t be!!!!! It’s this really you? The Co-CEO of the Goofan (aka Apple Hater) nation is BACK. I have missed you while on hiatus (as Walter said)

      • Anonymous

        Oh, and the Super 8′s too. Knight Inn’s also have them in rural South Carolina! Pretty hot motels with lots of white trash girls willing to do the wild thing while you record them with the XOOM’s amazing camera!!!!!! Talk about live entertainment!

      • Swr

        You probably can’t afford anything more than a Motel 6 anyway!

    • Lucid

      Actually, HTC makes the crapiest hardware known to man!!! I literally returned 5 EVO 4gs as a result of a sh*t load of dus accumulating under all of the screens and just after a few days for each of them. I will never buy an HTC product again! I do love Android though.

    • Anonymous

      Everyone needs to chill. This guy is obviously trolling. Funny how worked up people get. I hate apple just as much as the next guy but their devices are hardly cheap builds. I just don’t like the OS on their stuff. But, even I’ll admit a macbook pro feels pretty good in the hands.

    • http://twitter.com/SenorDickhaus Señor Dickhäus

      No one gives a fuck about Android tablets. 99% of your average citizens would rather use an iPad. It’s just the way it is. The iPad is synonymous with tablet now. Get used to it and quit bitching. Besides we both know you would use the hell out of this if it came in one of your hotel rooms.

      • Anonymous

        Well, yeah, for the porno, but only if there were no Android devices around.

        Goofans (aka Apple Haters) know that porno LOOKS and FEELS much better in Android devices due to the amazing power of the TOUCH ME technology!

      • eff Goofan(AKA Apple Haters)

        HA!!! Tell me how I’ve dropped my iPod touch many times on the ground, an he screen has crackedd once, and how I dropped my DROID once, an my enire screen is fuqqe up?

    • Connor Aston

      I agree apple is crap, That is obviously shown by their rather poor sales revenue and number of products sold. . . . Are we discussing the same planet . . . and are you on it?

    • Joebutler85

      For the love of god I’ve been saying this damn post for months. Goofan IS NOT AN ANDROID FANBOY HE IS AN APPLE FANBOY. How are you people so dense that you can’t recognise the sarcasm in his posts. Everything he says against Apple is sarcastic he insults Android in subtle ways in every post. He is just a sad APPLE FANBOY who thinks he’s clever and smart by writing sarcastic posts about Android and Apple. I really hope I’m not the only person who realizes this.

      • Anonymous

        Actually I’m a google fan. But thanks for taking the time to write. You must be a palm fanboy. Right?

      • Anonymous

        you’ve sparked quite the fire with this post ;) … and they keep on feeding it.

      • Anonymous

        @NYCLady

        Hello beautiful!!! Love hearing from you every now and then.

  • Anonymous

    Imagine if Hotels (Good hotels that is) in Vegas had iPads in every room.

    • Brian

      Call girls using the iPad? WIN

      • Anonymous

        Now that’s Innovation!

    • douche

      not sure what company is in the rooms at the aria in las vegas but they have touch control in their hotel since it opened last year

  • Itsjustmee

    a gimped tablet that can’t play flash video.. woohoo
    imagine if they gave you a tablet that actually did what most people want to do

    • Anonymous

      its in a hotel, you retard fuck. it’s not about flash, and android vs apple. it’s about giving their customers a fun way to play with shit in their room.

      • Itsjustmee

        it’s about streaming video on your tablet moron… like the live aljazeera stream i’m watching right now that you can’t get on cable and YOU CANT WATCH ON AN IPAD

      • Failllll

        SO WHAT? I have a laptop for watching flash video. This is for a hotel to make their $500/night rooms looks more technologically advanced. and as of right now all the other tablets suck. Samsung tablet sucks balls.

      • http://www.facebook.com/brorfred Bror Jonsson

        Why can’t you watch it on an iPad? I just downloaded the iPhone app that livestreams Al Jazera perfectly, actually better than the flash version on my laptop… It should work more than well on an iPad as well.

      • Fastwalking

        So….it’s all about flash?? Do you ever get out? Flash is such a small part of the online experience – most will never miss it because it sucks the life out of electronic devices just like it has apparently sucked the life out of your small brain.

      • Crescentdave

        re: fastwalking … go to a few designer/fashion/photography sites … cruise them without flash.

      • Todd

        What an insightful and well thought out comment. How old are you? 14? 15?

    • Anonymous

      Agree with you, i still cant get the Apple over hype. Cant play flash and no multitasking is a fail in my book. First Tab out and everyone talks like it will be the last one made or sold.

  • Slashdpc

    So how much did BGR get paid to post this advertisement?

    • Anonymous

      No need to get paid… BGR is the ultimate Apple fan boi…

      • Anonymous

        Not really Applemodo, Sorry Gizmondo. Those guys beat BGR.

  • heidi

    Euuuuwwww, can you imagine the filth on those tablets!

  • Anonymous

    The “Galaxy Tab” in every room idea never got off the ground, since you would never put something in a guest’s room that has about a 98% chance of frustrating them. Check that, make it 100%, because Fandroids can’t afford a room at the Plaza Hotel, which is why they generally remain in their natural habitat: their mother’s basements, right next to the inflatable woman and a half-eaten box of Coco Puffs.

    • Brian

      Lets not get too hasty here. I’m no fandroid – but I still cannot afford a room at the Plaza Hotel. MAYBE one night. lol

    • Anonymous

      I have a Galaxy Tab, I am a huge fan of Android technology, and I can stay at the Plaza ANY day of the week… But thanks for the stereotype…

  • http://twitter.com/p0rkguy Kevin Lee

    Not a bad idea, but anybody that can afford a night there can already afford an iPad and probably doesn’t give a damn about it.

  • Max

    No Playbook in every room? Oh that’s right. That’s at the Motel 6 for BB Morons.

    • guest

      Funny, RIM already has a few hotel chains lined up for the Playbook

    • Todd

      How old are you? I’m guessing about 12 or 13?

    • $340AShareMakesMeGrin>8-D

      Motel 6? Hahaha. Hookers and a BlackBerry will fit in with the cockroaches. RIM’s PlayBook production quota wouldn’t even be able to supply all the rooms in the Plaza. I doubt that Plaza management wants their distinguished guests squinting at some 7″ PlayBook display.

  • $340AShareMakesMeGrin>8-D

    No way. Shouldn’t they have waited for the much cheaper Android tablets that are able to run Flash? As soon as hotel clients come across a website they can’t browse, they’ll storm out demanding their money back.

    • Anonymous

      I’m not sure what hotel you go to, but when I go to hotel it better have a tablet with Flash player installed. Flash is such an integral part of my life that I laugh at the ridiculousness of your comment.

      • http://twitter.com/Leedskiddo Daniel Ratcliffe

        If flash becomes such an integral part of my life, then when I go off to a hotel, I’ll take my OWN tablet with me, as in the Playbook. Guess what, that has flash too. I’m not interested in an iPad because of the system of installing apps via App Store only, unless jailbroken. I’m also not interested in Android, as the Playbook extends my BlackBerry to the big screen, keeping email in less places. However I wish the company the best, as I think they’ve made a smart move.

        Oh, and before you start shpeeling off some BS about how the screen is too small on a Playbook… guess what, I PREFER it that screen size. Gotta love competition. And if Apple didn’t exist, would there be all these tablets out today? You can troll all you want, but without Apple, we wouldn’t have these tablets for consumers.

      • Anonymous

        Not only flash but the new Android Touch Me ™ technology (only doable because of the amazing power of Android, the most perfect, bug free, easy to use OS EVER). This technology is perfect for hotels because of how much it increases the amazingness of porn in Android devices. Try that Apple! iPad can’t do shit!

  • http://DonnyGamble.com Donny Gamble

    I wonder how many of those iPad will get stolen from the hotel

    • Anonymous

      Goofans (aka Apple Haters) around the world would only have ONE reason for stealing an iPad and that is to RID US from all the Apple crap that roams around the world. We (the goofan aka apple hater nation) are on a mission to eliminate Apple from the planet.

      We have advanced teams looking at what to do AFTER we have eliminated Apple from the planet because we’ll be bored to death. But have some potential new targets (facebook anyone?) once Apple’s finally gone!

      • Anonymous

        I also hate Facebook because they are attempting to be more powerful than Google. It simply won’t do. Google/DROID > Facebook. Period. End of Story.

      • Anonymous

        No one, NOT ONE COMPANY, could EVER be more powerful than Google…

        1. The Goofan (aka ____ hater) nation would destroy them (fill the ____ with whatever company TRIES to take over our beloved Google.)

        2. Google is supported by God, so really, what’s the use of trying.

        3. Google will have 100% on EVERYTHING, much to the delight of the Goofan (aka Apple Hater) nation.

  • Norm_4G_LTE

    My mom gives Steve Jobs a blow job every night, and I don’t hate Apple, because after my mom finishes swallowing Steve Job’s semen, I’m in line waiting to o so too

    • Anonymous

      Impostor! You CAN’T be OUR Norm. If you were OUR Norm, instead of Steve Jobs, it would say, Eric Schmidt, or as of April, Larry Page.

  • Anonymous

    Didn’t take too long to derail this one, huh kids?

  • Anonymous

    The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto is going to be using both the iPad and the PlayBook. Tablets will start invading a lot of markets that have been the purvey of specialty companies.

  • No More Icrap

    If you can afford to stay at the Plaza for one day then you can afford to buy your own tablet.

  • serpentor

    With so many companies buying iPads for use by their employees and customers, how many did Apple really sell to consumers?

    • Anonymous

      0, Zero, Cero, NADA! You nailed it Serpentor!

  • Anonymous

    Cool idea, however imagine having the PlayBook and then you could easily Bridge all your PIM (bbm, e-mail, calendar, etc) onto it for a far more personal experience with the tablet. This would be great for hotels as many travelling executives still use BlackBerry for the time being.

    • MeSmort

      Um except you’d have to have a blackberry phone, let’s not forget that little problem, lol idiot.

      • Anonymous

        Oh you must be one of those misinformed Apple fanboys that thinks you must have a BlackBerry to use a PlayBook. Read my entire comment before you try to sound smart. Most corporate users who would actually go on business trips (and therefore, frequent hotels) still use BlackBerry.

      • Todd

        You don’t need a BB phone to use a PlayBook. Nice try though.

  • Bringit

    I am going to try that as a pickup line: “hey baby, I have an iPad in my room. Want to come over and play?”.

  • Bgsu1977

    What, no Playbooks?

  • joey

    that is one place i will not be staying

  • http://twitter.com/surereef sherief salem

    What about the unscrew the bracket and take the iPad home feature??

  • Anonymous

    Wow thats great thing people still doing new things to make unique thier hotels

    NYC Hotels

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