- Airplane mode
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Flight mode is as setting available on most cell phones, smartphones and other electronic devices that, when engaged, suspends many of the device's signal transmitting functions – thereby disabling the device's capacity to place or receive calls or text messages – while still permitting use of other functions that do not require signal transmission (e.g., games, built-in camera, MP3 player).
Nokia 5800 in offline mode
The name is derived from the fact that it permits the user to operate the device while on board a commercial aircraft while in flight, where the operation of cell phones and other devices that send or receive signals is generally prohibited due to the potential impact on aircraft avionics and the potential for interference with ground cell networks. Other names include airplane mode, offline mode, and standalone mode.
FM Receiver, Bluetooth, wireless LAN antenna and GPS should still be operative if the phone is so equipped. Many models, including most Apple mobile devices, disable GPS and some of the other features, although this is inconsistent among manufacturers, since these latter functions are permitted on some aircraft and not others. Nevertheless, certain airlines specifically prohibit the use of devices with a 'Flight mode' at all times.
While in Airplane mode some devices allow you to continue to write text messages and E mails and will save it to phone memory to send later when an active network connection is achieved.
Although it is not possible to send calls or text in Airplane mode, some devices such as some Nokia smartphones allow you to make an Emergency call regardless of the fact that the phone is in Airplane mode. whilst other mobile devices such as earlier Sony Ericsson devices only allow active mobile network connections regardless of whether it is an Emergency call or not only after the device has been turned off and restarted to normal mode.
One feature that Airplane mode can be noted for is its power saving abilities. Because the device has no connectivity to a mobile network, it has no reason to search continuously for reception and so the battery lasts longer.
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