The Future of Networked Warfare Begins with Apple
"The future of 'networked warfare' requires each soldier to be linked electronically to other troops as well as to weapons systems and intelligence sources," says a new report in Newsweek, and the product of choice appears to be the iPod Touch.
According to Newsweek, both the iPod Touch and to a lesser degree the iPhone are increasingly being used by the U.S. military because of their versatility, ease of use and comparative low cost.
The report notes that the iPod fulfils the military's need to give soldiers one device that can perform many different functions, and this device has the added advantage that it can often be controlled with one hand.
Software developers and the U.S. Department of Defense are busy developing military software for iPods in an attempt to gives soldiers even more functionality. A new program called Vcommunicator produces spoken and written translations of Arabic, Kurdish and two Afghan languages.
"Snipers in Iraq and Afghanistan now use a "ballistics calculator" called BulletFlight, made by the Florida firm Knight's Armament for the iPod Touch and iPhone. Army researchers are developing applications to turn an iPod into a remote control for a bomb-disposal robot (tilting the iPod steers the robot). In Sudan, American military observers are using iPods to learn the appropriate etiquette for interacting with tribal leaders," the report says.
According to an Army official in Baghdad, the devices have yet to be successfully hacked and at $230 a pop, the iPod may fit right into President Obama's 663.7 billion dollar defense budget.
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great articles.
thank a lots
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Thanks
Of course, an android based phone would be a much more appropriate choice; It's an open system, and I don't think the military would like working on a closed system. they could install it in a custom device, and it has far better capabilities than an iPhone.
I am curious...
What is the other hand doing?
This is such a cool idea!
@digg "I don't think the military would like working on a closed system." Military is _the_ closed system in-person, so what's exactly you're point?
@Leslie Well the other hand is surely holding a gun or something?
@Moritz Military is a heavy user of Open Source & Open Standards too. Android has greater chances because the Military could then customize the OS for themselves & then build the apps on top of that. The apps themselves need not be open source.
Also, imagine if the apps built for iPod Touch or iPhone leaks out to the internet?
@Leslie I think they mean it is strapped to the left forearm on the sleeve - the military like wearable computing.
greate idea!!!
Wow totally cool dude!
RT
www.privacy.pro.tc
Great article - fun to see "creative" uses for great apple products.
Fort Wayne Web Design
Great Article. Fun to see "createive" uses for great Apple products.
Although I would probably call myself a big Apple fan boy, I think IVAN is on the right track - that an open source phone will EVENTUALLY work better - allowing them to customize the OS would be a huge pay off.
I don't think the apps themselves are too "private", but since the application for the device is so "unique" - a unqiuely customized OS might be a perfect ticket.
However, one of the draws for the ipod touch was the relatively low price. Even though the android might be able to match the price - as soon as we start customizing the os and customs apps, we start to run the total cost of ownership up.
Fort Wayne Web Design
@Ivan - "Of course, an android based phone would be a much more appropriate choice..."
Not necessarily - Android isn't popular enough (yet) and it doesn't have the critical mass of development/programmers putting out apps. Right now, the free market says Apple has a better product.
Currently, these soldiers are taking these apps and often putting them on their own personal recreational gear. They are accustomed to and already prefer the iPhone/iPod Touch interface.
And what about the closed nature of the OS? It's the apps that make the difference.
From Newsweek...
"And according to an Army official in Baghdad, the devices have yet to be successfully hacked"
The iPhone / iTouch are not secure devices. See book by Jonathan Zdziarski, iPhone Forensics.
The military must be jailbreaking devices to add the necessary security or the statement above is a complete farce.
I wonder how many devices have been lost...then hacked?
iPhones have been hacked a LONG time ago. I hope they are not basing their decision on false information.
"Of course, an android based phone would be a much more appropriate choice"
Actually, no. Your enemy has much greater access to an Open Source OS then one protected by corporate security.
"The military must be jailbreaking devices to add the necessary security or the statement above is a complete farce."
Or they're licensing with Apple to make a modified OS for military use only.
More information about the Vcommunicator:
* http://appbeacon.com/apps/020465/vcommunicator-mobile-lite
* http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003767.html
* http://www.handy-faq.de/forum/bildung_kostenlose_iphone_apps/64612-vcommunicator_mobile_lite_vcom3d.html
Using a third party application for ballistics calculation on a product that was meant for everyday consumers just doesn't seem right O_o
It was bound to happen at some point. There's a reason DARPA has a lot of interest in silicon valley.
I think it is great they are using the i-Pod touch for military ops. Why make something new, when this hardware works great! The open source android is probably much more hackable than the i-pod technology since apple is usually secretive about what they produce.
So great!
so cool, i will share my wallpaper from http://www.iphonewallpapershome.com