TECHTONIC SHIFTS

Apple’s New Weapon

To help soldiers make sense of data from drones, satellites and ground sensors, the U.S. military now issues the iPod Touch.

By Benjamin Sutherland | NEWSWEEK
Published Apr 18, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Apr 27, 2009

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  • Posted By: forfreebux @ 09/30/2009 3:49:09 PM

    ok, I know somewhere that offer me a great opportunity to get a procurement job with over $5000 monthly income. At the beginning I did not believe that is real. but I have to change my attitude after I got the income. I would like to supply the link to you where the great place is - Procurement Jobs and hope you will find a better job.

  • Posted By: Keiko2008 @ 04/23/2009 6:50:53 AM

    I don't see any comment on the plight on the Iraqi and Atfstan people. As a vixcious invader, Amercian soldiers should die

    • Posted By: JRCGainesville @ 04/26/2009 8:10:15 AM

      Nice. You mean the soldiers there on a Congressionally-approved (a democratically-elected Congress at that)mission? You're an idiot--so I'll see you in your pink t-shirt outside the Marine recruiters in Berkley this Wednesday?

      • Posted By: Trooper101st @ 05/28/2009 9:12:45 AM

        Didn't help that Pres. CHENEY, I mean Bush, lied, distorted the facts, and generally had thier minds made up even before they were elected? Both of them are good at sending other parents kids to war, while NEITHER of them fired one round at an enemy combatant. Dubya never dropped one bomb with that Thud he flew in the Guard. While hundreds of pilots never completed 100 missions. LIARS.

    • Posted By: JRCGainesville @ 04/26/2009 8:05:03 AM

      Nice. The soldiers there at the behest of your democratically elected governent, on a Congressionally-approved mission?

  • Posted By: Alan Corbett @ 05/19/2009 1:33:53 PM

    And with the US Military Handbook app (as reviewed by TUAW last week) available, our soldiers have a wealth of information at their fingertips.

    http://www.tuaw.com/2009/05/12/us-military-handbook-for-iphone-ipod-touch/

  • Posted By: daveeg @ 04/20/2009 10:10:32 AM

    i am proud and excited that a private non-taxpayer-funded company has created technology good enough to deploy to our military, and that it will help them in their mission.

    as for those of you who go on about "occupying foreign army" why don't you go out and meet a few of our soldiers who have been there, and ask them if the people there are genuinely being helped, and if they often appreciate what our presence has brought there. you will hear a very different story than the one you are telling!

    • Posted By: brian_r @ 04/22/2009 1:19:09 PM

      Apple would either have to write a special version of the OS or have GD or Lockheed martin do it before it would be capable of and drone, satellite, or sensor applications as they are all classified and there is no way it is secure enough at this point. It might actually require special hardware. As an Intelligence Analyst this would be a great tool for gathering reports and sending alerts.

  • Posted By: password2222 @ 04/21/2009 10:45:54 AM

    great. ive already seen reports of how easy it is to install spyware on the iphone/pod through websites and free apps. cyberwar 2.0 coming to a battlefield near your children (but not a politicians children)

    • Posted By: brian_r @ 04/22/2009 1:06:56 PM

      Sorry to break it to you but the military almost never use stock software. They'll either contract with Apple to do it or have their own patch. Either way it will be locked down so you can't install any apps or access anything the government didn't want you to. And I am an OIF vet

  • Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 04/22/2009 12:48:16 AM

    Advanced technologies will definitely help, but it would not prevent death and misery. It is all up to human beings themselves. Then there is nothing to prevent the "post traumatic syndrome" and suicides among the veterans even if they return home safely from Iraq and Afghanistan with functional i-pods in their hands..

  • Posted By: password2222 @ 04/21/2009 10:50:19 AM

    ive been reading hacker forums of how easy it is to install spyware on these devices through websites and apps from the official and unofficial app stores. brings new meaning to cyberwarfare. can you just imagine the enemy having a live updated map of all positions of us combatants! wow! ridiculously stupid!

  • Posted By: motorherz @ 04/21/2009 4:54:29 AM

    Stupid Apple. How dare they build a successful product? They should have just rebranded some Chinese knock-off cellphones; that way they could have made a fortune.

  • Posted By: robert_t @ 04/21/2009 3:11:55 AM

    Interesting reading, and underlines a point I believe makes the iPod Touch/iPhone such a revolutionary device - intuitive and easy to use and practically infinitely extensible through software. One point though: "Apple devices make it easy to shoot, store and play video. " - unless the US military have access to special devices this won't be true yet. Current models cannot shoot video.

  • Posted By: iRikk @ 04/20/2009 10:34:56 PM

    sendal... better reread the article. It specifically states the exact opposite of your post. Quote: And according to an Army official in Baghdad, the devices have yet to be successfully hacked."

    However I certainly agree that ways have been developed to make the iTouch record both audio and video. And that's a good thing!

  • Posted By: Diagoras @ 04/20/2009 5:08:03 PM

    Contrary to statements in the article, the iPod Touch and iPhone do not shoot video. How accurate is the rest of this US Military press release?

    • Posted By: sendai @ 04/20/2009 7:20:33 PM

      Jail-broken (hacked) iTouch devices can record video. The article does mention that the devices have been "successfully hacked".

      • Posted By: sendai @ 04/20/2009 7:22:10 PM

        Sorry for the number of replies. I received an error every time I posted. I then retried until I did not receive an error. :(

    • Posted By: sendai @ 04/20/2009 7:17:27 PM

      Jail-broken (hacked,) iTouch devices can record video. The article does mention that the devices have to be 'successfully hacked'.

    • Posted By: sendai @ 04/20/2009 7:17:19 PM

      Jail-broken (hacked,) iTouch devices can record video. The article does mention that the devices have to be 'successfully hacked'.

    • Posted By: sendai @ 04/20/2009 7:16:35 PM

      Jail-broken (hacked,) iTouch devices can record video. The article does mention that the devices have to be 'successfully hacked'.

  • Posted By: XairbusDriver @ 04/20/2009 6:34:13 PM

    "the iPod Touch and iPhone do not shoot video. How accurate is the rest of this US Military press release?"

    OH NO! Somebody has made a positive remark about Apple! Heresy!! Shoot the bsat... wait, you don't think a word or two got edited out accidentally...NAH! It's those liberal, anti-MS weenies on the prowl again!

    I'm just glad some of the 'brass' are enlightened enough to seek, use and develop tools that can help our men and women in harms way. And saving money at the same time! How often do you hear "military" and "saving money" in the same sentence?! Thanks for the news! [salute]

  • Posted By: XairbusDriver @ 04/20/2009 6:29:05 PM

    "the iPod Touch and iPhone do not shoot video. How accurate is the rest of this US Military press release?"
    OH NO! Someone makes a positive statement on using an Apple product! Heresy! Journalistic malfeasance? Shoot he bas.... wait, you don't suppose it is an editing mistake...Nah, just because the rest of the article mentions specific image capturing capabilities and the DISPLAY of video, that's obviously an attempt by these liberal news "sources" to cover their rear. Right?

    All I can say is I'm glad the 'brass' are seeking and using current technologies to help our men and women.

  • Posted By: wstewart1 @ 04/20/2009 5:28:21 PM

    i'm sure this works like an internet marketing tip, worth htinking to excel and get succes in all markets!
    http://www.ilikesem.com/

  • Posted By: wstewart1 @ 04/20/2009 5:26:05 PM

    i'm sure this works like an <a href="http://www.ilikesem.com/">internet marketing tip</a>, worth htinking to excel and get succes in all markets!

  • Posted By: daveeg @ 04/20/2009 10:07:27 AM

    i am proud an excited that we are using intelligent privately funded technology to support our troops and our mission abroad.

    for those of you who go on about a "foreign occupying army", why not go out and meet a few soldiers who have been there, and ask them about their personal interactions with the locals? you'll hear a very different story than the one you're telling.

  • Posted By: unclesamwashere @ 04/20/2009 4:07:23 AM

    The DoD has purchased plenty of iPod Touches as well as iPhones. Just because it isn't public record doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I know of one order that was for 22,000 of them. Both the DoD and Apple have secrecy surrounding them. Apple isn't really up for supporting "war". You should also know apple owns pa-semi which makes thousands of chips for military defense, and decided to continue manufacturing them.

  • Posted By: BillWilliamson @ 04/19/2009 8:16:30 PM

    Why hasn't the DOD purchased any iPod or iPod Touches? Your article makes it sound as if what some soldiers have done with their personal iPods is actually Army issue.

  • Posted By: BillWilliamson @ 04/19/2009 8:12:53 PM

    Why hasn't the DOD bought any iPods? Your article makes it sound as if they have.

  • Posted By: Against-Ignorance @ 04/18/2009 1:14:28 PM

    Apple has, inadvertently perhaps, created the Star Trek communicator. Complete with (admittedly rough) Universal Translator. Most intriguing. Science Fiction becomes fact at greater speed each day.

    • Posted By: John McCord @ 04/19/2009 4:25:37 PM

      With the ear buds and voice recognition software it's closer to the Babelfish of Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

      Alternatively, it already has GPS and is rumored to be getting a magnetometer. Just a couple of more sensors, (EMF for one), and it will become a full fledged tricorder

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