This whole concept is sidetracking people's common sense. Small comfort to be walking down an Iraqi or Afghan road tapping away on a glass screen, only to be taken out by a sniper or IED. On the foot soldier's personal priority list for staying alive and defeating the enemy - devices must never distract from combat skills, weapons and protective equipment. Armchair warriors and gamers take note.
You really don’t think that a handheld device makes no sense if it means the user’s eyeballs can’t be looking for snipers or IEDs at the same time they are using it? Um… maps, field guides, etc. This isn’t going to be Android with a version of Angry Birds: installed where the birds look like American soldiers and the pigs look like enemy combatants… though I’d probably buy that version, too.
PS: Can’t wait for the May update to Angry Birds: Rio.
Baloney. There are hundreds of reports of Android security problems and phones being taken over by hackers.
Source? The only issues I've seen are from 3rd party applications with malware embedded. That's a problem with the App market, not android itself.
So I'll repeat, at gatherings of some of the world's top hackers, Apple's OS been broached in seconds, but no such success with Android. Or with Chrome for that matter. That by itself doesns't make Android the best choice I'm sure. But claiming Android as the worst possible solution due to security issues is factually incorrect.
Source? The only issues I've seen are from 3rd party applications with malware embedded. That's a problem with the App market, not android itself.
The apps run on the OS. If the OS isn’t sandboxing the apps to prevent them getting root access then it’s the OS that is the issue.
Quote:
So I'll repeat, at gatherings of some of the world's top hackers, Apple's OS been broached in seconds, but no such success with Android. Or with Chrome for that matter. That by itself doesns't make Android the best choice I'm sure. But claiming Android as the worst possible solution due to security issues is factually incorrect.
“At gatherings of some of the world's top [cat burglars], [rich homes with good security have] been broached in seconds, but no such success with [poor homes with the key hidden under the mat]. Or with [piles of money stacked in a doghouse saying “free monies”] for that matter. That by itself doesns't make [rich homes the less secure] choice I'm sure. But claiming [rich homes with more cred among cat burglars] as the worst possible solution [despite their security efforts] is factually incorrect."
Apple's interest is in consumer products and that's what it markets best. Historically Apple's business and government sales groups have been somewhere between pitiful and non existent. Recently Apple has taken some interest in selling iPhones to business but they don't have a real system for selling to the government. They just don't care about it.
I've always considered Apple to be a somewhat "leftist", typical Californian peace loving company, that rather spends $100,000.00 on gay rights than getting involved in (or money from) military war actions.
Only difference is that apple creates a .db file on the syncing computer
In the context of the article the difference is that the US Army can look at how Android handles tracking, fork the OS and customise or remove that code.
I mean the army is full of idiots, why would they want to do something smart?
That's a real nice thing to say about people who lay down their lives so you can enjoy your freedoms and your liberty. You show your age with your post sir.
This is great news! Let android be that gotta hack system. Leave my macs alone and let them be the choice of artists, hipsters, and rich old people. It may sound like a joke but honestly it better that way. Otherwise apple would succumb to the same problems that windows has with everyone writing viruses and trying to break it all the time.
The army wanted to build a custom phone to their specs. I'm sure they'd want to customize the OS too! Since you can't put iOS on it or customize it what choice did they have? As great as iOS is, customizable it's not!
So many ignorant and stupid, yes stupid, people posting here. If it was your son or daughter going into combat, the last thing you'd want is for them to have a device because it's "slick", which is what Apple is all about these days. There will never be ruggedized iPhone hardware. Apple would never allow someone else to modify iOS to handle the security and sensitive information this devices will be expected to carry. Regardless of cost, Apple would in no way be responsive to the needs of the military for such a device and how it would need to be managed and controlled. Sure, use a Mac if you are sitting comfy in an office in the Pentagon or cruising around the oceans on an aircraft carrier. But you don't want Apple hardware on the battlefield.
I don't care what your opinions are about how the US uses it's military, but at least have a little respect for the men and women who are put in harm's way by our idiot politicians. No way in hell would I want my kid going into combat with an iPhone.
Dude, never say "never". Obviously we don't know what happened behind closed doors that prompted the US Army to investigate the Android route (remember, this is just testing, not full-on implementation) rather than iOS. But there's absolutely no reason why Apple couldn't produce ruggedized, military-grade versions of their hardware and software. There are any number of reasons why things didn't go that route, but to say "Apple would never..." is as short-sighted as comments like "Apple will never get into the mobile phone market (Apple could never compete in an already saturated market)." "Apple will never switch to Intel." "Apple will never make a tablet computer (Others have tried before and failed)." etc.
I don't care what your opinions are about how the US uses it's military, but at least have a little respect for the men and women who are put in harm's way by our idiot politicians. No way in hell would I want my kid going into combat with an iPhone.
I have nothing but the highest respect for those out there in the frontlines. I also agree with your sentiment about politicians (although I disagree with your sentiment about the iPhone).
However, it's important to point out that we have a volunteer army, and people who signed up did so on their own free will knowing that there was a chance that they could be in harm's way.
Wouldn't matter if it was open source or not. The federal government is immune to patent infringement lawsuits. It can be sued for reasonable compensation, but not infringement. In other words, the federal government doesn't have to ask permission to use a patented idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by winstein2010
It doesn't matter. Android is open source. US Army can rewrite part or the entire Android to suit its needs. Besides, I don't think the Army will allow users to just download and install any app on it.
The device is being developed by a third party military contractor so Android would be the only available choice. I can't see Apple opening a military division to produce military hardened phones for use in battle. Can you?
who's the third party developer diebold?
if you kill or rape a civilian, the phone tells your superiors it was an apple fan boy?
I was going to say the same thing. Even before the iPhone, the US military was using iPods for a variety of purposes, such as translation. Like Pilots are doing now with iPads, you can put entire updated military manuals on such devices.
The military buy the way is only using Google's OS indirectly. The handset manufacturer is selling a handset using a modified version of the OS to run customized applications. The military is buying the handset not the OS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac.World
Too late. iPhone has already been there and done that. There are quite a few military apps developed by military guys in the field, for use IN the field.
?At gatherings of some of the world's top [cat burglars], [rich homes with good security have] been broached in seconds, but no such success with [poor homes with the key hidden under the mat]. Or with [piles of money stacked in a doghouse saying ?free monies?] for that matter. That by itself doesns't make [rich homes the less secure] choice I'm sure. But claiming [rich homes with more cred among cat burglars] as the worst possible solution [despite their security efforts] is factually incorrect."
You lost me on that one Solipcism.
Anyway, the OS is not the issue with Android. It's that the App market is more of a wild west compared to the insulated iOS market. Apps are vetted by Apple on an individual basis. Google does not.
You can find the same types of security issues with iOS when users jailbreak their phones and load unapproved 3rd party apps. Does that make iOS the problem?
Comments
This whole concept is sidetracking people's common sense. Small comfort to be walking down an Iraqi or Afghan road tapping away on a glass screen, only to be taken out by a sniper or IED. On the foot soldier's personal priority list for staying alive and defeating the enemy - devices must never distract from combat skills, weapons and protective equipment. Armchair warriors and gamers take note.
You really don’t think that a handheld device makes no sense if it means the user’s eyeballs can’t be looking for snipers or IEDs at the same time they are using it? Um… maps, field guides, etc. This isn’t going to be Android with a version of Angry Birds: installed where the birds look like American soldiers and the pigs look like enemy combatants… though I’d probably buy that version, too.
PS: Can’t wait for the May update to Angry Birds: Rio.
Baloney. There are hundreds of reports of Android security problems and phones being taken over by hackers.
Source? The only issues I've seen are from 3rd party applications with malware embedded. That's a problem with the App market, not android itself.
So I'll repeat, at gatherings of some of the world's top hackers, Apple's OS been broached in seconds, but no such success with Android. Or with Chrome for that matter. That by itself doesns't make Android the best choice I'm sure. But claiming Android as the worst possible solution due to security issues is factually incorrect.
Source? The only issues I've seen are from 3rd party applications with malware embedded. That's a problem with the App market, not android itself.
The apps run on the OS. If the OS isn’t sandboxing the apps to prevent them getting root access then it’s the OS that is the issue.
So I'll repeat, at gatherings of some of the world's top hackers, Apple's OS been broached in seconds, but no such success with Android. Or with Chrome for that matter. That by itself doesns't make Android the best choice I'm sure. But claiming Android as the worst possible solution due to security issues is factually incorrect.
“At gatherings of some of the world's top [cat burglars], [rich homes with good security have] been broached in seconds, but no such success with [poor homes with the key hidden under the mat]. Or with [piles of money stacked in a doghouse saying “free monies”] for that matter. That by itself doesns't make [rich homes the less secure] choice I'm sure. But claiming [rich homes with more cred among cat burglars] as the worst possible solution [despite their security efforts] is factually incorrect."
Hah!
SnootyVille - top notch.
Heck, I fell into the pool with my iPhone. After it dried out, it worked fine.
I'm with Unibrow Joe on this one!
iPhones are the better choice for people who tend to fall into pools.
How is apples tracking any different than googles?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...ech_LEADSecond
Only difference is that apple creates a .db file on the syncing computer
In the context of the article the difference is that the US Army can look at how Android handles tracking, fork the OS and customise or remove that code.
With iOS they don't have that option.
I mean the army is full of idiots, why would they want to do something smart?
That's a real nice thing to say about people who lay down their lives so you can enjoy your freedoms and your liberty. You show your age with your post sir.
So many ignorant and stupid, yes stupid, people posting here. If it was your son or daughter going into combat, the last thing you'd want is for them to have a device because it's "slick", which is what Apple is all about these days. There will never be ruggedized iPhone hardware. Apple would never allow someone else to modify iOS to handle the security and sensitive information this devices will be expected to carry. Regardless of cost, Apple would in no way be responsive to the needs of the military for such a device and how it would need to be managed and controlled. Sure, use a Mac if you are sitting comfy in an office in the Pentagon or cruising around the oceans on an aircraft carrier. But you don't want Apple hardware on the battlefield.
I don't care what your opinions are about how the US uses it's military, but at least have a little respect for the men and women who are put in harm's way by our idiot politicians. No way in hell would I want my kid going into combat with an iPhone.
Dude, never say "never". Obviously we don't know what happened behind closed doors that prompted the US Army to investigate the Android route (remember, this is just testing, not full-on implementation) rather than iOS. But there's absolutely no reason why Apple couldn't produce ruggedized, military-grade versions of their hardware and software. There are any number of reasons why things didn't go that route, but to say "Apple would never..." is as short-sighted as comments like "Apple will never get into the mobile phone market (Apple could never compete in an already saturated market)." "Apple will never switch to Intel." "Apple will never make a tablet computer (Others have tried before and failed)." etc.
I don't care what your opinions are about how the US uses it's military, but at least have a little respect for the men and women who are put in harm's way by our idiot politicians. No way in hell would I want my kid going into combat with an iPhone.
I have nothing but the highest respect for those out there in the frontlines. I also agree with your sentiment about politicians (although I disagree with your sentiment about the iPhone).
However, it's important to point out that we have a volunteer army, and people who signed up did so on their own free will knowing that there was a chance that they could be in harm's way.
It doesn't matter. Android is open source. US Army can rewrite part or the entire Android to suit its needs. Besides, I don't think the Army will allow users to just download and install any app on it.
The device is being developed by a third party military contractor so Android would be the only available choice. I can't see Apple opening a military division to produce military hardened phones for use in battle. Can you?
who's the third party developer diebold?
if you kill or rape a civilian, the phone tells your superiors it was an apple fan boy?
The military buy the way is only using Google's OS indirectly. The handset manufacturer is selling a handset using a modified version of the OS to run customized applications. The military is buying the handset not the OS.
Too late. iPhone has already been there and done that. There are quite a few military apps developed by military guys in the field, for use IN the field.
?At gatherings of some of the world's top [cat burglars], [rich homes with good security have] been broached in seconds, but no such success with [poor homes with the key hidden under the mat]. Or with [piles of money stacked in a doghouse saying ?free monies?] for that matter. That by itself doesns't make [rich homes the less secure] choice I'm sure. But claiming [rich homes with more cred among cat burglars] as the worst possible solution [despite their security efforts] is factually incorrect."
You lost me on that one Solipcism.
Anyway, the OS is not the issue with Android. It's that the App market is more of a wild west compared to the insulated iOS market. Apps are vetted by Apple on an individual basis. Google does not.
You can find the same types of security issues with iOS when users jailbreak their phones and load unapproved 3rd party apps. Does that make iOS the problem?