Newly inaugurated President Barack Obama has won the first major battle of his administration, the fight to keep his Blackberry. But when you're the leader of the free world, not just any Blackberry will do. Obama's new smartphone is reportedly a Sectéra Edge made by General Dynamics, not exactly something you'll be able to pick up at your local Sprint store. First off, the president's new Blackberry isn't technically a Blackberry, at least in the traditional sense. It runs a specialized version Windows Mobile with additional Blackberry software on top. When your job takes you across the country or around the globe at a moments notice, you don't have time to worry if you'll be in your coverage area, so the Sectéra Edge has global roaming over both GSM and CDMA networks. It also features advanced encryption of all traffic, including phone conversations, via the National Security Agency.
While not the most attractive of phones when compared to the some of the other Blackberry models Obama was probably used to, the phone makes up for it in an abundance of ports and features.
"Use will be limited and the security is enhanced to ensure his ability to communicate but to do so effectively," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained in his first conference with reporters today.
Gibbs also explained that because the president's e-mail traffic will, with very few exceptions, be subject to the President Records Act it will all be preserved for historical purposes. Ever since the election, Obama has been adament about feeding "his addiction" and the decision for him to keep it is "a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of personal friends," Gibbs said.
Past presidents have made no significant use of email, at all.
*of course what I just wrote was somewhat mentioned in the said article... caffeine help me please!
Lets see...having one of the most powerful and important men in the world wanting to use your product...
More than likely, it's free from the company, along with whatever service he goes with.
hehe, yup :p and the CIA ans NSA is going to go crazy over not beeing able to listen in on encrypted calls :p
I'm quite sure the NSA would have access to the information since they are the ones providing the security on the phone.
The trusted display is probably used to verify who you are calling, much like the ones seen on the STU-III and current STE.
When Defense Messaging System was fairly new, we had instances where someone would accidentally send a message that was supposed to be secure as unclassified. I remember once in Korea where I had to wipe three machines that this happened to. There was a rumor a General did this by mistake but I can't confirm or deny. I'm not saying Obama will do this but I'm confident that he'll get used to his new toy.
Good thing that fill devices have come a long way since this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/CYZ-10 and this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KYK-13 . Those things were sloooow
Thanks for the flashbacks!
http://www.slashgear.com/president-obamas-...t-3300-2231652/
PS thats not a blackberry. Thats a windows mobile device made by general dynamics. Also windows mobile can use blackberry services.
Is everybody calling this a blackberry when its not really one? How some people say i want a coke when they really get pepsi?
PS thats not a blackberry. Thats a windows mobile device made by general dynamics. Also windows mobile can use blackberry services.
Is everybody calling this a blackberry when its not really one? How some people say i want a coke when they really get pepsi?
Isn't General Dynamics the company that manufactures the F-16?
PS thats not a blackberry. Thats a windows mobile device made by general dynamics. Also windows mobile can use blackberry services.
Is everybody calling this a blackberry when its not really one? How some people say i want a coke when they really get pepsi?
Isn't General Dynamics the company that manufactures the F-16?
Yeah its not a blackberry its a windows mobile phone . The title says its a blackberry but the actual article satates its a windows mobile phone.
The real blackberry is canadian made. the title should be chanegd.
General Dynamics developed and initially manufactured the F-16, but today the F-16 is manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
The article explains exactly what happened. The title is not being changed. He wanted Blackberry service, and that is what he had. How about you worry more about things other then how we title our stories?
Last edited by Marshalus on 23 Jan 2009 - 13:50
I don't like your aggressive tone, particularly when it was YOU that erred.
Why is it so hard to include what the sources are for a news post? You can still have it be original content... but otherwise it gives the impression that Neowin has field staff out investigating these stories first hand.
Like Global Dynamics, General Dynamics is a long-time military contractor; the Sectera Edge is supplied under contract to the military for the express purpose of secure mobile communications. Another big purchaser of the Sectera Edge (for the same reasons) is AG-designate Eric Holder's Justice Department (specifically, the various US Attorney's Offices); further, the Sectera Edge is specifically permitted to access RIM's network because of the various government contracts (it is, in fact, one of the few non-RIM-built devices with such permission).
Up to this very point, I haven't seen anyone mention Apple, but you. Just because LTD likes Apple is no reason for you to bring Apple into it and attack him, and on a massively unrelated post.
Just can't let it go can ya?
There are many other devices which look good. I'm sure this one is highly functional, but I just commented that it doesn't seem that great aesthetically. My comment was otherwise neutral.
However, typically, devices that may look good are about as secure as a colander.
And if you want to thank anyone for the Sectera Edge, thank AG-designate Eric Holder, as the biggest purchaser of the Sectera EDGE has not been the military, but the Justice Department (the Office of the United States Attorney and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts), for secure mobile communications (primarily *BlackBerry services*).
Lastly, while General Dynamics is known primarily for things that fly, ping, or blow up, they have a separate sector (Decision Systems) that supplies things that ring, including the Sectera Edge. Like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics is based near their largest customer (Fairfax, Virginia, in the case of GD)
ROTFL!
I'm quite sure if Obama really wanted an iPhone (there is no evidence that he does), Apple would have worked with the approrpriate agency to produce a version that was secure enough for him to use.
And the REAL WORLD (whatever that means) includes Apple (at least 30 million OS X users), Linux, Unix, and all associated variations.
because it's a piece of crap?
Until you finally get one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Roadrunner
its just for emails right?
the interface is soooo crap as well!
microsoft should just buyout RIM job
I agree though, if you want Exchange mail you can do that with an iPhone or Windows Mobile. Even Nokia's have Mail for Exchange now.
To bad this phone IS A WINDOWS MOBILE PHONE. Just running some blackberry access apps ontop of it
Interesting, and yet most of his team are Mac users. Then again, just because you prefer Macs doesn't by default mean you'll choose an iPhone. Tastes vary.
Technically, this isn't a Windows Mobile Phone as its Windows CE 6.0 based. Thats why the Interface looks different to consumer WinMo Phones.
Last edited by neo158 on 23 Jan 2009 - 17:21
Obama is being provided this phone with the reasoning to keep in touch with the general people and not get sucked in a bubble.
So why should the email be kept secret,i know making it public will make it a spam magnet,but then again why the "keep in touch with the people" argument.
I think he should not have gotten it.He shoudl be able to make some sacrifices[jus an opinion,so don't get hyper]
Obama is being provided this phone with the reasoning to keep in touch with the general people and not get sucked in a bubble.
So why should the email be kept secret,i know making it public will make it a spam magnet,but then again why the "keep in touch with the people" argument.
I think he should not have gotten it.He shoudl be able to make some sacrifices[jus an opinion,so don't get hyper]
its not just about the email, by law the emails will be public anyway
its when you get into this situation when the President is being hunted by assassins or whatever and he has to call for help, he cant just let anyone know where he is in that situation, thats whats the encryption is for
Last edited by carmatic on 23 Jan 2009 - 15:09
more importantly, will it withstand being dropped? or will it shatter to pieces just like obama's old blackberry....
Last edited by carmatic on 23 Jan 2009 - 15:09
I think it should take a few drops onto the tarmac.
he's running our country for God's sake. I want him to be happy and I want him to be as up to date as possible.
I'll gladly chip in my tax dollars if he thinks it's an important part of his job.
It isn't designed to look good, it's designed for security and as long as it performs that function it doesn't matter what it looks like.
It kinda reminds me of the Panasonic Toughbook in the fact that it is designed to be robust for a reason, its used by the military.
http://www.gdc4s.com/content/detail.cfm?it...42-55106fbaff32
And here's a video of it getting a massive beatdown (notice that it keeps on running):
http://www.gdc4s.com/documents/SMEPED_05SEP2007-web.wmv
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