The United States military is taking Apple's iPod touch onto the battlefield. A report shows that the iPod Touch is perfect for "networked warfare" and that it will allow soldiers to be linked together and view shared data across the battlefield.An example of how it might be used is that images being sent back by an UAV could be shared to all soldiers across the battlefield giving them the best available options on how to engage the enemy from their perspective locations.
Other tools such as translation software are being adopted to help soldiers communicate with local citizens without the aid of a human translator. The versatility of the platform has truly shown Apple's iPod Touch is much more than a media device and that it continues to find new uses all the time.
They would work in the sand, nothing can get inside these devices and very hot temperature doesn't seem to affect them.
They also have one h*** of a good screen, it absolutely never scratches (the back of my device is really full of scratches everywhere, but the screen it always clean, I even tried to scratch it with my keys and it never did, I really don't know what the screen is made from, but it is absolutely unbeleivable)
Hmm, it's DESERT............it's not going to work in someones dessert, you're right.
My iPhone spent 5 months in the desert working just fine.
Well actually, some companies have already started making iPhone-compatible gloves, which work even when they're on, thanks to nipple-like points on the fingers.
Actually bro it wouldnt be too bad served with tomato sauce and a side of fries
With the permission of Apple, the U.S. military can modify it to make it more war-friendly and sturdy. I think it's a great idea. Makes me proud to be an American AND a iPod Touch owner.
Continue....
i think that the army would prefer a more robust piece of hardware designed for their needs then a commercial product designed for the general population
Care to explain your point ?
Care to explain your point ?
Ill explain it: Security issues.
Care to explain your point ?
Apple's SDK's do NOT provide everything a military needs to develop apps... the SDK is severly limited in terms of what an armed forces contractor is used to having access to in a system.. thats one of the reasons they love windows and linux, they have full access to hardware, and write custom security and communcations systems for them
Somehow I doubt that a WinMo device would work well for their needs; I see angry businessmen restarting their WinMo phones almost every day on the bus.
Actually, compared to the custom military specs that yielded $800 hammers and the $1500 toilet seats of the past, using an existing commodity item is a refreshing change of direction toward a more common-sense approach.
6ft DB-25 Printer Cable: 350$
733Mhz computer with 20GB HD and 10" touch screen: 52,000$
grounded power plug : 150$
20GB Hard drive replacement: 800$
So yes, a hammer very well could cost 800$
Hmmm
First of all, the Army doesn't need a freaking iPod. They already have the Ground Soldier System (formerly know as the Land Force Warrior program) coming on-stream in 2010 (although the Army projects that it won't be completely rolled out until around 2032) which integrates a HUD-projecting eyepeice and associated eyewear, camera, microphone and belt-worn computer with real-time managed battlefield communications and other Milspec communications elements into a modular design. Frankly, comparing the GSS gear to an iPod is like comparing an M16 to a water pistol.
Hence why they would run their own OS on it, I think they are more interested in the hardware then the software
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