[vrs626]

I don't know what they do in the government, but giving them an iPhone or Android is indirectly permitting people to play games and what not with their phones. If you were the owner of a company, is that something that you would endorse? Besides, the BB has the best battery life among the three and a super fast recharge time, helping people stay connected [to their jobs] longer.

The battery life argument doesn't really fly anymore. The Bold 9900/9930 doesn't have particularly good battery life, certainly not to the level of previous devices. In today's day and age, when people have chargers in the office, car, etc., battery life just isn't an issue for most people buying smartphones. The shortsighted focus on "security" and "battery life" is what got RIM into the mess they are in today.

[lnichols]

I don't know what they do in the government, but giving them an iPhone or Android is indirectly permitting people to play games and what not with their phones. If you were the owner of a company, is that something that you would endorse? Besides, the BB has the best battery life among the three and a super fast recharge time, helping people stay connected [to their jobs] longer.

This was pushed by the Military side of the Government. They want mobile computers on each soldier that are easy to develop for. That's why the Army had an app contest a little while ago. They don't care if a soldier can get e-mail and BBM via a BES, they want to stream live video feeds, maps, telemetry, battle plans, situational awareness data to/from each soldier securely with rapid app development. They are not doing this so users can play Angry Birds and the phones won't have Android Market on them. If RIM had transitioned to QNX earlier and have phones out now they probably would have had a lock on this. Instead the Military has decided to harden a free OS and will probably have ruggedized hardware built to run on for field use. If it does get implemented by the military then it is likely that it will eventually filter out through the government, replacing Blackberry so all branches and agencies of government can communicate securely with each other. Nothing is definite and the project could always blow up in their face, and the government loves if they can use COTS equipment over proprietary builds, but it would be a blow to RIM.

[Tiassa]

I suspect that part of the reason the US government wants to go away from Blackberry is the network, as much as Canada is our ally, I suspect that there are a lot of thinkers in the Pentagon who would rather beable to control the datastream from end to end.

[breakmedown]

Although I'd agree that security is what BB has used to gain leverage, it's not why I think that it remains a business stronghold. It's the straightforward ease of use in terms of messaging and communicating, battery life, and the ability to impose specific limits. While I'm sure the gov't will stop people from playing Angry Birds, they're gonna have a much harder battle making the messaging apps as streamlined and the battery life what it is on a BB.

Those are the reasons I stay with BB and I think businesses will continue to stay with them because of those too.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[graxyq]

A different perspective here?? Click on the below link


Feds won't ditch BlackBerry over jam - David Saleh Rauf - POLITICO.com

[guerllamo7]

I spend much of my day reading news and this is a typical case that basically says the BlackBerry is safer. The government is looking into an android tablet and has asked universities to come up with one. Still not there. android, has security holes, that is why they are trying to fix it.
The Playbook is the only one that has been approved by the military to access networks. I think BlackBerry is going to win this fight on security. Why would we endanger our soldiers to experiment with something that may work if we already have something that works and has a track record we can count on? Also, the 7" tablet fits in a cargo pocket.

The government may go for various and redundant services but the BlackBerry is already there as the leader.

Nothing in this article is convincing. Bloomberg reported that the iPad was going to get certification for military use last month. It has not happened. I think it would be foolish to have a 10" tablet issued to military personnel that they can't drop in their cargo pocket.

I'm optimistic on RIM's chances here.

[Tre Lawrence]

I spend much of my day reading news and this is a typical case that basically says the BlackBerry is safer. The government is looking into an android tablet and has asked universities to come up with one. Still not there. android, has security holes, that is why they are trying to fix it.
The Playbook is the only one that has been approved by the military to access networks. I think BlackBerry is going to win this fight on security. Why would we endanger our soldiers to experiment with something that may work if we already have something that works and has a track record we can count on? Also, the 7" tablet fits in a cargo pocket.

The government may go for various and redundant services but the BlackBerry is already there as the leader.

Nothing in this article is convincing. Bloomberg reported that the iPad was going to get certification for military use last month. It has not happened. I think it would be foolish to have a 10" tablet issued to military personnel that they can't drop in their cargo pocket.

I'm optimistic on RIM's chances here.

Why the fixation with cargo pockets?

If this FIPS certs go through for iOS and Android, RIM's stronghold may be breached. Again, RIM can't sell things the old fashioned way/ Apple and Google are selling them things they are used to, things they seemingly prefer as consumers.

[Rickroller]

The government may go for various and redundant services but the BlackBerry is already there as the leader.

The point being though..that the Government is seeking another alternative to Blackberry. If the PB is already certified, why bother trying to go another route? Perhaps they don't want to be tied down to BIS/BES servers. Perhaps other reasons. Regardless of the reasons..they've sought (or are seeking) other alternatives..for whatever reason. This alone doesn't bode well for RIM imo.

[GingerSnapsBack]

and if they do allow personal devices and have employees that cannot resist the urge to kill pigs with birds during meetings, they have hiring issues.

This made me laugh.

[laurah2215]

Thanks for posting. Very interesting. I do think it's interesting how this ties in with BB's repuation as a secure communication platform. Poor Obama if he loses his BB. Know he was addicted during the campaign but he's probably had to relinquish his hold as Pres.

[sir.dangerfield]

The battery life argument doesn't really fly anymore. The Bold 9900/9930 doesn't have particularly good battery life, certainly not to the level of previous devices. In today's day and age, when people have chargers in the office, car, etc., battery life just isn't an issue for most people buying smartphones. The shortsighted focus on "security" and "battery life" is what got RIM into the mess they are in today.

I disagree. I get great battery life on my 9930 and many others have as well. Dont just go on the few people that have complained as the bad battery talk has seemed to slow down.
I have never heard someone defend the lack of battery life like you have just done. I hope to everything there is to hope to, that BlackBerry continues to keep battery life as a focus because in my life I can not just hope there will be a wall for me to stand next to everyday for an hour or so. My day is always changing and a low battery just scares me, even though I have a spare.

[Air Force One]

Thanks for posting. Very interesting. I do think it's interesting how this ties in with BB's repuation as a secure communication platform. Poor Obama if he loses his BB. Know he was addicted during the campaign but he's probably had to relinquish his hold as Pres.

No problem.

If I recollect correctly RIM and the government produced a "super secure" Blackberry for the Mr. Obama after being elected, which to my mind makes this whole thing all the more curious. I mean, if they can make a BB that is secure enough for presidential communication...why the need for even more security or any change at all?Has there been a vulnerability discovered that led to this decision not to go with Blackberry? As someone on the outside it seems very strange. Maybe as someone said earlier it simply is the government wanting to control the whole chain. Would love to be a fly on the wall and know Mr. Obama's feelings on this given his love for BB devices.

[qbnkelt]

Few thoughts...this is *going* for FIPS certification. It's not there quite yet. Bad idea to assume an outcome, especially with security.

A military spec'd Android device will not be the same as your Droid. Bulkier, stripped of fluff, and *hopefully* due to adequate hardening completely resistant to rooting. So all the fun things people do with their Android devices will not be possible. The same device you play Angry Birds on won't be the one going into the field.

The cost of turning over to Android will be prohibitive. There's got to be a reason, advantageous to the government.

Lastly....this is *very* surprising, to learn that Android is being considered. iOS is much further along. I always thought iOS would go before Android.

Many projects are sandboxed. Many of them. Mil specs on an Android developed for the field does not equate to consumers bringing their devices to work. Rooted Android devices with IT policies removed and the whole thing is scrapped.

But then again, this is not a done deal yet. Surprises can and do occur.

[Tre Lawrence]

No problem.

If I recollect correctly RIM and the government produced a "super secure" Blackberry for the Mr. Obama after being elected, which to my mind makes this whole thing all the more curious. I mean, if they can make a BB that is secure enough for presidential communication...why the need for even more security or any change at all?Has there been a vulnerability discovered that led to this decision not to go with Blackberry? As someone on the outside it seems very strange. Maybe as someone said earlier it simply is the government wanting to control the whole chain. Would love to be a fly on the wall and know Mr. Obama's feelings on this given his love for BB devices.

I don't the the president cares.

If he didn't want the change, it wouldn't happen. He already uses an iPad.

One thing I have always wondered: does his BB go through RIM servers like everyone else's? I know he is less reliant on a personal device, but I was curious.

[BBMINI]

Looks to me like it is nothing more than an effort to buy American

This was my first thought as well. If I were Google (or Apple or Microsoft) I would definitely have been putting some serious lobbyist and/or salesperson pressure on the government to use an American smartphone system in the same way that Harley-Davidson and American car companies sell to police departments.

Nothing at all against Canadians or RIM here . It just didn't really surprise me to see this post and sort of seemed like it was probably a logical, eventual development that would have come around sooner or later -- either from pressure by Apple or Google to buy American. And then maybe RIM's ongoing image problems + the recent RIM outages were the final straw as the government pondered RIM's future viability as a business and a service provider and so started making plans to proactively transition its communication systems from BB to something else. So it looks like Google might have the advantage at this point.

[BBMINI]

BTW, rather than "buy American" or "secure Kernels" or anything else, maybe it was as simple as someone on the White House staff reading this utterly "objective" CNN article today and decided the US Govt should switch to Droids.
Why Android and iPhone won't go down like BlackBerry - CNN.com

[Xterra2]

And Andrioid keeps moving ahead of its competitors, I wonder which andrioid phone obama himself is gonna use

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[blackjack93117]

Please let's not make this a political issue, it is against forum rules, besides, The National Security Agency, FBI and the US military disagree with you and agree with The White House. In their opinion, staying with Blackberry is the actual security risk, particularly given their future plans of deploying smart phones on the battlefield.

Not intended to be a political issue, it's my honest opinion of what is going on in the government.
How can you expect this not to be political when what goes on in the White House has everything to do with politics?

I worked in military electronics in the 80's, know what a security clearance is all about, (I had a secret clearance) and the lack of security since those days is appalling. Using android is just another example. A lot more Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) equipment and software being used instead of highly secure stuff built specialized from the ground up, because of budget constraints..

Didn't we just get viruses on the drone control computers?

[katiepea]

This isn't surprising at all, not gonna get better than a Linux kernel for security, military has been using it for almost 20 years

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Air Force One]

Not intended to be political, it's my honest opinion of what is going on in the government.
But agreed, let's not make it political.

I worked in military electronics in the 80's, know what a security clearance is all about, (I had a secret clearance) and the lack of security since those days is appalling. Using android is just another example. A lot more Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) equipment and software being used instead of highly secure stuff built specialized from the ground up, because of budget constraints..

Didn't we just get viruses on the drone control computers?

Yes, from what I read I think it was from using infected drives or some such thing since the drone computers are not actually connected to the internet. I agree there are going to be challenges no matter what type of OS they decide to use.

I will say this: congress should be using it's power of oversight to make sure the other branches of government are not sacrificing security for budgetary reasons. Even in this climate of cutting spending(which I agree with), security is not an area that should be subject to cuts. The world is becoming more dangerous than ever and information needs to be secure. IF BB can be more secure that Android, it's what they should be using. If they do choose Android I suppose we have to trust(I know, a tall order) that they know what they're doing.

I don't the the president cares.

If he didn't want the change, it wouldn't happen. He already uses an iPad.

One thing I have always wondered: does his BB go through RIM servers like everyone else's? I know he is less reliant on a personal device, but I was curious.

Or maybe he did care but someone at the NSA, etc.., showed him why their choice was better. Just because he would prefer BB doesn't mean at the end of the day he would demand they use BB.

As to your question about his BB I have no idea either and would like to know as well, just out of curiosity.

[grncherry1]

Obama says presidential BlackBerry ownership is 'no fun,' should've gone with the Sectera Edge -- Engadget


A small article about the President's phone.

[john_v]

Thanks to everyone for 4 (so far) pages of good solid discussion with no flaming or name calling...this article and the subsequent discussion here was a very good, interesting read. As someone who uses both Android and BlackBerry I'm always interested in good solid reads like this.

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far.

[blackjack93117]

Obama says presidential BlackBerry ownership is 'no fun,' should've gone with the Sectera Edge -- Engadget


A small article about the President's phone.

So it's all about "fun"? I'm scared.

[blackjack93117]

Yes, from what I read I think it was from using infected drives or some such thing since the drone computers are not actually connected to the internet. I agree there are going to be challenges no matter what type of OS they decide to use.

Exactly the point - could have been COTS drives that may have even been manufactured in another country, or even intercepted prior to being sent to the drone computers manufacturer or even the supplier.

[Air Force One]

Exactly the point - could have been COTS drives that may have even been manufactured in another country, or even intercepted prior to being sent to the drone computers manufacturer or even the supplier.

More likely it was simply a member of the drone team accidentally exposing the drive to the internet or an infected file. Not everything is a conspiracy. That's why they call these viruses. They act like a virus and are usually caught by accident.