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Census Bureau Wants 500,000 Handhelds in 2010

Posted by michael on from the unnatural-acts dept.

andori writes: "ComputerWorld is reporting that the Census Bureau is wanting to conduct the 2010 Census without the use of paper. They want to use 500,000 handhelds with GPS and wireless communications abilities. And they want to do it for $100 an unit. I sure hope the industry is able to that price point some day! I will personally take a few if they do."

5 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Heck.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If they give me one of those computers, I'll actually take part in the census this time..

  2. Just waiting to be hacked... by Yoda2 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Hopefully this goes without saying, but they better have a very good security model.

    Otherwise we might see small rural areas with amazing population booms, their own congressional districts, and lots of federal $$$.

  3. For one reason... by HappyCycling · · Score: 3, Funny

    The census people want Bejeweled, and they want it soon.

  4. Unnatural Acts by invckb · · Score: 2, Funny

    plus people will commit unnatural acts to sell a half-million computers.

    And what are those unnatural acts, I want to know. Maybe I am in the wrong career.

  5. A faster, more accurate census count! by AlaskanUnderachiever · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's right, you had hanging Chads last year. Can't you just wait for the inevitable "hotsync reporting errors" and "field information loss" due to battery malfunction? Ahh the federal government. Constantly finding ways to add complexity to any situation.

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