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US Army Considers a Smartphone For Every Soldier

Posted by timothy on from the can-you-hear-me-now dept.

destinyland writes "The US Army is seriously considering the idea of issuing a smartphone to every soldier, and they're already modernizing one Texas brigade 'through a range of electronic devices that will include not just smartphones but tablet devices, e-reader and mini-projectors.' The company that developed Patriot missiles has already created several dedicated military apps for both iPhone and Android phones, including one that allows soldiers to track colleague's locations on the battlefield. Interestingly, the army is likely to use an off-the-shelf model, heightening the war between Apple and Android phones. Apple's non-replaceable batteries may become an issue in the field, since 'plugging the phone in to recharge isn't always a viable option in the middle of combat.'"

9 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. Not now Mom by Cidtek · · Score: 5, Funny

    I gotta get back to ya later Mom - I'm kinda engaged right now.

    1. Re:Not now Mom by c6gunner · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yea, funny mental picture, but I remember as far back as 1999 getting a call on my cell from a friend while in the middle of combat training. Apparently she was freaking out for the next day or two because she heard gunfire and explosions in the background, with me saying "kinda busy, call ya back".

  2. Didn't they just ban by Dyinobal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Didn't they just ban all portable mass storage devices as security risks? I mean what do they think these smart phones are?

    1. Re:Didn't they just ban by Beerdood · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I mean what do they think these smart phones are?

      Another method of turning taxpayer money into corporate profit

      --
      Global warming and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking number of pirates - Gospel of the FSM
  3. Upload to Wikileaks by commlinx · · Score: 5, Funny

    Upload to Wikileaks, is there an app for that?

  4. brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder how much other Chinese electronics it'll be a good idea to use on the battlefield.

    User space apps by DARPA. Rootkit by the the PLA.

  5. Re:This doesn't sound like a good idea by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I doubt this is intended for the battlefield. Remember,soldiers spend 99.999% of their time not in combat, doing training or planning or arranging to get from point a to point b or whatever. The smarphones would probably fill a similar role as they do in any modern corporation, having little direct involvement in actual combat operations for the foreseeable future.

  6. Re:Sexting in the fox hole? by Haedrian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't you just hate it when you're driving down the street, guy is driving a heavy tank while talking to his girlfriend?

  7. Re:This doesn't sound like a good idea by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I know, but parse out what the army is actually considering, vs. what some company is pushing at them. Here's more of the quote you provided: "The company that developed the Patriot missile system has created several dedicated military apps for both systems, including one that allows soldiers to track colleague's locations on the battlefield."

    Defense contractors everwhere are spinning off imaginative "apps" on how these things might be used. I still think the Army's actual implementation (if any) will be much, much less ambitious.