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DoD

Defense Dept. reportedly in deal for more than 600K iOS devices

The U.S. Department of Defense plans to purchase more than half a million iOS devices, according to a new report.

Citing "well-placed sources," Electronista says the government plans to purchase 120,000 iPads, 100,000 iPad minis, 200,000 iPod Touches, and 210,000 iPhones as part of an effort to update and mobilize its technologies.

As for the timing of such a deal, Electronista suggests it would happen following the current sequestration.

Apple declined to comment on the report, and the Defense Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

Last month the Department of … Read more

Military green investments could hit $10B by 2030

It's no secret to anyone following green tech that the Department of Defense has taken a particular interest in advanced biofuels, vehicle fuel efficiency, renewable energy, and building efficiency. But many may not realize to what extent the DOD has changed its policy, or the large impact this shift is going to have on the economy, according to a report released yesterday afternoon by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report (PDF) asserts that the DOD is one of the world's largest institutional consumers of fossil fuels, consuming 300,000 barrels of oil a day in 2009. The DOD's energy cost for 2010 was $15.2 billion (PDF) … Read more

U.S. defense agency teaching open source

It says something about open source's impact on the world when the the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency--a division in the Department of Defense--starts running seminars on how to shift to open-source software.

Could there be a better sign that open source has arrived?

After all, it's one thing to adopt open source, which the U.S. federal government has in earnest--but to advocate for it and teach it? That's a higher level.

The September 1 seminar, co-hosted by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Open Source Software Institute (OSSI), promises to … Read more