U.S. Army ignores our advice, outfits troops with REDFLY terminals
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted October 16th 2009 1:23PM
posted October 16th 2009 1:23PM
Ah, the REDFLY Mobile Companion. We've had some laughs at its expense, sure, but never doubted that someone out there would find a use for the thing. And what do we have here? It looks like our favorite Foleo doppelgänger is among a number of portable gadgets providing the backbone of the U.S. Army's "Go Mobile" system. Based around a WinMo phone that soldiers can use to connect to the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) service for all their mission critical e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and documents, the kit includes a wireless smart card reader for authenticating onto Army networks, a printer, a charging kit (including various solar options), a pico projector, VR goggles simulating a 50-inch display, and an unspecified "dumb terminal" which -- as the picture above suggest -- could only be our old friend from Celio. Which is fine, sure -- but what ever happened to those bad-ass exoskeletons we were promised all those years ago?
Guess I know where are huge military budget is going....
We should put it towards national healthcare. I'm sure our government won't screw that up.
It doesn't surprise me... after the whole Sidekick fiasco, I'm sure the proper choice to keep all that sensitive data secure and backed up is a Microsoft product.
"...I'm sure the proper choice to keep all that sensitive data secure and backed up is a Microsoft product."
Well, I suppose your chances are better than letting your buddy on your guest account and losing all your information...then going back to base to get the back up on a time capsule only to learn that it's been fried.
Who would put their data on a Time Capsule? There are other, well proven technologies running this Internet you are using that have worked for years.
"...Who would put their data on a Time Capsule?"
That's what I'd like to know too. I believe it's powered by kool-aid and fairy dust, so there may be properties I don't understand about the device.
What's in that red bottle? Shoe polish?!
It's a version of Gatorade marketed to military personnel.
You mean the Gatorade bottle? "Shine On" doesn't always mean shoe polish.
Ok I might be downranked.
My cousin is a marine in Iraq.
He feels iPhone 3g would be best device to have out in the field.
Just saying what he said so if u downrank me u downranking a marine that has 3 confirmed kills n that has survived 2 bombings in last 18 months.
I down ranked you for trying to make people feel bad. I don't care if he's the President.
I "downranked" you because you're a moron. Semper Fi.
Since when does being a marine with "3 confirmed kills" exempt one from being ignorant?
I hope he survives that ipod.
I normally don't care downranks.
Majority of u guys take your daily freedom for granted.
I downranked you cuz that's what everyone else is doing.
And the government takes most of those freedoms away. Go preach to the republicans maybe they will listen.
hoping the third time will be more sucessful, i downranked you for surviving those two prior bombings.
let the flamebombing begin :)
I downranked you because, like the majority of your posts, this is probably false as well.
What's next Truth?
"An iPhone cured my cancer!"
"A PC killed my mother!"
"Steve Jobs is the second coming!"
I'm lowering your ranking for spelling mistakes. Please see me after class.
@Truth: "Majority of u guys take your daily freedom for granted."
And now I'm downranking you for being a lying dumbass. In the unlikely event that your brother is indeed a Marine with 3 kills, 2 purple hearts, and the Congressional Medal of Honor you are still a dork, sitting comfortably at home, invoking your brother's sacrifices on a topic of little importance to our freedoms.
I'm pretty sure that any real Marines in this thread want to kick your ass at this point: Probably your theoretical brother too.
I downranked you for being a moron
b/c anyone that wants a non-mutitasking device with applications that must be distributed from a public store on the field deserves to be downranked...
Let me check my GPS coordinates.... whoops just closed out of my medical handbook, or terminal program, or [insert any other application you might need here] FAIL
Army: Lets create a mission briefing/progress application...and then distribute it thorugh the Apple App store so the whole world has access to it. FAIL
@(un)Truth
The majority of the military take their food, clothing, paychecks, and gear for granted. F*ing civilians are the backbone of any army. Don't f*ck with farmers in the field. They'll pitchfork your a$$ and burn your food supply to the ground.
i upranked you because marines kill sand peeps and doesnt afraid of anything
"Ok I might be downranked" - And that Sir is the understatement of the year... when have you ever NOT been downranked!? LOL
I down ranked you because you're clearly a dumbass civilian who doesn't know or respect the meaning of "3 confirmed kills". No one goes around bragging about how many people they've killed in war.
The only useful thing on that picture is the Touch Pro :P
Yes, because we all need our troops distracted by fart and zippo lighter apps.
Ironman's totally got this beat.
I'm sure the taliban haven't got all of this high tech stuff, but they are still doing great in the war at a fraction of the cost.
...welcome to guerrilla warfare.
@OnlyShawn
+1
"...U.S. Army ignores our advice..."
This is how government contracting works: you sell government some stupid idea, then make money out of it until the next bidding in 5 years...
I don't mean the idea must always be stupid/unnecessary, it just doesn't matter for government contracting.
I spy a Microsoft oPhone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WazA77xcf0A
I was looking for someone else who noticed that, lol
must .... edit ... this ... typo..........
the kit includes includes a wireless
It's the army! The kits include an extra inclusion.
our local pd (not mentioning the name... it'll hurt my pay!) is currently testing these with motorola mc75's (windows mobile 6) for in car ticket writing.... this is going up agaist a full blown micro pc in a similar setup....
EVERYONE hated the redfly!
HA! I hope they get the contract! Then you guys won't want to endure the hassle of writing tickets anymore! Sweet!
So now all the americans paid for the expensive Redflys?
Brilliant! :)
iPhones need not apply. Does not support smartcard authentication. Goodbye.
LOL, true but you can't expect Truth or his imaginary war hero brother to know that! BTW can he be charged with "stolen valor" for making up an imaginary purple heart recipient brother? :)
Is it just me, or does AKO sound like a variant of Ragnarok Online, like kRO, cRO, jRO...
it's definitely sound like some kind of MMORPG.
Army Knowledge Online, where faction rulez!
I actually was at this booth at the AUSA conference. I tried to tell them that RedFly was worthless, but I got distracted by the wearable headset. I actually confused the hell out of the guys to the point of them almost handing me their Fuze because they thought it was mine (which I used on the headsets). Anyway.. yeah, redfly is a waste.
Did you know alot of the top military personnel suggest certain electronic and weapon technology (even if its inferior to alternatives) purely due to being promised under the table jobs at their corporation once they retire? Yep it really happens.
Source for that comment?
The DOD is moving towards BlackBerries as they are obviously more secure and stable then all the other phone platforms out there. But I guess only JOD Law Enforcement is taking advantage of that at the moment (FBI, ATF).
oh, don't worry... the Army has plenty of crackberries...
99% of OER bullets are generated via blackberry (or the 3am e-mail they spawn)
The DOD is moving towards BlackBerries as they are obviously more secure and stable then all the other phone platforms out there. But I guess only JOD Law Enforcement is taking advantage of that at the moment (FBI, ATF).
Pay as you go Boost Mobile "Platinum Plan". **CHIRP!...."Where you at??!!"...**CHIRP!