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Obama tells government agencies to embrace mobile apps within a year

Brian Heater — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:31:00 EST

We already know the President has gone mobile -- and now he wants to take the rest of the government with him. President Obama has gone on the record ordering major federal agencies to jump on the mobile bandwagon, developing apps to increase public access to tax payer funded departments like education and healthcare. Said the President in a statement, "Americans deserve a government that works for them anytime, anywhere, and on any device." Obama has ordered the agencies to join the app revolution within the next 12 months.

Obama tells government agencies to embrace mobile apps within a year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama test drives a Sphero on Boulder visit

Brian Heater — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:03:00 EST

President Obama was in the Centennial State last night, hyping up an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Coors Events Center. Of course, he couldn't help but take some time to check out some some of the local innovation. The President took a few moments out of his busy schedule to play around with the smartphone-controlled Sphero RC ball, declaring "how cool is that," before demanding that the crowd, "give me some space to drive my ball." He also tossed out some superlatives like "terrific," after nearly driving it into a woman's flip-flop. Now that's a solid endorsement, if ever we've heard one. In the end, though, it didn't last long -- the guy's got a country to run, after all.

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President Obama test drives a Sphero on Boulder visit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama cracks down on Iran and Syria's surveillance of dissidents

Sarah Silbert — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:39:00 EST

President Obama may be quite cozy with tech -- what with his predilection for the iPad and those town hall meetings on Facebook -- but he's well aware of its dark side, too. Today he announced that the US will freeze assets and cancel the American visas of Iranian and Syrian agencies tracking dissidents and pro-democracy groups via satellite, computer and phone networks. Among the entities getting the blacklist treatment are the Syrian cellphone company Syriatel, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian internet provider Datak Telecom. Amid election-year pressure to confront Iran, Obama addressed the ongoing threat of the country acquiring nukes, but also paid lip service to social media's role in democracy. "These technologies should be in place to empower citizens, not to repress them," he told an audience of 250 people, according to Reuters. Still, given the limited impact of previous sanctions against Iran, it remains to be seen just how much of an effect Washington's actions have on the human rights situation in either country.

Obama cracks down on Iran and Syria's surveillance of dissidents originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Department of Commerce and NTIA suggest spectrum sharing for government and commercial services

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:05:00 EST

In 2010 President Obama stated, in no uncertain terms, that our country's competitive edge and technological leadership were conditional on our ability to open up broad swaths of spectrum for commercial and governmental use. Two years later, we've made progress, but our wireless providers are still struggling to keep up as our demand for cellular broadband skyrockets -- even spectrum hog Verizon claims to be gasping for air. The Commerce Department and US National Telecommunications and Information Administration are suggesting a new approach to opening up the airwaves to carriers that doesn't involve the wholesale abandonment of radiowave real estate by its current residents. The NTIA thinks there is room for both federal agencies and companies in the 95MHz between 1755 and 1850MHz. This would open up the prime spectrum to commercial use, but would also save the time and money normally needed to relocate existing government services which, in this case, includes military communications and missile guidance systems. In typical bureaucratic fashion, more study will be needed before a formal recommendation can be made to the FCC. But, there's plenty more detail to be had in the meantime -- just check out the PR after the break and the full report at the source link.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Continue reading Department of Commerce and NTIA suggest spectrum sharing for government and commercial services

Department of Commerce and NTIA suggest spectrum sharing for government and commercial services originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House gets behind online 'bill of rights,' companies to adopt 'do not track'

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:32:00 EST

President Obama is throwing his weight behind a consumer bill of rights that includes protections against online companies in particular, and aims to safeguard customer privacy. While the plan doesn't come prepackaged with a new set of laws for companies to abide by, the Commerce Department is working to develop enforceable policies with help from the concerned parties. The bedrock of the new bill of rights is that consumers should have control over the kind of data companies collect and what they do with it. Internet firms would have to be transparent about what information is gathered and how it's used. There is also a call for limitations on the use of certain personal data. As part of the push a number of major players in the field, including Google, have agreed to include a "Do Not Track" button in their browsers and to honor the system -- the latter being a tiny detail that has made implementations of the feature ineffective until now. Hit up the source links for a few more details.

White House gets behind online 'bill of rights,' companies to adopt 'do not track' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry 7 devices get American, Canadian Government approval

Daniel Cooper — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:41:00 EST

The Governments of the USA and Canada have announced that BlackBerry 7 (and 7.1) smartphones are suitable for official use. The units have been granted FIPS 140-2 certification, demonstrating a suitable level of cryptographic security to protect sensitive information. Gear that hasn't been FIPS-certified can't be purchased by Government agencies, so RIM can expect to see a substantial order of its Bold 9900 / 9930 / 9790, Torch 9850 / 9860 / 9810 and Curve 9350 / 9370 / 9380 phones, as President Obama looks to swell the number of people legally allowed to BBM-him. After the break we've got a missive from Waterloo expressing how proud it is now it's been Government-sanctioned.

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BlackBerry 7 devices get American, Canadian Government approval originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama to host first Google+ Hangout tonight at 5:30PM

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:51:00 EST

Barack Obama is no stranger to social networks, but Google+ is still relatively new territory for him (and everyone else for that matter). The president doesn't seem afraid of mixing it up with the online riffraff, though, and will be hosting his very first Hangout tonight at 5:30pm ET. He'll be answering questions submitted via YouTube and selected by Google based on viewer rating. Sadly (or, perhaps, mercifully) this won't be a public free-for-all. Obama will be joined by five of his fellow Americans, but there won't be a rotating cast of random folks popping in and out of the group video chat queueing up clips of Maru. Hit up the source link to watch it live later this afternoon.

Obama to host first Google+ Hangout tonight at 5:30PM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House releases early test code for Data.gov platform, moves closer to open source reality

Amar Toor — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:33:00 EST

The White House's Open Government Partnership inched closer to maturity last week, with the release of a new open data platform, designed to help other governments set up their own Data.gov portals. On Wednesday, Data.gov developer Chris Musialek posted the first pieces of early test code for the unfortunately named "Data.gov-in-a-box" -- an open source version of the US and Indian governments' respective data portals. Both countries, in fact, have been working on the platform since August, with the Obama administration pledging some $1 million to the effort. The idea, according to federal CIO Steve VanRoekel and federal CTO Aneesh Chopra, is to encourage "governments around the word to stand up open data sites that promote transparency, improve citizen engagement, and engage application developers," using Data.gov (and its 400,000 datasets) as a blueprint. Wednesday's release is just the first step in that plan, with the finalized Open Government Platform (OGPL) slated for launch by early next year.

White House releases early test code for Data.gov platform, moves closer to open source reality originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senate to vote on net neutrality repeal today, Obama counters with a veto threat (update: 52-46 vote in favor of net neutrality)

Amar Toor — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:25:00 EST

The US Senate is slated to vote on a repeal of the FCC's controversial net neutrality regulations today, just a few days before they're scheduled to go into effect. Today's vote, like most these days, is expected to be divided along party lines, with most Democrats standing in favor of the rules, and Republicans calling for them to be overturned. Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, who sponsored the resolution, claims that the FCC's regulations would obstruct innovation and investment by jeopardizing the openness upon which the web has thrived, thus far. "The internet and technology have produced more jobs in this country than just about any other sector," Hutchinson argued. "It has been the cradle of innovation, it does not have a problem, and it does not need fixing." Senate Republicans aren't the only ones taking issue with the rules, either. Both Verizon and MetroPCS have already publicly aired their grievances, with the former filing a formal appeal in late September.

But Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller believes the GOP-led opposition won't be strong enough to overcome his Democratic majority. "There's still 53 of us, and if we stay together we'll win," Rockefeller said. "I think we're going to prevail." Even if they don't, they'll still have the backing of the White House, which has already threatened to veto the resolution, should it survive past the Senate floor. "It would be ill-advised to threaten the very foundations of innovation in the Internet economy and the democratic spirit that has made the Internet a force for social progress around the world," the White House said in a statement, adding that the FCC's rules provide an "effective but flexible" means of preserving the web's intrinsically wild, wild west nature. Rockefeller, however, certainly isn't banking on a presidential veto to bail his party out. "You can take the cheap way out and just say, 'What if we fail, then Obama will veto it,'" he explained. "But that speaks so badly of us." All told, it's shaping up to be another net neutrality showdown on the Hill, but we'll keep you updated on the latest developments.

Update: It wasn't an overwhelming victory, but the Senate today rejected the attempt to repeal the FCC's net neutrality rules in a 52 to 46 vote that fell largely along party lines.

Senate to vote on net neutrality repeal today, Obama counters with a veto threat (update: 52-46 vote in favor of net neutrality) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law

Amar Toor — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:31:00 EST

Think it's time to change our patent system? So does Congress. Yesterday, the Senate approved the America Invents Act by an 89-8 vote that could bring about the most drastic changes to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in five decades. Under the bill, which the House approved back in June, patents would be awarded not to the first person to invent a technology, but to the first one to actually file with the USPTO, bringing US policy in line with protocol adopted in most other countries. It also calls for a streamlined application process and would allow the USPTO to charge set fees for all apps. The revenue generated from these fees would go directly to a capped reserve fund, allowing the office to retain the lion's share of the money, rather than funneling much of it to Congress, as had become the norm.

Supporters say this extra revenue will give the USPTO more power to chip away at its backlog of some 700,000 patent applications, while a new third-party challenge system will help eliminate patents that should've never received approval in the first place. Opponents, meanwhile, criticized the bill for not eliminating fee diversion altogether (an amendment that would've placed more severe restrictions was ultimately killed, for fear that it would jeopardize the bill's passage), with Washington Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell questioning the legislation's impact on small businesses, calling it "a big corporation patent giveaway that tramples on the rights of small inventors." But Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who sponsored the bill, argued that yesterday's approval marks a major and historic inflection point in US patent policy:

The creativity that drives our economic engine has made America the global leader in invention and innovation. The America Invents Act will ensure that inventors large and small maintain the competitive edge that has put America at the pinnacle of global innovation. This is historic legislation. It is good policy.

The America Invents Act will now make its way to President Obama's desk, where it's expected to receive his signature. For more background on the legislation, check out the links below.

US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama complains White House technology is '30 years behind'

Donald Melanson — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:02:00 EST

President Obama may be content using a slightly outdated (though admittedly secure) BlackBerry while on the go, but it seems that he's far more disappointed in the technology at the White House itself. Speaking at a fundraiser in Chicago this week, Obama said that "when it comes to technology, we are like 30 years behind," and he's not just talking about some ancient Windows desktops left over from the previous administration in the West Wing. He went on to complain about the lack of "really cool phones and stuff," saying, "I'm the president of the United States. Where's the fancy buttons and stuff and the big screen comes up? It doesn't happen." Maybe he can get some of his new tech industry friends to help him out with that if he manages to settle in for a second term.

Update: Microsoft thinks it has a fix, offering our BlackBerry-in-chief his choice of WP7 handsets. Might we suggest the Arrive?

President Obama complains White House technology is '30 years behind' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shocker! President Obama owns an iPad and computer, won't have to borrow yours (video)

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:03:00 EST

Barack Obama is quite likely the most computer literate president (which isn't saying much) these united states have ever had. So it's really no surprise to hear that the BlackBerry wielding prez also owns an iPad and, gasp, his own computer -- except, perhaps, to Univision's Jorge Ramos. Obama's incredulous stare and jocular response to the questions are as hilarious as they are candid in their casual delivery. See for yourselves in the video after the break.

Continue reading Shocker! President Obama owns an iPad and computer, won't have to borrow yours (video)

Shocker! President Obama owns an iPad and computer, won't have to borrow yours (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama talked R&D with tech industry CEOs, appoints Intel's Paul Otellini to advisory council

Donald Melanson — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:06:00 EST

Sure, there may have been some toasts and likely a bit of joking, but it looks like President Obama also got down to a bit of business during his meeting with some of the tech industry's top CEOs yesterday. While complete details are obviously light, White House press secretary Jay Carney has revealed that the president raised the issue of his recent proposals to invest in research and development with the group, and he's said to have also discussed ways to encourage kids to study math, science and engineering. What's more, as the Wall Street Journal points out, President Obama isn't done with the tech industry just yet -- he's moved on to Oregon today to tour one of Intel's semiconductor plants, where's expected to announce that Intel CEO Paul Otellini will be joining his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

Obama talked R&D with tech industry CEOs, appoints Intel's Paul Otellini to advisory council originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caption Contest: Obama has dinner with tech industry CEOs

Vlad Savov — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST

Barack Obama is a president well known for being in touch with technology, so it's no surprise to see him wining and dining the industry's biggest decision makers. Larry Ellison, Eric Schmidt, Carol Bartz, Mark Zuckerberg, and yes, even Steve Jobs joined el presidente for an informal dinner on Thursday to discuss important things like jobs, education, and research spending. We're not here for that, though, we're here to drop zingers about one all-powerful dude and his big-time CEO buddies.

Thomas: "Here's to project Soylent Green."
Joe: "This sure beats the Four Loko Summit we held last summer on the White House lawn."
Chris: "So let's just jam through this dinner real quick."
Josh T: "I hope no one authorizes a 'kill switch' on this party."
Paul: "At this very moment we're millions of miles from a doomed planet Earth!"
Nilay: "Gentlemen, Ballmer has neutralized the Finnish threat."
Richard Lai: "Drink up, kids -- it's Dance Central time!"
Tim: "Zuck, it's like Final Club, except with the President."

Caption Contest: Obama has dinner with tech industry CEOs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama announces plan to free up 500MHz of spectrum, invest in 4G for rural areas, and build out nationwide public safety network

Paul Miller — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:38:00 EST

We knew the White House was on board with the FCC's desire to free up an additional 500MHz worth of spectrum over the next decade from private and federal holders, as announced last year, and now Obama has announced the plan to do it. The plan is to incentivize the current spectrum squatters with a share of the revenue gained from auctioning off the spectrum -- mostly for mobile broadband use -- which only seems fair, and for now it seems those auctions will be voluntary. But that's just the tip of the iceberg: the plan also includes a $5 billion investment in constructing 4G networks in rural areas (with a goal to reach at least 98 percent of Americans with the service), a $3 billion fund for 4G R&D to help the rollout, and $10.7 billion for a wireless public safety network. The beauty of this plan is that all these proposed costs are offset by the spectrum auction, which is estimated to raise $27.8 billion, of which $9.6 billion will be dedicated to deficit reduction. Oh, and the best news? The government has already found 115MHz worth of Federal spectrum that it can free up by using its other spectrum more efficiently, and has another 95MHz worth in its sights. Hit up the source link to see President Obama's speech on the subject, which has just begun, or check it out embedded after the break.

Continue reading Obama announces plan to free up 500MHz of spectrum, invest in 4G for rural areas, and build out nationwide public safety network

Obama announces plan to free up 500MHz of spectrum, invest in 4G for rural areas, and build out nationwide public safety network originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama's State of the Union address goes Web 2.0

Laura June — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:45:00 EST

Tonight, President Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address, and while partisan politics (and some great shots of various people nodding off) will rule the night, the US government is getting into the Web 2.0 game in a big way tonight. The speech -- scheduled for 9:00 pm ET -- will be streamed live on the web, and immediately following said speech, the White House will host an 'Open for Questions' event on Twitter making use of the hashtag #sotu, while other government officials will answer questions submitted on Facebook, as well as the White House website's webform. On Thursday night, the President will also answer questions on YouTube. We'll let you know if and when the government hatches a plan to answer questions on Yahoo! Answers.

[Image Credit: Pete Souza for the White House]

Obama's State of the Union address goes Web 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama signs an iPad at Seattle rally, seems pretty down with 'autograph change'

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:01:00 EST

The first presidential iPad signing? Probably. One Sylvester Cann attended a recent rally in Seattle at the University of Washington, and was somehow fortunate enough to get within eyeshot of Barack Obama. According to Cann, the secret service wasn't exactly sure about the Prez handing over his John Hancock on a tablet, but eventually they cut loose and let him autograph the tablet with his finger using the Adobe Ideas app. There's a video just below for those who are still in disbelief, and we have to say -- that autograph ain't half bad for using one's digit to create it.

[Thanks, Sylvester]

Continue reading President Obama signs an iPad at Seattle rally, seems pretty down with 'autograph change'

President Obama signs an iPad at Seattle rally, seems pretty down with 'autograph change' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama signs bill to give disabled better access to technology

Laura June — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 20:35:00 EST

Now this is something we can all get behind. Today, President Obama signed a bill pledging to see that the blind and deaf get better access to cellphones, the internet, and other technologies which are a necessity of life in the modern era. Joined by a group of lawmakers and Stevie Wonder, the president signed into law the bill which promises guaranteed access for 25 million blind or visually impaired and 38 million deaf or hearing impaired people living in the United States. New federal guidelines resulting from the bill include requiring improved user interfaces on smartphones, providing audible descriptions of television programming, captioning online programming, making telephone equipment compatible with hearing aids, and adding buttons to remote controls to provide quick access to closed captioning. The bill, S. 3304, should bring down the cost of these technologies for people who need them significantly.

President Obama signs bill to give disabled better access to technology originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House pledges another $800 million for broadband stimulus

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:48:00 EST

Usually, when we see "stimulus" and "broadband" in the same sentence it's because someone turned off our Google SafeSearch filter, but today we have one such item that is totally safe for work. According to Information Week, the $7.2 billion in broadband grants and loans that we've already seen will be buttressed by an additional $800 million. A total of sixty-six new infrastructure projects (with up to 5,000 new jobs created in the process) are planned to launch in every state of the union (and Washington DC to boot). That is, of course, if the congressional appropriations committee doesn't siphon off $602 million of it to offset the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Once we emerge from the immediate crisis, the long-term economic gains to communities that have been left behind in the digital age will be immeasurable," President Obama said in the announcement.

White House pledges another $800 million for broadband stimulus originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House throws its weight behind wireless broadband, wants 500MHz of spectrum reallocated

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:21:00 EST

Ask, and ye shall receive, FCC: hot off Julius Genachowski's National Broadband Plan asking for 500MHz of additional spectrum to keep up with anticipated demand over the coming years, the White House appears to be totally on board with an Obama-penned memorandum out today demanding that federal agencies under his control get on board, while also "strongly encouraging" independent agencies to do the same. This isn't some open-ended, pie-in-the-sky deal, either; the 500MHz needs to be turned loose in the next ten years, and the president wants a plan on his desk -- penned with the help of the FCC -- by October 1 of this year on exactly how to make that happen. It's looking more and more like at least some privately-held spectrum is going to need to be reallocated involuntarily, but there's a lot of underused and unused airspace out there right now, so it'll be interesting to see if these guys can comply with the order in a drama-free manner. Follow the break for the full text of the memorandum.

Continue reading White House throws its weight behind wireless broadband, wants 500MHz of spectrum reallocated

White House throws its weight behind wireless broadband, wants 500MHz of spectrum reallocated originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House releases economic report as e-book

Donald Melanson — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:44:00 EST

Looking for a bit of light reading this weekend? Then look no further than the 400+ pages of the Economic Report of the President (the hotly anticipated sequel to the Economic Report of the President) which, for the first time, has been made available as a free e-book. That includes versions ready to be delivered to your Kindle or Nook (the former of which is already sitting at #46 on the bestseller list), and an ePub version for Sony readers and other devices. Will this be the final step that truly pushes e-books into the mainstream? Probably not. But if this rapid adoption of technology by the White House is any indication, we could well see weekly Presidential addresses in 3D next year.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

White House releases economic report as e-book originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US government lays out cash for wall-based, in-home 'smart meters'

Darren Murph — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST

Google has its PowerMeter, Microsoft has its Hohm and Obama has his "smart meters." Got it? Good. Around two years after UK taxpayers began footing the bill for in-home energy monitors, it seems as if America's current administration is looking to follow suit. While visiting the now-open solar facility in Arcadia, Florida today, the Pres announced that $3.4 billion in cash that the US doesn't actually have has just been set aside for a number of things, namely an intelligent power grid and a whole bundle of smart power meters. Aside from boring apparatuses like new digital transformers and grid sensors (both of which are designed to modernize the nation's "dilapidated" electric network), 18 million smart meters and 1 million "other in-home devices" will be installed in select abodes. The idea here is to give individuals a better way to monitor their electricity usage, with the eventual goal set at 40 million installed meters over the next few years. Great idea, guys -- or you know, you could just advise people to turn stuff off when they aren't using it, or not use energy they can't afford. Just sayin'.

Filed under: Household

US government lays out cash for wall-based, in-home 'smart meters' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walt Disney World unveils incredibly scary, robotic version of President Obama

Laura June — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:04:00 EST

Now, we've never been to this "Hall of Presidents" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida (our parents instead taking us to real, disused dungeons and battlefields for family entertainment), but we're thinking about heading down there today -- not because the newest animatronic addition -- President Barack Obama -- has just been unveiled, but because his likeness is so... unlike him, so incredibly, terrifyingly creepy (and yet still impressive all the same). Yes, we'll pop all of our closest friends' children into the van and take a fantastic voyage down to the southern tip of our great nation just to see their reactions to this horrifying robotic educational presentation. What better way to celebrate our nation's independence? Come to think of it... maybe our parents weren't so bad after all. Videos of Obamatron and of the President himself recording audio for it after the break.

Continue reading Walt Disney World unveils incredibly scary, robotic version of President Obama

Filed under: Robots

Walt Disney World unveils incredibly scary, robotic version of President Obama originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With a week to go, Obama urges the remaining few to make DTV preparations

Richard Lawler — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:37:00 EST

Just in case you were living in fear of another last minute switch on the digital TV transition date, be at ease, President Obama issued a statement urging those who aren't ready yet to prepare as there will be no further delays, and for those of us in the know to make sure that people around the way are getting the message. With a week to go (again) is there anyone still reading this that hasn't gotten their digital TV future straightened out yet?

Filed under: Regulatory, OTA

With a week to go, Obama urges the remaining few to make DTV preparations originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House, Pentagon announce plans for new cybersecurity positions

Donald Melanson — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:51:00 EST

It's just been a few short months since a proposed bill called for the creation of a National Cybersecurity Advisor, but it looks like there's now not one but two new positions in the offing, with both the Pentagon and President Obama himself announcing plans for some newly elevated offices charged with keeping the nation's networks secure. While a specific "Cybersecurity Czar" hasn't yet been named, the White House position will apparently be a member of both the National Security Council and National Economic Council and, in addition to coordinating U.S. response in the event of a major attack, the office will also be tasked with protecting privacy and civil liberties. Details on the new Pentagon office, on the other hand, are expectedly even less specific although, according to The New York Times, it'll be a military command that will work to coordinate efforts now scattered across the four armed services, and will apparently serve as complement to the civilian office in the White House.

Read - Reuters, "Obama to name White House cybersecurity czar"
Read - The New York Times, "Pentagon Plans New Arm to Wage Cyberspace Wars"

[Thanks, Ryan]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Networking

White House, Pentagon announce plans for new cybersecurity positions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 May 2009 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crapgadget: No wonder the economy sucks edition

Darren Murph — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:08:00 EST

While we here at Engadget are doing everything in our power to get this philosophical "economy" back "on track," it's items like these that aren't doing anything to help. No innovation. No stimulating capabilities. No utility at all, really. Just a webcam that scans business cards, an MP3 player shaped like a cow and a flash drive that's absolutely not certified for circulation by the Democratic National Committee. Though, we must say that they're all tailor made for Crapgadget, which is (just barely) good enough for us -- drop your vote for the lamest below!

Read - CowCow MP3 player
Read - 4-Port Soccer Ball USB Hub
Read - MSI StarCam Flip Webcam
Read - USB Bird Fan
Read - Bling Bling USB Card Reader
Read - Obama Flash Drive

View Poll

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Storage

Crapgadget: No wonder the economy sucks edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Broadband Plan to bring high-speed access to all Americans... ideally

Darren Murph — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:11:00 EST

Hey, what do you know? All those meetings over the proposed National Broadband Plan has amounted to something: a "yeah, we should probably hit this up." Today, the FCC has kicked off an immensely ambitious project to bring "high-speed internet access to every corner of the United States." $7.2 billion of the economic stimulus package has already been allocated for the task, but it'll be ages before anything becomes of this. For starters, the FCC is asking for input from consumers, businesses, etc, yet it doesn't require a response until February of 2010. Meanwhile, nations like South Korea, Japan and Australia are all looking to implement similar rollouts, albeit with much higher speeds. You see, the FCC currently defines "broadband" as 786Kpbs, which obviously isn't anywhere near median rates in some of the aforementioned countries. Pardon our skepticism in this becoming a reality, but at least we'll be extra elated if our rock-bottom expectations are met.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

National Broadband Plan to bring high-speed access to all Americans... ideally originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama offers iPod to the Queen of England

Joshua Topolsky — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:44:00 EST

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke. President Obama met today at Buckingham Palace with the Queen, and our forward thinking commander-in-chief brought along a little tech for gifting purposes. Obama presented Elizabeth II with an iPod containing video from her 2007 visit to the States. In return, the first family received what is apparently a standard present for visiting dignitaries to the Palace -- a silver-framed photo of the Queen and her husband. At a glance, it seems like Obama has a thing for gadgets (and related media); he recently handed off a set of DVDs featuring classic American films to Prime Minister Gordon Brown... who was unable to play them due to incorrect region encoding. Regardless, the Queen appears pleased with the music player, telling the President during their 25 minute tea that she "Finally has something to listen to [her] Pantera records on."

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

President Obama offers iPod to the Queen of England originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift

Darren Murph — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:43:00 EST

"Oh, bollocks." No, we can't definitively prove that Gordon Brown said that after witnessing a "Wrong Region" code when inserting a DVD given to him by Barack Obama, but we're sure something of the sort was uttered. You see, the ridiculous DVD region coding system recently prevented the British Prime Minister from viewing a set of 25 "American classics" on DVD, all of which were bestowed upon him by President Obama during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. We hate to bludgeon a dead mule, but seriously, when will the DRM madness end? Er, on second thought, maybe this is precisely what's necessary to keep those region-free player outlets in business, and thus, the economy strong.

[Via techdirt, image courtesy of AmericaLives]

Filed under: Misc, Other formats

DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift

Darren Murph — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:43:00 EST

Filed under: Home Entertainment

DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DTV coupons begin flowing once more, waitlist should vanish in 3 weeks

Darren Murph — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:12:00 EST

For all of you still waiting for a little governmental assistance in buying that DTV converter box that you should've purchased months ago (we kid... a little), we've excellent news. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is overseeing the program, has announced that it has finally begun to ship $40 vouchers towards the purchase of these very boxes once more. The waitlist has grown some 4.1 million deep since the subsidy program ran dry back in January, but the agency is hoping to have that cleared within three weeks. Of course, you better not procrastinate on your second chance -- who knows how quickly the $650 million it has left will last.

[Image courtesy of BreakItDownBlog]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

DTV coupons begin flowing once more, waitlist should vanish in 3 weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DTV coupons begin flowing once more, waitlist should vanish in 3 weeks

Darren Murph — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:12:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Tuners

DTV coupons begin flowing once more, waitlist should vanish in 3 weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stimulus bill seeks plan to ensure all Americans have broadband access

Darren Murph — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:52:00 EST

As we've seen in the decidedly botched digital TV transition, nothing involving government and technology is ever straightforward. With that in mind, let us present to you the most germane portion of the recently passed economic stimulus package with respect to gadgets and the overall nerd kingdom: $7.2 billion. That amount is what President Obama has set aside for "broadband grant and loan programs," though things get confusing right from the start. $4.7 billion will be distributed through a program run by the Commerce Department, while $2.5 billion is handed out by the Agriculture Department. In theory, at least, that latter chunk would go specifically to rural and underserved areas, but having one goal with two masters just seems like trouble waiting to happen. Oh, and then there's the mandate to the FCC that instructs it to create (within one year, mind you) a "national broadband plan to ensure that everyone in the US has broadband access." Granted, these aren't entirely unheard of -- Britain just did the same sort of thing a few weeks ago, and South Korea's already aiming at 1Gbps for all. We appreciate that the money's there, but only time will tell if leads to anything meaningful.

Filed under: Networking

Stimulus bill seeks plan to ensure all Americans have broadband access originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The original DTV transition: what could've been

Darren Murph — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:16:00 EST

Exactly one year ago today, we sat as prepared as ever to embrace the forthcoming world of digital TV. After February 17th, no longer would Americans have to suffer through yet another poor analog broadcast, and no longer would we have to wait for all that spectrum to be freed up for much more spectacular things. With just a year to go, we laid out a simple six-step program that would help confused TV watchers ensure that they would be ready on the seventeenth day of February, the year two-thousand and nine. Fast forward to this very moment, and confusion about the cutover is still rampant. In fact, the cutover hasn't even happened. Well, it sort of has. Ahh... see what we mean? Come along after the break, it gets crazier.

Continue reading The original DTV transition: what could've been

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Tuners, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, OTA

The original DTV transition: what could've been originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama signs DTV delay bill into law

Darren Murph — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:39:00 EST

No way Obama was going to veto this after driving it all the way through Congress, but technically, the digital TV delay wasn't actually official until now. Late today, America's President signed his name onto the bill which will delay the digital TV transition from February 17th to June 12th, though a provision allows stations to switch over beforehand should they choose. In fact, hundreds of stations still plan to kill analog later this month, as they've been planning towards that date for years now. Honestly, we can't figure out what the purpose of this is. Unless there's more cash for the currently dry voucher program tucked away somewhere in that mind-bogglingly large "stimulus package," delaying the pain won't solve a thing. Though it will confuse the hell out of people, so there's that.

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Tuners, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, OTA

President Obama signs DTV delay bill into law originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senate okays another digital TV transition delay

Steven Kim — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:24:00 EST

Just to make sure that the digital TV transition gets delayed, the US Senate has approved another measure to postpone the transition date until June 12 and sent it on its way to the House of Representatives. If the House's mere indication that the delay would go through didn't dash our hopes of analog-free airwaves next month, the quick-fire nature of this second bill certainly did. Essentially the same as the first proposal, this version with minor edits cleared the Senate unanimously. With the House in recess until next week, we'll have to wait for any movement, but it's looking like we'll be stuck with analog for a while longer. Hopefully, this whole mess will be resolved, because the longer it goes on, the more people will become confused, and maybe join the 22-percent of Americans who are planning to give up on TV altogether.

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Tuners, OTA

Senate okays another digital TV transition delay originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital TV transition delay bill fails to pass in House

Darren Murph — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:36:00 EST

In an absolutely shocking move, the United States House of Representatives has failed to pass the digital TV transition delay bill that was all but certain to fly through just days ago. The bill needed two-thirds of the votes of the House under "special rules adopted for the vote," and reportedly, the vote was just 258 to 168 in favor of changing the date. As it stands, an estimated 6.5 million Americans are not yet prepared for the switch -- which is now back on track for February 17th -- and the money well for government-issued vouchers has ran dry. Honestly, we're elated to hear the news. The February date has been blasted from the rooftops for years now, and changing it this late in the game would wreak all kinds of havoc in the industry, not to mention instill even more confusion. Soon-to-be-vacated airwaves, we're ready for you.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Tuners, OTA

Digital TV transition delay bill fails to pass in House originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital TV transition delay bill fails to pass in House

Darren Murph — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:36:00 EST

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Digital TV transition delay bill fails to pass in House originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft's Randy Siegel equates using a BlackBerry with sending data to Canada

Darren Murph — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:56:00 EST

Whoa, Nelly! There's a 74.6 percent chance that Microsoft's Randy Siegel will never, ever live this down. After finding that newly inaugurated president Barack Obama could keep his BlackBerry, Mr. Siegel -- who is an enterprise mobile strategist that works on federal government projects -- was quoted as saying the following about using a device whose creator is based in Canada: "You would be sending your data outside the country; we wouldn't want the casual musings or official communications of the most important person in the world being intercepted by others." Everyone get that? Owning a RIM device means that every bit and byte you send and receive is being carefully monitored by Canucks up in the Great White North, regardless of your hometown or carrier. Thanks for the laughs, Randy -- we needed 'em today.

[Via RCRWireless]

Filed under: Culture, Handsets, RIM, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry OS

Microsoft's Randy Siegel equates using a BlackBerry with sending data to Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senate okays digital TV transition delay to June 12th

Darren Murph — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:05:00 EST

We knew it was bound to happen, and sure enough, it's happening. For the millions of Americans still waiting for their $40 voucher before buying one of those newfangled DTV converter boxes, the US Senate has just given its stamp of approval on providing them a four month reprieve as it attempts to get its act together. Oddly, there's no mention of Congress looking for new sources of funding, though we are told that consumers holding expired coupons can now request new ones. We suspect more details will flow out on all of this soon, but for now, you can bank on the digital TV transition -- originally scheduled to go down on February 17th -- now occurring on June 12th. Until it changes again, of course.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Senate okays digital TV transition delay to June 12th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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