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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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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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Google takes you on a tour of the White House, still no sign of Lincoln's gold

Brian Heater — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:41:00 EST

With all of the hubbub around the race for the White House, have you ever wondered what actually lies behind the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? With some help from Google, the first family is taking users on a tour of the famous residence without having to jump on the 'ole Megabus to the District of Columbia. Google Art Project has documented the White House's public areas with a 360-degree Street View-like tour of the presidential home. The White House is the latest tour in a list that includes 46 top galleries around the globe. You can check out a video introduction courtesy of Michelle Obama after the break, and click the source link to check out her digs.

Continue reading Google takes you on a tour of the White House, still no sign of Lincoln's gold

Google takes you on a tour of the White House, still no sign of Lincoln's gold originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House appoints Todd Park as new Chief Technology Officer

Joseph Volpe — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:22:00 EST

The White House hasn't wasted any time replacing the vacancy left by Aneesh Chopra, who recently stepped down as our nation's first appointed Chief Technology Officer. Following in his well-accomplished footsteps is Todd Park, a federal employee who's no stranger to the position at hand given his former role as CTO of the US Department of Health and Services. Park is credited with the launch of HealthCare.gov and is now tasked with "applying the newest technology and latest advances to make the Federal government work better for the American people." While we're sure those tasks don't include setting up Sasha and Malia's personal Pinterest accounts, he certainly has a long road ahead, dragging 'ol Pennsylvania Avenue kicking and screaming into our digital age.

White House appoints Todd Park as new Chief Technology Officer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets

Joe Pollicino — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:20:00 EST

With companies like Tesla and Ford replacing tactile, in-dash systems with touchscreens and gizmos, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration wants to set "distraction guidelines" for how automakers implement factory-installed in-car electronics. Nearly a year after discussing the possibility of bringing restrictions to in-car information, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled phase one of a (potential) three-part, "first-ever federal proposal" loaded with suggestions for keeping driver's eyes and attention on the road. Notably, these voluntary guidelines take aim at "communications, entertainment, information gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not required to safely operate the vehicle." According to Reuters, though, the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers claims that "elements" of the guidelines have been in practice for nearly ten years.

The ideas range from ensuring that one hand is always left free for steering and restricting the entry of text, such as an address, unless the your car is in park, to limiting in-dash text prompts to "no more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task" so that your eyes can't wander off of the road for too long. Passengers, of course, would be free to do whatever they wish. Vehicles under 10,000 pounds are said to be the primary focus, with the NHTSA noting that electronic warning systems will not be on the radar as they intend to help drivers, well, drive. Before the proposal spins into action, beginning in March it will be up for public comment for 60 days L.A., Washington D.C. and Chicago. Depending on how the phase one guidelines pan out, phase two will focus on devices brought into vehicles, like cellphones, while phase three would set its sights on voice controls. If you're curious about all of the specifics, you'll find more info in the press release after the break and the full proposal draft at the source link below.

Continue reading NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets

NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IRL: Voltaic Spark, LG Optimus One and the Galaxy Nexus

Engadget staff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

Want to read about Facebook's inflated valuation? A (debunked) rumor that Snooki is pregnant? Neither do we. So, let's do what we do best, and talk gadgets instead. This week, Engadget editor Don Melanson defends his phone of choice, James takes the Voltaic Spark for a spin in Spain and Mat talks about bonding with the Galaxy Nexus at CES. (Sadly, this fling, like others before it, stayed in Vegas.) How's it all working out for them? As always, we've got your quick takes tucked after the break.

Continue reading IRL: Voltaic Spark, LG Optimus One and the Galaxy Nexus

IRL: Voltaic Spark, LG Optimus One and the Galaxy Nexus originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 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.

Continue reading BlackBerry 7 devices get American, Canadian Government approval

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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First White House Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, steps down

Donald Melanson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:00 EST

He was appointed with a fair bit of fanfare as the United States' first Chief Technology Officer back in May of 2009, but it looks like Aneesh Chopra has decided that it's now time to make room for the nation's second CTO. The White House confirmed today that Chopra is stepping down from his position, noting that he has amassed a "dizzying array of accomplishments." Among those are his contributions to the Obama administration's national wireless strategy, a set of internet policy making principals, and a number of efforts related to the President's open government strategy, including the Data.gov platform. No word on his successor just yet, nor is there any official word on what Chopra plans to do next -- although The Washington Post reports that he's expected to run for lieutenant governor of Virginia.

First White House Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, steps down originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The White House joins Google+, invites you to Hangout

Donald Melanson — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:23:00 EST

President Obama may have been on Google+ since November, but the administration is now stepping up its presence on the social network even further in anticipation of next week's State of the Union address and the forthcoming presidential campaign. It now has an official White House Google+ page, where it plans to post the usual news, photos and videos, and also host regular Hangout video chats. There's no promises yet that the President himself will take part, but the White House says it will regularly have administration officials and policy experts take part in the conversations, which will also be streamed on YouTube and WhiteHouse.gov. Those interested can click the link below to add the page to their Circles.

The White House joins Google+, invites you to Hangout originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:23:00 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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Obama signs America Invents Act into law, makes patent reform a reality

Michael Gorman — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:05:00 EST

Patent reform's been bandied about on Capitol Hill for years now, and last week we finally got both houses of Congress to agree on the language to make it happen. Today, in what was a foregone conclusion, President Obama has finally made the thing official by signing the America Invents Act into law. In doing so, he made the dream of a first-to-file patent system in the US a reality. Of course, it won't go into effect for another 18 months, so we'll have to wait awhile before we find out if it can curb all those companies' litigious inclinations. Video recap of the patent reform process after the break.

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Obama signs America Invents Act into law, makes patent reform a reality originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of August 22, 2011

Brad Molen — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 09:05:00 EST

This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 15, 2011:

Phone Releases

Fido launched the Samsung Galaxy Q, also known as the Gravity Smart in the US, on Thursday. [via MobileSyrup]
The BlackBerry Curve 9360 can already be purchased on Telus for $50 with a three-year contract, and the Torch 9860 will be available on August 30th. [via IntoMobile and CrackBerry]
SouthernLINC Wireless announced the immediate availability of the Motorola Titanium, offered for $150 with a two-year commitment.
T-Mobile released the Samsung Gravity TXT, a basic messaging phone that's on sale for $10. [via UnwiredView]
Cricket has begun offering a new messaging phone called the Samsung Comment, which offers a full QWERTY keyboard, stereo bluetooth, a microSD slot and 1.3MP camera. It can be had for $90 with no commitment required. [via PhoneScoop]

Other news

The government of South Korea, in reaction to Google's planned acquisition of Motorola, now intends to form a consortium of local companies that will work together in building a brand new mobile operating system. [via IntoMobile]
Randall Milch, Chief Counsel for Verizon, is so frustrated with the patent wars going on that this week he filed an appeal to President Obama, asking for him to provide assistance in the matter. [via PhoneScoop]
The Motorola PRO is expected to debut in the UK in mid-September, though pre-orders are already taking place at select authorized resellers. [via UnwiredView]
Leaked posters indicate the BlackBerry Torch 9850 will be offered by Verizon and screenshots show the same phone going to US Cellular, though we're still unsure of the release date or pricing. [via CrackBerry(1) and (2)]
Last week we reported on the rumored Sony Ericsson Nozumi, a smartphone that will likely feature a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm S2 CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, and 4.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution. At the time, it was assumed to be only selling in Japan; however, there's a good possibility the Nozumi will end up available globally instead. [via XperiaBlog]
Pantech's LTE phone on Verizon may actually end up being called the Breakout (rather than the "Apache"), according to a leaked screenshot. When released, it'll feature a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM, dual cameras, and will be preloaded with Gingerbread. Not much to write home about at this stage in the game, considering these are incredibly similar to the specs of the LG Revolution. However, it would be the first 4G phone on Big Red that has a 4-inch display. [via AndroidCentral]
T-Mobile may be planning to throw a data pay-per-use feature onto any smartphone that currently has its internet access blocked. If this happens, it will affect current customers as well as new ones. [via TmoNews]
Dish has petitioned the FCC for permission to use 40MHz of allocated spectrum to begin building out an LTE-Advanced network. [via PhoneScoop]

Mobile Miscellany: week of August 22, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ramona Fricosu case to determine if decrypted laptop files are safe under Fifth Amendment

Darren Murph — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:33:00 EST

So far, we've pretty much decided that the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution covers those zany thoughts within your skull. But when it comes to more tangible things, it's hardly as clear. In the past, convicted persons have been forced to cough up keys to what eventually becomes evidence, and in the case of one Ramona Fricosu, the US Department of Justice is assuming that a computer passphrase is no different. But that assumption is causing shock waves throughout the tech community, as the decrypting of one's laptop files is arguably causing someone to become a "witness against himself." Of note, no one's asking that Ramona actually hand over the password per se, but even typing in the unlock code while not being watched results in effectively the same conclusion. The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation is clearly taking a stance against the proposal, noting that this type of situation is exactly one that the Fifth was designed to protect. Only time will tell if Fricosu's offered immunity as a token for complying, but the precedents that are set here are apt to be felt for decades to come. Tap that CNET link for an in-depth report.

Ramona Fricosu case to determine if decrypted laptop files are safe under Fifth Amendment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry finally sees competition within US government

Christopher Trout — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:19:00 EST

Despite our commander-in-chief's seemingly undying allegiance to BlackBerry, it looks like the federal government could be ready to make a break from RIM. According to a Washington Post article published yesterday, a number of agencies within the federal government are questioning their attachment to the standard-issue BlackBerry devices, and allowing government employees to bring in their own preferred methods of communication -- among other things, Congress now allows the use of iPads and iPhones on the House floor and use of BlackBerrys at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has dropped from 1,000 to 700 in the past year. What's more, the General Services Administration is currently shifting 17,000 employees to Gmail, a move it says could reduce expenses by 50 percent in the next five years. Likewise, the USDA will also move its email services to the cloud with Microsoft's services, claiming $6 million in annual savings. Now, we doubt Obama's going to turn a blind eye to RIM entirely, but he has been getting awfully cozy with that iPad.

BlackBerry finally sees competition within US government originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caption contest: Spike Lee asks Obama to smile for the camera

Tim Stevens — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:51:00 EST

Just because it can doesn't mean you should...

Joe Flatley: "Just a minute, Girl 6 is streaming on Netflix."
Richard Lawler: "Give me 20 D Energizers."
Terrence: "The only question is: kaleidescope or twirl?"
Brian: "I'm not getting any bars. Am I holding this right?"
Zach Honig: "Hey Richard Branson, I found your doppelganger!"
Michael Gorman: "I'm not sure what's more awkward -- photography with a tablet or the beret / turtleneck fashion combo"
Chris Trout: "I was hoping to get Rosie Perez, but I suppose you'll do."
Don: "It's still your move in Words With Friends, Mr. President."
Tim: "Okay Barack, you distract him while I sneak up and..."
Myriam: "Sorry, Mr. President... I just can't stop playing Angry Birds!"

Caption contest: Spike Lee asks Obama to smile for the camera originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:51:00 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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Obama says federal fleet to run on alternative fuels starting in 2015

Christopher Trout — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:01:00 EST

Chances are the Secret Service won't be ditching its signature black SUVs for these things anytime soon, but if all goes according to President Obama's new energy plan, even the Commander in Chief's armed guards will be rolling more eco-friendly in the next three years. In a speech given at Georgetown University Wednesday, the President said he expects all government agencies "to purchase 100 percent alternative fuel, hybrid, or electric vehicles by 2015." Now, that doesn't mean they'll have to get rid of pre-existing gas guzzlers, but any new purchases made after the cutoff date will be expected to comply -- the government's current fleet consists of 660,000 vehicles, 400,000 of which run on gasoline. Among other things, the President also called for increased infrastructure for the production of biofuels made from things like wood chips and switchgrass. So no, Cadillac One probably won't be replaced by a rechargeable egg car, but if Uncle Sam's taking suggestions, we'd be happy to make a recommendation -- Wheego Whip LiFe One does have a nice ring to it. Doesn't it?

Obama says federal fleet to run on alternative fuels starting in 2015 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:01:00 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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Blame the 2010 elections for your parents being on Facebook, Twitter

Darren Murph — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:49:00 EST

Most of the so-called "young folks" would argue that Facebook lost its innocence the day that parents were invited to play along, but there's no question that politicians would disagree vehemently. A recent study published by the number crunchers at Pew Internet found that over half (54 percent, if we're being precise) of adults "used the internet for political purposes in the last cycle, far surpassing the 2006 midterm contest." A total of 58 percent hopped online for political news, while one in five (22 percent) used Twitter or a social networking site for "political purposes" in 2010. Taken as a whole, a staggering 73 percent of online adults took part in at least one of these activities in 2010, and judging by the power of these networks in the recent Middle Eastern / African uprisings, we get the impression that figures will only be rising in elections to come. Too bad you can't "Like" a politician to give them your vote -- haven't these polling places realized what century we're in?

Continue reading Blame the 2010 elections for your parents being on Facebook, Twitter

Blame the 2010 elections for your parents being on Facebook, Twitter originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:49:00 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's 2012 budget includes push for 'mini-nuke' reactor development

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:44:00 EST

The President revealed his 2012 budget proposal today, including $853 million for nuclear energy research -- which includes development of "mini-nukes," or small, modular reactors that can be shipped and deployed relatively quickly, and built relatively cheaply (up to $2 billion, as opposed to the $10 billion price tag of your traditional reactor). But don't get excited -- you won't likely be able to get your own backyard reactor just yet. For the time being, they're to be placed in existing large-scale labs like the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. It is hoped that the reactors will bring a 28 percent reduction of the Energy Department's carbon footprint by 2020.

Obama's 2012 budget includes push for 'mini-nuke' reactor development originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:44:00 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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Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar pyramids in UAE, Tequila turns to biofuel, and green lamps galore

Inhabitat — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:45:00 EST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Alternative energy projects powered up around the globe this week as Inhabitat showcased a series of solar pyramids designed to energize Abu Dhabi and the Netherlands rolled out plans for a bike path paved with photovoltaics. Meanwhile India announced that it will launch a series of solar-powered cellphone towers this year, and a 19-year-old American teenager created a parabolic solar death ray -- and promptly proceeded to burn down his garden shed.

In other news, Tesla jolted the auto world with plans to launch its upcoming Model X in 2013, and a team of researchers from the University of Illinois discovered that the same plant that produces Tequila actually yields a pretty potent biofuel as well. We also learned that Toyota plans to power its upcoming hybrids with lighter, more powerful Lithium-Ion batteries, and we were impressed by the streamlined classic stylings of Mitsuoka's electric Himiko car.

Finally, this week we washed away the winter blues by shedding light on 15 green lamps that bathe your interiors in energy-efficient illumination. We also shared 6 green lighting tips that will help you cut your energy bills and 5 tips for home renovations that will keep your house cozy in the worst winter weather.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar pyramids in UAE, Tequila turns to biofuel, and green lamps galore originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: the power plant you can ski, and NASA's orbiting Nanosail-D

Inhabitat — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:15:00 EST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week we saw new horizons dawn for green transportation as NASA's Nanosail-D became the first solar sail spacecraft to orbit the earth and President Obama issued a call for one million electric vehicles in his State of the Union Address. We also test drove the recently released electric Mini Cooper and took a look at several transportation breakthroughs that could clean up car emissions - researchers have developed an air pollution-fighting road treatment and Cella Energy claims to have created an emission free gas that costs $1.50 per gallon.

In other news, this week Qatar showcased designs for 9 sustainable stadiums for the 2022 World Cup and BIG unveiled plans for a plant-wrapped waste to power plant that doubles as a ski slope. Super cities are on the rise in Asia as China announced plans to construct a mega-city the size of Switzerland and SOM unveiled a masterplan for a cutting-edge green tech city for Hanoi. On the other hand, Dubai's architecture of excess is fading fast as a report revealed that the emirate's world-shaped archipelago of islands is sinking into the sea.

We also showcased the latest in portable tech as we brought you a brilliant Fire Department iPhone app that stands to save lives, and we rounded up our five favorite phone-charging green gadgets. And if you're looking for a case to carry it all in, check out these chic quilted iPad bags - just the thing to keep your kit cozy and protected during this month's blizzards.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: the power plant you can ski, and NASA's orbiting Nanosail-D originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House backs plan to reserve 700MHz 'D Block' for public safety network

Donald Melanson — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:48:00 EST

Public safety agencies in the US have been pushing for some time to have the so-called 'D Block' portion of the 700MHz wireless spectrum all to themselves, and it looks like they can now officially count on the support of the White House in that effort. The Obama administration announced today that it's backing plans to reserve the airwaves -- estimated to be worth $3 billion if they were auctioned off -- for a new national public safety network, and it also plans to ask Congress to approve the additional spending needed to actually build out the network, which the FCC estimates could cost as much as $15 billion. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the fate of the proposed network is now largely in the hands of House Republicans, who remain divided on the plan -- although some key members have come out in support of it in recent days.

White House backs plan to reserve 700MHz 'D Block' for public safety network originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:48:00 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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Obama administration moves forward with unique internet ID for Americans, Commerce Department to head system up

Laura June — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 13:34:00 EST

President Obama has signaled that he will give the United States Commerce Department the authority over a proposed national cybersecurity measure that would involve giving each American a unique online identity. Other candidates mentioned previously to head up the new system have included the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security, but the announcement that the Commerce Department will take the job should please groups that have raised concerns over security agencies doing double duty in police and intelligence work. So anyway, what about this unique ID we'll all be getting? Well, though details are still pretty scant, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, speaking at an event at the Stanford Institute, stressed that the new system would not be akin to a national ID card, or a government controlled system, but that it would enhance security and reduce the need for people to memorize dozens of passwords online. Sorry, Locke, sounds like a national ID system to us. Anyway, the Obama administration is currently drafting what it's dubbed the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, which is expected at the Department of Commerce in a few months. We'll keep you posted if anything terrifying or cool happens.

Update: For clarity's sake, we should note that the proposed unique ID system will be opt in only, not a mandatory program for all citizens.

Obama administration moves forward with unique internet ID for Americans, Commerce Department to head system up originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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President Obama takes a minute to chat with our future robot overlords (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:28:00 EST

President Obama recently took some time out of the APEC Summit in Yokohama to meet with a few of Japan's finest automatons, and as always he was one cool cat. Our man didn't even blink when confronted with this happy-go-lucky HRP-4C fashion robot, was somewhat charmed by the Paro robotic seal, and more than eager to take a seat in one of Yamaha's personal transport robots. But who wouldn't be, right? See him in action after the break.

Continue reading President Obama takes a minute to chat with our future robot overlords (video)

President Obama takes a minute to chat with our future robot overlords (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House reportedly pushing for new internet privacy laws, policy office

Donald Melanson — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:39:00 EST

It's not official just yet, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Obama administration is about to make a major push for some new internet privacy laws, and for the creation of a new federal position to oversee the effort. According to the usual "people familiar with the situation," the Commerce Department is now drafting a report with a series of recommendations on the matter, which is expected to be released in the "coming weeks" -- although those same people also note that nothing is final, and things could still change. Assuming it does go through, however, a White House task force would then take the report and work on turning the recommendations into policy. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the new laws would be filing something of a significant gap, as the US doesn't currently have any comprehensive laws protecting consumers' internet privacy -- a fact fully evidenced by countries like Canada, Germany and the UK taking the lead in recent privacy battles with Google and Facebook.

White House reportedly pushing for new internet privacy laws, policy office originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:39:00 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 $19 billion NASA funding bill into law

Donald Melanson — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:13:00 EST

The basic details of the bill have been known for some time now, but President Obama has only just today signed the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 into law, which allocates $19 billion in funding for the space agency and signals a shift to commercial spacecraft for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA will hardly be relying on private spacecraft altogether, however, as the bill also gives NASA the go-ahead to develop a heavy lift rocket for deep space exploration (possibly to launch by the end of 2016), and it gives NASA a mandate to continue operating the International Space Station itself until 2020 -- not to mention fly one additional shuttle mission to it next year. Curious to know every last detail? You can find the complete 42-page bill at the source link below.

President Obama signs $19 billion NASA funding bill into law originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:13:00 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 getting solar upgrade, Obama bath water to be heated by the sun, baby

Tim Stevens — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:25:00 EST

Long, hot showers after a long day of solving the world's problems are about to get a little more guilt-free for a certain Commander in Chief. White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and Energy Secretary Steven Chu have announced plans to bring new solar panels to the White House, something president Jimmy Carter first did in the '70s to heat the West Wing offices and, believe it or not, George W. Bush did as well during his presidency -- though W's panels were primarily to heat the swimming pool. This latest round of panels are set to be installed in the spring and will provide hot water for the First Family, while PV cells will also "supply some electricity." We're going to guess "some" equates to "not very much," but maybe it'll at least be enough to keep the First BlackBerry topped up.

White House getting solar upgrade, Obama bath water to be heated by the sun, baby originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama says presidential BlackBerry ownership is 'no fun,' should've gone with the Sectera Edge

Darren Murph — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:06:00 EST

It's hard out there for a prez, you know? Hardly anyone knows better than one Barack Obama, who sat down this morning on ABC's The View in order to talk smack with a few ladies who undoubtedly helped put him in office. If you'll recall, Obama fought hard early on for the privilege of maintaining his prized BlackBerry, and while he eventually won out, we learned today that a grand total of ten individuals are authorized to ping it. Yeah, ten. Needless to say, he described that depressing fact as "no fun," and even the folks that are cleared to make contact with it won't send over anything juicy. Why? They know that messages sent to it "will probably be subject to the presidential records act," so those lucky enough to have the digits are also smart enough to divert their ramblings to Texts From Last Night. But hey, at least hanging in there despite the limitations grants you early access to BlackBerry OS 6, right? Right?

Obama says presidential BlackBerry ownership is 'no fun,' should've gone with the Sectera Edge originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:06:00 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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