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Engadget Daily: Gear S review, the White House offers funding for body cams and more!
If you thought Samsung's Gear S smartwatch could rid you of the need for your phone, think again. We reviewed the wearable, and as it turns out, you'll need a handset just to get the thing up and runnin'. That's not all we have today, though -- read on for all our news highlights from the past 24 hours.
White House offers $263 million in funding for police body cameras
In case it wasn't glaringly clear, police accountability is a major concern these days -- and the White House is convinced that technology can help solve the problem. It's now promising up to $263 million in matched funding for law enforcement agencies that want to buy body cameras for their officers. About $75 million of the fund is for purchasing the cameras themselves (up to 50,000 of them); the rest is devoted to storage, training and outreach programs meant to renew the level of trust between cops and the communities they serve. This is just one part of a much larger solution that also includes an overhaul of how the government distributes military gear, but it could make a big difference if it provides video evidence whenever there are complaints of excessive force or rights abuses. [Image credit: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images]
FCC Chairman says he may ignore Obama on net neutrality
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has told web giants Google, Yahoo and others that he won't cave to pressure from the White House, declaring "I am an independent agency." His statement (already seized on by pundits for lack of the royal 'we') looks to be a direct response to President Obama's recent urging that the FCC declare the internet a utility. The White House came out strongly on the side of net neutrality after a leaked document showed that the FCC wanted to let internet service providers (ISPs) continue to use so-called fast lanes.
New White House efforts help secure your payments
American banks and stores may already be planning to tighten your payment security, but the White House wants to give those efforts a boost. President Obama has signed an Executive Order that will require the federal government to both issue more secure chip-and-PIN (aka EMV) payment cards and upgrade terminals to match. This isn't just for protecting day-to-day staff expenses -- it also means that pensions, Social Security and veteran payments (all of which tend to go through official debit cards) should be safer. There should also be fewer risks when you're buying from federal locations like national parks and the passport office.
Scientists want to fight the Ebola outbreak using robots
Outbreaks of lethal viruses like Ebola are bad enough by themselves, but they're made worse by having to send in aid workers -- these people can quickly become victims, no matter how careful they are. To eliminate that risk, both the White House and a trio of educational institutions are holding workshops on November 7th where scientists will discuss using robots to tackle the current Ebola crisis. The goal is to minimize physical contact whenever possible while keeping patients and families in touch. At a basic level, they'd like machines to disinfect areas and deliver supplies. Telepresence robots, meanwhile, could both let people visit patients without putting themselves in danger.
America's CTO steps down to become government adviser in Silicon Valley
Reports circulated last week that the US Chief Technical Officer would step down soon, and now the White House has confirmed the news to Wired. Todd Park, the man who led the charge to retool the government's use of tech, will remain an adviser to the administration from Silicon Valley, where he'll work to reboot the federal government's IT systems. "Todd has been, and will continue to be, a key member of my administration," President Barack Obama told the site in a statement. Prior to his post as US CTO, he worked under the same title for the Department of Health and Human Services. Park oversaw the much-maligned relaunch of Healthcare.gov and hired some of the Valley's talent to government positions. Family reasons were cited as the main cause for the move as Park and his wife sought to relocate back to the San Francisco area. [Photo credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
White House helps tech startups make advanced parts
It's one thing to come up with a clever product idea, but it's something else to actually build it; it can be tough to find the materials you need, let alone the tools to put everything together. That's where a new round of White House initiatives might just lend a helping hand. As part of its open data efforts, the administration is upgrading its research data site so that startups can easily find government manufacturing and research facilities; the Department of Energy and NASA have outlets dedicated to working on clean energy and aeronautics, for example. The project will eventually surface government-backed patents and other manufacturing info that's frequently tough to track down.
Obama administration making the case for immigration reform with Nobel-winning STEM leaders
Nobel-winning biochemist Thomas Südhof isn't necessarily a household name, but he is an incredibly accomplished gentleman with a delightful German accent. Südhof took up citizenship in the United States, he says in a video released by the White House (seen below), because he was "looking for opportunities to contribute." As such, he's banded together with a crew of other Nobel Prize winners from STEM fields -- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics -- to support immigration reform. So, why are these Nobel Laureates working with the White House on immigration reform? Biologist Randy Schekman sums it up nicely at the top of the video: "close to one-third" of the membership of the National Academy of Sciences is made up of folks who came to the United States from abroad. In so many words, many of the US' top STEM leaders weren't born in the US, but later came to embrace US citizenship. These Nobel Prize winners -- and the White House -- believe the immigration reform bill that's waiting for the House of Representatives to vote on will entice even more STEM leaders to move to the US.
Exploring the best of the best at this year's White House Science Fair
The annual White House Science Fair is, above all else, an amazing public relations play. President Barack Obama hangs out with a few dozen of America's brightest students who show off their latest work and get celebrated for it. Everyone wins, right? In this instance, yes: everyone wins. Regardless of the good publicity, the annual White House gathering -- now in its fourth year -- is one of the few events we attend that's completely genuine. It's hard to keep up a facade of bullshit when brilliant, driven, passionate kids are literally surrounding you with their accomplishments.
All of the US government's spending will soon be available on one website
US government spending data can be a pain to track down; while much of it is publicly accessible, it's scattered across many agencies that have their own ways of presenting information. Soon, though, you won't have hunt for it at all. The recently signed DATA (Digital Accountability and Transparency) Act will publish all of that financial material on USASpending.gov in an easily readable, software-independent format. The law also calls for both more detailed budget data and a simplified set of reporting requirements.
The US is opening up the Smithsonian's digitized art collection
The White House promised that it would open up government data last year, and it's now expanding those plans in some intriguing directions. For one, it's opening up the Smithsonian American Art Museum's digitized collection; you'll soon get to build apps and other tools using the institution's artwork as a foundation. Even curators don't have that much access right now, the administration says.
White House announces latest solar initiatives just as new array goes online
Along with announcing that the White House's newest solar array has become operational, the administration has also revealed its latest set of solar and energy initiatives. The new presidential array covers only the part of the residence where the first family lives, and it generates just up to 6.3 kilowatts of energy. Yes, it can't supply all the White House's energy needs (it can pay for itself within eight years, though), but it demonstrates that solar panels can be successfully installed on federal buildings, which is one of its main purposes in the first place. You see, the president has earmarked an additional $2 billion in funds to make federal buildings more energy efficient within three years' time, and that includes outfitting them with solar arrays.
US to start testing universal online verification system to combat fraud (updated)
In 2011, the government started concocting a plan to issue Americans one online ID they can use create a unified online authentication system that'll work across multiple agencies' websites -- sort of like an OpenID for the government. Now, that plan's wheels are turning, and pilot testing's slated to begin this May in Pennsylvania and Michigan. The initiative, called National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), was originally devised as a means to prevent fraud and make it easier to verify identities online quickly. These new tests only involve websites for those applying for government assistance, as they're merely meant to evaluate whether such a verification plan is feasible. But the government hopes this program can replace secure people's logins for various places on the internet in the future. Of course, not everyone will be thrilled by this development; after all, we're now very much aware of the NSA's love for snooping, so we understand if folks aren't keen to trust Uncle Sam's involvement with their online security. If you're one of those people, then cross your fingers and hope that NSTIC's stays voluntary, like what the government promised during the project's inception. Update: This post as originally written mischaracterized the NSTIC as a plan to create a universal online ID, instead of an online identity verification system. [Thanks, Mary]
White House wants immunity for telecoms that surrender customer data
American telecoms already have legal immunity when they cooperate with the government's warrantless wiretapping, and they may soon be in the clear when they supply customer data, too. As The Guardian has learned, the White House is asking for legislation that would grant immunity to anyone obeying requests for phone records once companies are in charge of that information. The request isn't surprising, according to an unnamed senior official -- it's in line with existing measures that shelter companies when they respond to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court orders.
White House advisors call for an internet privacy bill of rights
Nintey days ago, President Obama ordered a review about internet privacy, data use and other concerns sparked by the NSA spying revelations. Following a public consultation, the report has now been released by White House counselor John Podesta. Though flawed -- there's no mention of NSA spying activities, for instance -- it's already being lauded by consumer advocacy groups. The 85-page document notes that while the mountains of data collected by government and corporations like Google and Apple are incredibly useful, much more needs to be done to protect civil rights.
The White House explains why it keeps quiet on internet security flaws
We wouldn't blame you for worrying about the US government's willingness to remain silent on internet vulnerabilities in the name of national security; no one wants to be left open to a preventable attack. However, the White House sees these disclosures as a complicated issue, and has posted an explanation of its reasoning in an attempt to assuage fears. The administration argues that it has a "disciplined, rigorous and high-level" decision system that balances the risks to the public against the value of any intelligence. Agencies are more likely to share details of security flaws if there's a great potential for damage, or if it's likely that someone will use the exploits. At the same time, officials are more likely to stay hush-hush when there's a high-priority target, or if it's relatively safe to use an exploit for a short while.
Bloomberg: US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to resign
The woman in charge of guiding United States health policy and the figurehead of Healthcare.gov, Kathleen Sebelius, is reportedly resigning from her position. Bloomberg cites sources within the Obama administration with the news; it's unclear if her resignation has anything to do with the rocky rollout of the Obama administration's health care website. The official announce of the news is expected for tomorrow.
White House has had legal talks with Samsung about that presidential selfie
It isn't quite the selfie-retweeted-'round-the-world, but that hasn't stopped the White House from answering questions about David Ortiz's impromptu snapshot with the president. Obama's senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer made an appearance on Face the Nation to talk about serious matters like the state of the Affordable Healthcare Act, but didn't shy away from host Bob Schieffer's questions about the above picture (those start around the 5:47 mark). Pfeiffer said that the president didn't know anything about Samsung's connection with Big Papi, and that whenever someone is using the president to promote a product, that's concern for the White House's counsel. On the topic of legal action, Pfeiffer said that the while the White House has spoken with Samsung, he'd rather leave the outcome of that conversation between the lawyers. "Maybe this will be the end of all selfies," he said. We can only hope. [Image credit: David Ortiz, Twitter]
Tell the White House who you trust (or don't trust) with your data
President Clinton's former Chief of Staff, John Podesta, is back in the White House, working with President Obama to assess the state of big data and privacy. A thorough review is currently underway, and you can contribute by filling out a survey over at the White House website. First, you'll be asked about how much you trust certain institutions with your data, with responses ranging from "not at all" to very much" (ha!), before the survey prompts you to rank your concern when it comes to certain types of content (like video and audio, or location info) and data practices in general. It's not clear what change, if any, may result from the agency's review, but if you feel strongly about sharing your opinions (and we know you do!), head on over to let the prez know what's on your mind.
President Obama is meeting tech CEOs again to discuss privacy concerns
Despite a few reforms, many in the technology industry still aren't happy with the US government's aggressive approach to online surveillance. President Obama is clearly aware of that ongoing discontent, as he's meeting the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Yahoo on Friday to discuss "privacy, technology and intelligence." Leaders from other companies (including Engadget's parent company, AOL) turned down the invitation. While the exact agenda isn't available, the tech executives in attendance are likely to keep pressing for both limits on US intelligence activities as well as greater transparency. There's no way of knowing how receptive the President will be, but a similar December chat appears to have borne fruit -- we won't be surprised if there are more policy changes in the future. [Image credit: The White House, Flickr]
