knotyeagle

Funny how your brethren screeners in FLL & MIA did not think so. In fact they had a nice business going as unauthorized iPad resellers. I recall their cost of goods sold was near $0.

Global_Hi_Flyer

Gives 'em something to take into the strip-search booth and send the pictures immediately to their friends.

halls120

I'll tell you why - last year's Blackberry server meltdown has weaned many federal government agencies off of BB, and on to IPhones. IPads are being passed out in lieu of netbooks and laptops for those who need the latter. The Pentagon started the trend - Generals wanted IPhones and IPads, and they got them. They are now moving into the civilian side of government.

WillCAD

It sounds lovely on paper - iPads instead of costlier laptops, netbooks, or desktops. But the reality is a bit different.

The average well-equipped laptop, with a large hard drive, optical drive, and 4-6gb of RAM, is selling between $400 and $600 these days. How is a $500 iPad, which has no removable storage, no USB ports, significantly less storage and RAM, and cannot run the standard software used by DOD for common computing tasks (i.e. Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Internet Explorer), any more of a bargain?

Likewise, the average netbook, with about the same processor power as an iPad but 2gb RAM, 160gb-320gb HDD, an OS capable of running that same standard software and being protected by the same security as a desktop PC, is costing between $250 and $400. How is a $500 iPad any more of a bargain?

Of course, if portability is not an issue, i.e. if you're a person who works in an office, not in the field, and do not routinely travel (i.e. more than once a year), then a $300-$500 desktop PC, tethered to the enterprise network and protected by all of the standard (and expensive) IT security that DOD provides, not to mention networked so your files are backed up and secure, and can't be lost because a desktop PC can't be left sitting on a park bench or on a table at Starbucks, will do the job far better than a $500 iPad.

And how many of these iPad recipients will get no other computer? How many of them will have an iPad on their desk and no laptop, no desktop, no netbook? What do you want to bet that most of these iPad recipients will still get a $500 laptop or desktop PC in addition to their iPad? Where is the cost savings then?

That leaves the whole discussion of iPhone vs Blackberry or Android for another time, but the numbers are similarly skewed.

They're selling us a bill of goods, folks, because they want shiny bling-bling toys on the taxpayer's dime, despite little or no justification.

Caradoc

They already have a warehouse (or two) filled with shiny bling-bling toys on the taxpayer's dime - that they're not using, and have tried to hide from Congress.

They've also got 60,000+ worthless employees on the payroll.

Now they want to give those idiots iPads?

tsadude1

It must not be a nice business if their profit was $0 then. Hopefully they will receive some hard time. The issue I believe being discussed here is why does the upper management need these worthless toys? They don't. They could actually be out supervising or managing rather than at Starbucks surfing the net or .....ing about the latest WORTHLESS data they require everyday.

FliesWay2Much

My agency is swapping out Blackberries for iPhones/iPads for two big reasons:

1. The Blackberry server was located outside the U.S. in a major threat country known as "Canada." The CIO decided that this was a problem.

2. Blackberries will soon be unsupportable as Research in Motion fades into oblivion -- certainly not the first time that the USG has contracted with an albatross.

The same CIO slapped huge restrictions on the i-devices. They can't be hooked up to the network and we can't download any apps, even those apps my own agency provides to the general public for free.

I remember now-retired Marine General Cartwright, then the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, get up in front of a couple of thousand of attendees at the 2011 National Space Symposium and proudly display his encrypted iPad with en electronic "SECRET" cover sheet.

Asuka

The support cost of running a fleet of PC's can be rather high, take into account hardware failure, hardware upgrades, software and OS issues.

I'm on my third iPad (1, 2 and 3) and never had one hardware die on me.

Upgrading them all has been a simple backup/restore ever since my iPad 1

Citrix on a Protected Wifi Network, nothing is stored on the iPad itself. Wifi backup is also possible with the iPad, but I doubt they will be installing anything and they would be a locked down image.

How many VM's can you spin up on a Blade Centre? LOTS!

Remote Wipe and Location services are also provided on the iPad.

All this for a simple iPad with a locked down image, no extra license for all the other crap that gets installed on a netbook and data is stored offline in a DC.

If it's done correctly, they won't need a desktop.

Bluetooth keyboard case maybe as the only add on.

Take a look at Aruba's BYOD solution, it's the way the world is heading and with the use of VDI's/Citrix works great.

I've personally stopped carrying a notebook, just the iPad and I can use Citrix or in my case RDP to my desktop and be just like I'm sitting at my desk in Australia, even if I'm in LAX, SFO, NYC, LAS etc

As for the Apple TV's, they can be used for streaming directly from the iPad to larger (42") devices, which in the TSA case, staff briefings etc

BYOD is here...

halls120

In my case, the IPad will replace a netbook I am issued to use at home and on the road.

reamworks

That's all well and fine for people like you and me who actually produce things and add value.

But why should the Taxpayers foot the bill for expensive electronic toys for the folks who pat us down, feel us up, and steal our cash, our pills, and our watches?

Caradoc

The expensive toys are just the icing on the cake. Why are we even paying the *people* who are doing this to us?

Asuka

As the finance people say, reduce the total cost of owership.

PC's & Netbooks cost too much too justify and data leaks.

Love it how we are in are in a Travel/Security forum and people defend offsite data v VDI/Citrix for security.

Does anyone actually work in IT beyond Helpdesk?

Asuka

Produce what? email's, Visio, Hyper-V or VMWare, name the product, all can be done under VDI/Citrix, heck, I even built 8 2008 R2 servers between JFK-LAX one day on my iPad, enjoyed lunch too, not that I had too, but was something I needed to do eventually and I enjoyed doing it for the cool factor

US Tax Payers.... pull the other one, how much waste does the US Gov have in the first place, this is minor.

reamworks

With all due respect, you Mac zealots take anything position that doesn't advocate iPads as the solution to all the world's problems as a personal attack. You have your right to worship as you choose.

Nobody disagrees that iPads are useful! But does the TSA need them?

Asuka

You and everyone else does not know the need.

There is a plan back at Homeland that do know and they are not stupid, it's not something you spend that amount on.

Will it be good or bad, who knows until it is rolled out.

Everything else said on this thread is each posters own opinions

Tin Hats on