President Barack Obama has been told that he can keep his Blackberry Smartphone, but only for personal use. The new White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs stated last Thursday that: “The President has a Blackberry through a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of personal friends in a way that use will be limited and the security is enhanced to ensure his ability to communicate.”
Mr Obama’s Blackberry is thought to have been updated with a ‘super encryption package’ to enable him to use it for personal and routine use. For official business President Obama will have to use the National Security Agency (NSA) approved Sectera Edge.
The Sectera Edge is manufactured by General Dynamics and is capable of encrypting voice and text information and has a button to change between its classified and unclassified PDA functions. The Sectera Edge runs a more security minded Windows Mobile OS so it has standard tools like Internet Explorer, Word and Office viewers and a media player.
In other photo’s the Sectera Edge looks rather chunky, i bet he will be using his Blackberry more than the Edge
John Ashton 27th January 2009 @ 11:05