The most tech-savvy U.S. president to date, Barack Obama uses the best devices and technology for the job, in and outside of the White House. Here's a look at some of the devices, platforms and technology he uses to carry out his day-to-day presidential duties.
What tech does U.S. President Barack Obama use?
As U.S. President Barack Obama prepares to stick around the White House for a second term, ZDNet looks back at all the technology that has kept and continues to keep the leader of the free world ticking over, from his first day in office in 2009 to the present day. From smartphones to computers, tablets and automotive tech, we explore the varied technological tastes (and in some cases, 'obligatory tech') from the most tech-savvy president to sit in the Oval Office.
And, just to make things interesting, we look around the White House to see what else springs up and helps the president carry out his daily duties.
Apple iPad 3 (with Retina display)
On the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, the president keeps his Apple iPad (third-generation) within close range. Obama has been known to dabble across various platforms. He uses Macs and PCs, BlackBerrys and iPads. He appears to be a platform 'agnostic', like many by not endorsing or using a single platform. Instead, he uses what works best for the occasion.
iPads offer enterprise security and back-end policy management by network administrators, allowing (of all people) the president's tablet to remain very secure. Obama's iPad 3 includes a Retina display, but the particular model has since been discontinued. However, even though the iPad and the iPhone have almost identical user interfaces, he was reportedly "befuddled" by a voter's iPhone when he tried to make a phone call with one. (Then again, iPads don't include cellular-calling functionality.)
iPad Smart Cover (Black, Leather)
The president's iPad, despite likely being the most well-protected tablet in the Northern Hemisphere, is protected from bumps and scratches by what we believe is a black leather iPad Smart Cover. Here, you can see it on a table aboard Air Force One.
Dell Latitude E6420 notebook
Despite using a MacBook Pro to carry out an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit and answering questions on the 2012 Fiscal Cliff on Twitter, Obama uses a Dell Inspiron 14R Dell Latitude E6420 aboard Air Force One to keep in touch with what's happening on the ground. It's a relatively unremarkable Windows-powered laptop, but it does the job while Obama is up in the air.
Update at 4:20 p.m.: Dell's Bill Bivin got in touch to tell us that this is a Dell Latitude E6420, not a Dell Inspiron 14R.
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, late-2011)
President Obama also uses a 2011 MacBook Pro (15-inch) along with his iPad 3 tablet. He uses his MacBook Pro for various things, such as tweeting and answering questions on Reddit. White House photographers have shown him using a variety of devices many times to carry out his presidential duties. However, to show brand fairness (even though we all know what it is…) he is often shown with a presidential seal over where the backlit Apple logo is.
BlackBerry Curve 8300
The president is well known to be a fan of the BlackBerry. So much so, that he has two of them. Identified in this picture aboard Air Force One as two BlackBerry Curve 8300 handsets, he is rarely snapped by White House photographers without a BlackBerry either in shot or holstered to his belt. BlackBerrys are, at least for now, the only mobile devices approved by the U.S. government for low-level classification document sharing, but the iPhone is not far behind.
(We're not sure why he has two BlackBerrys. Has anyone told him that you can have multiple email accounts on the same device?)BlackBerry Curve 8900
All aboard The Beast, the presidential state car dubbed as such by members of the press, which boasts bulletproof windows, a reinforced gas tank, and its very own chauffeur. But when Obama is on the go to and from the White House to conduct his presidential duties, he takes his (multiple) BlackBerrys with him to keep him connected to what's going on at the 'office.'
Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G
On Obama's desk rests one of the most important tools that the president has at his disposal: a phone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G is a secure voice-over-IP phone that connects the leader of the free world to other global leaders and heads of states. It features color LCD screen and gigabit Ethernet connectivity with crystal-clear audio quality. It also features an expansion model that includes customizable speed-dial buttons to reach various people around the White House at a push of a button.
In the past couple of years, he has upgraded his old BlackBerry Curve 8300 devices with newer BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphones (yes, plural) to keep ahead of the technological curve. And no, that's not yet another BlackBerry phone in his hand -- that one stays in the car.
Telecore IST-2 secure phone
A strange looking device, this is one of the most secure phones in the U.S. Telecore's IST-2 telephone is approved by the U.S. government for ultra-secure communications that includes multi-cryptographic security. It also features automatic security authentication and a noise-canceling microphone. And, it also includes caller ID feature, just so you know it really is the Israeli Prime Minister on the other end of the phone.
Chevrolet Volt
Obama is seen here driving around in his former press secretary's car around the South Lawn Drive of the White House. The Chevrolet Volt electric car, among many features, includes a customizable display that can show details about the vehicle, satellite navigation, and the radio station he's currently listening to. It also connects via Bluetooth with a range of smartphones and can be used with an iPhone app to remotely verify that the car is plugged in to charge, and can let Obama lock or unlock, or remotely start your Volt from anywhere. (That said, it's still actually his car.)
HP Elitebook 6930p notebook
The White House Situation Room is actually made up of some large and some smaller conference rooms. During the Navy SEAL operation to kill Osama bin Laden, the president along with other prominent members of the Cabinet and armed forces collected in a smaller room to monitor the situation.
The laptops used in this picture are HP Elitebook 6930p notebooks, designed for enterprise and government use. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and boasting up to 8 hours of battery life, this model is far from pretty but it's certainly tough, rugged and powerful enough to run an operation that led to the demise of the world's most wanted terrorist. So, 'not bad' then?
LG 32-inch 720p LED TV
In and around the White House, staffers and politicians alike are kept up to date with the latest breaking news from split-screens, offering four streams of the major news networks. In this photo, you can see an LG 32-inch 720p LED television mounted to the wall close to the Situation Room.
AMX Modero (7-inch) Tabletop Touch Panel
The White House Situation Room has seen some of the world's most daring crises in real-time. From terrorist attacks to emergency preparation, the Situation Room needs to be is one of the most high-tech rooms in the White House.
Sitting in front of the president's chair is an AMX NXT-CA7 Tabletop Touch Panel, which gives Obama a heads-up display of data, government classification listings -- such as which level of security clearance a meeting is being held at -- and other important information. It's a small device that holds an important task, in arguably one of the most important rooms in the U.S.
AMX Modero (12-inch) Modero Video Wall Touch Panel
Also in the Situation Room, more AMX technology is put to use. Amid the video conferencing equipment and the multi-view projector-powered wall screen, a series of AMX NXD-1200V 12" Modero Video Wall Touch Panels sit in various places around the room, keeping White House staff and security personnel in the room clear on the security classification of the discussions, and also when microphones are enabled.
They are touch-enabled, and can also be used to control the room environment, such as lighting and temperature.
Polycom SoundStation 2 conference phone
The president can communicate hands-free on a conference call with other members of the Cabinet, Congress, and other department heads around the country -- and indeed the world, by using the Polycom SoundStation2. It uses high-quality microphones that can pick up voices up to 10-feet away -- which is ideal for the Oval Office or the Situation Room, and includes an LCD display for caller ID and other call information.
Digital Display Systems Multi-Region Wall Clock
Also in the Situation Room, more AMX technology is put to use. Amid the video conferencing equipment and the multi-view projector-powered wall screen, a series of AMX NXD-1200V 12" Modero Video Wall Touch Panels sit in various places around the room, keeping White House staff and security personnel in the room clear on the security classification of the discussions, and also when microphones are enabled.
They are touch-enabled, and can also be used to control the room environment, such as lighting and temperature.
source:zdnet
