Wireless Technology
Public sector pants: Jeans with built-in keyboard
Could tomorrow's public works crews, police, emergency responders and the military be wearing digital dungarees—high-tech trousers equipped with a wireless rubber keyboard that is sewn into the midsection?...
Congress should vote down wireless tax legislation, say city groups
Several local government associations are urging Congress to vote down the so-called Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2011. If enacted, the legislation would preempt state and local taxing authority at a time when most jurisdictions are facing severe budget shortfalls...
Municipal broadband spawns mobile government applications galore
Some cities and counties seized the opportunity to manage their own municipal wireless broadband networks when commercial operators failed. They created efficiencies and increased the mobile government tools available to public safety, utility and public transportation agencies....
Wireless system tracks firefighters' locations
The Harris GR-100 includes an SCBA-mounted tracker module and a radio network system that transmits location data every few seconds from an embedded module....
N.Y. county gets wide-ranging public safety radio system
Saratoga County, N.Y., is creating a countywide communications system that will provide interoperability with state, county and local agencies. As part of the setup, the county has inked an $11.8 million contract with Motorola...
Report: Use of personal 'smartphones' in government could save money
Allowing for the use of personal "smartphones" at work may help state CIOs control costs, according to a report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers....
Pryme Radio introduces bluetooth adapter for use with portable radios
Pryme Radio Products presented its new Bluetooth adapter that is designed to be used with EF Johnson, HYT and Motorola portable radios at the recent IWCE 2010 in Las Vegas....
Los Angeles Fire Department deploys vehicle locator
The Los Angeles Fire Department recently purchased HP workstations and performance displays for its emergency dispatch center, which helps protect more than 4 million citizens in America's second-largest city....
Government IT trends in 2010
IT spending, investment and innovation in government is one of the striking trends we came across while researching our Keating Report 2010 forecast on government budgets, spending and technology....
Cities make end run around data network obstructions
Some local governments are facing obstacles to build their own high-speed data networks — either from providers in their regions or state laws that create barriers to community broadband or outright ban it....
Broadband stimulus fund applicants sharpen their proposals for the second round
Federal dollars are finally trickling into broadband stimulus projects, and a few trends are emerging that will serve as the blueprint for the second round of funding — in particular, a preference for private-public partnerships that...
EmFinder's emergency location solution helps find the lost
EmFinder unveiled an emergency location solution that can be used to find an impaired or disabled person after he goes missing, said Chris Buehler, the company's president....
Executive order: No text messaging while driving
An executive order issued by the White House to prohibit more than four million federal employees from texting behind the wheel is now officially in effect....
Municipal network in Oklahoma offers wealth of weather data
Oklahoma City has found a unique way to use its broadband system in several weather-related areas. The network, which predicts severe weather and informs the public, has spawned an entire field of new research into weather patterns that are useful for daily city operations....
Broadband systems are saving money, one wireless community at a time
Municipal broadband networks have taken on a new meaning since they were first introduced four years ago. Today many cities have turned to broadband networks as a way to automate municipal functions and provide critical access to a number of city workers....
Local government IT budgets continue shrinking
Fifty-five percent of local government information technology (IT) budgets will decrease over the next two years as a result of the economic slowdown, according to the results of a national survey conducted by the Public Technology Institute and INPUT, which cosponsored the survey....
Consortiums will be likely winners of broadband stimulus funding
Government groups or non-profit consortiums that bring private companies and government entities together may be the big winners when broadband stimulus awards are announced in early November....
Survey shows RFID adoption slow in public sector
Preliminary results from an NIGP survey show 9 percent of public sector organizations are using RFID, and 19 percent are considering it....
New technology, stimulus funding help revive municipal broadband
Municipal broadband often brings up negative connotations thanks to the failures of some very large muni-Wi-Fi programs in 2008. However, some communities have found that broadband networks can save them money by using them as their primary network for multiple city departments. In fact, technology enhancements, wireless spectrum availability and creative funding have combined to lift municipal broadband projects off the ground....
California county acquires tool to boost fleet efficiency
The Sonoma County, Calif., Fleet Operations Division will use Networkfleet’s wireless diagnostic and GPS tracking system to reduce fuel costs and lower greenhouse emissions for its fleet of 1,000 vehicles. During a pilot test of the system’s implementation, the county achieved a 15 to 30 percent increase in miles-per-gallon (mpg), which it expects to replicate across the fleet....
Texas community aims for citywide video surveillance
McAllen, Texas, is one step closer to installing a citywide video surveillance network. The city commission has approved a $335,000 contract with Houston-based INX Inc. to build a wireless Internet network that will provide the backbone for the video surveillance program....
Rugged mobile computers protect valuable data in harsh environments
Rugged ARMOR tablet and notebook computers offer data protection technology, connectivity and sunlight-readable display options. Use Intel processing...
Atlanta-area community upgrades to two-way radio technology
These Project 25 compliant radios will provide us with two-way radio interoperability with the Georgia State Patrol, Cobb County Fire, Police and Sheriffs...
L.A. law enforcement using wireless surveillance to address crime, gang violence
Leverage worked quickly to design and deploy a wireless video surveillance system to help safeguard the community of 300,000-plus residents. The results...
Small community keeps tabs on vehicles with wireless monitor
To help in its monitoring efforts, the city signed a three-year contract with AT&T. Under the agreement, AT&T will deploy its Mobile Resource Management...
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