Just as analysts know think RIM is doomed for everyday consumers, it looks like RIM is at another pitfall. A story has surfaced over at the Washington Post where according to reports, U.S. Federal Government Agencies are allowing non-BlackBerry devices to be used on the job. Products such as Android phones and iOS iphones and iPads are being used as substitutes to the former BlackBerry and laptop. Breaking down the article, I’ve noticed two distinct reasons why this switch is happening.
At the top, agency directors and senior officials are using iPads, Android phones or Web-based e-mail in their personal lives and asking IT administrators why they can’t use them at work. But the bigger push is coming from frontline workers, who see the value consumer technology could add to their working life, making them more mobile and less tied to an office.
Not only are BlackBerry smartphones being replaced but agencies such as our State Department, Army, Department of Veterans Affairs, NASA, and the General Services Administration are in the process of moving 17,000 employees onto Gmail. Why the switch? Is it to keep everyone up to date on the “latest and greatest?” Well sort of. The other reason why officials are making the switch is because reports state that the shift will make workers more productive while slashing billions from the $80 billion spent annually on information technology.
In an attempt to boost “productivity” and cut costs, our security might be on the line. It’s no secret that security vulnerabilities associated with Apple’s iOS and Android devices exist and are even widely known and published. By ditching BlackBerry and its secure servers which have caused foreign governments headaches because they couldn’t crack sensitive data and going to the cloud, the government is basically storing all of our info somewhere “out there.” Not only is our personal information at risk to a hacker but in the event of a network crash, users may not be able to access their E-mail. Wikileaks, and the recent Sony PlayStation network debacle are just recent examples of network failure. Let’s hope a security breach isn’t what wakes up the feds.
Second, data points that extra curricular devices tend to lead to lack of focus which in turn results in poor-quality-work and actually reduces how much “work” is done is being done. How about our tax dollars being spent so government officials can constantly check their Facebook and see how far they can get on Angry Birds? In attempt to boost production and cut costs, this is looking like a disaster waiting to happen which will cost us way more in end.
via Washington Post