Apple introduces its new iPhone (available in June 2007)

At its MacWorld convention Apple has just introduced its new iPhone, which is the integration of the iPod video, a vastly improved mobile phone, and an Internet communicator based on the Safari browser. The integration is based upon the Macintosh Operating System X. One may move seamlessly from one mode or environment to another by simply touching icons on the screen, which takes up virtually the full face of the device. There is no keypad, but if there's a need to use one (for example, for text messaging) then touch an icon and up comes a virtual keypad on the screen.

You'll want to watch Steve Jobs's impressive demonstration of the iPhone in Quicktime. Steve says it'll be shipping in the US in June 2007. Since Apple is partnering with the mobile phone company, Cingular, I do wonder when the iPhone might come to Canada.

This device is bound to increase the opportunities for mass communication. Leveraging such opportunities will be Apple's other new partners, Google and Yahoo. It will be interesting to see how this new technology may be adapted to networked warfare. It may well enhance the current opportunities for "reachback", as exemplified in the following quotation:

"Under SHAPE, the Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands is responsible for staffing, deploying and sustaining the mission. The Command in Brunssum is the operational-level headquarters between ISAF headquarters in Kabul and the strategic command at SHAPE. Through this “reach-back” capability, the ISAF Commander in Afghanistan is able to draw on a vast pool of staff expertise and specialised assets in areas such as strategic planning, without having to deploy them to Afghanistan." Source: Briefing: Afghanistan.

Such reachback to staff expertise is clearly expandable to include out-sourcing to any individual or group who can provide valuable information. And, while the quotation specifically refers to "the ISAF Commander in Afghanistan", any soldier with due regard to security issues may avail him/herself of reachback opportunities under appropriate circumstances.