New Smartphones news and reviews

ead of Acquisitons Administration for the Defense Ministry, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Shmuel Zuker. Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry

The Defense Ministry and Motorola signed an agreement on Wednesday paving the deal for a new, encrypted army cell phone, network made up of smartphones. The new devices will allow members of the security forces to text, send digital media, and encrypted emails directly from the battlefield to command and control centers.

It will replace the IDF's current cell phone network, known as Rose Hills, based on older cell phone models.

The touch screen smartphones, like their civilian counterparts, have an inbuilt GPS and an 8 megapixel camera, but have also undergone an adaption for use by soldiers in combat zones, and comes with unique applications.

The phone has a hardened exterior, is water and dust proof, and comes with a battery that provides 400 minute of air time and 500 hours of standby time.

The project will cost the Defense Ministry 100 million shekels to implement and manage over the next 15 years. Motorola will provide ongoing technical support for the devices and the network.

The agreement follows lengthy negotiations involving delegates from the Defense Ministry's Acquisitions Administration and Motorola in New York.

The Defense Ministry said it chose Motorola due to its unique technologies that were found to be well suited to security needs.

Brig-Gen. (Res.) Shmuel Zuker, head of the Acquisitions Administration, said the first IDF smartphone will bring with it "a revolution of smartphones in the future battlefield, and will provide a significant advantage to the IDF and the whole of the defense establishment." He added, "We've succeeded in bringing the IDF the most advanced technology in the world for the best price."

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