The iPod Touch seems to be a good candidate for new US military programs that seek to improve real-time communications between soldiers, command centers and intelligence units. Comparing to iPhone, iPod Touch is relatively cheap and has almost the same feature as iPhone. Moreover, it's easy to create military iPhone applications to run on iPod Touch. The touch-screen feature of the device made it easy for the soldiers to use, even in a dynamic and mobile environment.
From the Newsweek:
Since sharing data is particularly important in counterinsurgency operations, the Pentagon is funding technology that makes it easier for the soldier on the ground to acquire information and quickly add it to databases. Next Wave Systems in Indiana, is expected to release iPhone software that would enable a soldier to snap a picture of a street sign and, in a few moments, receive intelligence uploaded by other soldiers (the information would be linked by the words on the street sign). This could include information about local water quality or the name and photograph of a local insurgent sympathizer.
The U.S. Marine Corps is funding an application for Apple devices that would allow soldiers to upload photographs of detained suspects, along with written reports, into a biometric database. The software could match faces, making it easier to track suspects after they're released.
