Posted on 03/17/2009 2:27:06 PM PDT by Rufus2007
A group thought by many to be devoid of tech-savvy compared to their Democratic counterparts is attempting to break that stereotype by using technology that a lot of people have incorporated in their daily lives.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told a group assembled at the Heritage Foundation’s Blogger’s Briefing on March 17 that he and House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., are developing an application for the iPod Touch, a product of Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), that would be used to keep the entire House GOP on a unified message.
“The one thing Cantor and I have done, we’re buying, all the [members], what we call ‘Whip Pods,’ the i[Pod] Touches,” McCarthy said. “And the reason that we’re doing this is threefold. One is, we spend a lot of time in airplanes, so what you will do is – we’re creating an app, so when the members get them, they’ll have an app that’s automatically updated. When they go to get on the airplane, what are they going to do? They’re going to listen to it.”
...more (w/audio)...
(Excerpt) Read more at businessandmedia.org ...
Rush podcasts?
They’ll all get hacked in no time flat.
...and the jackass party will know their every move.
I'm not sure how they will get them updated, though. Podcasts are synced to the device when docked with the host computer, which requires a wired USB connection.
The iPod Touch has Wi-Fi, but that requires an access point or "hot spot" with either public or private 'Net access. It cannot be used for synchronization, at least not in the current incarnations of iTunes and firmware.
However, I disagree with McCarthy when he said: “If you’re like me, it’s easier to listen than to read [...]”. No thank you, I can read something in a fraction of the time it takes to listen to it, and my retention afterward is much better.
The GOP problem is a lack of principles and leadership, not the lack of a unified message.
I thought it was because they weren’t ‘hip hop’ enough /sarc
Like giving glasses to the blind.
I can see as an application, reading off an RSS feed or something.
There are Wi-Fi signals all over Washington, including the airports. So, it isn’t that far-fetched for them to try to do something like this.
So they can get accused of indulgence during a time of economic turmoil? That Michael Steele must be doing some fantastic fundraising. I don’t think Republican lawmakers should get free iPods just so they can get some bragging rights. “A group thought by many to be devoid of tech-savvy compared to their Democratic counterparts is attempting to break that stereotype by using technology.”
And how long will it be before the media announces the GOP is now getting their marching orders from an iPod? The seeds are already planted in this very article, where it flat out states the iPod application: “would be used to keep the entire House GOP on a unified message.”
And what if someone loses one of these iPods? And someone less friendly to the House GOP gets their hands on it?
“The GOP problem is a lack of principles and leadership, not the lack of a unified message.”
Like when every GOP member of the House voted against the budget/bailout?
That showed both principle and leadership.
Besides, what is your alternative to the GOP?
So far they haven't done a very good job of listening... to their constituents anyway. :/
I'm glad you said that. Lately, I've been disheartened at the number of video and audio links sent me, and even here at FR. I'd much rather read something and watch or listen.
If the security is engineered properly, each iPOD will have a security certificate that has to be authenticated by a trusted server. If you lose the device, the certificate is revoked. The device loses access to the secured network. They should be using AES crypto to keep unfriendly parties off their private network.
My iPod is my commute buddy. I use audible books and get a couple of hours of reading a day in while crawling in traffic that I wouldn't otherwise. My retention is as good as reading.
That's opposition, not leadership. The GOP still doesn't have a clue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.