FedBytes: Mobile Apps Helping Veterans, and the Hidden Costs of BYOD

For better or for worse, mobile devices and apps are taking over. While the Veterans Affairs Department is using mobile apps to help recovering veterans, some agencies are finding that bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs have hidden costs.

• The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments have released an app to help patients being treated for treat posttraumatic stress disorder. The app, available for both iOS and Android devices, is intended to help users track therapy sessions, complete therapy assignments and take notes during their sessions. Read more on FierceMobileGovernment.
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology released revisions to its guide on preventing malware incidents on notebooks and desktop PCs. The updates to the special publication are intended to help agencies deal with ever-increasing malware threats. It suggests three techniques that agencies should implement in their defensive architectures: sandboxing of applications, browser separation and virtualization. Read more on FierceGovernmentIT.
• In a three-part series intended to help the federal government exploit the potential of cloud computing, VMware’s Doug Bourgeois advises agencies to leverage the cloud for innovation, not just efficiency. Bourgeois writes that cloud offerings can help CIOs position their agencies, “solve mission related challenges and deliver innovative applications and services for critical government programs.” Read more on vmwareDoug.
• Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs haven’t necessarily been the cost-saving gold mines some IT officials expected. A recent eWeek article identified 10 hidden networking costs of BYOD and offered advice for overcoming them. Among the suggestions were to fund the help desk adequately, accept a larger operational role for IT and make sure the wireless network has enough bandwidth to deal with the increased demands brought about by BYOD. Read more on eWeek.
• The Federal Mobile Computing Summit & Technology Showcase will feature a variety of panels and speakers who will delve into one of the most important IT topics in government. The event, to be held Wednesday, August 8, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, will feature keynote speeches by Margie Graves of the Homeland Security Department, David McClure of the General Services Administration and Rick Holgate of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Read more on RegOnline.

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