Support NeoGAF

[richiek]

http://appleinsider.com/articles/17...-windows-phone-now-switching-to-apples-iphone

The New York Police Department must replace some 36,000 smartphones running Microsoft's defunct Windows Phone platform, and plans to provide its officers with replacement iPhones by the end of the year.

The NYPD's ill-advised investment in Windows Phone, as detailed by the New York Post, lasted just two years. The switch to Apple's iPhone was prompted by the announcement from Microsoft in July that it has terminated support for Windows Phone 8.1.

Smartphones have become a crucial tool in law enforcement, with the NYPD using them on the street to receive alerts, search databases, file reports, and even get real-time updates on 911 calls.

The NYPD investment in Windows Phone, first announced in late 2014, was questioned at the time because of Microsoft's small share of the smartphone space. The release of Windows Phone 8.1 failed to turn the tide against the more dominant iPhone and devices running Google's Android.

Pretty mindboggling how the one of the world's largest police forces are dependent on such a small, ill supported platform.

http://nypost.com/2017/08/28/nypd-needs-to-replace-36k-useless-smartphones/

According to the NY Post article:

Law enforcement sources blamed the boondoggle on NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch, with one saying, “She drove the whole process.”

“Nobody purchases 36,000 phones based on the judgment of one person,” a source said.

“I don’t care if you’re Jesus f- -king Christ, you get a panel of experts.”

SMH.

 

[dallow_bg]

lol, ouch

 

[Guevara]

Broken Windows phone

 

[TheBaldEmperor]

Dang, give Jesus some credit.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

If that last quote is true, that really is pretty crazy and shows a terrible purchasing process by the department.

As someone who routinely works on seven-figure technology contracts with state and local agencies; anything that size would almost always go through some combination of RFP, internal scoring, small test roll out, review, and a guarantee of X-amount of long-term support.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Can Jesus create a purchase order so large even he wouldn't need a panel of experts?

 

[Hoo-doo]

Damn, Jessica getting thrown under the bus hard.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Sources said Tisch, whose late grandfather co-founded the Loews Corp. conglomerate, insisted on Microsoft-based phones in part because the NYPD was already using Microsoft software to run the video surveillance program at its Lower Manhattan Security Initiative Command Center.

Yeah that makes sense.

 

[darscot]

Is the NYPD even in the ballpark of the worlds largest. Many countries have national police.

 

[Hyperfludd]

Wow seriously? I don't think I've seen a cop here in the Bronx with a Windows Phone. Goddamn that was a ill fated choice.

 

[liquidtmd]

“I don’t care if you’re Jesus f- -king Christ, you get a panel of experts.”

 

[hoserx]

Dang, give Jesus some credit.

Yeah man. That creep can roll.

 

[hollomat]

I wonder how much of a kickback Jessica Tisch got for this decision.

 

[Kill Your Masters]

The New York Police Department must replace some 36,000 smartphones running Microsoft's defunct Windows Phone platform

Whoa that's like half their market share or something.

 

[neojubei]

lol, ouch

Guess the person who bought the phones was a windows phone fanboy or got some sort of deal with Microsoft.

 

[newjeruse]

Yeah that makes sense.

Does this just mean the computers in that facility ran Windows?

 

[Sanjuro]

Are they all locked to Virgin Wireless?

 

[charpunk]

Solid work Jessica.

 

[Dynomutt]

Will seem petty but the treatment of Windows Phone really turn me off to most MS products. I was a user since Pocket PC to Windows Mobile with the HTC Wing and all up to the HTC Arrive with Windows Phone 7.

They left many users hanging on what could have been a great platform.

 

[Hoo-doo]

Whoa that's like half their market share or something.

Damn.

 

[entremet]

MS has such big inroads in enterprise. That’s the reason they won that bid.

 

[Fox318]

I wonder if she got a bag of unmarked bills from Microsoft to spearhead that effort?

 

[Log4Girlz]

Broken Windows phone

Came for this

 

[Windu]

Whoops

 

[nhlducks35]

Whoa that's like half their market share or something.

Lmao

If you want to put it in perspective that's how many iPhones Apple sells in 3.5 hours

 

[Purkake4]

They're getting iPhones as the replacement? GG

 

[tbm24]

Would be funny for the NYPD to have iPhones given how much they hate them.

 

[Frost_Ace]

Tfw still rocking my lumia 950

 

[Frankfurter]

And now they get iPhones as replacements? Why not some cheap, but okay-ish ~$150 Android phones? Spend that spare money on sth. useful.

 

[Zaph]

damn, Harlem rapists are rejoicing today.

I wonder if she got a bag of unmarked bills from Microsoft to spearhead that effort?

I doubt anything that overt, but MS have always had a world-class public sector sales team. They know how to wine and dine you without clearly breaking any procurement rules. Its their bread and butter.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Does this just mean the computers in that facility ran Windows?

I guess so but who knows for sure. The entire article reads like a b-plot from B99.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

All of a sudden the NYPD can't make evidence disappear?

 

[shira]

Guess the person who bought the phones was a windows phone fanboy or got some sort of deal with Microsoft.

36k phones bought hell yes.

You can bet they got paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaid.

 

[entremet]

Guess the person who bought the phones was a windows phone fanboy or got some sort of deal with Microsoft.

Bribed probably.

 

[FutureLarking]

So uh, what's actually wrong with the phones? They work, they're secure, not likely to get malware on or hacked, and they have a dev platform. Do they want taser attachments or something?

 

[Somnid]

So the answer to closed platform woes is to get a new closed platform?

 

[Zaph]

So uh, what's actually wrong with the phones? They work, they're secure, not likely to get malware on or hacked, and they have a dev platform. Do they want taser attachments or something?

MS is no longer supporting them so NYPD would have to sign a (very) expensive support contract for a dead platform. You cannot have a police force using phones without on-going security patches.

So the answer to closed platform woes is to get a new closed platform?

The issue isn't that its a closed platform, its that its dead.

 

[kirblar]

So the answer to closed platform woes is to get a new closed platform?

The point is to go to a platform that won't die.

 

[entremet]

So the answer to closed platform woes is to get a new closed platform?

Not really comparable. The issue is lack of support.

 

[snap]

So uh, what's actually wrong with the phones? They work, they're secure, not likely to get malware on or hacked, and they have a dev platform. Do they want taser attachments or something?

there won't be a way to replace them easily when they finally start to crap out. with android you can go from like an S6 or whatever to an S8. ditto with iphones. windows phone doesn't have that.

not to mention they probably can't even get new ones for their current model, even.

 

[RuGalz]

Are they going all out and getting iPhone 8?

 

[jstripes]

And now they get iPhones as replacements? Why not some cheap, but okay-ish ~$150 Android phones? Spend that spare money on sth. useful.

If you're running law enforcement you probably want to go with something secure.

 

[SatoAilDarko]

damn, Harlem rapists are rejoicing today.



I doubt anything that overt, but MS have always had a world-class public sector sales team. They know how to wine and dine you without clearly breaking any procurement rules. Its their bread and butter.

She also advertised the phones too? The full package.

 

[m3k]

i would let jesus make the deal

 

[snap]

Are they going all out and getting iPhone 8?

probably not. presumably iPhone SE's or something

 

[Somnid]

The point is to go to a platform that won't die.

Not really comparable. The issue is lack of support.

MS is no longer supporting them so NYPD would have to sign a (very) expensive support contract for a dead platform. You cannot have a police force using phones without on-going security patches.

The issue isn't that its a closed platform, its that its dead.

Exactly. OSS doesn't have the support death problem because the source can be inspected. Once their iPhones go out of date they are stuck with those too unless they upgrade.

 

[Linkura]

Yeah man. That creep can roll.

Nobody fucks with the Jesus.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

At what point did Windows Phone show any indication it was going to be a viable, long-term OS? Someone who presumably is in the technology industry made or recommended this decision to NYPD and I'd love to ask them some questions.

 

[Nafai1123]

I remember when my MS loving friend got a Windows phone and was talking mad shit about Android/iPhones. Hilarious looking back.

 

[Frankfurter]

If you're running law enforcement you probably want to go with something secure.

Who says that iPhones are more secure than Android devices? Actually, if it were for security, I'd get something that is open-source.