from:
www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110627-286218.html
twitter tweets: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ipadsforsaf
SINGAPORE - New recruits to Singapore's military, air force and
navy are to get a new standard-issue item of equipment besides
their rifle - the iPad.
The defence ministry said Monday it will be issuing "about
8,000" of the sleek, touch-screen tablet computers - already wildly
popular with the city-state's tech-savvy youth - to recruits from
November.
The ministry said it was also planning to issue the devices to
other servicemen next year. The cheapest iPad2 device currently
retails in Singapore for S$668.
Defence chief Neo Kian Hong said adopting the iPad would allow
the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to take advantage of the
technological abilities of the city-state's youth.
"By exploiting the use of popular and current information and
communications technology, we are able to harness our advantage of
today's technologically savvy servicemen," the Straits Times
newspaper quoted him as saying.
Troops can use the iPad's built-in camera to take photos and
video clips in the field which can be uploaded to the SAF's online
platform, LEARNet. Soldiers can use these photos and videos to
carry out post-mission assessments, the newspaper said.
Soldiers can send questions to their commanders through a live
messaging system and group chat discussions can be held, it
added.
The SAF said it was working with private contractors to design
apps - micro-programs tailor-made for mobile devices with a wide
range of functions - for servicemen.
Singapore maintains a conscript-based military and its armed
forces are among the best-equipped in Asia. Every able-bodied male
citizen and permanent resident aged 18 and above must undergo two
years of military training.
Can use ipad's inbuilt camera to take pictures and videoclips
but cannot bring camera handphones inside camps.
I see. (No pun intended) 
