Microsoft’s All-American Request to Obama: Use a $3,350 Smartphone!

All-American PR: After Obama’s minions announced his continued reliance on his Blackberry for communication (though to a select group of people), Microsoft stepped up to attack RIM:

Microsoft, however, has questioned the wisdom of the president relying on a device whose maker is based in Canada. “You would be sending your data outside the country,” says Randy Siegel, a Microsoft enterprise mobile strategist who works on federal government projects. “We wouldn’t want the casual musings or official communications of the most important person in the world being intercepted by others.”

Even if RIM routed information through a U.S. data center, the devices aren’t built to NSA’s security specs, he says. RIM declined to comment.

So what should Obama use then? Microsoft’s Siegel of course had the answer.

Turns out General Dynamics (the same people behind the F-16) also makes their own smartphone, touted as certified ultra-secure by the NSA. The 12-ounce Sectéra Edge runs on Windows CE, Microsoft’s OS originally designed for handheld and “minimalistic” computers. Like many other personal communication devices, the Edge features a touch-screen, a QWERTY thumbboard, and WiFi.

More notable functionality includes support CDMA and GSM networks (an All-American gadget running on Euro-tech? For shame!), and the capability to switch between “classified” and “unclassified” modes. The Edge also meets military wear-and-tear standards, which means it can literally be used in a warzone.

If Obama does become an Edge-owner, it will be probably be on the taxpayer’s expense. There’s no way he’d shell out personal funds to purchase the $3,350 Edge for himself. At the same time, it’s clear that this NSA-certified gadget may make General Dynamics some money. Siegel estimates that at least 30,000 units will end up in the hands of government operatives—representing a total cost of $100,500,000!