Fact or Fallacy: Federal Agencies Can Count on Cloud-Based Phones

by  Tom Henderson

Admins should reconsider myths about softphone adoption

Phone systems have come a long way since the days of switchboards, key switches, Centrex and early Voice over Internet Protocol. They encompass many services ranging from voice, texting, paging, Internet of Things monitoring, smart interactive voice response, video calling and more. Managing communication infrastructure in the cloud and stratifying diverse systems with multiple vendors can be cost-effective when deployed thoughtfully.

Early VoIP had mixed results, and problems were rife. Poor phone quality, frequent outages, ugly integration and occasional insane administration with menu trees from hell drew many complaints.

But much of that's been fixed, and solidly so.

There's a mix of opinions, facts and myths about cloud-based phone systems. Long ago, I sat on the board of the Multimedia Telecommunications Association (the MMTA, which merged with the Telecom Industries Association). Let's bust some myths about cloud-based phones.

 Read full story at FedTech…

How Public Safety Is Driving the Deployment of Mission-Critical Operations Centers

by  Calvin Hennick

As they plan integrated, state-of-the-art technology implementations to proactively protect their communities, public safety leaders must organize stakeholders around strategy.

The ability to analyze public safety data in real time has become critical to the success of law enforcement agencies.

In a Verizon survey, 55 percent of first responders said the use of data for situational awareness has been one of the strongest areas of technological improvement in public safety over the past 20 years. And 93 percent said coordination among agencies is critical when responding to public safety crises and emergency situations.

Recently, mission-critical operations centers have emerged to meet these technological and operational needs. MCOCs integrate data from different systems to help state and local governments make better decisions about public safety. A center will often incorporate technologies such as video walls, public and private security cameras, license plate readers, mapping software and gunshot detection systems to create a comprehensive picture that can dramatically speed up response times. These facilities are often focused on specific missions, such as real-time crime response, transportation and emergency operations.

 Read full story at StateTech…

Trump Orders Tech Modernization Push for Environmental Permitting

by  Caroline Nihill

Under the executive order, agencies must make full use of tech in environmental review and permitting processes for “infrastructure projects of all kinds.”

The Trump administration issued an executive order Tuesday directing federal agencies to maximize the use of technology in environmental review and permit processes for infrastructure development projects.

President Donald Trump's executive order aims to streamline processing time for projects, ensure legal departments in agencies have technology to provide enhanced defense of challenged environmental documents and permit decisions, reduce duplicative data submissions and more.

Federal agencies and executive departments “shall make maximum use of technology in environmental review and permitting processes for infrastructure projects of all kinds, such as roads, bridges, mines, factories, power plants and others,” the order states.

 Read full story at FedScoop…

Cybercriminals Exploit Google OAuth Loophole to Evade Gmail Security

by  DIVYA

A sophisticated phishing attack exploiting a loophole in Google's OAuth infrastructure has surfaced, raising significant concerns about the security of Gmail users worldwide.

A sophisticated phishing attack exploiting a loophole in Google's OAuth infrastructure has surfaced, raising significant concerns about the security of Gmail users worldwide.

Security researcher Nick Johnson recently shared details of the attack via social media, underscoring the urgent need for Google to address this alarming vulnerability.

OAuth is the technology that lets users log in to third-party services using their existing Google credentials.

According to Johnson, attackers carefully craft phishing emails that appear to come from trusted contacts. These emails invite recipients to click a link that initiates a legitimate-looking Google OAuth authentication flow.

 Read full story at gbhacers…

DARPA Eyes Orbital Mission to Map Lunar Water Ice

by  Sharmila Kuthunur

The program—Lunar Assay via Small Satellite Orbiter (LASSO)—seeks to design, test, build and deliver a spacecraft that can identify regions that are at least 90% probable to have at least 5% water

DARPA wants industry to design a small orbiter to map water ice across the Moon—and test technologies for autonomous navigation in perilously low lunar orbits.

Spot the ice: The program—Lunar Assay via Small Satellite Orbiter (LASSO)—seeks to design, test, build and deliver a spacecraft that can identify regions that are at least 90% likely to have at least 5% water. The data collection mission would span four years or less after arrival in lunar orbit, according to a program solicitation issued April 14.

“DARPA is aware these goals are aggressive,” the program description reads. “Several technical challenges will need to be considered and addressed to collect high-quality remote sensing data within the four-year time constraint.”

 Read full story at Payload…

Google to Face Off With US Government in Attempt to Break Up Company in Search Monopoly Case

by Michael Liedtke

Google … will confront an existential threat as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into a ruthless monopoly

Google will confront an existential threat … as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into a ruthless monopoly.

The drama will unfold in a Washington courtroom during the next three weeks during hearings that will determine how the company should be penalized for operating an illegal monopoly in search. The proceedings, known in legal parlance as a “remedy hearing,” feature a parade of witnesses that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to order a radical shake-up that would ban Google from striking the multibillion dollar deals with Apple and other tech companies that shield its search engine from competition, share its repository of valuable user data with rivals and force a sale of its popular Chrome browser.

 Read full story at ABC News…

Ford Strikes Biggest Ever PPA With DTE

by  Tina Casey

Despite an abrupt shift in federal energy policy, Ford and the Michigan utility DTE have both doubled down on their clean power commitments.

The new power purchase agreement between Ford and DTE is not just the biggest one struck between the two parties. DTE also states that it is the biggest clean power PPA [power purchase agreement] from a utility in all of US history.

For those of you new to the topic, PPAs are routinely used to construct new utility-scale wind farms and solar arrays. They enable energy buyers to lock in credit for a fresh supply of kilowatts from a new power plant before construction begins. PPAs also provide energy infrastructure developers with a firm footing to solicit whatever other financing they need to complete their projects, so it's a win-win all around.

As for the historical perspective, PPAs are a relatively new scattershot development in domestic energy-related transactions. They were authorized by federal law in 1978, as a response to the 1970s oil crisis. The idea was to make financing a new power plant easier, though to this day some states laws continue to prohibit PPAs outright, while others have imposed restrictions.

 Read full story at CleabTechnica…

From Crisis to Opportunity: Rebuilding Cities With Safer Energy

by  Mukesh Chatter

By investing in alternative battery technologies now, cities can prepare for looming energy challenges, work toward decarbonization goals and safely enhance urban resilience.

Cities are at the forefront of innovative global energy solutions, and their ability to deploy at scale will determine the effectiveness of the energy transition. Urban areas, which are home to half of the global population and responsible for almost two-thirds of global CO2 emissions, are facing rising energy demands as they look to electrify their homes, commercial buildings and transportation systems. Simultaneously, extreme weather events, such as heat waves and winter storms, are becoming more frequent and straining power grids, leading to rolling blackouts that disturb both lives and economies.

The rising proliferation of AI and data centers in society further exacerbates this looming challenge. In fact, power demanded by AI-dedicated data centers is expected to rise from 1% of global energy demand in 2022 to over 3% by the end of the decade. Some individual facilities could soon use more power than entire cities just five years from now. These energy-intensive, rapidly urbanizing facilities require a 24/7 reliable power supply, underscoring the necessity for systems that can store and dispatch power consistently and safely.

In disaster-affected cities — such as Los Angeles recovering from recent wildfires — rebuilding efforts present a critical opportunity to integrate safer, more effective energy solutions into crowded, urban spaces. By embracing solutions such as alternative chemistry energy storage, cities can rebuild smarter, safer and more resilient futures.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

How 12 Climate Tech Startups Are Shaping the Energy Transition in a Turbulent World

by  Brian Kahn

The winners of BloombergNEF's annual Pioneers awards are racing to deploy the next generation of climate solutions.

Brian Kahn goes in depth on the challenges and changes in climate tech. In summary, he explains:

In 2024, energy transition funding hit $2 trillion, yet climate tech faces challenges as priorities shift to AI and geopolitics. BloombergNEF's 2025 Pioneers awards highlight 12 startups tackling light industry emissions, energy storage, and climate adaptation. Innovations include AtmosZero's industrial heat pumps, Circ's textile recycling, and Ever Dye's low-emission dyes.

Energy storage advances with Hytzer's solid-state batteries, while AiDash and BeeWise address climate adaptation through wildfire prevention and bee protection. Wildcard winners like Coolbrook focus on high-heat decarbonization, proving climate tech' resilience despite reduced subsidies and policy hurdles.

 Read full story at Bloomberg…