Obama's Top 5 Tech Tools

Barack Obama promises to be the most tech-savvy President ever. What will be the top five tech tools of Obama Administration?

By Ian Paul
Tue, January 20, 2009

PC World — Barack Obama promises to be the most tech-savvy President ever. We've already seen the positive effects the Internet had on his campaign--so what can we expect from the Obama Administration? Here are five online tools that President Obama is likely to use frequently:

Twitter: During the election there were tweets from BarackObama, and now we have obamainaugural. So it would be surprising if the new president didn't use this direct message platform going forward. Heck, even Air Force One is getting into the Twitter game thanks to the National Geographic Channel.

Tumblr: The Presidential Inauguration Committee has teamed up with Tumblr to blog their way through the inauguration with users uploading live photos, videos, and commentary. The PIC will also be using Tumblr to live blog the Neighborhood Ball from the Convention Center in Washington, DC. Who knows? In the future we might see Tumblelogs for foreign visits, White House dinners, and press conferences.

YouTube: Monday, we discussed how Obama's weekly Vlogs were now available for download on YouTube. We can expect more of this in the future.

Whitehouse.gov: At 12:01 ET Tuesday, the Obama administration takes over the President's official online residence. Expect to see features similar to those currently on Change.gov, according to reports. This could include tools like Seat at the Table (a platform to watch and comment on the inauguration team's meetings) the Citizen's Briefing Book (your policy suggestions), blogs and press releases.

Technology, Innovation and Government Reform Team (TIGR): TIGR is one of the most significant ideas to come out of the new administration. Its mission is to use technology to reduce the cost of government, improve the delivery of government services, and drive transparency. Expect to see online platforms designed to involve the public more fully in their government; increased amounts of government data and information available online; and tools to take that data and mash it up for your own use.

Whether Obama can maintain the excitement among the public that he created during his historic election and transition period remains to be seen. However, by fully embracing the tools and networking possibilities available online he's headed in the right direction. So as we take this historic step forward, don't forget to check out PC World's guide to all the Web-based inauguration activities going on Tuesday.

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