White House launches iPhone app

The White House has joined in the application frenzy with a free download for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Even the White House is getting into the app craze, and has released a free application for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, available for download from the Apple's App Store.

The White House app offers live video streaming for President Obama's public events, speeches, Web chats and press briefings as they happen. Using the app, iPhone and iPod Touch users will be able to watch Obama's State of the Union address next week with a few taps on their smart phone.

The app also links to the White House blog and the Briefing Room.

Users will have to have the most recent version of iTunes installed on their phones. The App Store also offers some similar-looking apps for 99 cents each, but the official White House app is free.

This is just the latest example of the Obama administration looking for ways to bring government to where people are, even if that happens to be a cell phone. The administration also has launched a White House YouTube channel and is planning to launch mobile.WhiteHouse.gov, a version of WhiteHouse.gov that works with any Internet-enabled device, including many mobile phones.

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