DOD Softening Hard Line on Cloud: While it once was unimaginable for the Defense Department to embrace cloud-based computing due to inherent security concerns, that attitude may be changing. While DoD leaders still say their culture remains a barrier to cloud services and virtualization, a recent survey indicates those beliefs are evolving as agencies seek to save money and become more efficient. Washington Business Journal Public Security from the Private Sector: The federal government is embracing new public-private partnerships in security technology more than ever before. Last week, Thomas Cellucci, acting director of DHS's research and development group, told the Security Industry Association Government Summit that "there is a new mindset here in Washington that asks, 'Why does the federal government have to spend so much money developing products when the private sector would be glad to do it, and they could do it better, cheaper and faster?.’” SecurityInfoWatch Federal Workplace Will Rely More on Mobile: Federal officials involved in mobile communications believe the future federal workplace will likely to rely much more on tablets and mobile devices and less on desktop computers. “Tablets are the  ultimate thin clients,” said Gwynne Kostin, director of mobile for the General Services Administration’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies at an AFCEA-Bethesda panel. Tablet users might even one day give up their desks -- eventually. Federal Computer Week GSA Creates Government Mobile Website: Meanwhile, to better use mobile technology to reach citizens, the General Services Administration has created Mobile Gov, a website that includes data on how government has used mobile so far, a how-to guide for the future, and some philosophizing about the possibilities mobile access could offer. The site also seeks to manage the growth of government apps in a structured way, something that didn’t happen during the 90s, when government websites proliferated wildly and created more confusion than helpful resources. NextGov Central Maryland to Get Broadband Network: Construction crews have begun to install a broadband network across central Maryland. It’s part of an initiative to get fiber-optic cables laid across every county in the state by 2013. Half of the network will connect schools, health centers, police stations, libraries and other “community anchors.” The remaining fiber will be inactive until Internet providers, private companies or nongovernmental institutions lease portions and make them available to households and businesses. Savings could reach $30 million per year across the 10 jurisdictions because of the potential to share resources and eliminate old infrastructure. The Washington Post