Technology In Action

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1

 Technology In Action

Chapter 8
Mobile Computing:
Keeping Your Data on Hand

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 2

 Topics
• Advantages and limitations of mobile computing
• Mobile computing devices:
– Pagers
– Cell phones
– PDAs
– Portable media players
• Synchronizing mobile devices with computers
• Tablet PCs
• Notebooks

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 3

 Mobile Computing:
Is it Right for You?
Advantages Limitations
• Convenience • Expensive
• Boost productivity • Battery life
• Communicate with others • Small screen display
anywhere • Slow Internet speed
• Access to electronic
information

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 4

 Mobile Computing Devices
• Pagers
• Cellular phones
• Portable media players
• Personal digital
assistants
• Tablet PCs
• Laptop computers

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 5

 Comparing Mobile Devices
Mobile Devices: Price, Size, Weight, and Capabilities

Device Relative Price Approximate Approximate Standard Capabilities

Size Weight

Paging Device $ (includes cost for the 2" × 2" × 0.5" 0.2 lbs. Provides numeric and/or text
pager and a monthly messaging in one or two directions
plan)
Cell Phone $$ (includes cost for the 5" × 2" × 0.5". 0.25 lbs Provides voice and e-mail
phone, a monthly connectivity
plan, and Internet
access)
MP3 Player $$–$$$ 3" × 2" × 1" 0.25 lbs. Provides storage of digital music files
and other data

PDA $$–$$$ 5" × 3" × 1" 0.5 lbs. Provides PIM capabilities, access to
application software, and access
to the Internet
Tablet PC $$$$$ 10" × 8" × 1" 3 lbs. Provides PIM capabilities, access to
application software, access to the
Internet, and special handwriting and
speech-recognition capabilities
Laptop $$$$–$$$$$ 10" × 13" × 2" 5 to 8 lbs. Provides all the capabilities of a desktop
computer while also being portable

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 6

 Paging Devices
• Small wireless devices that receive
numeric messages (phone
numbers)
• Recent technological
advancements enable:
– Voice paging:
• Receiving voice messages
– Alphanumeric paging:
• Receiving numeric and text messages
– Two-way paging:
• Receiving and sending text messages

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 7

 Cellular Phones
• Full-featured communication and information
storage devices
• Features include:
– Auto-redial
– Call timers
– Voice-mail
– Voice-activated dialing
– Internet access
– Text messaging
– Personal information management

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 8

 Cell Phone Hardware
• Microprocessor (CPU):
– Coordinates data between components Memory
– Runs the operating system
• Memory:
– ROM stores the operating system
– Internal memory chips store:
• Contact data
• Ring tones
• Images
• Small application programs Microprocessor

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 9

 Cell Phone Hardware
• Input devices:
– Microphone
Speaker
– Keypad
– Graffiti pad LCD display
– Touch-screen
– Digital camera Keypad

• Output devices:
– Speaker
– LCD display Microphone

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 10

 Cell Phone Features
Popular Text Messaging Abbreviations

• Text messaging: AFAIK As far as I know

IDK I don’t know
– Short Message Service B4N Bye for now
(SMS): JAS Just a sec
• Send messages up to 160 BRB Be right back
characters LOL Laughing out loud
• Free SMS information CUL See you later
– Multimedia Message QPSA ¿Qué pasa?
Service (MMS): FBM Fine by me
• Send text, sound, images, T+ Think positive
and video clips F2T Free to talk
TTYL Talk to you later
G2G Got to go
WUWH Wish you were here
HRU How are you?
YBS You’ll be sorry

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 11

Cell Phone Internet Connectivity
• Wireless Internet service provider
• Maximum speeds of 200 to 300 Kbps
• Micro-browser software
– EDGE and EVDO standards
• Difficult to display Web pages on
small screen
• Checking e-mail is a popular feature
• Special “push” technology delivers e-
mail to a cell phone

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 12

 Portable Media Players
• MP3:
– Format for storing music
• Portable media player (PMP):
– A small device that stores and plays music
• Storage space determines the number of songs
stored:
– Memory chips 64 MB to 256 MB
– Hard drive up to 40 GB
– Sampling rate also affects
number of songs stored

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 13

 Popular Portable Media Players
and Their Characteristics
Media Capacity Built-In Flash Hard Disk Connection Other Features
Memory Drive Capacity to Computer
Creative Labs Up to 500 songs 256 MB to 1 GB None USB 2.0 port Built-in FM radio, voice
Digital MP3 recorder, and five-band
equalizer
Player FX200
Oregon Up to 32 hours of 512 MB to 1 GB None USB 2.0 port Waterproof to 3 feet,
Scientific MP121 music built-in pedometer, built-in
FM radio, and equalizer

Apple iPod Nano Up to 1,000 songs 1 GB to 4 GB None USB 2.0 port Weighs only 1.5 ounces,
or 25,000 images flash memory provides
for skip-free playback

Apple iPod Up to15,000 songs, None 30 GB to 60 GB USB 2.0 port Has calendar feature that
25,000 images, or syncs with Outlook; can
150 hours of video serve as a small, portable
hard drive

Creative Zen Up to 15,000 songs None 30 GB USB 2.0 port Integrated FM radio and
Vision or 120 hours of voice recorder; syncs
movies with Outlook

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 14

 PMP Flash Memory
• Used to add additional memory to
portable media players
• Types of flash memory:
– Compact Flash:
• 64 MB to 1 GB
– Multimedia (MMC) and SmartMedia:
• 128 MB
– Secure Digital:
• 512 MB
– Sony Memory Stick:
• 128 MB
• Software enables transfer of audio
and video files

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 15

 PMP Ethical Issues
• Is it illegal to download MP3 files?
– MP3.com:
• Song files are on a public server
• Permission is given by the artist or recording company to
place the files on the server
• A fee is paid to download a file.
– Napster:
• A file exchange site
• Song files were borrowed from users’ computers (peer-to-
peer [P2P] sharing)
• Sued for copyright infringement

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 16

 Podcasting
• Distributing nonmusic MP3 files over the
Internet
• Podcasts can be information, books on
tape audio plays, etc.
• People can listen when they wish
• iPod synchronization transfers new
content.

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 17

 Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
• Small devices that store digital information
• Known as palm computers or handhelds
• PDA hardware includes:
– CPU
– Operating system
– Storage capabilities
– Input/output devices
– Ports

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 18

 PDA Input and Output Devices
Input devices Output devices
• Touch-screen with stylus • LCD displays:
• Keyboards: – Grayscale
– On-screen – Color
– Integrated
– Folding
• Digital cameras

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 19

 PDA Processors
• Popular processors:
– Motorola DragonBall
– Texas Instruments OMAP
– Intel XScale
• Comparing processors:
– Speed
– Performance:
• Benchmarking
– Power consumption

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 20

 PDA Operating Systems
Palm OS Windows Mobile
• Uses less memory than • Scaled-down version of
Windows Mobile Windows
• Easy to use graphical • More expensive than
interface Palm OS
• Features include: • Features include:
– Calendar – PDA version of Microsoft
– To-do list Word and Excel
– Contact information – Viewing videos
– Viewing Videos – Playing MP3 files
– Playing MP3 files – Synchronizes with Outlook
• Extra application software • Extra application software
is available is available

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 21

 PDA Memory and Storage
• ROM stores the operating
system and the basic
programs
• RAM stores additional
applications and data
• Flash memory is used for
additional storage

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 22

 PDA File Transfer and
Synchronization
• PDA files can be transferred to a
desktop using:
– Flash card readers
– Cradles
• Synchronizing updates files on
both the PDA and desktop
• Wireless transfers:
– IrDA
– Bluetooth

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 23

 PDA Internet Connectivity
• An Internet connection requires a wireless ISP
• Web pages are accessed using Wireless
Application Protocol (WAP)

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 24

 PDA Software and Accessories
• Standard software: • Blueboard:
– To-do list – PDA display acts as a
– Contacts manager drawing board
– Calendar – Connects to four other
PDAs
• Additional software:
– Microsoft Word and
Excel
– Games
– Tools
– References

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 25

 Converged Technologies
• Cell phones with PDA
capability
• PDAs with cell phone
capability
• Handspring Treo
• Sony Ericsson P800

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 26

 Tablet PCs
• Portable computers with handwriting
recognition and speech recognition
• Two monitor modes:
– Laptop
– Tablet

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 27

 Tablet PC Hardware
• Tablet PC hardware includes:
– CPU
– Storage capabilities
– Input/output devices
– Ports
• Digital ink technology:
– Pressure sensitive screen
– Digital pen

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 28

 Tablet Software
• Windows XP Tablet PC is the operating system
• Applications programs compatible with Windows
XP are available

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 29

 Notebooks
• Computing power of a desktop
• Weigh 6 pounds

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 30

 Notebook Hardware
• DVD/CD-RW drives
• Hard drives
• RAM
• Hot-swappable bays:
– Remove a drive and replace
it with another type
• Keyboard
• Built-in mouse
• LCD displays

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 31

 Notebook Operating Systems

• Same operating systems

as those found on
desktops
• Power management:
– Shuts down the hard drive
– Turns off the monitor
– Puts the computer into
standby mode

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 32

 Notebook Ports
• A full set of ports:
– Parallel
– Monitor
– USB
– Modem
– Ethernet
– Audio jacks
– FireWire
– PCI type I/II card slots
– DVI
– IrDA

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 33

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• What are the advantages and limitations of
mobile computing?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 34

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• What are the various mobile computing
devices?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 35

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• What can pagers do?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 36

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• How do cell phone components resemble
a traditional computer and how do cell
phones work?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 37

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• What can I carry in a portable media
player and how does it store data?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 38

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• For what can I use a PDA and what
internal components and features does it
have?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 39

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• How can I synchronize my mobile devices
with my desktop computer?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 40

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• What is a tablet PC?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 41

 Chapter 8 Summary Questions
• How powerful are notebooks and how do
they compare to desktop computers?

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 42