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Technology in Action. Chapter 8 Mobile Computing: Keeping Your Data on Hand. Chapter Eight Objectives. Advantages and limitations Mobile Computing Devices Pagers and cell phones Portable media players Personal digital assistants Tablet PCs Laptops Synchronization of mobile devices.
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Technology in Action Chapter 8 Mobile Computing:Keeping Your Data on Hand
Chapter Eight Objectives • Advantages and limitations • Mobile Computing Devices • Pagers and cell phones • Portable media players • Personal digital assistants • Tablet PCs • Laptops • Synchronization of mobile devices
Advantages and Limitations • Limited battery life • Small Screen display • Slow mobile Internet connection • Wireless Internet coverage may not exist • More costly • Less robust • Communicate wherever you are • E-mail • Cell phone • Access and change electronic information • Update Word/Excel Files
Paging Devices • A paging device (a pager) allows you to receive and sometimes send numeric (sometimes text) messages • Inexpensive and lightweight • Different kinds • Numeric: only receive numeric messages • Alphanumeric: receive text and numeric messages • Two-way pagers: you can compose a text message • Not popular any more • Cell phones tend to dominate the market
Some Cellular Phone Features • Internet access • Requires an Internet Service Provider • Microbrowser software needed because the screen space is small • Wireless Markup Language is used to create websites for wireless devices • Text messaging: Send messages to another cell phone or an e-mail address • SMS (Short Message Service) • Messages include only text (usually up to 160 chars) • MMS (Multimedia Message Service) • Messages include text, sound, images, video clips
Cell Phones Have the Same Components as a Computer! • Processor (CPU) • Operating system • Symbian OS, Windows Mobile • Phones nowadays can have up to 20 Mb of memory • ROM: Store the operating system • Separate Internal memory: contact data, images, ring tones • Input Devices • Microphone, keypad, camera • Output Devices • Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
Portable Media Players • MP3: Format for storing music in digital files (series of bits) • Portable media player (PMP): A small device that stores and plays music • Storage space determines the number of songs stored: • Built-In flash memory up to 8GB • Hard drive up to 80 GB • Sampling rate also affects number of songs stored
PMP Player • Ripping • Converting a song from a CD into a digital MP3 file • Sampling Rate: the number of times per second the music is measured and converted to a digital value • E.g. 192 kilobits per second (Kbps) • The higher the sampling rate the better the quality of the sound, but the larger the file size • Transfer Files to PMP Player • PMP devices come with software that allow you to transfer files from your computer to your player • PMP devices are connected to a computer through a high speed port (e.g. FireWire port, USB 2.0 port)
Personal Digital Assistants • Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) • Devices that allow you to carry digital information • E.g. Excel/Word files, songs, photos, games • Often called Palm Computers or Handhelds • Operating system • Palm OS from Palm • Windows Mobile
PDA Hardware • Processor • Speed varies (e.g. 624 MHz) • Input Devices • Touch sensitive screen • Stylus: a penlike device used to enter data • Keyboard: Integrated or Portable • Output Devices • LCD screen • Grayscale • Color • Internal Memory • RAM, ROM • External Memory • Removable flash memory cards
PDA File Transfer to Desktop • Desktop can have memory card reader • Built in • External (USB port) • Using a cradle • Connects the PDAs to the desktop using a USB or serial port • Wireless • Infrared port on the PDA • Radio waves (Bluetooth technology for distances up to 30 ft) • Synchronization • Process of updating your data so the files on your PDA and computer are the same • Use Cradle
Tablet PCs • Portable and lightweight • Two monitor modes: • Laptop • Tablet • Advanced handwriting recognition capabilities • Pressure sensitive screen • Digital pen, digital ink • Draw images and enter text • Docking station • Connects printers, mice and other peripherals • Operating System • Window XP Tablet PC
Laptop Computers • Also called “notebooks” • Powerful portable solution • Hot-swappable bays • E.g. exchange a DVD drive with a Zip drive • Slower processors than desktops • In laptops power comes from batteries • Laptop batteries • Rechargeable • Lithium based • Nickel based • Memory effect: battery has to be used up before recharged
Laptopor Desktop? • Laptops: • More costly, because of the small footprint • Less expandable • Not easy to add new ports and devices due to space constraints • Exposed to more hazards, possibly theft • Great location flexibility