A Slide deck I created for the AR

1. Mobile Computing
Information on the go!
By: Meg Riegel

2. So many mobiles…
Mobile device, mobile
computing, mobile hardware,
mobile software, mobile
communication, mobile app,
mobile network, mobile
internet…
How do we make sense of all
these words?? Let’s start with
one  MobileComputing

3. Mobile Computing
A type of Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
“Taking a computer and all necessary files and
software out into the field.” (Wiki)
The idea is that we can have all the power of a
computer into a device that is easier to transport
and take “on the go”

4. 3 Main Categories of
Mobile Computing
1. Mobile Hardware
Devices, pieces, accessories
2. Mobile Software
Apps, bundles, coding
3. Mobile Communication
Cellular networks and services

5. 1. Mobile Hardware
Includes (but not limited to):
PDA’s
Palm Pilot, other versions by Palm, first in 1984

6. Mobile Hardware (cont)
Smartphone
A “miniature computer”
that can also place and
receive phone calls
iPhone, Android,
Blackberry, Windows
Mobile, etc
First smartphone by IBM
in 1992 called “Simon”
(http://cellphones.about.com/od/coveringthebasics/
qt/cellphonesvssmartphones.htm)

7. Simon?
The first Smartphone
created by IBM in 1992
Yours for
• Simon had features such as touchscreen, email, and PDA ,
only $899 which was extremely advanced for its time
(at the

8. Mobile Hardware (cont)
Tablet computer
A larger version of a
Smartphone
Moveable, more flexible use
compared to a computer (no
mouse, keyboards, etc)
iPad, Blackberry Playbook,
Kindle, HP, Samsung, Acer,
and many more have their
versions of the tablet

9. Mobile Hardware (cont)
Ultra mobile PC
A class of laptops launched by Microsoft and Intel in
2006
A mixture between Smartphone & tablet
Sometimes include keyboards and webcams

10. Mobile Hardware (cont)
Wearable computer
Aka “Body borne computers”
Constantly in contact with the user, no
on/off switch
Interacts with the human body
Common example is a running watch
They are UP AND COMING!!!!!

11. NY Times cited: “Wearable devices, or ‘wearables’ for short, have enormous
potential for uses in health and fitness, navigation, social networking,
commerce, and media,” (Bilton 2012)

12. This is our future?!

13. Evolution of Mobile
Hardware
Getting smaller
Cheaper- cost production
has greatly decreased
Faster- increased battery
life, longer talk & standby
Lighter- they weigh less
More efficient, more
capabilities & features

14. Infographic 1983-2007
http://joaogeraldes.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/1-infographic-evolution-of-the-
mobile-phone.jpg

15. How does a Smartphone work?
Inside the phone is a speaker, microphone, keyboard,
display screen, and a very powerful circuit board
They all act together to make the phone work
Signals are passed back and forth from the device to
the nearest base station (tower)
Communicate via radio waves…but this is subject to
change!

16. A look inside
A cell phone is much like an onion, it has many layers that sit atop each other,
helping to carry out tasks on the phone

17. Circuit Board
•Phones are generally
powered by battery.
•Electric signals are
transmitted through
wires and boards to
create a transmission
cascade within the
phone, which is then
displayed on the
screen

18. 2. Mobile Software
Operating Systems (Mobile OS)
Much like the operating systems for computers
PalmOs, Nokia Mameo, Android from Google, iOS, web
OS, Bada OS from Samsung, Blackberry OS from RIM,
Windows for Mobile devices from Microsoft
Combines features such as touchscreen, wireless
network, Blutooth, GPS, camera, voice recognition, etc

19. Mobile Software (cont)
Apps
Are a software application designed to run
on a mobile device
Apps are BUNDLES
Originally, designed for general productivity
Info retrieval, email, calendar, contacts
Easy access to large amounts of info
More recently , designed for entertainment
Games, banking, GPS services, purchases

20. Mobile Software (cont)
Apps (cont)
Application Distribution- apps come a variety of
platforms such as “app store” and “app world”
Some apps are pre-loaded on the device and “locked”
Others are bought or downloaded for free

21. How apps work?
Apps are bundles of code that work much like
programs on a computer
They must be downloaded, installed, and opened to
operated
A lot of hard work and code goes into the making of
an app!

22. Apps that are really useful

23. Apps for fun

24. 3. Mobile Communication
The idea that our mobile devices can act as
communication devices
Works by sending & receiving radio waves through a
chip built into the device
SIM Card- microchip “Subscriber Identity Model”
that stores information
Slowly moving away from
these

25. Mobile Communication (cont)
Phone Calls- much like radio waves, two or more
people communicate on a “channel”
SMS & MMS Messaging
Short message service (a text), multimedia messaging
service (picture/video message)
Internet access
Ability to connect to WiFi, 3G, 4G, LTE networks
Short-range wireless sharing (Blutooth, Infared)

26. Benefits of Mobile Devices
Information on the go, at our fingertips
Generally user-friendly
Lower cost compared to PCs
Less energy to run
Connects people across the world
Entertainment
Safety- they can carry medical emergency information
Can help with special accessibility needs
Voiceover, speech recognition

27. Major benefit
Mobile devices in the workplace
Can connect workers & help them to communicate
Can be used as reference or tools to collect info
Mobile devices in the health field as hospitals begin
to go paperless
Reference guide for physicians and
nurses
Ultrasound mobile
attachment

28. How mobile devices can ease
everyday tasks
Monopoly
“snapped” edition
played with the
iPad
iPhone credit card slider
WiFi Body scale
that sends info to
your mobile
device

29. More cool gadgets
A chip on your pet’s collar to track where
they are at all times
iBaby Mobile Baby Monitor

30. Disadvantages
Produces “non-thinkers”, reduces our creativity and
ability to think on our own
Harder to protect intellectual property
Less privacy- your information is being tracked every
second

31. Disadvantages (cont)
Negative health affects
Links to cancer?
Exposure to radio waves
They can be distracting
Texting and driving
Older generation might
have a hard time using

32. Summary
Mobile computing can be performed on multiple
types of devices
These devices are much more portable and thus
increase our capacity to find information
However, our dependence on them is becoming
apparent and they can sometimes be distracting
Mobile devices are moving towards more
“wearable” devices in the future