Mobile device

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An iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet--two examples of mobile devices IPad & iPhone.jpg
An iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet—two examples of mobile devices

A mobile device (or handheld computer), also referred to as a digital assistant (or DA), is a computer small enough to hold and operate in the hand. Mobile devices typically have a flat LCD or OLED screen, a touchscreen interface, and digital or physical buttons. They may also have a physical keyboard. Many mobile devices can connect to the Internet and connect with other devices, such as car entertainment systems or headsets, via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular networks, or near-field communication. Integrated cameras, the ability to place and receive voice and video telephone calls, video games, and Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities are common. Power is typically provided by a lithium-ion battery. Mobile devices may run mobile operating systems that allow third-party applications to be installed and run.

Contents

Early smartphones were joined in the late 2000s by larger tablets. Input and output are usually via a touchscreen interface. Phones/tablets and personal digital assistants may provide much of the functionality of a laptop/desktop computer in addition to exclusive features. [1] Enterprise digital assistants can provide additional business functionality, such as integrated data capture via barcode, RFID, and smart card readers.

By 2010, mobile devices often contained sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers and gyroscopes, [2] allowing the detection of orientation and motion. Mobile devices may provide biometric user authentication, such as face recognition or fingerprint recognition.

Some of the major global manufacturers of mobile devices include Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, Realme, Motorola and OnePlus.

Characteristics

Device mobility can be viewed in the context of several qualities: [3]

Strictly speaking, many so-called mobile devices are not mobile. It is the host that is mobile, i.e., a mobile human host carries a non-mobile smartphone device. An example of a true mobile computing device, where the device itself is mobile, is a robot. Another example is an autonomous vehicle.

There are three basic ways mobile devices can be physically bound to mobile hosts:

Accompanied refers to an object being loosely bound and accompanying a mobile host, e.g., a smartphone can be carried in a bag or pocket but can easily be misplaced. [3] Hence, mobile hosts with embedded devices such as an autonomous vehicle can appear larger than pocket-sized.

The most common size of a mobile computing device is pocket-sized, but other sizes for mobile devices exist. Mark Weiser, known as the father of ubiquitous computing, [4] referred to device sizes that are tab-sized, pad, and board sized, [5] where tabs are defined as accompanied or wearable centimeter-sized devices, e.g. smartphones, phablets and pads are defined as hand-held decimeter-sized devices. If one changes the form of the mobile devices in terms of being non-planar, one can also have skin devices and tiny dust-sized devices. [3] Dust refers to miniaturized devices without direct HCI interfaces, e.g., micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), ranging from nanometers through micrometers to millimeters. See also Smart dust. Skin: fabrics based upon light emitting and conductive polymers and organic computer devices. These can be formed into more flexible non-planar display surfaces and products such as clothes and curtains, see OLED display. Also, see smart device.

Although mobility is often regarded as synonymous with having wireless connectivity, these terms are different. Not all network access by mobile users, applications, and devices needs to be via wireless networks and vice versa. Wireless access devices can be static and mobile users can move between wired and wireless hotspots such as in Internet cafés. [3] Some mobile devices can be used as mobile Internet devices to access the Internet while moving, but they do not need to do this and many phone functions or applications are still operational even while disconnected from the Internet.

What makes the mobile device unique compared to other technologies is the inherent flexibility in the hardware and software. Flexible applications include video chat, web browsing, payment systems, near field communication, audio recording etc. [6] As mobile devices become ubiquitous, there will be an increase of services which include the use of the cloud. [7] Although a common form of mobile device, a smartphone, has a display, another perhaps even more common form of smart computing device, the smart card, e.g., used as a bank card or travel card, does not have a display. This mobile device often has a CPU and memory but needs to connect or be inserted into a reader to display its internal data or state.

Types

Smartphones, handheld mobile devices Firefox OS smartphones (15204794911).jpg
Smartphones, handheld mobile devices
Smartwatches, handheld mobile devices Samsung Smartwatch.jpg
Smartwatches, handheld mobile devices

There are many kinds of mobile devices, designed for different applications. They include:

Uses

Handheld devices have become more rugged for use in mobile field management. This involves tasks such as digitizing notes, sending and receiving invoices, asset management, recording signatures, managing parts, and scanning barcodes.

In 2009, developments in mobile collaboration systems enabled the use of handheld devices that combine video, audio, and on-screen drawing capabilities to enable multi-party conferencing in real-time, independent of location. [8] Handheld computers are available in a variety of form factors, including smartphones, handheld PDAs, Ultra-Mobile PCs and Tablet PCs (Palm OS, WebOS). [9] Users can watch television through the Internet by IPTV on some mobile devices. Mobile television receivers have existed since 1960, [10] and, in the 21st-century, mobile phone providers began making television available on cellular phones. [11]

In the 2010s, mobile devices were observed to frequently include the ability to sync and share a variety of data despite the distance or specifications of the devices. In the medical field, mobile devices are quickly becoming essential tools for accessing clinical information such as drugs, treatment, and even medical calculations. [12] Due to the popularity of mobile gaming, the gambling industry started offering casino games on mobile devices, which led to the inclusion of these devices in the anti-hazard legislature as devices that could potentially be used for illegal gambling. Additional potentially unlawful actions could encompass the utilization of mobile devices in disseminating explicit material involving minors. Moreover, the legitimate adult entertainment sector's incorporation of mobile apps and technology to advance its operations raises concerns. There is also a prospect of leveraging mobile devices to facilitate cross-border services, warranting regulatory attention.

Within the military domain, mobile devices have introduced novel prospects for delivering training and educational resources to soldiers, irrespective of their stationed location. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal digital assistant</span> Multi-purpose mobile device

A personal digital assistant (PDA), also known as a handheld PC, is a multi-purpose mobile device which functions as a personal information manager. PDAs have been mostly displaced by the widespread adoption of highly capable smartphones, in particular those based on iOS and Android, and thus saw a rapid decline in use after 2007.

Ubiquitous computing is a concept in software engineering, hardware engineering and computer science where computing is made to appear anytime and everywhere. In contrast to desktop computing, ubiquitous computing can occur using any device, in any location, and in any format. A user interacts with the computer, which can exist in many different forms, including laptop computers, tablets, smart phones and terminals in everyday objects such as a refrigerator or a pair of glasses. The underlying technologies to support ubiquitous computing include Internet, advanced middleware, operating system, mobile code, sensors, microprocessors, new I/O and user interfaces, computer networks, mobile protocols, location and positioning, and new materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wearable computer</span> Small computing device worn on the body

A wearable computer, also known as a body-borne computer, is a computing device worn on the body. The definition of 'wearable computer' may be narrow or broad, extending to smartphones or even ordinary wristwatches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pocket PC</span> Obsolete type of computer, similar to smartphones

A Pocket PC is a class of personal digital assistant (PDA) that runs the Windows Mobile or Windows Embedded Compact operating system that has some of the abilities of modern desktop PCs. The name was introduced by Microsoft in 2000 as a rebranding of the Palm-size PC category. Some of these devices also had integrated phone and data capabilities, which were called Pocket PC Phone Edition. Windows "Smartphone" is another Windows CE based platform for non-touch flip phones or dumber phones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm (PDA)</span> Line of personal digital assistants and mobile phones

Palm is a line of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones developed by California-based Palm, Inc., originally called Palm Computing, Inc. Palm devices are often remembered as "the first wildly popular handheld computers," responsible for ushering in the smartphone era.

Mobile may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smartphone</span> Handheld mobile device

A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multimedia playback and streaming. Smartphones have built-in cameras, GPS navigation, and support for various communication methods, including voice calls, text messaging, and internet-based messaging apps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile browser</span> Web browser designed for use on mobile devices

A mobile browser is a web browser designed for use on a mobile device such as a mobile phone, PDA, smartphone, or tablet. Mobile browsers are optimized to display web content most effectively on small screens on portable devices. Some mobile browsers, especially older versions, are designed to be small and efficient to accommodate the low memory capacity and low bandwidth of certain wireless handheld devices. Traditional smaller feature phones use stripped-down mobile web browsers; however, most current smartphones have full-fledged browsers that can handle the latest web technologies, such as CSS 3, JavaScript, and Ajax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile computing</span> Human–computer interaction in which a computer is expected to be transported during normal usage

Mobile computing is human–computer interaction in which a computer is expected to be transported during normal usage and allow for transmission of data, which can include voice and video transmissions. Mobile computing involves mobile communication, mobile hardware, and mobile software. Communication issues include ad hoc networks and infrastructure networks as well as communication properties, protocols, data formats, and concrete technologies. Hardware includes mobile devices or device components. Mobile software deals with the characteristics and requirements of mobile applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smart device</span> Type of electronic device

A smart device is an electronic device, generally connected to other devices or networks via different wireless protocols that can operate to some extent interactively and autonomously. Several notable types of smart devices are smartphones, smart speakers, smart cars, smart thermostats, smart doorbells, smart locks, smart refrigerators, phablets and tablets, smartwatches, smart bands, smart keychains, smart glasses, and many others. The term can also refer to a device that exhibits some properties of ubiquitous computing, including—although not necessarily—machine learning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile game</span> Video game played on a mobile device

A mobile game is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any portable device, including from mobile phone, tablet, PDA to handheld game console, portable media player or graphing calculator, with and without network availability. The earliest known game on a mobile phone was a Tetris variant on the Hagenuk MT-2000 device from 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows Mobile</span> Family of mobile operating systems by Microsoft (2000-2013)

Windows Mobile is a discontinued mobile operating system developed by Microsoft for smartphones and personal digital assistants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handheld projector</span> Image projector in a handheld device

A handheld projector is an image projector in a handheld device. It was developed as a computer display device for compact portable devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and digital cameras, which have sufficient storage capacity to handle presentation materials but are too small to accommodate a display screen that an audience can see easily. Handheld projectors involve miniaturized hardware, and software that can project digital images onto a nearby viewing surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM Simon</span> Smartphone model

The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is a handheld, touchscreen PDA designed by International Business Machines (IBM), and manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric. Although the term "smartphone" was not coined until 1995, because of Simon's features and capabilities, it has been retrospectively referred to as the first true smartphone.

Construction field computing is the use of handheld devices that augment the construction superintendent's ability to manage the operations on a construction site. These information appliances (IA) must be portable devices which can be carried or worn by the user, and have computational and connectivity capacity to perform the tasks of communication management. Data entry and retrieval must be simple so that the user can manipulate the device while simultaneously moving, observing events, studying materials, checking quality, or performing other tasks required. Examples of these devices are the PDA, tablet PC modern tablet devices including iPad and Android Tablets and smartphone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile interaction</span>

Mobile interaction is the study of interaction between mobile users and computers. Mobile interaction is an aspect of human–computer interaction that emerged when computers became small enough to enable mobile usage, around the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile technology</span> Technology used for cellular communication

Mobile technology is the technology used for cellular communication. Mobile technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years. Since the start of this millennium, a standard mobile device has gone from being no more than a simple two-way pager to being a mobile phone, GPS navigation device, an embedded web browser and instant messaging client, and a handheld gaming console. Many experts believe that the future of computer technology rests in mobile computing with wireless networking. Mobile computing by way of tablet computers is becoming more popular. Tablets are available on the 3G and 4G networks.

A list of BlackBerry-related topics

Pocket-sized computer describes the post-programmable calculator / pre-smartphone pocket-sized portable-office hardware devices that included the earlier DOS-based palmtops and subsequent Windows-CE handhelds, as well as a few other terms, primarily covering the 1980s through 2007.

References

  1. ↑ "What is a personal digital assistant (PDA)?". SearchMobileComputing. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  2. ↑ Mondragón-González, Sirenia Lizbeth; Burguière, Eric; N’diaye, Karim (2023), Colliot, Olivier (ed.), "Mobile Devices, Connected Objects, and Sensors", Machine Learning for Brain Disorders, New York, NY: Humana, ISBN   978-1-0716-3194-2, PMID   37988517 , retrieved 2024-01-24
  3. 1 2 3 4 Poslad, Stefan (2009). Ubiquitous Computing Smart Devices, Smart Environments, and Smart Interaction. Wiley. ISBN   978-0-470-03560-3. Archived from the original on 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  4. ↑ Markoff, John (1999-05-01). "Mark Weiser, a Leading Computer Visionary, Dies at 46". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-04-11. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  5. ↑ Weiser, Mark (1991). "The Computer for the Twenty-First Century". Scientific American . 265 (3): 94–104. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0991-94.
  6. ↑ Beddall-Hill, Nicola; Jabbar, Abdul & Al Shehri, Saleh (2011). "Social Mobile Devices as Tools for Qualitative Research in Education: iPhones and iPads in Ethnography, Interviewing, and Design-Based Research". Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology. 7 (1): 67–90. ISSN   1948-075X. Archived from the original on 2017-06-18. Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  7. ↑ "Characteristics of Mobility in Wireless Networking". Lyna Griffin. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  8. ↑ Robbins, Renee (May 28, 2009). "Mobile video system visually connects global plant floor engineers". Control Engineering. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27.
  9. ↑ Mellow, P. (2005).The media generation: Maximise learning by getting mobile. In Ascilite, 470–476
  10. ↑ "Image of sony tv8-301 portable television receiver, 1960. by Science & Society Picture Library". www.scienceandsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  11. ↑ Lotz, Amanda D. (2007). "The Television Will Be Revolutionized." New York, NY: New York University Press. p. 65-66
  12. ↑ Boruff, Jill; Storie, Dale (January 2014). "Mobile devices in medicine: a survey of how medical students, residents, and faculty use smartphones and other mobile devices to find information*". Journal of the Medical Library Association. 102 (1): 22–30. doi:10.3163/1536-5050.102.1.006. PMC   3878932 . PMID   24415916.
  13. ↑ Casey, Mike (June 26, 2014). "Army seeks to increase use of mobile devices". ftleavenworthLamp.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

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