Computer Maintenance

Mobile Devices: How they Operate

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Course Objectives
Define

and identify what constitutes a

mobile device
Demonstrate a working knowledge of
mobile device operation
Understand and explain how mobile
devices communicate

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Devices
Mobile

device: a small, hand-held computing

device that typically weighs less than 2
pounds

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Types of Mobile Devices

Cell

phones
Smart phones
Personal data assistants
Tablet (more recently)

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Devices
Devices

contain an operating system that

allows them to run smaller applications called
apps.
Wireless connectivity is built into the device

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Cellular

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Device Interface

Touch:

Device interaction by touch can

happen in many different ways:

Touchscreen
Stylus
Mechanical keyboard & finger track pad/ball

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Device Interface

Touchscreen:

Screen of the device contains

layers with the LCD being on the bottom and
the subsequent layers above house the touch
sensors

Two most widely used systems in mobile devices:

Resistive and Capacitive Touch
The screen is comprised of a
large grid that signals the
coordinates of the users input

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Device Interface

Resistive

Touch: Two thin layers where one

is electrically charged and the other senses
the charge when the two are pressed
together

This is an older version of the touchscreen

technology.
Pressing firmly on the screen and using a stylus
were the two most common means of using this
technology

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Mobile Device Interface

Capacitive Touch: An insulator (glass) is

coated with a grid of conductors that emit an
electrostatic field that when touched allows the
grid to locate where the field is being disrupted

This is the current standard for touchscreen

interfaces (smartphones, tablets, and other current
mobile devices).

Doesnt require firm pressesmerely a light touch

Requires touch with skin (conductive) to function

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Operating a Mobile
Device
Device

Power button

Operation (Smartphone):

Turns the device on/off

Home button Usually located on a central part

of the device

Turns the screen on

Exits an application
May be a Back button

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Operating a Mobile
Device
Device

Back button (may also be the home button)

Operation (Smartphone) Contd:

Exits an application / Reverts to a previous screen

Track pad Some devices have this option also

located in a central part of the device.

Utilized to navigate on devices without a touchscreen

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11

Mobile Devices How

They Communicate

Mobile devices use three means of wireless

communication: Wi-Fi, cellular, and Bluetooth
Wi-Fi is used for small coverage areas

Cellular is used for large geographical areas

Residential
Businesses
Deployed by large telecom companies

Bluetooth is for the smallest coverage areas

Often utilized as an accessory device alongside mobile

devices (ex. Bluetooth headset)

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Mobile Devices Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi:

Wireless technology that allows

electronic devices to exchange data

Wi-Fi (a.k.a. WLAN) was developed in the mid to late

1990s
Developed by the technology that allows devices to
transmit and receive data wirelessly through radio
frequencies
Requires an Internet source to function as a router (hub)
and offers Internet connectivity to wireless devices
Utilizes a standard that can connect with almost all
mobile wireless devices

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Mobile Devices Wi-FI

The

802.11b - Single Band

2003 standard 2.4 Ghz 54 Mbits/s

802.11n Dual Band

Late 90s technology 2.4 Ghz - 11 Mbits/s

802.11g Dual Band Unified b/g

different speeds of Wi-Fi

2009 amendment 2.4 & 5 Ghz 54 to 600 Mbits/s

802.11ac Fifth Generation of Wi-Fi An

emerging standard

5 Ghz At least 1 gigabit per second

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Mobile Devices Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

Security

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP): Initial form of

Wi-Fi security; introduced in 1999 and outdated
by 2003 due to security concerns (least secure)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA): 2003 security
implementation designed to make wireless
networks more secure
Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2): Current
security standard that employs a 256 bit
encryption (most secure)

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Mobile Devices Wi-FI

Wi-Fi Security: Connecting to the network

Select network name

Identify security type

Mobile device should auto detect the security type

Enter password
Join

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Mobile Devices Cellular

Cellular

wireless: Wireless connectivity via

cellular radio towers that are deployed across
an extensive geographic area

Providers utilize different technologies that can

allow devices to work with one provider and not
another
Current cellular technologies are CDMA and GSM
and LTE
Cellular wireless speeds are increasing rapidly due
to the benefits of the newest technology, LTE

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Mobile Devices Cellular

Cellular

wireless contd:

Broadcast from the 450 Mhz frequency up to the 21

MHz frequency
FCC oversees who owns what frequencies a cellular
provider may utilize
Lower frequencies allow a cellular radio tower a
greater radius of range
Lower frequencies also improve reception in buildings

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Mobile Devices Cellular

Cellular

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA):

wireless types:

Aging 3G standard for wireless devices used for data and

voice and is the dominant technology in the U.S.

Global Systems for Mobile Communications

(GSM):

Newer 3G to 3.5G wireless technology; is the dominant

technology utilized worldwide

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Mobile Devices Cellular

Cellular

wireless types contd:

Long Term Evolution (LTE):

4G or 4th generation of cellular wireless technology

The next evolution of GSM; is being widely adopted
Speeds currently are 2-10 times faster than 3G technology

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Mobile Devices
Bluetooth

Bluetooth: Wireless standard for exchanging

data over short distances in the 2400-2480 Mhz
range

Developed in 1994 as an alternative to data cables

Must be paired with a compatible device to function
Is used for data sharing and voice communications
Uses low power (benefit)
Examples of devices a mobile device can pair with:

Smartphone, PDA, headset, printer, keyboard, and PC

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Independent / Group
Work
Group
Get into your groups
Pick a class of mobile device (Smartphone / PDA / Tablet)
Research where that device is heading with advancements in technology
and the role that wireless communication is going to play in the functionality
of that mobile device
Once finished, your group will present your finding to the class
Take detailed notes on each groups research as it is being presented
Individual
Pick a wireless technology (Wi-Fi / cellular / Bluetooth)
Research and list some benefits of the technology over other wireless
technologies as well as some of its potential limitations
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Exam Preparation
An

exam will be given over the material

covered in the presentation
Make sure to review your class notes and
these slides
Questions will be multiple choice and
true/false

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