Maseno University

Department of Information Technology

Introduction to mobile and wireless computing

Mobile Computing is a technology that allows transmission of data, voice and

video via a computer or any other wireless enabled device without having to

be connected to a fixed physical link. Can also be defined as a field of wireless

communication and carry-around computers, such as laptop computers.

The main components in mobile computing are −

 Mobile communication

 Mobile hardware

 Mobile software

Mobile communication

This is the use of technology that allows us to communicate with others in

different locations without the use of any physical connection (wires or cables)

this is enabled by infrastructure put in place to ensure that seamless and

reliable communication goes on. Since the media is unguided/unbounded,

the overlaying infrastructure is basically radio wave-oriented. This may

involve cellular telephone, two-way radio, fixed wireless, laser, or satellite

communications.
Mobile Hardware

Mobile hardware refers to a wide range of devices that allow people to access

data and information from anywhere at any time. These devices come in a

range of sizes, from those that fit in your pocket, such as cell phones, to

tablets, to laptops. Mobile computing can use cell phone connections to make

phone calls, as well as to connect to the Internet.

These devices will have a receptor medium that is capable of sending and

receiving signals. These devices are configured to operate in full- duplex,

whereby they are capable of sending and receiving signals at the same time.

They don't have to wait until one device has finished communicating for the

other device to initiate communications.

These wireless devices use an existing and established network to operate on.

In most cases, it would be a wireless network.

Mobile software

Mobile software is the actual program that runs on the mobile hardware and

which is the engine of the mobile device. -operating system of the appliance.

It's the essential component that operates the mobile device. This also

includes other applications on the mobile device that allow access of different

resources and from within and without the device.

Some important technologies and interfaces used for wireless and mobile are

1. GSM - Global System for Mobile communications was established in

Europe for digital phones in 1980s and became the standards of mobile

communication. By having this standard cell-phone user can buy one

phone that will work anywhere where the standard is supported. To

connect to the specific service providers in different countries, GSM

users simply switch Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards. They

store all the connection data and identification numbers you need to

access a particular wireless service provider

2. GPRS -- General Packet Radio Service. It is a technology for radio

transmission of small packets of data especially between mobile devices

and Internet. This was among the first technologies to enable internet

connections on phones.

3. 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G Networks

G – Stands for generations.

1G networks were analogue network and was conceived and designed

purely for voice calls with almost no consideration of data services.

2G - first digital cellular systems launched early 1990s which improved

quality of sound and security

GPRS with theoretical data rates up to about 144 kbit/s. GPRS offered

the first data service.

3G/UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) -

are the cellular networks that have data rates higher than 2.5G – going

up to 2Mbps. It’s also a specification for the third generation of mobile

communication technology. EDGE - Enhanced Data rates for Global

Evolution was also available with 3G.

4G - 4G/LTE (Long term Evolution) networks is the successor of 3G

networks with high data rates and it is also IP based.

4. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) - VoIP stands for Voice over IP, is

a technology, enables voice communications over the Internet through

the compression of voice into data packets that can be efficiently

transmitted over data networks and then converted back into voice at

the other end. Data networks, such as Internet or LANs, have always

utilized packet-switched technology to transmit information between two

communicating terminals, e.g., a computer downloading a page from a

web server, or one computer sending an e-mail message to another

computer. The most common protocol used for communicating on these

packet-switched networks is IP (Internet Protocol). VoIP allows for the

transmission of voice along with other data over these same packet-

switched networks and provides an alternative to traditional telephone

networks, which use a fixed electrical path to carry voice signals through

a series of switches to a destination.

without a direct line from your PC to the ISP.

6. WiMax- (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) - is a

wireless digital communications system that is a wireless broadband

technology standard. WiMax requires a tower called WiMax Base Station

similar to a cell phone tower, which is connected to the Internet using a

standard wired high-speed connection. But as opposed to a traditional

ISP (Internet Service Provider), which divides that bandwidth among the

customers via wire, it uses a microwave link to establish a connection.

In other words, WiMax doest not depend on cables to connect each

endpoint, the Internet connectivity to an end-user is provided through

microwave link between the tower and the user-endpoint, known as

WiMax Subscriber unit.

7. Near Field Communication - Near Field Communication (NFC) is a set

of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio

communication with each other by touching them together or bringing

them into close proximity, usually no more than a few centimetres.

Present and anticipated applications include contactless transactions,

data exchange, and simplified setup of more complex communications

such as Wi-Fi. Communication is also possible between an NFC device

and an unpowered NFC chip, called a "tag".