Salale University

Department of Computer
Science
Course Name:
MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
Chapter one
Introduction to Mobile Computing

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 Outlines of Chapter One
Definition
Trends of Mobile
Computing Paradigms
Mobile Devices
Application
Wired vs. Mobile Network
Mobile OS
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 Introduction to Mobile Computing

Projection keyboard
Android
The iPhone

Mobile Computing
The iPad

Google glass Portable projectors

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 Definitions
• Mobile:
Any electronic device that may be easily moved from
place to place physically.
Able to move freely and usually Wireless is need to
move freely.
• Computing:
The activity of performing computations.
The activity of using computer hardware and software
for some purpose.
• Mobile Computing: is computing system that may be
easily moved physically and whose computing capabilities
may be used while they are being moved or it is
Performing of computation in mobile units
Example:- laptops, smart phones, …
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 Basic components of Mobile Computing

• There are three basic components of Mobile

Computing. These are:
1. Networks: communications. i.e. the way
through which two or more devices
communicate
2. Devices and Computing units: device used
to do calculation. i.e. mobile itself
3. Applications: computation. i.e. any computer
calculation taking place in mobile system/OS
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 Trends of Mobile
Computing Trend
Size

Number
One Computer for Many One Computer for
One Person Many Computer for One
People Person
(PC Computing)
(Mainframe Computing) 1980’s (Pervasive Computing)
1960’s
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2000’s 6
 Computing Paradigms
1. Personal Computer: – refers to the use of personal
computers for computations.

characterized by:
Local software installation,
Local system maintenance
2. Distributed System: – refers to the use of distributed
systems to solve computational problems.
oconsists of multiple autonomous computers that
communicate through a computer network.
oit appears to its users as a single coherent system.
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 ….Computing Paradigms
Example: surfing the web from different terminals on
university . Each web page consists of hypertext, pictures,
movies and elements anywhere on the internet.

• Google has more than 1.5 million servers across a globe.

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 ….Computing Paradigms
• Characteristics of Distributed System
remote information access
High availability i.e. replication
fault tolerance
Security

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 …Computing Paradigms
3. Parallel Computing: – Calculations of large problems
are divided into smaller parts and carried out
simultaneously or concurrently on different processors.
characterized by:
Shared memory . i.e. to exchange information
between processors they share memory.
4. Pervasive /Ubiquitous Computing: is about the
invisible and everywhere, every time computing.
“It is about making computers so “embedded”, so
fitting, so natural that we use them without even
thinking about them.” (the other definition).

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 …Computing Paradigms
 Characteristics of Pervasive computing
Invisible: tiny, embedded, attachable.
Everywhere: we can access remotely.
Context Awareness (physical location, physiological state,
emotional state,…).
Smart Sensors, wearable, …
• Example:
1. Adjustment of heating, cooling and lighting levels in a room
based on an occupant’s profile.
2. Refrigerators "aware" of their suitably tagged contents, able to
both plan a variety of menus from the food actually on hand, and
warn users of stale or spoiled food.

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 …Computing Paradigms
• Cloud Computing: is a computing paradigm that
provides computation software, data access, and storage
services that do not require end-user knowledge of the
physical location and configuration of the system that
delivers the services.”
• Characteristics:
Unknown location. i.e. where it is placed is
unknown for end users.
Store high amount of data. Example. Big data.
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 …Computing Paradigms
• Cloud Computing

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 Mobile Devices
• Mobile Device: is handheld device or handheld
computer and a pocket sized computing device,
typically having a display screen with touch
input or keyboard.

• Remember that
Due to the rapid advancement of the technology its
hard to make a specific classifications of mobile devices.

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 …Mobile Devices
• Different types of mobile devices
Laptop
1. Notebook
2. Netbook
3. Ultra-Mobile PC
Communication devices
1. Pager
2. Smartphone
3. PDA &Pocket PC
4. cell phone
5. Cordless phone
Tablet PC & E-book readers
1. Pager
2. Smartphone
3. PDA &Pocket PC
4. cell phone, 5. Cordless phone
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 …Mobile Devices
•Laptop in general
is a small personal computer designed for
portability.
usually all of the interface hardware(ports,
graphics card, sound channel, etc.,) are built
in to a single unit.
contain batteries that can power the device
for some periods of time.
upgrade is usually difficult/impossible.
Example Keyboard
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 …Mobile Devices

1. Notebook: used for heavy & multi-tasking loads.

Example creating and editing HD video or
computer aided engineering software & –
contain high capacity batteries.
Screen -(10” and above)
Purpose- (multi- purpose)
Weight – (light)
Computing power (high )

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 …Mobile Devices

2. Netbook: – Used for basic applications. Example Office

applications & it has Longer battery life.
Screen -(7”-10”)
Purpose – (limited,.. internet, basic applications)
Weight – (very light)
Computing power (low )

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 …Mobile Devices
3. Ultra mobile-pcs(UMPCs): – Used for basic applications
with Longer battery life. Example Office applications.
Purpose – (very limited,…, Internet, view info)
Screen -(4”-7”)
Weight –(very very light)
Computing power (very low )
UMPCs are pocketable!
reduced specification (lack of CD-drive)

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 …Mobile Devices
• Communication devices
1. Pager
Beeper: because of the sound it made
Voice tone pager: for recording Voice message.
Numeric pager: can display up to twenty digits at a
time.
Alphanumeric pager: – modified versions of
numeric pagers with sophisticated display to
accommodate text.

Example.
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 …Mobile Devices
2. Mobile phone/cellphone
Provides:
voice communications
Short Message Service (SMS)
Multimedia Message Service (MMS),
newer phones also provide
Internet services
Web browsing, instant messaging, …
e-mail.

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 …Mobile Devices
3. PDA: Personal Digital Assistant
designed primarily to provide the functionality of
maintaining appointments, tasks, contacts, etc.
usually pen-based,(use a stylus rather than a keyboard
for input)
Today PDAs function as a cellular phone, fax sender,
Web browser and personal organizer.
Traditional PDAs have not had phone or fax services.
Pocket PC: A type of PDA/smartphone which runs
Windows Mobile as its operating system.

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 …Mobile Devices
4. Smart Phones

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 …Mobile Devices
• Smart Phones
traditional PDA + cellular phone
combines standard phone features, such as making and
receiving phone calls, with computer functionality.
Incorporates
Wi-Fi access, email, calendars and
GPS
let you store information & install programs.

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 Smart phone Functionality
Voice calls including Video calls
Local File Storage
Internet/Cloud Services
Office Computing
eBook Reader
Multimedia Player
Digital Audio/Video Recorder
Location Based Services
Context awareness
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 …Mobile Devices
5. Cordless telephone: is a telephone with a wireless
handset that communicates via radio wave with base
station connected to a fixed telephone line.

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 ..Mobile Devices

6. Tablet PC
Portable personal computer equipped with a
touch screen as a primary input device and
designed to be operated and owned by an
individual.
Use virtual keyboard & handwriting for text
input recognition through touchscreen.
It also can be connected to a full-size
keyboard and monitor.

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 Mobile Devices
• There are two types of tablet PCs. These are:
1. Convertible -look a lot like normal laptops except the
screen can be rotated all the way around and laid down
flat across the Keyboard.
2. Slate- looks like a flat screen without a keyboard.

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 Mobile Devices
• Advantage
Great mobility
digital ink. i.e. record your handwriting and drawings
7. E-book reader
Portable electronic device is designed primarily for
the purpose of reading digital books and publication.
• Support
Text to speech
Internet Capabilities( Wi-Fi ,3G)

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 Applications of Mobile Computing

•Transport
Position and tracking system through
GPS.
prevent accidents, navigation system.
Tourist navigation
•Emergencies/ Disaster relief
early transmission of patient data to the
hospital.
current status, first diagnosis.
earthquakes, fire etc.
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 Applications of Mobile Computing…

• Business
M-Commerce: mobile E-commerce /shopping, …
M-Banking: offer mobile access to financial and
account information.
Advertising: using SMS is becoming very popular
in our country.
• Entertainment, Education
outdoor Internet access
multi user games
M-learning : E-learning

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 Applications of Mobile Computing…

• Location aware
find services in the local environment. Example printer.
nearest cash ATM/ shop / restaurant/hotel

• Web access & Communication

Internet accessing
electronic mail. i.e. email
chatting

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 Comparison b/n Wired Net & Mobile Net
• Wired Network #Mobile Network
high bandwidth 1. low bandwidth
can listen on wire 2. hidden terminal
problem.
high power machines 3. low power
machine
high resource machines 4. low resource machine
No security problem 5. there is security
problem
low delay 6. high information delay
connected operation. 7. disconnected
operation

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 Mobile OS
• Mobile OS: is the operating system that controls a mobile
device similar in principle to an operating system such as
Windows, Mac OS, or Linux that controls a desktop
computer or laptop.
• What are the major functions of any OS???
managing the various peripheral devices. Ex. mouse,
keyboard,..
Provides a user interface:, e.g. CLI, (GUI).
Handles system resources: such as computer's memory
and sharing of the central processing unit (CPU) time by
various applications or peripheral devices.
Provides file management: refers to the way that the
operating system manipulates, stores, retrieves and saves
data.
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Mobile OS
Types of Mobile OS

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Mobile OS

• Symbian/ Nokia Mobile

Market share(2010): 37.6%( the first since 2010
GC )
License : open source
Company: Nokia.
CPU Architecture: ARM
Programmed in: C++
Application store: Symbian Horizon,
Ovistore(10000+).
Package manager: Nokia Ovi Suite.
Other: multi-touch, easily affordable cost.

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 Mobile OS
• Symbian (Nokia)
Advantage
massive global reach. This leads WW market with 62%
of smartphone traffic.
being open source could help accelerate pace of
innovation.
Disadvantage
limited reach in the US/Developed countries
application distribution more difficult today.
manufacturer dependent.

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 Mobile OS
• Android
Market share(2010): 22.7%. # 2nd since 2010. but today
it is the first OS for Mobile.
License : open source
Company: Open Handset Alliance(Google).
CPU Architecture: ARM, x86
Programmed in: C, C++, Java
Application store: Google play (700,000+)
Other: multi-touch, Linux

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 Mobile OS
• Android/Google
Sensors
1. Ambient Light Sensor: adjusts the display
brightness.
2. Proximity Sensor: detects how close screen of the
phone is to your body .display turns off in order to
save battery.
3. Accelerometer Sensor: detects the orientation of
the device and adapts the content to suit the new
orientation
4. Gyroscope Sensor: is a device used for measuring
orientation.
5. Proximity Sensor: detects the presence of nearby
objects without physical contact.
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Mobile OS
• Android/Google
• pros
Open source
Manufacturer independent
Technology support like GPS.
• Issue
Late to market. This was since 2o1o.

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 Mobile OS
• BlackBerry RIM OS
Market share(2010): 16.0%
License : Proprietary
 Company: Research in motion (RIM).
CPU Architecture: ARM
Programmed in: Java
Application store: Blackberry App World(30000+)
Package manager: Blackberry Desktop Manager

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 Mobile OS
• BlackBerry
Pros:
Leads US market with 31% of smartphone traffic.
It was at 3rd place in WW market with 11% of
smartphone traffic.
Developers not limited to single distribution channel.
Issues:
Less Developer momentum
RIM / hardware dependent &
Users more email focused.

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 Mobile OS
• Apple iOS
Market share(2010): 15.7%
License : Proprietary
Company: Apple.
CPU Architecture: ARM
Programmed in: C, C++, Objective-C
Application store: Apple App Store(300,000+)
Package manager: iTunes
Other: Mac OS, multi-touch, for iphone ,ipod touch.
ipad, Apple Tv only.

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 Mobile OS
• iPhone OS (Apple)
Pros:
Strong user growth.
More than 10 million iPhones sold.
Application store creating a vibrant app ecosystem
with More than 1 million downloads.
Powerful technology (e.g., multi-touch, GPS,
accelerometer).
Issues:
App approval process is largely to developers.
App store is the only authorized distribution channel.
Apple / hardware dependent.
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 Mobile OS
•Windows Mobile
Market share(2010): 4.2%.
License : Proprietary.
Company: Microsoft.
CPU Architecture: ARM.
Programmed in: C++.
Application store: Windows Marketplace for
Mobile.
Package manager: Windows Mobile Device
Center.

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 Mobile OS
• Windows Mobile
Pros:
Strong user reach
Manufacturer independent
Issues:
Less developer satisfaction
Application distribution is more difficult
compared to others.

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 Mobile OS
• Others
Palm OS: mobile operating system initially
developed by Palm.
webOS: mobile operating system from HP/Palm.
Bada: mobile operating system developed by
Samsung Electronics.
MeeGo OS: from Nokia and Intel (open source).

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 The End!

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