At one stage manufacturers created very low‐powered, low‐specced

Module 1.1 machines called Netbooks as a cheap way for people to own a mobile
Mobile technologies are
developing at a breakneck
computer. The ideal was a machine just powerful enough to do basic speed and it is quite likely
Hardware computing tasks such as web browsing, e‐mail (hence netbook) and that new, more exciting
and capable devices are
very limited general‐purpose computing (word processing, etc).
available at the time of
These machines never quite performed satisfactorily and so have reading compared to the
The sections on hardware
Introduction that were covered in
pretty much vanished as the much more convenient and easy to use time of writing.
tablet devices took their place.
Grade 10 and 11 are
The following concepts are what will be covered in this year’s essential background. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of laptops as mobile technology:
Hardware module:
Advantages:
Factors influencing Hardware  Powerful CPU (can run all your normal computer apps)
Mobile technologies
performance of a computer recommendations for...  Full-scale operating system
• Examples • CPU • Home use  Expandable (you can use any of the huge range of existing computer peripherals)
• Advantages • Memory capacity • Entertainment
Disadvantages:
• Constraints • Cache • SOHO
• Storage speed • Power user  Size (too large to be conveniently carried around with you all the time as mobile technology)
• Network speed  Battery life (too short to be really useful as a mobile technology – especially compared to
• Graphics processing ability smartphone and tablet)
• Bus performance  Not ‘always on’
 No built-in cellular data

Smartphone
Mobile technologies A smartphone is basically a mobile computer with a complete operating system that is around the
Though many people have more than one mobile device that they use, it is important that you size and shape of a cellphone. It has the ability to make
If you wanted to make a poster to
understand what each type of device is best used for. It’s pretty ridiculous to have ALL the devices phone calls but that is usually only about 5% of what people
illustrate the idea of convergence,
(why have so many things to carry around, keep updated and keep charged?). They are also not use the device for.
then the smartphone would be the
cheap, so often you need to make choices about which you can afford to buy. perfect device to use as an example.
Points to consider regarding smartphones as mobile
To help you out with thinking about this we provide a brief summary of the advantages and technology:
disadvantages of each kind of device.
Advantages: Disadvantages:
 ‘Always on’ (no boot or load time)  Mobile OS (can not run the same full-scale
Examples of mobile technologies
 Convergence device productivity apps as on your PC / Mac)
We are only going to take a brief look at the most common examples of mobile technology you are  Built-in cellular data  Input can be difficult
likely to encounter. That does not in any way mean that these are the only examples of mobile 
 Small size Not easily expandable
technology.
 Built-in sensors
Laptop and netbook
Tablet
The first mobile technology, a laptop, is a complete computer in a case that includes a battery and
Tablets are the big brothers of smartphones. They essentially include all the same technologies –
WiFi communications. You can easily attach a 3G modem to allow connectivity even where there is
except that they are not designed to include a phone function. Because of their larger size they allow
no WiFi signal. This allows you to work (with an Internet connection) anywhere. At first, laptops
for a more effective computing experience (bigger keyboard, bigger screen, easier to read, etc.).
were more expensive than desktops (and you got a less powerful machine), but laptop prices have
steadily decreased and they are both affordable and popular.

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Points to consider regarding tablets as mobile technology:
The future of computing lies in
 Tablets have larger screens than smartphones (making them easier to use for computing tasks)
and longer battery life than laptops. always on Mobile technology is never off – it’s always there, working in the background. We
don’t have to switch on our smartphones to check for mail or messages – instead, it
 All tablets with mobile operating systems have the same is always on, checking up for us. And when it receives a mail or message it lets us
iOS and Android tablets use mobile
disadvantages as smartphones. operating system whilst Windows know about it. All the hassle and obstructive nature of old style computing– the
 Windows tablets that run the full desktop version of tablets either use the Windows RT having to boot up, connect, start specific software just to accomplish small tasks
Windows 8 are more like laptops and have the same mobile operating system or the full such as messaging, mailing, looking at maps, listening to music… All of that is gone
version of Windows 8 (depending because mobile devices are never really off (the display is just off to save power).
advantages and disadvantages as laptops (including short
on the model you buy).
battery life). This makes them fast and responsive and it makes them seem smart and intuitive.

E-reader powerful Smartphones and tablets already include multi‐core, 64 bit CPUs – almost as good
as those in desktop computers. They have more processing power than the desktop
E‐book readers or e‐readers are devices that let you read electronic books. They are not the only
computers that many people were proud to own in the 1990’s.
way to read e‐books, because this can be done using e‐book software on a smartphone or a tablet as
well. convergent Miniaturisation has allowed smartphones and tablets to become devices that
E‐readers fall into two categories: Single purpose designs and tablet‐based designs. include the functionality of many mobile devices. Mere processing power is not
what makes mobile so desirable. If you have to carry around multiple devices, no
 Single purpose designs are dedicated e‐readers such as the Kindle and Kobo reader. These
matter how powerful they are, you would soon become irritated and frustrated
devices have screens that are excellent for displaying text but are not at all suited to movies,
because you would be overloaded with devices and inevitably forget to bring a
photos, etc. They are also low powered and do not run other software. Their sole purpose is to
device you need or lose devices by forgetting them behind you.
let you read books.
 Devices such as the Kindle Fire are really tablets that allow for a full, colour, multimedia mobile (or Something that does not need to remain in one place or that doesn’t need to be
experience and are theoretically able to run other software – though not much has been even tethered to wired connections such as power or communications cables. Wearable
developed for them. wearable) refers to technologies such as Google Glass (a smart device that looks like a pair of
glasses) or the Pebble or Gear smart watches. These are devices that you wear on
The following advantages and disadvantages refer to dedicated e‐reader devices.
your body instead of carrying them around in a pocket or bag. Wearable takes
Advantages: Disadvantages: mobile to the next step because you no longer need to remember to carry the
 Cheaper than a tablet or smartphone  Single purpose device device around with you – it is on you all of the time.
 Smaller and lighter  An extra item to carry around
technologies!
 Longer battery life (weeks)
 Easier to read in sunlight (not as good in
dim light or darkness)
Constraints on mobile technologies
Advantages of mobility As wonderful as mobile technology is at present, it is still nowhere near its true potential. There are
still many limits on mobile technology that need to be overcome and which limit its ability to deliver.
The advantages of mobility can be summarised in one word: The following are examples of such constraints:
convenience. Here are a few key points that describe the convenience of We cannot really leave
mobile devices. out portable computers Battery life
when we talk about
With a mobile device you mobile technology. This is the single largest limiting factor in mobile technology. We all want our devices to be as small
However, when we talk as possible and to operate for as long as possible before we need to recharge them.
 carry fewer items
about mobile devices, we
 can combine functions in new, creative ways are referring to BUT Longer operation = Bigger battery = Bigger device.
smartphones and
 are not restricted by time or location
tablets.
 can achieve or produce more in less time.

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At the same time, we want our devices to be smarter, faster, more powerful, always on and to use
more sensors. But such capabilities are naturally also limited by battery life. The more powerful a
Factors influencing the performance of a
CPU is, the more electricity it uses. To be smarter, a device needs to be connected to a network and computer
it needs to use its wireless radios all the time. This uses more power. Sensors use power. GPS radio
uses power… we think you get the picture. We all know that some computers are faster than others. Most computer adverts flood us with
technical specifications that are meant to give a sense of how fast or powerful the machine is.
More powerful device = greater need for electricity = larger battery / bigger size. These are the trade‐
Instead all they really do is confuse most people.
offs that are made with every mobile device.
The reality is that there is no single specification that determines the speed or performance of a
Device Average battery life computer. Instead, a whole lot of different components and specifications each have a role to play in
Smartphone Anything from 10 – 24 hours determining the overall performance of the machine. What makes determining the speed and
performance of a computer difficult is that manufacturers seldom put components of the same class
Tablet 6 – 10 hours
into the machine – they usually mix and match components to try to create an attractive offering for
Laptop 3 – 10 hours (only the Macbook Air delivers more than 10 hours) the price that they plan to sell the computer at.

Limited battery life means that When trying to understand the performance of computer systems, DO NOT focus only on the details
of any one specific technical component. It is far more important to understand how each part
 we always have to have access to chargers or carry spare batteries
affects the performance and then, when you actually need to buy a computer or make a decision,
 we never quite make it through the day without running out of power
research the technical details that are valid at that time. Remember: details such as CPU cores, bus
 we have to make choices and limit our usage of our devices to conserve power frequencies, graphics pipelines, etc. change fast. Learning about detailed technical specifications
 there is a struggle between computing power and power consumption. now is pointless, because tomorrow they will be outdated.
Devices are not as powerful as they could be if battery size or power were not an issue.
Learn instead what factors are important, the aspect of computing they affect and how to find out
Speed and availability of communication about them when you need to...

The ability of mobile devices to connect us to others or to the Internet is a critical factor in making Inevitably the faster components include the latest technologies, and so cost more: a general rule of
them useful to us. When cellphone reception is poor or absent then a smartphone or tablet can no thumb is that more expensive components are faster!
longer be used for connected tasks such as phone calls, data transfer, browsing the Internet, etc.
So let’s take a look at the factors that influence the performance of a computer.
This reduces their usefulness considerably.

The fact remains that not every place on earth is within range of cellphone towers distributing and CPU
receiving cellular radio signals. Many places that do have cellular signal might only have low speed
This is a very important factor. The CPU is the ‘brain’ of the computer and does most of the work –
(Edge) data transfer that makes mobile devices less useful.
or processing. It will obviously affect the speed of the computer system.
Size There are two aspects of the CPU that have a direct influence on system performance:
People like their devices to be small and light so that they are easy to carry around. They also want
 Speed (GHz)
them to be super‐powerful and have batteries that last forever. Batteries and computing
components take up physical space. If you limit the space available to use (by designing a thin case Bigger is better. A higher speed means the CPU can process more instructions in the same
for a smartphone) then you are effectively limiting the computing components and batteries that amount of time.
you can fit into it.  Cores
More is better. A core is a whole complete CPU on the chip, so a 2 core unit has 2 CPUs on the
same chip and a 4 Core unit has 4 CPUs, etc. This is important because each CPU can be working
on separate programs at the same time – which means better performance, especially in
situations where the user runs more than the average number of apps at once or where the
computer runs as a server which has to handle multiple clients at the same time.

5 6
Memory Shooters). If you don’t use the computer for any of the above‐mentioned tasks, then GPU
performance is not important at all.
Bigger is better. Memory is where the computer keeps the data or instructions it is working with.
Remember that memory is fast (much faster than magnetic storage). Keeping data or instructions in Bus performance
memory is faster than swopping data between memory and storage. Adding more memory to a
computer is often the cheapest and simplest way to improve its performance. Higher is better. The speed at which data is moved between the CPU and other parts of the
computer system (especially memory, GPU and storage) can also affect the performance of the
Cache computer. This transfer takes place over various different ‘buses’. With present designs this speed is
shown by the Mhz or Ghz speed of the bus and the number of lanes (or channels) in the bus system.
Cache uses a limited amount of faster media to speed up access to data and instructions stored on a
slower media. Cache temporarily stores recently accessed or frequently accessed data or The effect of an improvement in bus performance is the least significant of all the factors and only
instructions on a faster media. When these data or instructions need to be used, they can be really matters when you are trying to put the fastest possible machine together.
accessed much faster than if they had only been available from the slower storage media. The bigger
The only way to change the bus is to buy a new motherboard. If you buy a new motherboard but
the cache, the more data is accessible from the faster medium – and so the better the computer
keep the same old CPU and RAM then they keep on running at the same speed and don’t take
performs.
advantage of the new faster bus. You need RAM with a faster transfer rate, A CPU designed to take
Typically, cache is built into components such as the CPU and hard drive – you cannot upgrade or advantage of the new, faster bus. So, improving your bus basically involves replacing the main
change this directly without replacing these parts. working parts of your computer. This is generally not a sensible thing to do!

Storage
Hardware recommendations
Lower (access time) is better. The access speeds of storage devices show the average time it takes to
read/write data. The lower the access time, the faster the system will perform. There is a wide range of hardware (and prices) available. If you had all of the possible hardware and
the best, most expensive items in each category, you would be able to accomplish any task with your
One of the most astonishingly effective ways to improve a computer’s speed is to replace a magnetic computer. However, not everyone can afford (or wants) to do this.
hard drive with a SSD. You will not believe the speed increase this makes possible.
Any kind of recommendation for ICT equipment should always be use‐related. Let’s begin by
Just remember that SSDs are very expensive and come in much smaller sizes than conventional hard categorising and describing what computers are used for.
drives.
For home or personal use, computers are typically used for tasks such as
 limited office tasks (nothing that involves advanced skills)
Network
 Internet banking
Higher network speed is better. Network speeds are measured in Megabits or Gigabits. A higher  e‐mail and browsing the Web
speed shows that more data can be transferred in the same amount of time. This is a critical factor
 social networking
affecting performance when much of the computing work involves connecting to other computers
or resources (such as storage) over a network. If you will not be doing much networked computing  to Skype with family and friends overseas
then it’s not a factor worth worrying about.  to view and share photos
 for entertainment, such as casual gaming, playing music and viewing movies.
Graphics processing ability
The category of SOHO (Small Office Home Office) users is dependent on the type of business that is
Bigger is better. The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) has a whole bunch of factors (e.g. its own run. This type of user might therefore need general entry‐level desktops for administrative functions
processor, memory, bus, etc.) that determine its own performance. A GPU with more memory, more such as the following:
pipelines, etc. has got more to work with and will deliver better performance.  accounting or billing
A better GPU will definitely increase the performance of the computer when doing graphics‐  databases with clients, suppliers, stock, etc.
intensive tasks such as image editing, CAD, 3D, video editing, etc. GPU speed and power are also  electronic document archiving
very important for gamers playing competitive graphics‐intensive games such as FPS (First Person  planning and scheduling, etc.

7 8
In addition, architects or engineers working from home might also need a workstation to design Hardware item Recommendations
their architectural or engineering plans and models.
Many people uses their computer for entertainment – playing music, watching videos, surfing the Hard Disk Drive  Most users will almost never fill the default hard drive size on the
net, social networking, playing games, etc. This is a very casual use of the computer and in this (HDD) computer they buy if they simply use the computer for standard
category we include someone who plays ‘casual’ games just for fun. There is, however, another level This is the main, productivity applications, such as e‐mail and web browsing, etc.
of gamers – those who play intense network games on a competitive basis. We will categorise the permanent storage  When you start using your computer for entertainment (music, movies, TV
serious gamers under power users. area for all your shows, photo collections), then you will want to have the largest storage
data and software. you can afford.
Power users can range from hardcore gamers, architects, engineers and video editing professionals Computers usually
 Power users may even need to install a series of hard drives that act as
to scientists. All these users need high‐end specifications, such as fast processors and large amounts have one hard
drive, but you can one unit, which is sometimes referred to as RAID technology (Redundant
of memory and storage. In addition, they may need specific hardware related to their interests or Array of Inexpensive Disks), because of the increased speed and data
add additional
job. A power user will also typically use all the advanced functions of the software they use. security offered by this technology.
hard drives.

System unit recommendations Solid State Drives  Power users and anyone who wants speed can set up a SSD as the
(SSDs) use primary/system drive of a computer. This will result in faster boot up and
Storage, memory (RAM) and CPU specifications are probably the three most important hardware technology that is better system performance.
specifications in general. There are other specific considerations which we outline, but these three similar to flash
hardware components are the most critical for any kind of user when it comes to choosing a memory.
computer.
DVD Drive  DVD drives are less important than they were in the past. This is because
Hardware item Recommendations This is an optical flash drives, external hard drives and even the Internet are used to
drive that can play, transfer and back up information. Even software is mainly bought online
CPU or processor  The standard entry‐level (cheapest) processor is sufficient for most read and write CD and downloaded rather than distributed on optical discs. The DVD drive is
productivity tasks, e‐mail and web browsing, as well as casual gaming and and DVD discs. mainly for backward compatibility with software already bought on disc
The CPU is
responsible for multimedia (listening to music, watching videos and doing basic photo and for playing media such as music CDs or movie DVDs.
running your viewing and editing). This should be sufficient for personal users, and the
Port  Most devices can connect to a USB port. These ports are standard on all
programs and administrative tasks of SOHO users.
processing data, so This is used to computers. USB 3 is much faster than USB 2.
 Applications such as advanced games, 3D graphics, large databases, photo
it is critical for a connect external  Most computers will have a network port to connect to a cabled network.
and video editing need the best processors that are available. Power users
computer’s devices to the  Modern computers might also have a FireWire or Thunderbolt port for
should have the best CPU they can afford. computer.
performance. high speed data and video connections.

Memory (RAM)  For any user the more memory that you have installed, the better – no  While WiFi is not technically a port, many computers now have built‐in
matter what you are doing with your computer. This is because, with more support for WiFi. You will recognise this by a specification such as 802.11
The RAM is the b/g/n.
temporary storage memory, more data and programs can be loaded for processing at the
area for data and same time.
programs that are  Power users working with programs such as those used for video editing
being processed. will definitely require more memory, because these types of programs
work with a lot of data all at the same time. Advanced games demand the
best in everything from a computer – therefore lots of RAM.

9 10
Peripherals or devices that connect to the computer Hardware item Recommendations
Most computer adverts will include the basic input and output devices such as a keyboard, possibly a
Scanner  Image scanners have lost their popularity because of digital photography.
mouse and a monitor or screen.
Image scanners Personal users will seldom need a scanner, because they can just as easily
capture an image photograph the image as scan it.
Hardware item Recommendations
of whatever is  Any SOHO or power user who needs to scan documents and convert them
placed in the into editable text needs a good quality scanner and an OCR program.
Mouse  All users should use ergonomically designed keyboards and mice, because scanner whilst
Keyboard they reduce the impact of RSI. Don’t just settle for the cheapest ones!  If a SOHO or power user runs a business that deals with images or photos
barcode
then it is probably a good idea for them to get a good quality scanner to
These are still  A power user will probably have expensive technology related to their scanners read
the most barcodes. ensure that they can deal with any type of image that people might need
particular field of interest – e.g. a digitising tablet for an artist. If you are a
commonly used them to work with.
gamer, you have to consider a specialised mouse with many extra buttons
types of input and a ‘faster response’.
devices.
Activity
Monitor/  For most users an entry‐level monitor will do just fine. The only specification
screen they might worry about is the size (measured diagonally) in inches, e.g. a 21"
Mobile technologies
The most monitor.
common output  Power users such as video editors, photographers and architects often need 1. Of the mobile technologies listed in this module, identify the technology (or technologies) that
device for larger displays, or they might even connect multiple monitors to their would be best suited to the following tasks:
softcopy output computer to maximise their productivity. a) Taking a photo / video
 Entertainment users often want a big screen (for a better video experience)
b) Designing and creating a website
whilst a gamer wants a screen with a fast response time.
c) Posting a message to twitter
Printer  All users need to decide on which type of printer you need to purchase d) Quickly checking your e‐mail
Used to produce (which is dependent on your main printing needs) and factors such as e) Reading a book
hard copy running costs, speed (pages per minute), the print quality (dpi) and whether
f) Watching a movie
output. The you need to connect wirelessly or not.
g) Working on a formatted Word document
three basic types  A SOHO or even a personal user might consider a multi‐function printer
to choose from that combines a fax, e‐mail functions, scanning/copying and printing all in h) Quickly booking movie tickets
are laser, ink‐jet one device. i) Navigating from point A to Point B
and dot‐matrix
printers. j) Using as a second screen for your computer
k) Listening to your music collection on the go
External  For most personal users, a flash disk is the quickest and simplest way to
(portable) l) Making a skype call from the car
transfer data and even make some measure of backup.
storage m) Creating a 3D animation
 All users can use external hard drives as storage for music and videos etc.
Storage devices and to back up their internal hard drives. n) Reading a colour magazine
that connect to  All users find Cloud storage useful as a type of storage that they have access 2. What does ‘always on’ mean in terms of technology?
the computer to
to at any time, provided there is an Internet connection.
transfer data to 3. Which devices have ‘always on’ technology?
and from the  SOHO and Power users usually have a need for a large external storage
computer and device for storing business‐related data. 4. Why is ‘always on’ an advantage in mobile technology?
the storage  Entertainment users want the largest storage they can get because media 5. Why is input and interaction easier on a tablet than on a smartphone?
device. files (especially video) are large and take up a lot of space.
6. A mobile operating system is designed to be ‘always on’ and so is optimised for conserving
power. Why is this feature essential for mobile technologies?
7. Why is having a mobile operating system a bit of a disadvantage (at the moment, Jan 2014)?

11 12
8. List FOUR advantages of mobile devices.
9. What is the biggest constraint on mobile devices?
10. “Mobile devices would be useless without the Internet”. How true is this statement? Discuss.
11. Why is size a constraint on mobile technologies?
12. What does the term convergence refer to?
13. Name THREE ways you can conserve the battery power of a smartphone.

Factors influencing the performance of a computer

14 Which TWO aspects of a CPU influence the performance of a computer? Describe each shortly.
15. What is the cheapest and/or simplest way to improve the performance of a computer?
16. How can cache improve the performance of a computer system?
17. What do HDD and SSD stand for?
18. You got a 128 GB SSD as a birthday present but you have more than 2 TB of music and video
files on your current HDD. How can you configure your computer to get the best of both
worlds?
19. Use Google to find a list of at least FIVE GPU manufacturers.
20. Which TWO aspects of a bus influences its performance?

Hardware recommendations

21. Your aunt has just started a SOHO business and has purchased a multi‐function printer.
Give two typical functions that a multi‐function printer will performs, besides normal printing.
22. A friend bought an entry‐level desktop with a smallish hard drive and an integrated graphics
controller. She wants to record wedding videos and edit them on this PC to earn some money.
a) Why would it have been a good idea for her to check if the computer had a FireWire or
Thunderbolt port?
b) Explain why a small hard drive will be a problem in terms of using the computer for the
editing of videos.
c) Explain what we mean by the term ‘integrated graphics controller’.
d) Would this ‘integrated graphics controller’ be adequate for video editing?
Briefly motivate your answer.
23. Everyone loves a really big monitor, but some people really need them!
Name two categories of power users that need a big monitor or even multiple monitors to
maximise their productivity.
24. Why would a SOHO user make use of OCR software?

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