Mobile Devices

Comparing cell phones

2 categories - 3G and smartphones Smartphones -70% of U.S. cell phone market Samsung and Apple sell by far the most phones. Apple - iPhones Samsung - both 3G and smartphones Others- HTC, Microsoft (Nokia), Huawei, LG, Lenovo, Motorola, and Xiaomi

Tablet Computer

A highly-mobile computer with a mobile operating system Touchscreen interface Typical screen size is greater than 7 inches. Can even be used while standing or walking Popular for doctors making their rounds or for servers while taking orders

The Digital Signal Processor

A small computer within your smartphone Analyzes sounds entering your phone through the analog/digital converter Reduces unwanted noise, moderates speech volume, and even buffers signals to enhance phone call quality

Analog-Digital converters

Allow smartphones to receive an analog sound wave, such as a person's voice, and digitize it so the phone can process it They "sample" incoming sound waves and convert them to digital signals

Adding storage to a smartphone

Allows you to retain more photos, music, and videos on your phone Storage is solid state - no mechanically moving parts, very fast, energy efficient, and durable The type and amount of storage you can add to your phone depends on the manufacturer. It comes in a form called microSD You cannot add storage to iPhones

The Mobile Switching Station

Also called a mobile switching center, MSC server, or Mobile Telephone Switching Office Controls transmissions between cell phone towers and their base transceiver stations Connects your call with the mobile switching station of the person you're calling Ensures that your call isn't dropped between cells

The Base Transceiver Station

Also called the radio base station, is found at the base of the cell tower Broadcasts low-powered microwave signals through the tower antenna - creating "cells" of coverage Transmits cell phone signals to the mobile switching station

Cell phone providers

Also called wireless service providers or mobile network operators Sell cellular service to subscribers Need physical capability (antennas, BTSs, and MSSs), plus a spectrum of radio frequencies U.S. market controlled by Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile Other companies compete for smaller markets

Comparing Android with iOS

Android OS ---Linux based - Open source ---Most popular mobile OS worldwide ---Focus on 3rd party apps iOS ---For Apple products only-iPhones & iPads ---Most popular mobile OS in U.S. ---Focus on Apple apps

Apple - iPhones

Apple released it's first iPhone in 2007 and today nearly 20% of all smartphones are iPhones iPhones are known for their attractiveness and ease-of-use 5 versions of iPhone 6S has a midsize screen, the A9 chip and a 12 megapixel camera 6S Plus is a large-screen version of the iPhone 6S 6 has a midsize screen, the A8 chip and an 8 megapixel camera 6 Plus is a large-screen iPhone 6

Cell Phone Apps

Apps make your phone more useful and fun Some, such as those to make phone calls or send text messages, come pre-installed Other apps, such as games, social media apps, or specific apps for news, weather, and security services can be easily downloaded and installed

Blackberry OS

Blackberry began by creating pagers, and in 2007 was one of the most popular brand of cell phones Known for having a physical, tactile keyboard Reputation for being very secure By late 2009 the Apple iOS and Android operating systems were both more popular than Blackberry

Tethering

Connecting digital devices With cell phones - refers to using your cell phone as a hot spot Most smartphones can be used for tethering, though sometimes this is only available if allowed by your cellular provider Tethering uses your cell phone's data plan, so monitor usage

Syncing

Copying files from a folder on one device to a folder on another device Most commonly, this means moving photos and video from your smartphone to a different computer; or music from a computer to a smartphone Originating folder = source Receiving folder = target Syncing allows users to quickly copy files

Creating apps

Creating apps for iPhones and Android devices gets easier every year. To create an iPhone app, use a Mac computer and download Xcode and Swift from the Mac App store. For Android, download Android Studio and SDK Manager. Numerous YouTube tutorials give simple instructions on creating mobile apps.

3G, 4G, and LTE

Descriptions of network speeds "G" = generation "LTE" = long term evolution In general LTE is the fastest and 3G is the slowest 3G phones use less battery life - good for phone calls and texting 4G or LTE are best for streaming or uploading photos or videos

Windows Phone

Developed in 2008 to compete with Apple's iPhone and Android-based phones Use a proprietary, Microsoft operating system Use Bing for searches and a digital assistant called Cortana (like Apple's Siri) Use the Xbox Music and Xbox Games apps Not a commercial success...so far

The future of apps

Future cell networks will have much more bandwidth for apps to use. More video and virtual reality. More engaging game experiences. More monitor health and activities monitoring apps. Aggregated apps - For example, Facebook already includes news, video, and games all in one mega-app.

Android OS

Google's Android - most widely used smartphone OS Android is open-source, based on a Linux kernel. Any manufacturer can put it on its smartphone This, and its ease of use, have led to its popularity for use on smartphones and tablets Versions of the Android OS are assigned candy names ---Version 5 - Lollipop ---Version 6 - Marshmallow

Data Plans

In 2007 unlimited data plans were common By 2012, the increased use of streaming video made unlimited data plans impractical for cellular phone systems Now most providers have a basic monthly connection charge combined with separate data plan charges

Prepaid Phones

Inexpensive means for calling and texting Great for emergencies Major carriers require contracts and credit cards. With prepaid phones you can use cash Come with a set number of minutes When limit is reached, users can "add" minutes Often can't be used for roaming or streaming video

Cell phone bills

Layouts differ depending on your provider All include the same basic information ---Basic monthly charges for phone and data ---Equipment charges for things like new phones ---Taxes and surcharges

Other Smartphones

Many other companies manufacture cell phones Lenovo - Moto, Vibe, Z, Droid LG Electronics - G2, Flex, Gx Blackberry is known for its physical keyboards and intuitive operating system Huawei and Xiaomi - relatively unknown in the US, but are major manufactures of lower-end cell phones

Categories of apps

Millions of apps available Divided into major categories ---Game apps comprise over 20% of all downloaded apps. ---The next largest category of active downloaded apps are business apps. ---The next largest category of active downloaded apps are educational apps. ---Lifestyle and entertainment apps round out the top five categories of downloaded mobile applications.

iPhone OS

Most widely used operating system for smartphones in the U.S Developed by Apple for use on the iPhone and the iPad Reputation for ease of use Includes many Apple apps, including iTunes, FaceTime, Safari, and Siri All 3rd party apps must be reviewed and approved by Apple before they're available to download in the iPhone App Store

Samsung Tablets

Numerous options - two major categories Galaxy Note tablets are generally more powerful computers and come with a stylus, called the "S-Pen" Galaxy Tabs are more mid-range tablets that use a touchscreen rather than a stylus All come with WiFi only options or with WiFi plus cellular connectivity

Samsung Phones

Samsung released its Galaxy line of cell phones in 2009 and has quickly become the market leader in smartphone sales worldwide Galaxy and the Note use Google's Android operating system Some models are specifically designed for certain countries and markets Known for its innovative options ---Edge models - wrapped display ---Active and Xcover models - waterproof and dustproof

SMS and MMS

Short message service (SMS) protocol - texting ---Limited to 160 characters ---Texts are sent to an SMS center that forwards the unencrypted message to the recipient Multimedia messaging service protocol (MMS) similar to email ---For longer texts, images ---Messages are first sent to an MMS server, where the messages are encoded and stored before being sent

Smartphone Security

Since smartphones are computers they have similar risks Load anti-virus software on a phone, just as you would on a laptop Many companies offer such protection: McAfee, Norton, AVG Many users like to use apps such as "Where's My Droid" or "Find My iPhone"

Smartphone Memory

Smartphones have memory (RAM) and storage Smartphone manufacturers make this confusing because they refer to both RAM and storage as memory Most modern smartphones come with 1-2 gigabytes of RAM, while the storage capacities range from 8 -124 gigabytes Some phones allow adding microSD storage

App data usage

Streaming video uses by far the most data. Most streaming services, such as YouTube or Netflix, allow you to adjust video quality and data usage. 1 hour of HD Netflix streaming can take over 2.5 GB of data, but you can reduce this to 0.3 GB by lowering the video quality. Streaming music apps such as Pandora and Spotify also use data, but not nearly as much as streaming video.

Microsoft Surface

Surface Pro 4 - one of the most powerful tablets on the market Comes with Windows 10; not strictly a tablet No cellular connectivity options A detachable keyboard can be purchased Many memory and storage options, including up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of solid-state storage

Amazon Fire

Two major categories, the Fire HD and the Fire HDX Fire HD - relatively low-priced tablet that comes with 1 GB of RAM The Fire HDX is a more powerful tablet with 2 GB of RAM and up to 64 gigabytes of storage All Fire tablets use the Android-based, Fire operating system

Other companies compete for smaller markets

U.S. Cellular has nearly 5 million customers Cricket, a subsidiary of ATT, also has approximately 5 million customers MetroPCS is a subsidiary of T-Mobile Mexico's largest provider, America Movil, owns Straight Talk and TracFone

Roaming

Using other cellular networks besides your own Sometimes you enter an area where your network has no coverage If another cellular network has coverage you may be able to "roam" onto the other network Your provider must have a roaming agreement with the visited network. Often means additional fees

Compare phone provider

Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, all offer the same basic service - mobile connectivity Compare the networks' speeds, sizes, and prices Discounts on new Smartphones in exchange for long contract commitments "Family plans" to encourage more users Shop and compare - most customers stay with the same provider for many years

Apple iPads

iPads come with either WiFi connectivity only, or with WiFi plus cellular connectivity iPad Pro - 12.9 inch display- 4 GB memory iPad Air - 9.7 inch display, 2 gigabytes memory iPad Mini - 7.9 inch display, 2 GB memory