Chapter 10

Convenience and Instant Connectivity

Internet-enabled mobile device makes it easy and fast to access the Web, intranets, and other mobile devices without booting up a PC or placing a call.

Mobile Banking

Many banks now offer access to financial & account information, the ability to transfer funds, and receive alerts on digital cell phones, smart phones, and PDAs.

Wireless Bill Payments

Services provided by banking institutions that allow customers to pay their bills directly from their cell phones.

Hotspot

a geographical perimeter with in which a wireless access point provides wireless access for users

Mobile Portal

aggregates and provides content and services for mobile users that include news, sports, email, entertainment, travel and restaurant information; community services; and stock trading.

Internet over satellite

allows users to access the Internet via GEO satellites from a dish mounted on the side of their homes.

Medium-range wireless networks

are the familiar wireless local area networks (WLANs). The most common type of medium-range wireless network is Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi).

Microwave transmission systems

are widely used for high-volume, long-distance, point-to-point communication. Point-to-point has two characteristics: first, the transmitter and receiver must be in view of each other (called line-of-sight); and second, the transmission itself must be tightly directed from transmitter to receiver.

Wide-area wireless networks

connect users to each other and to the Internet over geographically dispersed distances.

Micropayments

electronic payments for small purchase amounts (generally less than $10).

Wireless network interface card

enables mobile devices to communicate wirelessly.

Short-range wireless networks

generally have a range of 100 feet or less.

Ultra-wideband

high-bandwidth wireless technology with transmission speeds in excess of 100 megabits per second.

Financial Services

include banking, wireless payments, micropayments, wireless wallets, bill-payment services, brokerage services, and money transfers.

Personalization

information can be customized and sent to individual consumers (e.g., as a short message service).

Voice Portal

is a Web site with an audio interface and can also be accessed through a standard phone or cell phone.

Rogue access point

is an unauthorized access point to a wireless network.

Pervasive Computing (Ubiquitous computing)

is invisible "everywhere computing" that is embedded in the objects around us - the floors, the lights, our cars, washing machine, microwave oven, cell phones, clothes, and so on. (e.g., smart home, smart appliances)

War driving

is the act of locating WLANs while driving around a city or elsewhere.

Localization of products and services

knowing a user's location helps companies advertise their products and services.

Satellite radio (digital radio)

offers uninterrupted, near CD-quality music that is beamed to your radio from space. XM satellite radio and Sirius have agreed to merge as of mid-2007. Looses signal like cell phones

Shopping from Wireless Devices

online vendors allow customers to shop from wireless devices.

Geostationary (GEO)

orbits 22,300 miles directly above the equator and maintains a relatively fixed position in relation to a dish on earth; excellent for TV signals.

Location-based Services

provide information to customers about local services and conditions via cell phones.

Eavesdropping

refers to efforts by unauthorized users to try to access data traveling over wireless networks.

Mobile commerce

refers to electronic commerce transactions that are conducted in a wireless environment, especially via the Internet.

Satellite transmission

systems make use of communication satellites; three types of satellites, each in a different orbit:

Mobile (Wireless) Wallets

technologies that allow cardholders to make purchases with a single click from their mobile devices.

Radio frequency identification (RFID)

technology allows manufacturers to attach tags with antennas and computer chips on goods and then track their movement through radio signals.

Wireless Electronic Payment Systems

these systems transfer mobile phones into secure, self-contained purchasing tools capable of instantly authorizing payments over the cellular network.

Cellular Radio

use radio waves to provide two-way communication

Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)

used in wireless local area networks

Broad reach

users can be reached instantly when they carry an open mobile device.

Bluetooth

Can link up to eight devices within a 30-foot area and transmit up to 2.1 megabits per second.

Wireless access point

a transmitter with an antenna

Global Positioning System

a wireless system that uses MEO satellites to enable users to determine their position anywhere on the earth.

Wireless Broadband or WiMax

access range up to 31 miles and data-transfer rate up to 75 Mbps

Low-earth-orbit (LEO)

are 400 to 700 miles above the surface, so they move much faster with respect to a point on the earth's surface; require many to cover the earth.

Medium-earth-orbit (MEO)

are located 6,000 miles above the earth's surface and move; used for the GPS system.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs)

are networks of interconnected, battery-powered, wireless sensors that are placed into the physical environment.

Near-field communications (NFC)

is the enabling technology behind (a) contactless payments with credit cards and (b) the substitution of a cell phone for a credit card (the wave of the future).

RF (Radio frequency) jamming

is when a person or a device intentionally or unintentionally interferes with your wireless network transmissions.

Location-based Advertising

is when marketers know the current locations and preferences of mobile users, they can send user-specific advertising messages to wireless devices about nearby shops, malls and restaurants.

Ubiquity

mobile device can provide information and communications regardless of user's location.

Mobile computing

refers to real-time, wireless connection between a mobile device and other computing environments, such as the Internet and an intranet.

Near-field Communications

shortest range of any wireless network; designed to be embedded in mobile devices such as cell phones and credit cards.

Mobility

users carry a mobile device and can initiate a real-time contact with other systems from wherever they happen to be.

Radio transmission

uses radio-wave frequencies to send data directly between transmitters and receivers.