A Seminar Report on

MOBILE
COMPUTING
Submitted in partial fulfillment of award of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
degree

By:
Tushar
CSE Vth Sem
2816045

Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Panipat Institute of Engineering & Technology,

(Affiliated to Kurukshetra University Kurukshetra,
India)Samalkha, Panipat

i
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the seminar report entitled “MOBILE COMPUTING” done by
Tushar, Roll No. 2816045 is an authentic work carried out by him. The matter embodied
in this seminar report has not been submitted earlier for the award of any degree or
diploma to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Mr. Karun Handa

Assistant Professor, CSE

Mr. Rajender Kumar, Mr. Gaurav Gambhir

Seminar Incharge, CSE Dept.

Dr. Suresh Chand Gupta

HOD, CSE

ii
 ABSTRACT

The term “Mobile Computing” is a recent buzzword in the IT world. Behind this fancy
poetic phrase there lies a true picture of the future of computing for both in technical
perspective and social perspective. Though the term “Mobile Computing" is recent but
the idea of centralizing computation and storage in distributed data centers maintained by
third party companies is not new but it came in way back in 1990s along with distributed
computing approaches like grid computing. Mobile computing is aimed at providing IT as
a service to the cloud users on-demand basis with greater flexibility, availability,
reliability and scalability with utility computing model. This new paradigm of computing
has an immense potential in it to be used in the field of e-governance and in rural
development perspective in developing countries like India.

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those to provide us the possibility
to complete this report. A special gratitude to our seminar mentor Mr. Karun Handa
whose contribution in stimulating suggestion and encouragement, help to coordinate and
complete our seminar especially in writing this report. Furthermore we would also like to
acknowledge with much appreciation, the crucial role of the staff of Collage, to give the
permission to use all the resources and other necessary materials to complete the seminar
“Mobile Computing”.

Tushar

iv
 CONTENTS
Cover Page & Title Page i

Certificate ii

Abstract iii
Acknowledgement iv

Table of Contents v

List of Figure vii

Chapter No DESCRIPTION Page No.

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 8-11

1.1 Introduction to Mobile computing 8
1.2 Traditional Distributed System 9
1.3 Nomadic Distributed System 10
1.4 AD-HOC Mobile System 11
1.5 Portable Computing Device 11

Chapter 2: CONCEPT OF MOBILE COMPUTING 12-13

2.1 Definition 12

2.2 Nature 12

2.3 Latest Trends In Mobile Computing 13

2.4 Technology in Mobile Computing 13

Chapter 3: WIRED NETWORK 14-15

3.1 Comparison to wired Network 15

Chapter 4: SOCIAL MOBILE WORLD 16-17

Chapter 5: GO MOBILE 18

5.1 Why go for Mobile? 18

5.2 Types of wireless devices 18

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Chapter 6: MOBILE OBJECTS 19-20
6.1 Moving Object Databases 19

6.2 Moving language for databases 20

Chapter 7: APPLICATIONS OF MOBILE COMPUTING 21-22

Chapter 8: UPCOMING CHALLENGES 23-25

8.1 Energy 23
8.2 Bandwidth 23
8.3 System 24
8.4 User Interface 24
8.5 Security and Privacy 25

Chapter 9: WHY WE SHOULD CARE? 26

Chapter10: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 27-29

Chapter11: FUTURE OF MOBILE COMPUTING 30

Chapter12: CONCLUSION 31

Chapter13: REFERENCES 32

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 LIST OF FIGURE
Figure No Name Page No
Figure 3.1 Characteristics 8

Figure 3.2 Example of On-demand self-service 9

Figure 3.3 Example of Rapid Elasticity 10

Figure 4.1 Basic Mobile Computing Architecture 11

Figure 4.2 Virtualization basic 12

Figure 4.3 Connections of devices with cloud 13

Figure 5.1 Mobile Service Stack 16

Figure 5.2 Service models 18

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 Chapter 1
Introduction

The International Data Corporation (IDC) indicates that the most popular activities of mobile
Internet users are search engine querying, reading news information, downloading multimedia,
and using email and instant messaging clients. Over the next four years, IDC predicts the
fastest-growing activities will be purchasing, social networking, and blogging.1 In essence,
most services available through desktops will soon be accessed mainly through a large quantity
(and variety) of mobile devices.

Exciting systems and networking innovation is happening on these devices, and it is a good
time to be a mobile computing researcher. At the operating system level, we have seen the rise
of the Linux-based Android platform gaining market share at the expense of the closed-source
iPhone. At the same time, the App Store launched by Apple contains more than 200,000
applications that users can download for their phone. Google has followed suit with an
equivalent (although less controlled) store for Android phones. Regardless of the authority
model — on which the jury is still out — the application store model is here to stay. While
previous application models involved service providers and phone producers only, now the
service market is open to third-party developers who might even be the users themselves.

Clearly, this field is burgeoning and developing in many directions, driven by users’ interests in
interacting and “staying connected.” With this in mind, it is worthwhile to stop and reflect on
users’ future needs and expectations as well as the challenges that this reality brings and the
opportunities offered.

Advances in wireless networking have prompted a new concept of computing, called mobile
computing in which users carrying portable devices have access to a shared infrastructure,
independent of their physical location. Mobile computing has fast become an crucial fresh
prototype in nowadays world of networked computing systems. This provides flexible
communication between people and continuous access to networked services. Mobile
computing is revolutionizing the way computers are used and in the coming years this will
become even more perceptible although many of the devices themselves will become smaller or
8
even invisible to users. This paper explicate different types of mobile system that are used in
distributed environment. It also explains mobility service architecture, technology, application
and demerits of mobile computing. Finally, this explain computing.

A technology that allows transmission of data, via a computer, without having to be connected
to a fixed physical link. Mobile computing has three aspects: mobile communication, mobile
hardware, and mobile software. The first aspect addresses communication issues in ad-hoc and
infrastructure networks as well as communication properties, protocols, data formats and
concrete technologies. The second aspect is on the hardware, e.g., mobile devices or device
components. The third aspect deals with the characteristics and requirements of mobile
applications. Mobile voice communication is widely established throughout the world and has
had a very rapid increase in the number of subscribers to the various cellular networks over the
last few years. An extension of this technology is the ability to send and receive data across
these cellular networks. This is the principle of mobile computing. Mobile data communication
has become a very important and rapidly evolving technology as it allows users to transmit data
from remote locations to other remote or fixed locations. This proves to be the solution to the
biggest problem of business people on the move - mobility.

Mobile computing has several characteristics reminiscent of distributed systems. The following
section is an explanation of the different types of distributed systems ranging from the
traditional type to nomadic, ad-hoc and finally ubiquitous ones.

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1.1 TRADITIONAL DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM

Traditional distributed systems consist of a collection of fixed hosts that are themselves
attached to a network if hosts are disconnected from the network this is considered to be
abnormal whereas in a mobile system this is quite the norm. These hosts are fixed and are
usually very powerful machines with fast processors and large amount of memory. The
bandwidth in traditional systems is very high too. In a traditional system, location rarely
changes as well and hosts are much less likely to be added or deleted from the network.
Traditional distributed systems also need to guarantee non-functional requirements such as
scalability (accommodate a higher load at some time in the future), openness (possibility to
extend and modify the system easily), heterogeneity (integration of components written using
different programming languages, running on different operating systems, executing on
different hardware platforms), fault-tolerance (recover from faults without halting the whole
system) and finally resource-sharing (some form of access control).

1.2 NOMADIC DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM

This kind of system is composed of a set of mobile devices and a core infrastructure with fixed
and wired nodes. Mobile devices move from location to location, while maintaining a
connection to the fixed network. The mobile host has a home IP address and thus any packets
sent to the mobile host will be delivered to the home network and not the foreign network
where the mobile host is currently located. Such problem can be solved by forwarding packets
to the foreign network with the help of Mobile IP. Nevertheless, Mobile IP also suffers from
efficiency (routing issues), QoS, security (authentication of mobile host at foreign network and
end-to-end security required) and wireless access (reduced capacity) problems.
The non-functional requirements mainly differ, compared to the traditional distributed
systems,in the heterogeneity (affected? by? the? presence? of? both? fixed? and mobile devices
across the network as well as the variations in technologies (e.g.: wireless)), resource sharing

10
(must take into account different issues when the resources need to be discovered) and fault
tolerance of system (considered to be quite the norm).

1.3 AD-HOC MOBILE DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM

Ad-hoc distributed systems are possibly the only type of network that comes close to mobile
networks in the sense that every node is literally mobile. When nodes are detached from the
fixed/mobile network they may evolve independently and groups of hosts opportunistically
form clusters of mini-networks. A-hoc systems do not have any fixed infrastructure which
differs them both from traditional and nomadic distributed systems. Security threats have to be
dealt even more cautiously in ad-hoc networks. Designing secure key distribution in an ad-hoc
network might be an extremely hard task.

1.4 PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICES

A Portable computer is a general-purpose computer that can be easily moved from place to
place, but cannot be used while in transit, usually because it requires some "setting- up" and an
AC power source. The most famous example is the Osborne 1. Portable computers are also
called a "transportable" or a "luggable" PC .A Tablet PC that lacks a keyboard (also known as a
non-convertible Tablet PC) is shaped like slate or a paper notebook, features a touch-screen
with a stylus and handwriting recognition software. An Internet tablet is an Internet appliance
in tablet form. Unlike a Tablet PC, an Internet tablet does not have much computing power and
its applications suite is limited, and it cannot replace a general purpose computer. Internet
tablets typically feature an MP3 and video player, a web browser, a chat application and a
picture viewer.

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 Chapter 2

Nature of Mobile Computing

2.1 MOBILE COMPUTING IS VERSATILE

Mobile computing is an extremely versatile technology. It can be instrumental in: (a) process
reengineering; (b) reducing operational and administrative staff; (c) improving
communications; (d) improving customer service; (e) reducing manufacturing costs; (f)
shortening business cycles; and (g) many other benefits. The variety of hardware, software, and
communications systems available and the many ways they can be integrated to solve problems
add to the versatility of mobile computing. The versatility of mobile computing will continue to
expand over the next few years as a predicted proliferation of new mobile computing devices
and the expanded usage of existing devices comes to fruition.

2.2 LATEST TRENDS IN MOBILE COMPUTING:

Mobile computing devices are becoming smaller, lighter, and more powerful than their
predecessors. They also come in various types and connectivity options. Two prominent classes
of mobile computing devices today are those that use the PalmOS and the Pocket PC operating
systems. These devices are capable of simple word processing, spreadsheet applications, web
browsing, calendar notations, and address management. There are also low-end handheld
computers with monochromatic displays, low resolution, limited memory, and somewhat bulky
sizes. Higher-end devices are extremely thin, have a high-resolution, and can include color
displays.

2.3 TECHNOLOGY IN MOBILE COMPUTING:

Recently, the free Linux operating system has been modified to run on handheld computers of
different types. Some manufacturers are also adopting Linux for their handheld computers. As
this operating system carries no licensing fee, it could further reduce the cost of handheld
computers. In developing countries like India, voice activated Linux-based computers have

12
been developed for mass usage in rural areas where the computing infrastructure is limited.
Device integration, such as the integration of cell phones and handheld computers, is also
occurring. Location aware mobile computing in which a person is able to obtain information on
local restaurants, theaters, coffee-shops, maps, driving directions, traffic, weather, news, tourist
attractions, and the like on a handheld computer is also becoming prominent.

2.4 NETWORK

Wireless connectivity for handheld computers also comes in several varieties. Most handheld
computers come with built-in infrared ports that can be used to exchange information with a
network or another computer at short range. Many of them can connect to wireless local area
networks (LANs) based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. Some cellular telephone service
providers are also making cell phone modules available for attachment to the expansion slots of
handhelds computers. Bluetooth, a new wireless standard for personal area networking , is also
available for some handheld computers. Wireless technologies, includes 802.11b, otherwise
known as Wi-Fi, Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-Wideband Radio (UWB), and Home
RF are being applied to similar technologies that Bluetooth use with mixed results.
802.11 is the most well known technology, excluding Bluetooth, and uses the same radio
frequency, meaning that they are not compatible as they cause interference with each other.
802.11 is being implemented into universities in the US, Japan and China, as well as food and
beverage shops where they are being used to identify

students and customers. Even airports have taken up the 802.11 technology, with airports all
over America, and three of America’s most prominent airlines promoting the use of it.

Infrared Data Association is extremely inferior to that of Bluetooth. Its limitations include only
being able to communicate point-to-point, needing a line of sight, and it has a speed of fifty- six
kilobytes per second, whereas Bluetooth is one megabyte per second. The Ultra- Wideband
Radio is superior to that of Bluetooth in that it can transmit at greater lengths (up to 70 meters),
with only half of the power that Bluetooth uses. HomeRF is a technology that is not very well
known. It is used for data and voice communication and targeted for the residential market
segment and does not serve enterprise- class. WLANs, public access systems or fixed wireless
Internet access.

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2.5 DEMERITS IN MOBILE COMPUTING

Devices such as PDAs, smart phones and wireless laptops, along with the necessary
peripherals should be easily upgraded to ensure businesses can remain current and effective.
Further adoption of mobile computing should see the initial cost of investment for businesses
fall, as the products become readily available and widely used.

Mobile computers offer many new options, however there are difficulties to consider.
Generally, wireless laptops cost 50% to 100% more than their desktop counterparts. Laptops
are also harder to upgrade most proprietary hardware components that limit future options. The
cost of setup for mobile computing varies depending on the number of employees, and the
hardware required. The initial investment in this technology remains risky, as the market is
rapidly changing and improving.

Mobile Computing:
 That Someone/something can move or be moved easily and quickly from place to
place.

 Users with portable computers still have network connections while they move.

 Mobile computing is using a computer while on the move.

 It is when a process is moved from a normal fixed position to a more dynamic

position.

 When a work process is carried out somewhere where it was not previously possible.

 It is an umbrella term used to describe technologies that enable people to access

network services anyplace , anytime , and anywhere.

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 Chapter 3

Wired Networks

3.1Comparison to Wired Network:

Wired Networks: Mobile Networks:

 High Bandwidth Low Bandwidth

 Low Bandwith Variability High bandwidth variability

 Can listen on wire Hidden terminal problem

 High power machines Low power machines

 High Resource Machines Low resource machines

 Need Physical access need proximity

 Low delay Higher delay

 Connected Operation Disconnected operation

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 Chapter 4

A Social Mobile World

One important aspect to note about the recent use of mobile computing is the increased access
to social networking services from mobile devices. In fact, mobile users spend more time on
social networking sites than desktop users. These statistics have several implications for
systems and network builders in general: the number of mobile phone users is already much
higher than desktop users, with much more dynamic connectivity patterns. This has impact,
among other things, on the load of systems handling content for social networking sites.

The combination of mobile phone technologies and online social networks leads to a very
appealing world for mobile advertisers and more generally for mobile service providers.
Strategy Analytics estimates the expenditure on mobile advertising at US$3.6 billion in 2009,
and projects US$38 billion by 2015.

Part of this forecast relies on the advantages of accessing social network services from a mobile
device: through location information gathering - sensing user activity as well as social profiling
- advertising can become more targeted and therefore better received and useful. It is not by
chance that Twitter now lets users add latitude and longitude to any tweet and that Facebook
has just launched Facebook Places.

Location-based social networks such as Foursquare and Gowalla are predicated on the use of
this technology from a mobile device. This means that, all of a sudden, the messages posted on
the social network are not only generated when the user is at his desk but also at any time
throughout his day. They also come from myriad devices dispersed and roaming all over the
world. And this is not limited to traditional messages: items of interest increasingly include
video download, music, and media streaming.
Looking at the last two years of mobile and ubiquitous/pervasive computing (as well as sensor
systems) conference programs, it is clear that the research community has developed a strong
interest in so-called participatory sensing, where users’ phones are employed as data collectors
in the environment for all sorts of sensed information (from images to temperature to
interaction patterns). In this context, several approaches have emerged to help with energy
conservation to allow long-term data collection as well as usability.

16
Figure 1. Location-based gaming.

No longer restrained to just talking or texting, the new mobile landscape takes advantage of
location information gathering. Foursquare, for example, is a social networking game played on
mobile devices that senses users’ locations and allows them to earn points and unlock badges as
they explore locations in their city. (Source: Foursquare; used with permission.)

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 Chapter 5

Why Go For Mobile

5.1 Reasons To Go For Mobile:

o Enable anywhere/anytime activity.

o Bring computer communications to areas without pre-existing infrastructure

o Enable mobility

o Enable new applications

o An exciting new research area

5.2 Types of wireless devices:

 Laptops

 Palmtops

 PDAs

 Cell Phones

 Pagers

 Sensors

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 Chapter 6

Mobile Objects

Mobile Objects:
A mobile object is a type of code that carries a state. And this state will
lives on a host and visits a places. Mobile Objects can to their friends but
only by cooperation of the hosts.

6.1 Moving Object Databases:

 Deals with the mobile objects whose geometry , position changes

over time.

 Traditional DBMS alone is incapable for this purpose.

 MOD is built on top of existing DBMS to support a critical set of

capabilities.

 DOMINO(Databases for moving objects tracking) approach.

 System Architecture

DOMINO

Arc View GIS

Informix DBMS

 Omnitracs

They are developed by qualcomm. It is a commercial system

used by the transportation industry.Provides location management by
connecting vehicles, via satellites, to company DB vehicles are equipped
with GPS , and they automatically and periodically report their location.

6.2 Query Language for MOD:

19
 Regular query language (SQL) is non-temporal.

 For MOD we need spatial and temporal query language

 Where is the nearest station

 What is the distance of the closest taxicab.

 Some proposed query language: future temporal logic(FTL) ,

MobSQL

 SQL like query languages with specific predicates and operators to

address temporal issues.

 What is the nearest station ?

Select station.name , station.address from station in stations where

nearest(here,station);

 At what time truck 12A arrive to Windsor :

Select t from v in trucks, c iin cities where v within(t) c and

v.id=12A and c.name=Windsor.

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 Chapter 7

Applications

Applications of Mobile Computing:

MOBILE COMPUTING BUSINESS APPLICATIONS: Much of the advances in
mobile computing are currently focused on business applications. The technology available and
being developed is designed to increase productivity, efficiency and connectivity for workers in
a range of fields from retail to professional. The advent of wireless networking has created new
opportunities in the design of instructional space. Computing systems are currently present in
many forms of customer service, mobile computing has the potential to have applications for a
greater range of these businesses. Traveling sales representatives have the potential to offer
consumers a demonstration of their product, simply through the use of a PDA(Personal Digital
Assistants), wireless laptop, or other mobile device.

 For estate agents

 In Courts

 In companies

 Stock information collection/control

 Credit card verification

 Taxi/Truck Dispatch

 Electronic Mail/Paging

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22
 Chapter 8
Upcoming Challenges

One interesting observable mismatch is that users expect the same level of service and
performance on their phone as they experience on their desktops. For example, low latency and
high responsiveness, ease of interaction, and always-on connectivity are the implicit user
requirements. It is also, however, true that current devices’ limitations are impacting the way
individuals use devices (skimming through email rather than reading carefully, and producing
very short answers). This, in turn, also induces new behavior in users. For instance, consumers
who bought the iPad sued Apple because the device was shutting down after overheating,
leaving users disappointed but still determined to own a device they can use to read the news
from a deck chair on the beach.
There are a number of other challenges, as well, for mobile application and network developers
that need attention. Each of these challenges must be solved before users’ expectations can be
met.

8.1 Energy :
Energy seems to be a permanent issue with these devices. Screens are getting bigger and more
colorful, functionality is increasing, as is the number of network interfaces and sensors
available and used by applications. Several of the most recent smart phones last no more than
12 hours without recharging, when continuously connecting to the network. While some of
these issues will be solved at the hardware level by use of more sophisticated batteries or
energy-scavenging solutions, there is also a need for improved software that works effectively
(for example, through a smart sensor and with efficient use of network connectivity).

8.2 Bandwidth :
Downloading and streaming video and audio content seem popular. Unfortunately, even today,
the current cellular network infrastructure is put under considerable pressure, and it seems
bound to become worse. Research is happening on alternative techniques for smarter content
caching or opportunistic use of local connectivity links (such as downloading interesting
content from your neighbors). Intelligent switching between interfaces, which would let users
seamlessly exploit networks with more bandwidth when available (such as Wi-Fi), is also a
promising idea.
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8.3 System :
Given the availability of multiple applications developed by different sources, there is a need to
engineer the device system in ways that allow for responsiveness and concurrent execution
while considering the limited resources and different user interfaces available. At the same
time, the high number of mobile devices and high frequency of use (because of the device’s
constant availability) imposes a load that burdens not just the network but also the back-end
servers. Hence, we need customized techniques that take advantage of the knowledge of device
location, access patterns, and user behavior.

8.4 User Interface :

The way people use services and devices cannot be forecast with precision. The success of
short message service (SMS) was an unpredicted event. It is apparent that the interaction with
systems happening from mobile devices is different from the one on desktop machines. Work
on voice interfaces is promising but not yet ripe, although it has the potential to considerably
change the kinds of services and ways in which services can be offered to users. The abundance
of challenges for hardware and software research in this area are therefore appealing, and
virtually all services offered now on the Internet need to consider the likelihood that users will
soon be accessing them through a mobile device.

Security and Privacy :

While mobile malware hasn’t captured too many headlines yet (with a few recent exceptions),
it is clear that with more applications being deployed, more businesses placing phones at the
core of their interest, and more data being collected through these devices, the interest of
criminals is bound to increase. Moreover, mobile devices can be stolen and tampered with
while the owner is not present in easier ways than with desktops and servers.

8.5Integration and Standardization :

We are at a stage where various forces are at work to gain a monopoly on the mobile services
market. Although it is unclear how this will develop, as part of the academic community. I have

24
the hope that some sort of open market solution will dominate. However, with open solutions
come the challenges of standardization, heterogeneity, and interworking of different
technologies and hardware: Will desktop computer history be able to teach us something?

 Disconnection

 Low Bandwidth

 High Bandwidth variability

 Low Power and resources

 Security risks

 Wide variety terminals and devices with different capabilities

 Device attributes

 Fit more functionality into single,smaller device

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 Chapter 9

Why we should Care?

The applications and technologies I have mentioned are still quite primitive — and yet we are
just one step away from the combination of location-based social networks and participatory (or
crowd) sensing. On one hand, we have a powerful device able to capture a variety of details
about our lives, including location and co-presence. On the other, we have tools that let us input
information and messages, and link to other people explicitly. The power of this integration
will certainly need to be confined somehow by clear privacy measures, but its implication on
the scale of perceived user experience will no doubt be noted. This means, however, for us
researchers that the challenges will just become harder to tackle. For example, who is in control
of the data collected about users? Who can combine them? Can the user constrain them? How
should location information be combined with place category information in a semantically and
possibly standardized way? How are services able to process the realm of data within
responsive and energy-efficient applications? Can we utilize user context data to fundamentally
improve social network analysis measures — and ultimately, the knowledge we have about
relationships, interaction, and mobility.
It is probably clear to many that the development of current technologies is marking the end of
the Internet as we know it: the phrase “Internet of Things” is often associated with
fragmentation because of the amount of devices that are and will be internetworked. However,
the most powerful trend, and the one probably most hidden until recently, is the inherent human
social nature that this fragmentation will be following closely, which will complement the
virtual and yet real social weaving happening online. This process might, to give one example,
open the doors to applications of the quite theoretical body of research on ad hoc and
opportunistic networking: maybe with the social network trend, people and businesses are
becoming acclimatized to the idea of the exploitation of social links to obtain more efficient
and per-sonalized services (for example, by exploiting the local bandwidth available between
two co- located devices instead of using a cellular network), integrated with the overall
centralized authorization of content and parties.

26
 Chapter 10

Advantages

Increase in Productivity :

Mobile devices can be used out in the field of various companies, therefore reducing the time
and cost for clients and themselves.

Portability :

This would be one of the main advantages of mobile computing, you are not restricted to one
location in order for you to get jobs done or even access email on the go

Cloud Computing :

This service is available for saving documents on a online server and being able to access them
anytime and anywhere when you have a connection to the internet and can access these files on

several mobile devices or even PCs at home.

Location flexibility :

This has enabled user to work from anywhere as long as there is a connection established. A
user can work without being in a fixed position. Their mobility ensures that they are able to
carry out numerous tasks at the same time perform their stated jobs.

27
Saves Time :

The time consumed or wasted by travelling from different locations or to the office and back,
have been slashed. One can now access all the important documents and files over a secure
channel or portal and work as if they were on their computer. It has enhanced telecommuting in
many companies. This also reduces unnecessary expenses that might be incurred.

Enhanced Productivity :

Productive nature has been boosted by the fact that a worker can simply work efficiently and
effectively from which ever location they see comfortable and suitable. Users are able to work
with comfortable environments.

Ease of research :

Research has been made easier, since users will go to the field and search for facts and feed
them back to the system. It has also made it easier for field officer and researchers to collect
and feed data from wherever they without making unnecessary trip to and from the office to the
field.

Entertainment :

Video and audio recordings can now be streamed on the go using mobile computing. It's easy
to access a wide variety of movies, educational and informative material. With the
improvement and availability of high speed data connections at considerable costs, one is able
to get all the entertainment they want as they browser the internet for streamed data. One can be
able to watch news, movies, and documentaries among other entertainment offers over the
internet. This was not such before mobile computing dawned on the computing world.

Streamlining of Business Processes :

Business processes are now easily available through secured connections. Basing on the factor
of security, adequate measures have been put in place to ensure authentication and
authorization of the user accessing those services.

28
Some business functions can be run over secure links and also the sharing of information
between business partners. Also it's worth noting that lengthy travelling has been reduced, since
there is the use of voice and video conferencing.

Meetings, seminars and other informative services can be conducted using the video and voice
conferencing. This cuts down on travel time and expenditure.

Disadvantages

Quality of connectivity :

As one of the disadvantages, mobile devices will need either WiFi connectivity or mobile
network connectivity such as GPRS, 3G and in some countries even 4G connectivity that is
why this is a disadvantage because if you are not near any of these connections your access
to the internet is very limited.

Security concerns :

Mobile VPNs are unsafe to connect to, and also syncing devices might also lead to security
concerns. Accessing a WiFi network can also be risky because WPA and WEP security can
be bypassed easily.

Power Consumption :

Due to the use of batteries in these devices, these do not tend to last long, if in a situation
where there is no source of power for charging then that will certainly be a letdown.

29
 Chapter 11

Future of Mobile Computing:

 Use of artificial intelligence

 Integrated circuitry – compact size

 Increase in computer processors speed

Mobile computing has a severe limitations , however it is far from

impossible and technology improves all the time.

Lots of challenges : some have good solutions , many others are still
waiting to be solved

30
 Chapter 12
Conclusion

This is the first article in a new column on mobile computing that will discuss several issues
related to mobility and ubiquitous devices. The use of mobile devices has been soaring, with
mobile subscribers surpassing 5 billion in 2010, according to the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is more than 70 percent of the world’s population.
ITU also forecasts that mobile Web access — via laptops and smart mobile devices — will
overtake fixed desktop Web access within the next five years. In countries like India and China,
this is already a reality.

The next time you update your Facebook status or Tweet, review a business report, read a
magazine or make dinner reservations on a smartphone or tablet, remember how it used to be.
Would you go back? Now, remember when you decided to take the plunge and purchase the
smart mobile device. The journey from fascination to envy to necessity is led by the freedom
that comes from mobile computing remember the desktop PC, now think about docking your
laptop. In the future, you will either dock your tablet or your cell phone. Your Personal Mobile
Device (PMD) will be your primary computing device for work and for personal pleasure. It is
a gold rush all over again. Those companies that bring the most robust and desired software
will rule the new application marketplace that marries smartphones and tablets to the Cloud.

2011 will be a year of proportionate options to connect and create a digital impression. In some
ways, it will be overwhelming and in others a distraction. The investments companies make in
the new decade to mobile computing for employees and consumers will set the tone for who
leads and who follows The Vessel head disruptions for mobile computing provide the tipping
points o free Cloud and flash storage, digital wallet transactions, gesture computing, and the
herding of developers to the water hole that provides the most opportunity cash in on mobile
apps. Wait not, and be part of the disruption revolution.

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 Chapter 13
References

1. “Global Mobile Stats: All Latest Quality Research on Mobile Web and Marketing,” Aug.
2010; http://mobi thinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/ latest-mobile-stats.

2. “GSMA Mobile Media Metrics (MMM) Mobile World Congress Seminar,” Global
Systems
for Mobile Comm. Assoc. (GSMA) and ComScore, Mobile World Congress, 2010;
www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Presentations_White
papers/2010/GSMA_Mobile_Media_Metrics _Mobile_World_Congress_Seminar.

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