What is a mobile device?
A mobile device is general term for any type of handheld computer. These devices are designed to be extremely portable, and they can often fit it in your hand. Some mobile devices––like tablets, e-readers, and smartphones––are powerful enough to do many of the same things you can do with a desktop or laptop computer.
Tablets
computers
Like laptops, tablets computers are designed to be
portable. However, they provided a different computing experience. The most
obvious difference is that tablet computers don’t have keyboards or touchpads.
Instead, the entire screen is touch-sensitive, allowing you to type on a virtual
keyboard and use finger as a mouse pointer.
Tablets computer can’t necessary do everything traditional computers can do. For many people, a traditional computer like a desktop or laptop is still needed in order to use some programs. However, the convenience of a tablet computer means it may be ideal as a second computer.
R-readers
E-book readers––also called e-readers––are similar
to tablet computers, except they are mainly designed for reading e-books
(digital, downloadable books). Notable examples include the Amazon Kindle.
Barnes & Noble Nook, and Kobo. Most e-readers uses an e-ink
display, which is easier to read than a traditional computer display. You can
even read in bright sunlight, just like if you were reading a regular book.
v You don’t need an e-reader to read e-books. They can also be read on tablets, smartphones, laptops, and desktops.
Smartphones
A smartphone is a more powerful version of a traditional
cell phone. In addition to the same basic features––phone calls, voicemail,
text messaging––smartphones can connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi or a
cellular network (which requires purchasing a monthly data plan). This
means you can use a smartphone for the same things you would normally do on a
computer, such as checking your email, browsing the web, or shopping online.
Most smartphones use a touch-sensitive screen, meaning there isn’t a physical keyboard on the device. Instead, you’ll type on a virtual keyboard and use your fingers to interact with the display. Other standard features include a high-quality digital camera and the ability to play digital music and video files. For many people, a smartphone can actually replace electronics like an old laptop, digital music player, and digital camera in the same device.
