Portable Information Devices

Contributors: Bichlien Hoang Ashley Caudill

Originally published on the IEEE Emerging Technology portal, 2006 - 2012. Visit: http://www.ieee.org/go/emergingtech

Portable information devices are changing the face of communication, entertainment and healthcare and are also influencing how business is conducted and information is managed. Technological innovation has allowed information devices to become portable due to reduction in size and weight. Advances have also led to increased power in terms of processing speed and storage. The spread of wireless environments has been another factor in making computing mobile. There are currently over two billion cellular phone users in the world and as the number of users increases, the capabilities of phones increase as well. [1] Many cell phones are outfitted with digital cameras, short messaging service (SMS) or text message capability, audio and video capabilities, address book, calculating and alarm functions, games, and scheduling. Originally designed as personal electronic organizers, a number of functions have been added to PDAs (personal digital assistants) in recent years. In addition to managing personal information like contacts, appointments, to-do lists, PDAs (e.g., Palm products and HPs iPaq) can also be used to access the Internet, act as a global positioning system (GPS) device, send and receive e-mail, and be used for calculations, note taking, video recording, and appointment reminders, among other capabilities. PDAs run application software, such as Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Outlook for Windows mobile devices. PDAs also have synchronization capabilities. Backing up data by synchronizing a PDA with a PC provides insurance that data will not be lost if a PDA is broken, stolen, or completely out of battery power. [2] Handheld e-mail devices (e.g., BlackBerry), interactive or two-way pagers, and ultramobile PCs are other portable information devices (PIDs) designed for data maintenance and communication. The newest generation of cell phones or smart phones merges the capabilities of cell phones with those of PDAs. Smart phones are web-enabled devices which offer voice capabilities and also personal information management (PIM) capabilities such as phonebooks, calendars, e-mail and scheduling. Although combining the functionalities of mobile phone and PDA could eliminate redundant devices, some users find the small keyboard and screen size place limitations on the utility of this all-in-one device. [3] Some possible solutions to these challenges include using an attachable keyboard connected by Bluetooth or a USB port and designing web sites specifically for mobile devices by eliminating large graphics and improving navigation. The spread of wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) enables mobile computing users to easily connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point or hotspot. IEEE Standard 802.11 is the industry standard for products seeking mobile Internet access, from phones to PDAs and gaming devices. Many mobile devices can also use Bluetooth technology, a wireless standard used for temporary, short-range data and voice connection [4], to synchronize to a personal computer or to use Bluetooth devices like a headset, mouse or foldable keyboards with the device.

Page 1

Portable Information Devices

Contributors: Bichlien Hoang Ashley Caudill

Originally published on the IEEE Emerging Technology portal, 2006 - 2012. Visit: http://www.ieee.org/go/emergingtech

Though handheld radios and portable CD players have long been in existence, more recent technology has expended the world of portable entertainment. Portable entertainment devices include MP3 players and portable satellite radio players, portable DVD players, mobile gaming, and multimedia devices, which have the capabilities of music, video and gaming devices. Location-based gaming played on mobile devices like cell phones or PDAs, makes use of GPS technology to merge real and virtual worlds. [5] Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite based navigation system. GPS devices allow users to determine their location and attain directions to destinations. Many handheld communication devices, smart phones, cell phones and PDAs contain embedded GPS technology and standalone GPS handhelds are available as well. Portable information devices also have a number of practical applications in the field of healthcare. Portable monitoring devices, such as blood glucose meters for diabetics or heart monitors for people with a history of heart disease, allow patients to keep track of their vital statistics from home. Doctors can use PIDs to send prescriptions to a pharmacy during a patients appointment, conduct real-time video-conferencing consultations, and even remotely conduct surgery. Portable information devices can also be used to enable many other applications used in distributed diagnostics and home healthcare. When information is portable, work can be accomplished from anywhere at anytime. PIDs serve many purposes for mobile workers such as salespeople in the field, telecommuters working from home or elsewhere, and repair workers located at customer sites. Portable and wearable technology is especially useful for workers, such as electricians who climb electrical poles or buildings, who need to use hands-free devices. Screens and cameras built into helmets, touchpanel displays attached to the hand, wrist-mounted keyboards and speech translators could provide computational support without physical limitations. [4] The IEEE Portable 2007 International Conference on Portable Information Devices, scheduled to be held in March of 2007, will cover many mobile computing and portable information topics. The conference will address new and emerging technologies, wireless and microwave technologies and distributed networking, and new directions being explored in PID technology, such as nano- and polymeric materials and reliability and performance in harsh environments.

Page 2

Portable Information Devices

Contributors: Bichlien Hoang Ashley Caudill

Originally published on the IEEE Emerging Technology portal, 2006 - 2012. Visit: http://www.ieee.org/go/emergingtech

References [1] Cellular.co.za. Stats Snapshot. [2] Howstuffworks.com. What PDAs Do. [3] Red Herring. Smart Phones Face Challenges. Red Herring, July 31, 2006. [4] Turban, Efraim. Dorothy Leidner, Ephraim McLean, James Weatherbee. Information Technology for Management: Transforming Organizations in the Digital Economy. John Wiley & Sons, New York, Fifth Edition, 2006. [5] Kushner, David. Location, Location, Location. IEEE Spectrum, January 2006.

Page 3