Mobile computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mobile computing - Research Paper Example In the present day world, the requirement of being interconnected even while being mobile has become a daily necessity. Majority of the underlying objectives of the prevailing businesses can only be achieved through use of wireless networks Businesses require a fast, in-time communication system for succeeding. Communicational delays could result in clients’ dissatisfaction, lost opportunities due to in-time decision making requirements, huge financial losses and sales reductions. The healthcare organization require internetworked machinery, internetworked data storage and reporting, interdepartmental alerts and messages, online access to patients past history at point of care i.e. in operation theaters, etc., access to medicine library in order to be aware of possible side-affects contradicting with patients medical history before giving out prescriptions, keep updated research repositories (Jessop, 2011). Mobile computing offers a solution to all areas of human computer inte raction that requires instantaneous access or retrieval of data through use of Internet (global networked environment) or Intranet (local networked environment) at possibly everywhere worldwide or within an organization. 2. What is Mobile Computing? Mobile computing refers to the computing environment that is created as a result of the joint collaboration of cellular technology, portable and smart devices, wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) and satellite services providing universal access to information round the clock. Unlike the traditional mode of access to Internet or Intranet through a fixed point of access, mobile computing enables mobility to users i.e. the users need not be connected to fixed network positions in order to acquire or communicate information. Rather the task can be carried out even while the user is entitled to unrestricted mobility (Imielinski & Korth, 1996). In some cases the data would be stored on public or proprietary servers to be retrieved through mob ile computers e.g. through Internet, while in other cases the mobile devices may provide data themselves e.g. through smartphones and cards (Bernard & Miller, 2011). 3. Essentials for Mobile Computing In order for achieving a mobile computing environment, there are some basic configuration requirements (Zimmerman, 2009). 3.1. High Portability and Computation One of the essential requirements for mobile computing is the need that the devices used in the environment are light weight and small enough to ensure portability (Forman & Zahorjan, 1994). Instead of big heavy mobile devices, small, lightweight units, offering to be used as high computational devices are better alternatives. 3.2. Low Power Consumption Besides the requirements of fast, lightweight computing devices (laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) there is an additional requirement of the devices to be low on power consumption in order to survive in the mobile computing environment (Forman & Zahorjan, 1994). This has bec ome a rather standardized requirement in the mobile computing world. 3.3. Internet Connectivity Another basic requirement for mobile computing is having a connection to the Internet. Whenever the device is required to have an Internet access, the mobile computing device must have at least a built-in wireless network adapter, also called as WiFi card for accessing the Internet. 3.4. Durability Another requirement of devices to survive the mobile computing environment is the fact that the devices must be operable in highly varying scenarios as mobile computing is supposed to be done anywhere and everywhere. An example is Panasonics ToughBook which was designed to survive the most