Exercise 2. Read and translate the text. Laptops and mobile devices.

Laptops and mobile devices.

The first laptops were used primarily by business people who needed to access and enter data when they were away from the office. The use of laptops was limited due to expense, weight, and limited capabilities compared to less expensive desktops.

Improvements in technology have allowed the laptop to become lightweight, powerful, and much more affordable. Because of this, laptops are found in just about every setting today.

Laptops run the same operating systems as desktop computers and most come with built in Wi-Fi, webcam, microphone, speakers, and ports to attach external components.

A mobile device is any device that is hand-held, lightweight, and typically has a touchscreen for input. Like a desktop or laptop computer, mobile devices use an operating system to run applications (apps), games, and play movies and music. Mobile device also have different CPU architecture, designed to have a reduced instruction set when compared to laptop and desktop processors.

With the increase in demand for mobility, the popularity of laptops and other mobile devices continues to grow. This chapter focuses on many features of laptops, mobile devices, and their capabilities.

 

Exercise 3. Work in pairs. How are these mobile device features and functions useful?

calculator	GPS	camera	calendar
Long battery life	torch	USB recharger	e-book reader

Exercise 4. Write an essay on the one the following topics:

· Impact of the cell phones on society

· Banning cell phones in schools and colleges

· Danger of cell phones

 

Lesson 23. Connection types.

Exercise 1. Work in pairs. Think about people in these jobs. How might a mobile device be useful for them?

1. A company sales person who visit many client companies.

2. A delivery driver for a parcel delivery company.

3. A technician who installs entertainment systems in people’s homes.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

Connection types.

Mobile devices can connect to other devices to use shared peripherals or other resources. They can be wired or wireless connections.

Wired Connections

· Micro/Mini universal serial bus (USB) connectors – These USB connectors can charge a device and transfer data between devices.

· Lightning connector – allows Apple mobile devices to connect to host computers and other peripherals, such as USB battery chargers, monitors, and cameras.

· Proprietary vendor specific ports – Proprietary vendor specific ports can be found on some mobile devices. These ports are not compatible with other vendors, but often compatibles with other products from the same vendor. These ports are used to charge the device and communicate with other devices.

Wireless Connections

Besides Wi-Fi, mobile devices also use the following wireless connections:

· Near field communication (NFC) – NFC enables mobile devices to establish radio communications with other devices by placing the devices close together or by touching them together.

· Infrared (IR) – If a mobile device is IR enabled, it can be used to control other IR controlled devices remotely, such as a TV, set top box, or audio equipment.

· Bluetooth – This wireless technology allows data exchange over a short distance between two Bluetooth-enabled devices or connect to other Bluetooth-enabled peripheral devices, such as speakers or headphones.

Shared Internet Connections

A smartphone’s Internet connection can be shared with other devices. There are two ways to share the smartphone’s Internet connection: tethering and mobile hotspot. The ability to share the connection depends on the cellular carrier and the plan with the carrier.

· Tether – This uses your cellular phone as a modem for another device, such as a tablet or laptop. The connection is made over a USB cable or Bluetooth.

· Mobile hotspot – A hotspot is where devices connect using WiFi to share a cellular data connection.