Handheld Computers


A mobile device (also known as cellphone device , handheld device , handheld computer , "Palmtop" or simply handheld ) is a pocket-sized computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input or a miniature keyboard. In the case of the personal digital assistant (PDA) the input and output are combined into a touch-screen interface. Smartphones and PDAs are popular amongst those who require the assistance and convenience of a conventional computer, in environments where carrying one would not be practical. Enterprise digital assistants can further extend the available functionality for the business user by offering integrated data capture devices like Bar Code, RFID and Smart Card readers.

Types of mobile devices

Mobile computers

  • Notebook PC
  • Ultra-Mobile PC
  • Handheld PC
  • Personal digital assistant/Enterprise digital assistant
  • Graphing calculator
  • Pocket computer (largely obsolete)

Handheld game consoles

  • Nintendo DS (NDS)
  • Game Boy, Game Boy Color
  • Game Boy Advance
  • Sega Game Gear
  • PC Engine GT
  • Pokémon Mini
  • NeoGeo Pocket, NeoGeo Color
  • Atari Lynx
  • Pandora
  • GP2X/GP32
  • Gizmondo
  • PlayStation Portable (PSP)
  • N-Gage
  • WonderSwan

Media recorders

  • Digital still camera (DSC)
  • Digital video camera (DVC or digital Camcorder)
  • Digital audio recorders

Media players/displayers

  • Portable media player
  • e-book reader

Communication devices

  • Mobile phone
  • Cordless telephone
  • Pager

Personal navigation devices (PNDs)

Accessories

  • Bluetooth headset

Handhelds at work

Handheld devices have become ruggedized for use in Handheld computers used at work have molded over time into a variety of form factors, including smartphones on the low end, handheld PDAs, Ultra Mobile PCs, Tablet PCs, and even notebook computers.

Internet faxing with handhelds

  • Most handhelds can be used to send and receive faxes by email using an Internet fax service. Internet faxing also enables handheld users to print documents by sending them to a nearby fax machine. This service is available through most internet fax providers.

Mobile Device Security

Mobile devices have wireless capability to connect to the Internet and office/home computer systems. However wireless capability poses a number of security risks. Managing the risks to mobile assets requires a knowledge of the threats posed to mobile devices and the vulnerabilities that may allow those threats to be realized. The Mobile Device Vulnerability Database (MDVD) is an online database for collecting vulnerability and countermeasure information on mobile computing devices and their technologies (Smart phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, VOIP, etc.) with references to all vulnerability and countermeasure information. View all information in the database as well as add vulnerability and countermeasure information on mobile computing hardware and software technologies.

References

  1. ^ Wireless Computing
  2. ^ Glossary of Terms Used in Security and Intrusion Detection
  3. ^ Mobile Device Vulnerability Database


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