1. Chapter 3
Mobile Computing

2. Learning Objectives
Discuss the value-added attributes, benefits, and fundamental drivers of m-commerce.
Describe the mobile computing environment that supports m-commerce (i.e., devices, software, services).
Describe the four major types of wireless telecommunications networks.

3. Learning Objectives
Discuss the application of m-commerce within organizations and across the supply chain.
Describe consumer and personal applications of m-commerce.
Understand the technologies and potential application of location-based m-commerce.
Describe the major inhibitors and barriers of m-commerce.

4. Definition of Mobile Computing
DEFINITION : The ability to use technology in remote or mobile (non static) environments. This technology is based on the use of battery powered, portable, and wireless computing and communication devices, like smartmobile phones, wearable computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Mobile computing a generic term describing one’s ability to use technology untethered, but often used to refer to access to information or applications from occasionally-connected, portable, networked computing devices.

5. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
Wireless mobile computing (mobile computing)
Computing that connects a mobile device to a network or another computing device, anytime, anywhere.

6. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
MOBILE DEVICES
personal digital assistant (PDA)
A stand-alone handheld computer principally used for personal information management.
smartphone
A mobile phone with PC-like capabilities.

7. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
MOBILE COMPUTING SOFTWARE
Mobile Operating System
Mobile Application User Interface
microbrowser
Wireless Web browser designed to operate with small screens and limited bandwidth and memory requirements.

8. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)
A scripting language used to create content in the WAP environment; based on SML, minus unnecessary content to increase speed.

9. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
Markup Languages
Wireless Markup Language (WML)
A scripting language used to create content in the WAP environment; based on XML, minus unnecessary content to increase speed.
Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (xHTML)
A general scripting language; compatible with HTML; a standard set by W3Consortium.

10. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure

11. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
MOBILE COMPUTING SERVICES
Short Message Service (SMS)
A service that supports the sending and receiving of short text messages on mobile phones.
Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS)
An extension of SMS that can send simple animation, tiny pictures, sounds, and formatted text.

12. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
The emerging generation of wireless messaging; MMS is able to deliver rich media.
Location-Based Services
global positioning system (GPS)
A worldwide satellite-based tracking system that enables users to determine their position anywhere on the earth.

13. Mobile Computing Components and Infrastructure
Voice-Support Services
interactive voice response (IVR)
A voice system that enables users to request and receive information and to enter and change data through a telephone to a computerized system.
voice portal
A Web site with an audio interface that can be accessed through a telephone call.

14. How Mobile Computing works?
Mobile computing is the idea that users can process data or perform digital tasks on mobile devices.
A microprocessor powers mobile computing, and memory chips provide for data storage.
A radio frequency element handles power sourcing and other proprietary telecom technology sends outgoing signals and receives incoming signals from a 3G or 4Gwireless network.

15. Mobile Computing Functions
A computing environment is defined as mobile if it supports one or more of these characteristics:
User mobility: User should be able to move from one physical location to another location and use same service
Network mobility: User should be able to move from one network to another network and use same service

16. Mobile Computing Functions (Cont.)
Device mobility: User should be able to move from one device to another and use same service
Session mobility: A user session should be able to move from one user-agent environment to another.
Service mobility: User should be able to move from one service to another
Host mobility: The user should can be either a client or server.

17. Advantages of Mobile Computing
1 - Increase in Productivity - Mobile devices can be used out in the field of various companies, therefore reducing the time and cost for clients and themselves. 2 - Entertainment - Mobile devices can be used for entertainment purposes, for personal and even for presentations to people and clients.

18. Advantages of Mobile Computing
3 - Portability - This would be one of the main advantages of mobile computing, you are not restricted to one location in order for you to get jobs done or even access on the go.
4 - Cloud Computing - This service is available for saving documents on a online server and being able to access them anytime and anywhere when you have a connection to the internet and can access these files on several mobile devices or even PCs at home. 

19. Disadvantages of Mobile Computing
1- Quality of connectivity - mobile devices will need either WiFi connectivity or mobile network connectivity such as GPRS, 3G and in some countries even 4G connectivity because if you are not near any of these connections your access to the internet is very limited.
2- Security concerns - Mobile VPNs are unsafe to connect to, and also syncing devices might also lead to security concerns. accessing a WiFi network can also be risky because WPA and WEP security can be by passed easily.

20. 3- Power Consumption - due to the use of batteries in these devices, these do not tend to last long, if in a situation where there is  no source of power for charging then that will certainly be a let down.

21. Issue Surrounding the mobile computing technology
1 - Disconnections
Resources can be allocated to handle disconnections more elegantly, or to try and prevent those disconnections from happening. 
2 - Low Bandwidth and Bandwidth Variability
Wireless networks deliver lower bandwidth than wired networks, hence mobile computing designs need to be very concerned about bandwidth consumption.

22. 3- Security Concerns
This is further complicated if users are allowed to cross security domains, for example in a large firm where sensitive data accessible to only authorised personnel and other data that is freely accessible to anybody with a mobile computer. 

23. Mobile Financial Applications
MOBILE BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
WIRELESS ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS
Wireless Bill Payments
Closing the Digital Divide

24. Mobile Shopping, Advertising, and Content Provision
WIRELESS SHOPPING
MOBILE AND TARGETED ADVERTISING
mobile portal
A customer interaction channel that aggregates content and services for mobile users.

25. Mobile Enterprise and Supply Chain
SUPPORT OF MOBILE EMPLOYEES
Mobile Office
Sales Force Mobilization and Automation
Worker Support in Retailing
Support in Operations
Job Dispatch
Maintenance and Repair at Remote Sites

26. Mobile Consumer Services
MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT
Music and Video
Mobile Games
Mobile Gambling

27. Location-Based Mobile Commerce
location-based m-commerce
Delivery of m-commerce transactions to individuals in a specific location, at a specific time.
Five key factors for services provided :
Location
Navigation
Tracking
Mapping
Timing

28. Location-Based Mobile Commerce
THE TECHNOLOGY FOR
L-COMMERCE
Global Positioning System
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM AND GPS
Geographical information system (GIS)
A computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, sharing, and displaying geographically referenced (spatial) information.
GPS/GIS Applications

29. Summary
Wireless communication brings challenging new problems. Mobility makes  information dynamic. Portability entails limited resources available on board to handle the variable mobile computing environment. The challenge for mobile computer designers is to incorporate wireless communication, mobility, and portability to adapt the system designs that have worked well for traditional computing.

30. THE END