What are the Different Types of Mobile Computing?

Developments in mobile technology have led to many different types of mobile computing. Although technology has existed since the 1980s, it was in the late 1990s and 2000s that advances in the technology put it into the hands of numerous consumers. In the 2010s, many people come into contact with mobile computing on a daily basis through smart phones, mobile computers, e-readers, and other portable devices.

In the 1990s, developments in mobile technology led to the creation of mobile computers, which are one of the most common forms of mobile computing. Mobile computing allowed people to access files and documents stored on the hard drive of a computer from various locations. Also called laptops, these computers offer portability and convenience to consumers. Developments in laptop technology have made these devices increasingly lightweight, small, and powerful in the 2000s and 2010s.

Small hand held electronics are also types of mobile devices. These machines, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) were a popular way to store information in the 1990s. They provided users with access to important files and documents when away from a computer. In the 2000s these devices were largely replaced by smart phones and small portable computers that are able to function in many different capacities.

Smart phones are one type of mobile device that are used around the world. These devices are small computers which give access to phone calls, e-mail, and the Internet. All of these features require the use of an Internet protocol (IP) address that allows the device to connect wirelessly to the Internet to send and receive information. Smart phones can also store large amounts of data, in the form of documents, music, videos, or various applications.

Mobile computing involves the use of technology that can be easily moved from one place to another. Though these devices can be standalone devices that hold data on a disk, in the 2010s most mobile computing devices come with an IP address which allows them to connect to the Internet remotely. As mobile computing shifts from devices that store data to those that retrieve data from the cloud, the need for an IP address is becoming increasingly important.