| The fascinating world of mobile computing has | | | | Cingular Blackberry. Tons of PDA software |
| only been around since the 1990s. Since then, | | | | development has been going on in the past five |
| devices that have been developed for mobile | | | | years simply because companies have been trying |
| computing have taken over the wireless industry. | | | | hard to make PDA technology more available to |
| This new type of communication is a very | | | | the general public. These days, software |
| powerful tool for both businesses and personal | | | | companies almost make more software for PDAs |
| use. Mobile computing is defined as the ability to | | | | and smart phones than for actual desktops. |
| use technology that is not physically connected to | | | | Pocket PCs are another way to conveniently |
| any static network. This actually used to mean | | | | access the internet on the fly. Everyone has |
| radio transmitters that operated on a stable base, | | | | probably heard of the Palm Pilot. While they were |
| usually with the help of large antennas. 2 way | | | | the pioneers of the pocket pc, many other |
| radios used by police officers were also | | | | companies such as Dell, HP, and Toshiba have all |
| considered mobile technology but now, it means | | | | delved into the market. Pocket PC software has |
| people can connect wirelessly to the internet or | | | | also become much easier to use. Most Palms use |
| to a private network almost anywhere. As long | | | | the familiar Windows interface, allowing the |
| as a person has one of the devices capable of | | | | general public to access the internet via the usual |
| wirelessly accessing the internet, they are | | | | Internet Explorer or other ISPs. Also, people can |
| participating in mobile computing. Chances are, you | | | | easily download useful software, including games, |
| have done it with a laptop computer or a personal | | | | Media editing tools, organization tools, and even |
| digital assistant or PDA. | | | | electronic books. |
| These days, most laptops and personal digital | | | | Mobile computing has evolved from two-way |
| assistants all have wireless cards or Bluetooth | | | | radios that use large antennas to communicate |
| interfaces built into them for convenient mobile | | | | simple messages to three inch personal |
| internet access. Mobile solutions are right under | | | | computers that can do almost everything a |
| everyone's nose these days, and connectivity has | | | | regular computer does. People can't go to their |
| never been easier. Other common tools for | | | | local Starbucks and not see a laptop linked up to a |
| mobile computing include devices like global | | | | hotspot these days, and mobile computing is still in |
| positioning systems and smart phones like the | | | | its baby phase. |