Chapter 8- Wireless, Mobile Computing, and Mobile Commerce

• Wireless devices


  • Small enough to easily carry or wear
  • Sufficient computing power to perform productive tasks
  • Communicate wirelessly with the Internet and other devices
• One major disadvantage of wireless devices for businesses is that workers can capture and transmit sensitive proprietary information
• Modern smartphone capabilities


  • Cellular telephony
  • Bluetooth
  • Wi-Fi
  • Digital camera for images and video
  • Mobile (digital) wallets
  • Wireless charging/fast charging
  • Global positioning system (GPS)
  • Organizer
  • Scheduler
  • Address book
  • Calculator
  • E-mail
  • Biometric applications
  • Cloud storage
  • Short message service (SMS, sending and receiving short text messages up to 160 characters in length)
  • Instant messaging
  • Text messaging
  • MP3 music player
  • Video player
  • Internet access with full-function browser
  • QWERTY keyboard
• Wireless transmission media


  Transmit signals without wires
• Major types of wireless media channels

  • Microwave
  • Satellite
  • Radio
• Microwave


  • High bandwidth
  • Relatively inexpensive
• Microwave


  • Requires an unobstructed line of sight
  • Susceptible to environmental interference
• Satellite


  • High bandwidth
  • Large coverage area
• Satellite


  • Expensive
  • Requires unobstructed line of sight
  • Signals experience propagation delay
  • Requires the use of encryption for security
• Radio


  • High bandwidth
  • Signals pass through walls
  • Inexpensive and easy to install
• Radio


  • Creates electrical interference problems
  • Susceptible to snooping unless encrypted
• Three basic types of telecommunications satellites

  • Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)
  • Middle Earth Orbit (MEO)
  • Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

  
• Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)


  • Orbit: 35,900 km (22,300 miles)
  • Number of Satellites: 8
  • Use: TV signal
  • Satellites stationary relative to point on Earth
  • Few satellites needed for global coverage
  • Transmission delay (approximately .25 of a second)
  • Most expensive to build and launch
  • Longest orbital life (many years)

  
• Middle Earth Orbit (MEO)

  • Orbit: 10,350 km (about 6,000 miles)
  • Number of Satellites: 10–12
  • Use: Global positioning systems (GPS)
  • Satellites move relative to point on Earth
  • Moderate number needed for global coverage
  • Requires medium-powered transmitters
  • Negligible transmission delay
  • Less expensive to build and launch
  • Moderate orbital life (6–12 years)

  
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

  • A wireless system that utilizes satellites to enable users to determine their position anywhere on Earth
  • Supported by 24 MEO satellites
  • Uses: Navigating, mapping, surveying, 911 location
  • Four international GPS systems: United States's GPS, Russia's GLONASS, China's BeiDou, and the European Union's Galileo
  • Two regional GPS systems: India's NAVIC (7 satellites) and Japan's QZSS (4 satellites)
• Low Earth Orbit (LEO)


  • Orbit: 640 km to 1,100 km (400 miles to 700 miles)
  • Number of Satellites: many
  • Use: Telephone, Internet
  • Satellites move rapidly relative to point on Earth
  • Large number needed for global coverage
  • Requires only low-power transmitters
  • Negligible transmission delay
  • Least expensive to build and launch
  • Shortest orbital life (as low as 5 years)

  
• Types of wireless computer networks and internet access

  • Short-Range Wireless Networks
  • Medium-Range Wireless Networks
  • Wide-Area Wireless Networks
• Short-Range Wireless Networks


  • Bluetooth
  • Ultra-wideband
  • Near-Field Communications
• Medium-Range Wireless Networks


  • Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)
  • Wireless local area networks (WLAN)
  • Wi-Fi Direct
  • MiFi
  • Super Wi-Fi
• Wide-Area Wireless Networks


  • Cellular radio (cellular telephones)
  • 1G
  • 2G
  • 3G (CDMA, EV-DO, GSM)
  • 4G
  • 5G
  • Wireless broadband (or WiMax)
• Wireless Broadband or WiMAX


  • Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)
  • IEEE Standard 802.16
  • Wireless access range of up to 50 km (31 miles)
  • Data transfer rate of up to 75 Mbps
  • A secure system offering voice and video
• Mobile Computing


  Refers to a real-time connection between a mobile device and other computing environments, such as the Internet or an intranet
• Mobile Computing


  • Mobility
  • Broad reach
• Mobile Computing


  • Ubiquity
  • Convenience
  • Instant connectivity
  • Personalization
  • Localization of products and services
• Mobile Commerce


  Electronic commerce (EC) transactions conducted in a wireless environment, especially via the Internet
• Drivers of m-commerce


  • Widespread availability of mobile devices
  • Declining prices
  • Bandwidth improvement
• Mobile commerce applications


  • Financial services
  • Location-based applications and services
  • Mobile advertising
  • Intrabusiness applications
  • Accessing information
  • Telemetry applications
• Internet of Things (IoT)

  • Internet of Everything
  • Internet of Anything
  • Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communication
• Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)


  • Versus bar codes
  • Versus QR codes
• Examples of the IoT in Use


  • The smart home
  • Smart stores
  • Smart cities
  • Automotive
  • Smart factories
  • Digital twins
  • Supply chain management
  • Energy management
  • Transportation
  • Health care
  • Agriculture
  • Hospitality