Mobile Devices - Topic 2 Notes

Device Taxonomy

• A typical mobile user is interruptible, easily distracted, sociable, identifiable, and immersed in their environment.

• User needs and interests vary greatly, affecting device choices.

• A salesperson may prioritize voice communication, while an internet marketer may prefer a large screen for viewing information.

• A student might prefer a device focused on instant messaging and web browsing.

• Mobile computing devices will not converge on a single physical form; instead, they will be designed to fit user needs based on classes.

• Device taxonomy refers to the classification and categorization of mobile devices based on specific criteria.

Device Taxonomy Criteria:

• Device Type: Smartphones, tablets, phablets, smartwatches, etc.

• Performance and Features: Classified based on hardware performance (e.g., high-end vs. budget) and key features (e.g., display size, camera quality, battery life, processing power).

• Intended Use: Communication, productivity, multimedia consumption, gaming, or social networking.

General Purpose Device

• General Purpose Devices target specific market needs and are frequently used within their domain.

• Examples include entry-level, midrange, and flagship/premium devices.

• Many modern workers use computing devices, with some specialized work depending on mobile devices (e.g., delivery drivers, taxi drivers).

• These devices may be used while workers are subject to interruptions.

• General Purpose Devices have entertainment applications and acceptable for entertainment.

• Some devices emphasize media playing, while others are game-oriented.

• Even focused entertainment devices have add-on features.

• Primary vs. Add-on Feature:

  • A device focused on gaming may have industrial design highlighting gaming controls (e.g., Sony Xperia Play with its four-way directional pad).

  • Add-on features are less easy to use due to the focus on primary features.

  • Making all features equally easy to use can make the entire device difficult to use.

  • A device focused on camera may have enlarged lenses and hardware buttons for camera functions (e.g., Samsung Galaxy Zoom).

  • Add-on features receive less attention in usability.

  • Samsung Galaxy Zoom combines camera functionality as a primary feature with internet applications and phone as add-ons.

  • Devices targeting certain features may sacrifice usability on others.

  • Playing games on a camera-focused device may be possible, but the game folder may be obscure and lack dedicated hardware controls.

• Mobile device series for rugged environments include built-in thermal imagers, air quality sensors, laser-assisted area measurement, and IP69-rated dustproof and waterproof features (e.g., Caterpillar S series).

Personal Communication Device

• Characteristics:

  • Multi-function

  • Wearable or pocketable

  • Voice communication

  • Email

  • Battery-powered

  • Handheld

  • Wireless

  • Always available

  • Wakable

  • Communicative

  • Text messaging

  • Instant messaging

  • Personal (one owner)

  • Always on

Targeted Device

• Targeted devices, also known as 'information appliances,' are designed to perform a small number of tasks well.

• They are designed to do a subset of information-focused tasks very well to match the need of people using them.

• Due to their simplicity, they cannot provide other facilities to support other non-trivial operations.

• Examples:

  • iPod, Microsoft Zune (music devices)

  • Samsung Galaxy NX, Nikon Coolpix S3000-series (handheld digital cameras)

  • Handheld product price finder with barcode reader.

  • Power meter reading device

  • Inventory device (Honeywell-series 1D/2D Barcode Scanner)

  • Zebra Technologies handheld devices for warehousing management

• Google offers a Targeted devices certification program under “Android Enterprise.”

  • Devices certified under this program meet Google’s strict enterprise requirements.

Targeted Device Use Cases:

• Retail: Scanners that track inventory.

• Transportation and Logistics: Asset tracking and management.

• Hospitality: Kiosks for food ordering, information, or payment.

• Healthcare: Remotely monitor patients, keep track of patient records from the cloud.

Ubiquitous Computing

• Ubiquitous: Anytime, anywhere, anyone

• Computers are everywhere, embedded in our lives.

• Ubicomp enhances computer use by making it available throughout the physical environment while effectively invisible to users.

• The idea arose from contemplating the place of today’s computer in actual activities of everyday life.

• The challenge is to create a new relationship between people and computers, where the ‘presence’ of the computer does not get in the way of people’s lives.

• Ubicomp helped kick-off mobile computing research interests around the world.

• Modern mobile devices have elements of ubiquitous computing where most users do not realize or feel like they are interfacing with computers while using mobile devices.

• Machines can often ‘sense’ changes in the environment and act accordingly.

Ubiquitous Computing Principles

• Help users perform activities in their daily life.

• Information and tasks should be made available everywhere.

• Computers should be ‘invisible’ to users.

• Technology should create calm – in the face of information overload, information representation should be well integrated within the physical environment and should be intuitive to users.

• Desktop computers should be replaced by embedded computers in typical physical objects, without interfering with the current functionality of the said objects.

• The use of embedded computers in typical objects may enhance object functionality.

Embedded Computers

• An Embedded Computer is a microcontroller or microprocessor-based system devised for a specific function.

• It performs specific functionality and is used today in various applications.

• It may be part of a larger system but relies on its own processor.

• General-purpose computers (e.g., PCs) are used for different tasks, while embedded computers can only work on a specific task.

• A PC can work on different functions at the same time.

• Embedded computers are programmed for functionality.

• Embedded computers do not require as much power and computing abilities compared to general computers.

Examples of Ubiquitous Computing Devices

• Smart phone

• Smart Watch

• Interactive White Board

• RFID Smart Tags

• Digital Cameras

• Anti-Glare Car Rear-View Mirror

• Google Glass

• Android Wear / Gear Live / Samsung Fit Gear watch

• Smart Devices as Household Items (LG Smart Thing Washing Machine, SHARP AQUOS NET Smart TV, Phillips Smart LED light bulb)

Waves of Computing:

• Main Frame: Many persons, One Computer

• Personal Computer (PC): One Person, One Computer

• Ubiquitous Computing: One person, Many Computers (3rd wave)

Computers/Sensors in a Car:

• ECU – Engine Control Unit: Controls ignition timing and idle speed.

• Transmission Computer (Transmission Control Module): Controls transmission and gear ratio.

• Driver Assistance System:

  • Lane Assist System

  • Blind Spot detection system

  • Park assist System

  • Adaptive cruise control system

  • Active braking system

Sensors in a Smartphone:

• Accelerometer

• Magnetometer

• Gyroscope (angular change sensor)

• Near Field Communication (NFC)

• GPS + Assisted GPS

• Proximity sensor

• Photometer

Ubiquitous Computing Concept in Mobile Device:

• Always Available: Mobile devices are continuously connected, enabling real-time communication and data availability, making them always accessible.

• Invisibility: Mobile applications integrate seamlessly into daily activities (e.g., checking emails, making purchases, managing home automation, tracking fitness goals) without being overly intrusive or demanding attention.

• Context-Aware Interaction: Mobile devices are equipped with various sensors which enables them to understand and react to the user’s context (e.g., adjust display brightness based on ambient light, provide location-based services).

• Ubiquitous Sensing: Mobile devices learn user behavior and preferences over time, providing personalized content and recommendations (e.g., fitness tracking insights, AI-driven suggestions based on browsing history).

• Cloud Integration and Mobile Synchronization: Mobile devices often store data in the cloud, providing ubiquitous access to information, documents, photos, and applications across multiple devices.

Key Elements of Ubicomp

• Ubiquitous Networking (“connectivity”)– as a medium to share data and convey information

• Ubiquitous Sensing – various senses/sensors which can act as ‘eyes and ears’ interacting with the environment to add ‘awareness’

• Ubiquitous Access – concept of accessing service/data from anywhere (mobile, wearable, portable screen) with natural, unobtrusive display, user require least effort to absorb information

• Ubiquitous Middleware – shield application from low-level implementation details. “Less” interface is “more” for users

Location Awareness & Context Awareness

• Refers to the ability of a device or application to provide value-added service based on user location.

• Information or services that can be relayed include local news and weather reports, promotions and advertisements, navigation, and museum/zoo exhibit information.

Advantages of Location Awareness:

• Applications can better adapt to their environment.

• Provide useful information that is relevant to the current user’s situation.

• Helps users deal with information overload by filtering information based on the location nearest to the users.

Application Areas:

• Safety: Search and rescue, emergency services.

• Social Networking: Contacting those who are immediate to us.

• Information Service & Business Exposure: Business information, traffic accident warnings, advertisements.

• Education: Safari, zoos, schools, or university compound - navigation.

• Tracking: Tracking objects like pets, children, or valuable items.

Implementation in Android Application:

1. User accesses a location-aware application (e.g., requests a list of the nearest pizza restaurants).

2. Mobile device gets estimated coordinates from Location Provider (GPS, WiFi, or Assisted GPS).

3. The application makes requests to the remote database with estimated GPS Coordinates.

4. The remote server returns relevant information based on the nearest user-location coordinates.

Location Awareness Terminology:

• Location-Aware Application

• Location Based Services (LBS)

• Location Provider

• Spatial Database

• Geohash

Examples of Location-Aware Applications:

• Foursquare

• EventBrite & Eventful

• Malaysia Prayer Times

• Grab

• Strava

Context Awareness

• Location Awareness is a subset of Context-Awareness.

• Context-Awareness apps can provide additional data gathered from the users.

• Some Location-Awareness apps are also Context Aware applications.

• Characteristics:

  • Context encompasses more than just the user’s location.

  • People’s actions can often be predicted by their situation.

  • Contextual information aims to exploit this fact.

• Applications obtain data from various mobile device sensors, user behavior history, and 3rd party data sources.

Examples of Context Awareness

• EventBrite

• Google Fit

• Adidas Runstastic Fitness Tracker

• Pokemon GO!

• Google Fit application

• AirBnB

Difference Between Location-Aware and Context-Aware:

Privacy Issues:

• All types of context-aware applications must obtain user data to perform data analysis and provide suggestions.

• Questions:

  • What type of data is recorded?

  • Is the application constantly monitoring for input?

  • Does the application constantly record user location?

  • Can the back-end deduce the location of user’s work, school, and home location?

  • Which represent privacy issues.

Privacy Issues Examples:

• Alexa is always listening

• Uber Investigates Its Top New York Executive For Privacy Violations

• Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

• Facebook still tracks you on Android apps (even if you don't have a Facebook account)

Ubiquitous Computing System Examples

• “Live Wire” or “Dangling String” Created by artist “Natalie Jeremijenko”:

  • A physical indicator of LAN traffic Implemented with a piece of string attached to a stepper motor and controlled by a LAN connection

  • Network activity causes the string to twitch

  • This would give a visual indication of the current network traffic by onlookers

• Customizable Ringtone and Vibration

  • Distinct Audible ringtone to match each unique caller is an example of ubicomp application. Sending information naturally via audible / vibration, without users go out of their way to figure out who is calling them.