19 portable computing
- 3. Notebook Computers (continued) Same technology as PCs, with modifications for space, portability, and power conservation – Thin LCD panels (active matrix and passive matrix) – Compact hard drives – Small memory modules – CPUs that require less power
- 4. Notebooks versus PCs Notebooks PCs Usually purchased as a whole unit; unlikely to upgrade hardware and OS Design is typically proprietary Some universal support issues, but procedures vary between brands Highly modular Components can be interchanged, upgraded, and enhanced Cost less than notebooks
- 5. Windows Notebook Features Multilink Channel Aggregation ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) Power management Support for PC Cards Windows 9x Briefcase Windows 2000/XP Offline Files and Folders Folder redirection under Windows 2000/XP Hardware profiles under Windows 2000/XP
- 6. Power Management Power sources – Battery – DC adapter – AC adapter Types of batteries – Lithium ion – NiMH – Fuel cell
- 12. Connecting Peripheral Devices to Notebooks Ports on the notebook PC Card slot with lock switch and eject button Headphone jack Microphone jack Infrared port Secure Digital (SD) card slot CompactFlash Card slot Wireless antenna on/off switch Serial port
- 13. Ports on a Notebook
- 14. Connecting Peripheral Devices to Notebooks (continued)
- 15. Connecting Peripheral Devices to Notebooks (continued)
- 16. Connecting Peripheral Devices to Notebooks (continued)
- 17. PC Card Slots
- 18. PC Card Slots (continued) Used by many devices Connect to the 16-bit PCMCIA I/O bus on notebook motherboard Might contain a data cable to an external drive, or might be self-contained Can interface with a network
- 19. PC Card Slot Standards CardBus (latest spec) – Improves I/O speed – Increases bus width to 32 bits – Supports lower-voltage PC Cards while maintaining backward compatibility Three other types (Type I, Type II, Type III), which vary in thickness
- 20. PCMCIA / PC Cards Short for Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, and pronounced as separate letters, PCMCIA is an organization consisting of some 500 companies that has developed a standard for small, credit card-sized devices, called PC Cards Originally designed for adding memory to portable computers, the PCMCIA standard has been expanded several times and is now suitable for many types of devices
- 21. PCMCIA / PC Cards – (Continued) There are in fact three types of PCMCIA cards. All three have the same rectangular size (85.6 by 54 millimeters), but different widths: Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and are used primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick. These cards are often used for modem and fax modem cards Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick, which is sufficiently large for portable disk drives
- 22. PCMCIA / PC Cards – (Continued) As with the cards, PCMCIA slots also come in three sizes: A Type I slot can hold one Type I card A Type II slot can hold one Type II card or one Type I card A Type III slot can hold one Type III card or any combination of two Type I or II cards In general, you can exchange PC Cards on the fly (hot swappable), without rebooting your computer. For example, you can slip in a fax modem card when you want to send a fax and then, when you're done, replace the fax modem card with a memory card
- 23. PC Cards
- 25. Using a PC Card to Interface with a Network
- 26. Using PC Card Slots and Other Slots OS must provide two (2) services – Socket service Establishes communication between card and notebook when the card is first inserted Disconnects communication when card is removed – Card service Provides device driver to interface with the card once socket is created Can be hot-swapped
- 27. Hot-Swapping
- 28. Types of Memory Used by Notebooks
- 29. Upgrading Memory
- 32. Other FRUs for Notebooks Hard drive LCD panel Motherboard CPU Keyboard PC Card socket assembly Optical drive Floppy drive Sound card Pointing device AC adapter Battery pack DC controller FRU – Field Reserve Units
- 34. Replacing a Hard Drive
- 35. Installing a Mini-PCI Card
- 36. Resources for Troubleshooting Notebooks Apply same troubleshooting guidelines as for desktop PCs Be especially conscious of warranty issues Loaded OS and hardware configuration are specific; see documentation for details Support CDs bundled with notebook include device drivers for all embedded devices Download additional or updated drivers from manufacturer’s Web site
- 37. Tablet PCs Type of notebook computer that is smaller, more graphical, more user friendly, and more portable Has a touch screen Cost about the same as notebooks
- 38. A Tablet PC
- 39. Three Tablet Form Factors Convertible tablet PC Slate model tablet PC Tablet PC with a docking station
- 41. Features of a Tablet PC Functioning Windows XP computer with the power of a full-sized notebook Input can be by handwriting, voice, hardware keyboard, or on-screen keyboard Built-in support for wireless, wired, and dial-up networking AC power adapter and rechargeable battery Windows XP Tablet PC Edition PC Card, USB ports, and VGA port for peripheral devices
- 42. Writing on a Tablet PC
- 43. PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) Provide more portability than a notebook or tablet PC Include a stylus Powered using an AC adapter or battery Use either a grayscale or color active matrix or dual-scan passive matrix display Can interface with a desktop or notebook computer to transfer files and applications Synchronize with PCs through a USB, serial, or wireless port
- 44. A PDA
- 46. Considerations When Purchasing a PDA Applications that are included or can be added later Ease of use; thoroughness of documentation Ease of synchronization Availability of manufacturer support Type of batteries and anticipated battery life
- 47. Considerations When Purchasing a PDA (continued) Ability to use e-mail and the Web without needing extra hardware or software Availability of additional devices Ease of use of OS Warranty and price
- 48. Battery Life on a PDA Varies by model Short battery life is the largest complaint; – Risk of losing data and applications if battery runs all the way down Use cradle and adapter
- 49. Variety of Ways Applications Are Provided on a PDA All application software preinstalled Require user to download applications at additional cost Support only preinstalled applications and cannot download others Allow downloading email or Web site content Access Internet directly by way of a modem or wireless connection
- 50. Connecting a PDA to a PC Synchronization – Process by which PDA and PC “talk” to each other through universal cradle, cable, and USB or serial connection – and occasionally, wireless technology – Capabilities Backup information from PDA to PC Work with PDA files on PC and download applications from Web
- 51. PDA Manufacturers and Operating Systems Windows Mobile by Microsoft – More versatile – Better for downloading and running applications similar to Windows
- 52. PDA Manufacturers and Operating Systems (continued) Palm OS by PalmSource – Less complex – Easier to use – Better choice when PDA is used for simple tasks Principal difference between the two OSs is in the applications they support
- 53. Troubleshooting Portable Computers Laptop Won’t Power On – Verify AC power by plugging another electronic device into the wall outlet. If the other device receives power, the outlet is good – If the outlet is good, connect the laptop to the wall outlet and try to power on. If no LEDs light up, you may have a bad AC adapter. Swap it out with a known-good power adapter – A faulty peripheral device might keep the laptop from powering up. Remove any peripherals such as USB or Firewire devices Screen Doesn’t Come On Properly – If the laptop is booting (you hear the beeps and the drives), first make sure the display is on. Press the FN key and the key to activate the screen a number of times until the laptop display comes on – If the laptop display is very dim, you may have lost an inverter. The clue here is that inverters never go quietly. They can make a nasty hum as they are about to die and an equally nasty popping noise when they actually fail. Failure often occurs when you plug in the laptop’s AC adapter, as the inverters take power directly from the AC adapter
- 54. Troubleshooting Portable Computers Wireless Networking Doesn’t Work – Check for a physical switch along the front, rear, or side edges of the laptop that toggles the internal wireless adapter on and off – Try the special key combination for your laptop to toggle the wireless adapter.You usually press the FN key in combination with another key – You might simply be out of range. Physically walk the laptop over to the wireless router or access point to ensure there are no “out of range” issues Handwriting Is Not Recognized – If your PDA or tablet PC no longer recognizes your handwriting or stylus, you may need to retrain the digitizer. Look for an option in your PDA OS settings to “align the screen.” On Windows tablet PCs, you will find a similar option under Start | Settings | Control Panel
- 55. Troubleshooting Portable Computers Keypad Doesn’t Work – If none of the keys work on your laptop, there’s a good chance you’ve unseated the keypad connector. These connectors are quite fragile and are prone to unseating from any physical stress on the laptop. Check the manufacturer’s disassembly procedures to locate and reseat the keypad – If you’re getting numbers when you’re expecting to get letters, the number lock (NUMLOCK) function key is turned on. Turn it off Touchpad Doesn’t Work – A shot of compressed air does wonders for cleaning pet hair out of the touchpad sensors. You’ll get a cleaner shot if you remove the keyboard before using the compressed air. Remember to be gentle when lifting off the keyboard and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. – The touchpad driver might need to be reconfigured. Try the various options in the Control Panel | Mouse applet