Chapter 1 Mobile Devices Flashcards
our friend’s iPhone 13 will no longer charge. They have tried replacing the charging block and cable with compatible ones and tested the wall outlet. What should be done next?
A)Purchase a new phone.
B) Purchase a new battery.
C) Take the phone to a repair shop.
D) Use a wireless charging pad.
C. While it’s possible that the phone could be charged with a charging pad, most often phones won’t charge because the battery is worn out and needs replacing. Also, according to the Apple Support website, a phone that won’t charge likely needs servicing. Your friend should take their phone to a service center. They may be able to replace the battery or fix problems they find with the phone’s connector.
You are on the phone talking to a technician who is trying to upgrade a laptop. The technician is having trouble identifying the Mini PCIe card. How wide should you tell the technician that the card is?
A) 27 mm
B) 30 mm
C) 51 mm
D) 60 mm
B. Mini PCIe cards come in two sizes. The full-size cards measure 30 mm wide and 51 mm long. Half-size cards are 30 mm wide and 27 mm long.
Which mobile connection type allows you to share your cellular Internet connection with a Wi-Fi enabled device?
A) Hotspot
B) NFC
C) Bluetooth
D) IrDA
A. If you have a cellular-enabled device such as a smartphone, you may be able to turn that phone into a mobile hotspot. By doing so, you can share your cellular Internet connection with Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as laptops and tablets. Near-Field Communication (NFC) devices can communicate and send data and files but only if they are within inches of each other. Bluetooth is a common wireless technology for connecting devices such as keyboards and headsets to a computer, and IrDA (infrared) communicates using light, but requires a line-of-sight.
You need to replace a failed hard drive in a user’s laptop, and it’s a model you are unfamiliar with. You look at the bottom of the laptop and see no obvious entrance points. Which component will you most likely need to remove to access the hard drive bay?
A) Plastics/frames
B) Battery
C) System board
D) Keyboard
D. As a rule of thumb, either you can access components from the bottom of a laptop, such as the memory and Mini PCIe card, or you’re going to need to remove the keyboard to access the components from the top.
Your company is producing posters for an upcoming public relations campaign. The project leader wants to embed information into an NFC Type 4 tag in the poster. How much information can this tag hold?
A) 16 KB
B) 32 KB
C) 1.4 MB
D) 2.4 MB
B. Near-field communication (NFC) is a wireless technology that uses radio frequency (RF) signals with limited range, about 4″ (10 cm). To read an NFC tag in a poster, you would move your phone close to the tag. The phone would generate a small RF field that would power the tag, and data could then be read from the tag. There are five types of tags that vary in speed from 106 kbps to 2424 kbps and in maximum capacities from 2 KB to 32 KB. Type 4 holds the most data but is slower than Type 3.
Your customer has an iPhone 8 and wants to read and write NFC tags with it. What advice will you give them? (Choose two.)
A) Their iPhone will only work with Apple Pay.
B) They need to upgrade to iPhone X to write NFC tags.
C) With iOS 13 or better on their device, they’ll be able to read and write NFC tags using a third-party app.
D) iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 can read NFC tags simply by holding the phone over the tag.
C, D. The only Near-field communication (NFC) capability with devices prior to the iPhone 7 is the ability to use Apple Pay; however, with iPhone 7 and newer devices, a third-party app can be used to read and write NFC tags. iPhone 12 and newer devices can natively read NFC tags.
You’ve been asked by the company president what can be done with NFC in addition to paying for coffee. What will you tell them? (Choose three.)
A) Securely share data with someone you’re having lunch with.
B) Beam data to someone 10 feet away.
C) Transfer files, photos, and videos.
D) Add information or URLs to business cards, making it easier for customers to learn about your products or services.
A, C, D. NFC can do so much more than pay for your coffee. In addition to the answers above, NFC tags can be set up to automate tasks instead of manually changing settings, such as silencing an alarm or logging into a PC. In some places they can allow your phone to be your bus pass. They’re considered secure for communication because of the short distance between devices.
You are investigating new laptops for your company. You want the laptop displays to have a wide viewing angle. Which technology standard is best suited for your needs?
A) LED
B) SVA
C) IPS
D) TN
E) VA
C. There are three types of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technologies listed in the A+ exam objectives: Twisted Nematic (TN), In-Plane Switching (IPS), and Vertical Alignment (VA). IPS LCDs provide better color representation as well as wider viewing angles, so that would be the best choice for this situation. Their drawbacks are somewhat slower response times and they tend to be a bit more expensive. Considering the other two types of LCD technologies, TN displays were developed first. They use less power compared to IPS and VA; however, when you start viewing them at wider angles, the picture quality suffers greatly. VA LCDs have slower response times than either IPS or TN, but they have the best contrast and image depth. SVA, or Super Vertical Alignment, is a Samsung term, not a standard, but it claims to offer better viewing angles than VA displays. LED monitors use Light Emitting Diodes as the backlight for an LCD. There are also microLED monitors and OLED monitors that create colors using LEDs with no backlight required.
Which type of LCD has the best contrast, meaning the darkest black and lightest white?
A) TN
B) IPS
C) VA
D) OLED
C. OLED (Organic LED) monitors are not LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors. Each of the other three has their advantages. TN (Twisted Nematic) displays have the fastest refresh rates, IPS (In-Plane Switching) displays have the best viewing angle, and VA (Vertical Alignment) displays have the best color contrast.
Of the laptop LCD technologies, which consumes the least amount of power?
A) LED
B) IPS
C) TN
D) VA
C. There are three types of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technologies listed in the exam objectives: Twisted Nematic (TN), In-Plane Switching (IPS), and Vertical Alignment (VA). Of those three display types, TN uses the least amount of power. TN displays also have very fast refresh rates. The issue with TN LCD screens is that when you start viewing them at wider angles, the picture quality suffers greatly. IPS LCDs provide better color representation as well as wider-angle viewing, but they tend to be a bit more expensive and have somewhat slower response times. VA LCDs have slower response times than either IPS or TN, but they have the best contrast and image depth. LED (Light-Emitting Diode) refers to a type of backlighting for LCD monitors.
What type of display uses organic materials that themselves light up so that no backlight is needed, meaning true black and greater contrasts can be achieved?
A) QLED
B) Mini-LED
C) LED
D) OLED
D. The Organic LED (OLED) displays have incredible color contrast ratio because they can turn individual pixels off. They also have an excellent viewing angle. The drawback is that they may not be as bright as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display. LED and mini-LED displays use LEDs for backlighting, but still need the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel. QLED is a marketing name, but QLED displays use a quantum dot layer providing more color depth than regular LED displays. Micro-LEDs use three microscopic LEDs (red, green, and blue) to make each pixel, and each pixel can be turned on or off like an OLED TV. QLED, mini-LED, and micro-LED aren’t on the CompTIA A+ objectives yet.
You have recently purchased a laptop computer with a touchscreen. It allows you to draw images on the screen and save them on the computer. Which device is responsible for converting the input into the image that you see and save?
A) Inverter
B) Touchpad
C) Digitizer
D) Touchscreen
C. A digitizer is a device that can be written or drawn on and the content will be converted from analog input to digital images on the computer. Digitizers take input from a user’s finger or a writing utensil, such as a stylus. Touchscreen devices and touchpads have a digitizer built into them. An inverter changes DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current) and is needed for some types of backlighting.
What is this device, which can be found inside an iPhone 10 along the bottom, connected with a small ribbon cable?
A) Wi-Fi antenna
B) Digitizer
C) Haptics connector
D) Stylus sensor
A. Smartphones will have both a cellular antenna and a Wi-Fi antenna internal to the phone. Typically they connect with a ribbon cable, and they may be shaped differently or in different places depending on the particular cell phone model. These are not considered user-replaceable parts, but as an IT technician, you may be asked to replace them. Special tools, often plastic, may be needed to open a cell phone case without causing damage. The digitizer is a thin layer of electronic material that is usually fused between the glass and the LCD. Haptics are the ability of the device to interact through touch, such as vibration when they ring or feeling like you’re pressing a physical button even though you’re not. Stylus sensors are not actual devices.
Which type of mobile device is known for using electrophoretic ink?
A) E-reader
B) Smart watch
C) Smart glasses
D) Tablet
A. Most e-reader displays use a technology called electrophoretic ink, or E Ink, which is a proprietary type of electronic paper. Although E Ink is available in color, many consider its best applications to be in grayscales or pure black and white. Additionally, E Ink uses almost no power to keep print on the page until the print is changed.
What types of networking will smart cameras often have built into them? (Choose two.)
A) Bluetooth
B) IrDA
C) RJ-45
D) Wi-Fi
A, D. Smart cameras have built-in wireless network connectivity for easy picture and video transfers. Many will include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC (Near-field Communication). IrDA uses infrared light for communication and is not popular, and RJ-45 is a type of networking connector.
What three components of a mobile display are often connected in such a way that if one fails, you must replace the other two with it? (Choose three.)
A) Glass cover
B) LCD
C) Wi-Fi antenna
D) Digitizer
A, B, D. The digitizer on a mobile device is a thin layer of electronic material that is glued or fused onto the back of the glass. Popular new smartphones are fusing all three together, so if the ability to communicate with the smartphone through touch fails, you must replace not only the digitizer but the glass cover and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) as well. If the glass cover shatters, then the digitizer and LCD are replaced as well because it is sold as one unit. The Wi-Fi antenna is usually a discrete part inside the case.
One of your coworkers has purchased an external Bluetooth trackpad to use with their tablet. They’ve turned to you, the company IT person, to install and configure it for them. What actions will you need to take? (Choose two.)
A) Plug the device into a USB port.
B) Install drivers.
C) Put the device in pairing mode and open Bluetooth settings on the tablet, then tap the trackpad.
D) Go to Settings to configure speed and scrolling features.
C, D. Configuring a new Bluetooth trackpad is a fairly simple procedure. You first need to pair the device with the tablet, then configure it for speed and clicking and such. The CompTIA A+ objectives list the steps for connecting Bluetooth devices as follows:
Enable Bluetooth. Enable pairing. Find a device for pairing. Enter the appropriate PIN code. Test connectivity.
The company president misplaced their charging cable for their iPhone 13. You tell them it’s no problem, and hand them a new one. What type of connector does this iPhone use for charging?
A) Thunderbolt
B) Lightning
C) ApplePower
D) USB-C
B. The iPhone 13 series uses the proprietary connector called the Lightning connector. They can also use a compatible wireless charging pad.
A laptop user wants to have a full-sized display and keyboard, as well as an external hard drive, and speakers available to them at their desk. Which accessory can they purchase to avoid plugging each of these devices separately into their laptop every time they return to the desk? (Choose two.)
A) KVM switch
B) Port replicator
C) Desktop station
D) Docking station
B, D. A docking station often replicates the functions of the ports on the back of a laptop so that peripherals such as displays, keyboards, printers, and so on that don’t travel with the laptop can remain connected to the dock and don’t all have to be unplugged physically each time the laptop is taken away. Docking stations effectively turn a laptop computer into a desktop computer, and the docking station may offer its own devices, such as an optical drive and speakers. It may have a generic connector such as USB-C or a proprietary connector. Docking station can also mean a charging cradle for a smartphone or tablet to plug in vertically that provides other functions such as built-in speakers for music playback or a clock. Two examples are Android Radio and Music Dock or Apple’s Universal Dock. This differs from a port replicator, whose main function is to let the user connect several devices at once and doesn’t require the laptop to be connected to offer connectivity between the devices. A KVM switch enables you to use one keyboard, video device, and mouse (hence the name, KVM) with two or more system units. Desktop station is not an actual term.
A user needs ports for external devices in addition to what their laptop is capable of connecting. The user would like these devices to have connectivity with each other whether or not the laptop is there. Which of the following will provide that option?
A) Docking station
B) Port replicator
C) KVM switch
D) Docking port
B. A port replicator is an attachment that provides the same ports as or additional ports to a laptop. The devices can communicate with each other via the port replicator whether or not the laptop is there. Docking stations are similar to port replicators because they provide a single connection to a laptop that will connect several devices, but the point of the docking station is to effectively make a laptop function as a desktop PC. Whereas a docking station may (or may not) be a proprietary device, a port replicator is not, and will generally provide a connection to the external devices via a USB or similar port. Docking station can also mean a charging cradle for a smartphone or tablet. KVM switches allow multiple system units to share a keyboard, video and mouse. Docking port is not an actual term.
Which laptop expansion port technology was developed by Apple and Intel and supports a wide variety of peripheral devices?
A) USB
B) DisplayPort
C) eSATA
D) Thunderbolt
D. Thunderbolt was co-developed by Apple and Intel as an offshoot of the DisplayPort technology. Apple added support for PCIe and launched it in 2011. In terms of versatility, it’s second only to USB. You will find video devices, hard drives (both HDD and SSD), printers, laptop docking stations, audio devices, and PCIe expansion enclosures that use Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt 3 is compatible with USB-C.
You’re upgrading a user’s laptop from 802.11n to 802.11ac. What port will you most likely use inside the laptop?
A) PCI
B) PCIe
C) Mini PCIe
D) Mini PCIe x16
C. Mini PCIe is just for small devices like laptops. PCI and PCIe are found on desktop PCs. PCIe x16 (x16 is pronounced as by 16) is often used for video at blazing speeds. PCIe x1 is popular for all sorts of devices. There is no Mini PCIe x16.
What is the likely type of Wi-Fi antenna connector you will find as an external connector on a laptop?
A) SMA-female-RP
B) N-male
C) SMA-male-RP
D) N-female
A. The overwhelming majority of Wi-Fi antenna connectors for indoor-rated antennas found on laptops are type SMA (SubMiniature version A). On the device will be an SMA-female. What makes a connector “male” is the center pin and threads on the inside, while a “female” connector will have a receptor for the pin and threads on the outside. RP (reverse polarity) means that the pin and receptor are in opposite positions with regard to connector gender while the outside housing remains the same. SMA-RP and SMA are therefore not compatible with each other. N-type connectors look similar but are weatherproof and larger than SMA connectors.
After enabling your device for communication using the IEEE 802.15.1 standard, what is the next step?
A) Enter the PIN code.
B) Find a device for pairing.
C) Enable pairing.
D) Open port 802.15.1.
C. The IEEE standard 802.15.1 is commonly known as Bluetooth. The CompTIA A+ objectives list the steps for connecting Bluetooth devices as follows:
1 Enable Bluetooth.
2 Enable pairing.
3 Find a device for pairing.
4 Enter the appropriate PIN code.
5 Test connectivity.
Not all Bluetooth devices require entering a pin. Opening a port is done on a router to allow a particular type of traffic to pass through the router to a connected network.
