Mobile Devices

Question 1

Li-ion / LiPo

Answer 1

• Laptop batteries
• No “memory effect”
• Charging the battery diminishes capacity

Question 2

SO-DIMM

Answer 2

Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module (SO-DIMM)

• Memory used in laptops and mobile devices

Question 3

Magnetic disk

Answer 3

• Used for storage
• Traditional spinning drive platters
• 2.5-in form factor for laptops / 3.5-in for desktops

Question 4

SSD

Answer 4

Solid-state drive (SSD)

• Storage
• All memory, no moving parts
• Silent, fast access time, less latency
• 2.5-in form factor

Question 5

M.2

Answer 5

“Em-dot-2” (M.2)

• Storage
• Smaller form factor
• No SATA data or power cables
• Easy to install / replace

Question 6

How do you migrate from HDD to SSD?

Answer 6

Options:

• Install an OS on the SSD and move docs between drives, install any required apps (can be time consuming)
• Image/clone the SSD (no OS installation required, move everything from one to the other)
• Imaging software, sometimes it’s included with the SSD but there are many commercial/open source options out there
• Create an image file one drive at a time
• Drive-to-drive image (image directly from one drive to another)

Question 7

OLED

Answer 7

Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)

• Organic compound that emits light when receiving an electric current
• Thinner, lighter, flexible, no glass necessary
• No backlight (the organic compound emits the light)
• Very accurate color, bit higher $$ than LCD

Question 8

VA LCD

Answer 8

Vertical Alignment LCD (VA LCD)

• A good compromise between TN and IPS
• Good color representation
• Slower response times than TN

Question 9

TN LCD

Answer 9

Twisted Nematic LCD (TN LCD)

• The original LCD technology
• Fast response times (good for gaming)
• Poor viewing angles ‘cause of color shift

Question 10

5G

Answer 10

• 5th gen launched in 2020
• Significant performance improvements at higher frequencies
• Major IoT impact — bandwidth less of a constraint, larger data transfers, monitoring/notification, cloud processing

Question 11

Cellular networks

Answer 11

• Mobile devices / “cell phones”
• Separates land into “cells” with antenna coverage within certain frequencies
• 2G networks (GSM / CDMA)
• Poor data support (originally used for circuit-switching and minor upgrades for some packet switching)

Question 12

CDMA

Answer 12

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

• Everyone communicates at the same time
• Each call uses a different code
• These codes are used to filter the call on the receiving side

Question 13

PRL

Answer 13

Preferred Roaming List (PRL)

• A database used in mobile devices, particularly in CDMA networks, to manage network selection and roaming (uses things like network availability and signal strength to determine this)

Question 14

LED backlighting

Answer 14

• Backlight is made of LED’s instead of fluorescent bulbs
• LEDS around the edge of the screen / array behind the screen
• Latest laptops are LED-backlit

Question 15

Fluorescent backlighting

Answer 15

• Uses CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp)
• Higher voltage / power needed
• Adds thickness to the display
• Older displays will use these

Question 16

3G

Answer 16

• 3rd gen introduced in 1998
• Upgraded data connectivity over 2G
• Bandwidth improvements allowed new functionality for GPS, mobile TV, video on-demand, and video conferencing

Question 17

4G + LTE

Answer 17

• 4th gen / Long Term Evolution (LTE - a “4G” technology)
• Converged standard for GSM + CDMA
• Based on GSM and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution)
• Standard supports download rates of 150 Mbit/s (LTE-A supports 300 Mbit/s)