A mobile device - also known as a hand-held device, handheld computer, ultrasmall laptop, tablet, palmtop, or simply a handheld - is a small, very mobile computing device. These units typically have a display screen with touch input or a miniature keyboard. In the case of the personal digital assistant (PDA), the input and output are combined into a touchscreen interface. Smartphones (cell phones with many additional features), tablets, PDAs, and other small electronics are designed to provide the assistance and convenience of a conventional computer when carrying one wouldn't be practical.

Enterprise digital assistants (such as those used by UPS delivery drivers and others) can offer additional functions with integrated data-capture devices, including bar codes, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and Smart Card readers.

Many mobile devices have features that make them especially useful tools for educators, teachers, administrators, students, and others. This article will take a brief look at some examples of ultramobile PCs, handhelds, probe ware, portable gaming devices, and digital media players that could be useful in an education setting.

Please keep in mind that this information is intended to be a starting point in a journey to explore this exciting portable world. It is not a complete survey of this area of technology.

ULTRAMOBILE PCS

An ultramobile PC, netbook, or minilaptop is a light-weight, low- cost, energy-efficient, highly portable laptop that achieves a smaller size by offering fewer features, less processing power, and a reduced ability to run resource-intensive operating systems such as Windows Vista. Netbooks are targeted at users of webbased applications that require less power; they are great for web browsing, email, and some general purpose applications.

Sony VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC

Sony

www.sonystyle.com

The VAIO P Series minilaptop is about the size of a 1''-thick business envelope with a weight of nearly 1.5 lbs. The device is available with a solid-state (up to 128GB) or standard hard drive and comes in a variety of colors (garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, crystal white, and matte black).

The VAIO includes a Windows Vista operating system that supports Microsoft Office applications, music programs, and video players with an integrated keyboard and stylus.

The unit is wireless ready, has a built-in MOTION EYE webcam and microphone, and offers an 8'' LED-backlit screen that can display the width of an entire page. The built-in GPS technology requires no internet connection. The standard battery provides about 4 hours of power; a large capacity battery is available for $130.

With retail pricing starting at $900, this unit would make a great teacher tool, although it may be too expensive for student use.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9

Dell

www.dell.com

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 (also called the Inspiron 910) is 9.1'' x 6.8'' in size and a little more than an inch thick. The unit has a starting weight of close to 3 lbs. and features an 8.9'' glossy LED display, a solid-state hard drive, three USB ports, a microphone jack, and a video-out plug. Wireless and webcam options are available.

The Mini 9 has a custom interface with icons that provide access to groups of similar applications and favorite web links. The interface can be customized; Windows XP Home Edition is available as an upgrade. The battery life is about 4 hours or a little less when working with video playback.

The Dell Inspiron retails for $299 or more and offers a variety of configurations.

HANDHELDS

A hand-held PC, handheld, or H/PC is a computer built around a form smaller than any standard laptop computer. This type of device is sometimes referred to as a palmtop.

Initially, Palm, Inc. introduced a handheld that was more of an organizer than a computer; it sold for less than $100. Advancing technology provided new features that turned these devices into small computers or cell phones (smartphone s ), GPS devices, probe ware, or ultramobile PCs.

TI-Nspire CAS Handheld

Texas Instruments, Inc.

www.ti-nspire.com/tools/nspire/index.html

The TI-Nspire CAS handheld includes a built-in Computer Algebra System (CAS) that enables symbolic calculations, standard numeric calculations, and more. The device can recognize, simplify, and calculate math expressions, preserving symbols including variables and terms such as e and pi.