© 2007 the mcgraw-hill companies, inc. all rights reserved portable computing chapter 19

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Portable ComputingChapter 19


Overview

• In this chapter, you will learn to

– Describe the many types of portable computing devices available

– Enhance and upgrade portable computers

– Manage and maintain portable computers

– Troubleshoot portable computers


CompTIA A+Essentials

Essentials

Getting the Right Sound Card

Portable Computing Devices


LCD Screens

• Major contributor to cost– Most range from 12 inch to 17 inch– Aspect ratio changing from 4:3 standard– For comparison, 16:9 is standard for widescreen– 16:10 is the standard for 17-inch LCD screen

Mode Name ResolutionXGA eXtended Graphics Array 1024 x 768SXGA Super eXtended Graphics Array 1280 x 1024SXGA+ Super eXtended Graphics Array Plus 1400 x 1050WSXGA+ Widescreen SXGA Plus 1680 x 1050UXGA Ultra eXtended Graphics Array 1600 x 1200WUXGA Widescreen UXGA 1920 x 1200


LCD Screens

• Two types of finishes

• Matte– Traditional standard– Reduces glare– Washes out a lot in bright light– Hopeless in bright daylight

• High Gloss– Relatively new– Offers sharper contrast, richer colors and wider

viewing angles


• Typical laptops can function as a fully standalone PC – Can be used as a

desktop replacement

– Input devices• Trackballs on early laptops• IBM’s TrackPoint—pencil eraser–sized

joystick in the middle of the keyboard• Touchpads

Desktop Replacements


Desktop Extenders

• Desktop extenders are portable devices

– Not intended to take the place of a desktop

– Think of them as a smaller, lighter, less-powerful laptop for less intensive use


PDAs

• Personal digital assistants (PDAs) – Tiny, handheld portable computing devices

– Address book, personal notes, appointments, word processors, image viewers

– Often use handwriting recognition with a pen-style stylus for pen-based computing

– Use specialized OS such as Windows CE, PocketPC, PalmOS, and Linux

– Made by Palm, Sony, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and other companies


PDA Features

• HotSync– Can synchronize data between PDA

and office PC– PalmOS calls it HotSync

• Beaming– PDAs typically have IR ports– Can transfer data (beam) between PDAs

• PDA Memory– Internal flash ROM of 1 MB or more– CompactFlash cards that are

removable and upgradeable for removable storage needs


Tablet PCs

• Combines handwriting benefits of PDAs with power of traditional laptops

• Use a stylus to write

• Applications can use digital ink to capture pen strokes


Portable Computer Device Types

Screen Size Weight Uses

Desktopreplacements

14–20 inches 8–12 lbs Mobile anything

Desktop extenders

10–14 inches 4 lbs Presentations, note taking

Ultralights 6–12 inches 2–3 lbs Long-term traveling

Tablet PCs 10–12 inches 4 lbs Niche market

Ultra-mobile PCs

4–7 inches 1–2 lbs Niche market

PDAs 3–4 inches 1 lb Organization

PDA phones 2 niches < 1 lb Eliminates cell phone


IT Technician

CompTIA A+Technician

Enhance and Upgrade the Portable PC


PC Cards

• PC Cards are commonly known as the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)– Hot-swappable devices – Easy to use, inexpensive, and convenient


PC Cards

• Parallel PC Cards– 16-bit or CardBus (32-bit 3.3V cards)– Three sizes: Type I (thinnest), II, and III (thickest)– Cards can have one or many functions

• ExpressCard– High-performance serial version– Can connect to USB 2.0 slot (480 Mbps) or PCIe (2.5

Gbps)


Card Types

Type Length Width Thickness Typical Use

Type I 85.6 mm 54 mm 3.3 mm Flash memory

Type II 85.6 mm 54 mm 5.0 mm I/O (modem, NIC, etc.)

Type III 85.6 mm 54 mm 10.5 mm Hard drives


PC Cards

• Two levels of software drivers– Socket services

• Device drivers that enable the system to detect when a PC Card is inserted or removed

• Provide necessary I/O to the device• Standardized and handled by the system BIOS

– Card services• Recognize the function of a particular PC Card and provide

the specialized drivers required to make the card work• Handled by Windows• Accessed via PCMCIA option in Control Panel


Limited-Function Ports

• All portable PCs and many PDAs come with a variety of ports– VGA connection for hooking up an external monitor– PS/2 port for an external keyboard or mouse– Built-in NICs and modems for network support

• All of these work the same as in desktop PCs

– Video ports• External monitor, projector,

or a combination of both

– Speaker ports– Extra function key


General-Purpose Ports

• Legacy ports – PS/2, RS-232

• USB and FireWire– Work same as in PC

• Port replicators – Plug into a single port – Offer common PC ports

such as serial, parallel, network, and PS/2


Docking Stations

• Gives laptops access to PC resources– Large monitors, regular mice, network connections,

and full-size keyboards

• Provides an easy way to take your laptop in and out of the office

• Basically a port replicator with extra features such as a DVD drive or PC Card slots


Replacing RAM

• No standard method– You usually have to unscrew or pop open a panel

on the underside of the portable


Shared Memory

• Reduces cost of video cards– Reduces amount of memory on the video card

• Shared memory technologies– TurboCache (NVIDIA)– HyperMemory (ATI)

• System RAM will report less RAM available– Not shared as much as taken from OS– Once taken, OS no longer has access to the RAM


The Modular Laptop

• Common components that can be replaced or upgraded in a portable PC

– Hard drives• 2.5-inch ATA drives most common• Cable select often required• Otherwise the same as regular

3.5-inch drives

– Modular CPUs• Just replace with a newer module from Intel or AMD

– Video cards• Least standardized


The Modular Laptop

• Common components that can be replaced or upgraded in a portable PC

– Modular Drives• CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-R/W, hard drives

– Mobile NICs and Mini PCI• Most laptops have dial-up modems and Ethernet• Many also come with integrated wireless

networking support• Many devices can be toggled on and off with key

combinations such as FN-F2


Managing and Maintaining Portable Computers


Maintenance

• Everything you normally do to maintain a PC applies to portable PCs

– Windows patches and Service Packs– Upgrading drivers– CHKDSK– ScanDisk– Defragment– Disk Cleanup


Batteries

• Three types of commonly used batteries– Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd)– Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)– Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)


Nickel-Cadmium Batteries

• Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries

– First batteries commonly used in mobile PCs

– Battery memory is the tendency of a Ni-Cd battery to lose a significant amount of its recharge ability

– Conditioning charge could sometimes resolve battery memory problem

– At best, can only be recharged about 1000 times

– Toxic—dispose of at recycling centers


Nickel Metal Hydride

• Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries

– Next generation of mobile PC batteries

– Less susceptible to memory problems and last longer between recharges

– Still susceptible to heat

– Popular replacement for Ni-Cd systems


Lithium Ion

• Lithium Ion batteries– Most common type of battery used today– Powerful– Completely immune to memory problems– Built-in circuitry to prevent accidental overcharging


Other Portable Power Sources

• Smart batteries – Tell the computer when they need to be charged,

conditioned, or replaced

• Fuel cells– Promising new technology that could power a

laptop for up to 40 hours before refilling– Hasn’t yet reached the consumer market


Battery Maintenance

• Batteries should be stored in a cool place

• Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries should be conditioned by using a special charger

• Battery contacts should be kept clean using a little alcohol or dry cloth

• Used or old batteries should be recycled


Power Management


Power Management

• Power management goals

– Shut down unused devices selectively

– Define a maximum period of inactivity

– Shut down the entire system during longer periods of inactivity

– Ready to restart if triggered by a wake-up event

– Sensitive to potential hazards like shutting down the hard drive in the middle of a write operation

– Keep the system cost about the same


System Management Mode

• System Management Mode (SMM) – Set of features that enables the CPU to slow down

or stop its clock without deleting information

– Stops the CPU and all of the peripherals

– Requires a specialized BIOS and OS

– To further power management capabilities, Intel introduced

• Advanced Power Management (APM) in 1992 • Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) in 1996


Requirements for APM/ACPI

• APM and ACPI require the following in order to function properly

– An SMM-capable CPU

– APM-compliant BIOS

– Devices that will accept being shut off (“Energy Star”)

– A system OS that knows how to request the shutdown of a particular device


APM/ACPI Levels

• Full On– No power management—everything running

• APM Enabled– CPU and RAM running at full power– Unused devices may or may not be shut down

• APM Standby– CPU is stopped (can easily be restarted)– RAM still stores all the programs– All peripherals are shut down

• APM Suspend– Everything is shut down or at its lowest power-consumption– Hibernation (stores everything in RAM on the hard drive before

powering down)


APM/ACPI Configuration

• CMOS settings • Windows– Overrides CMOS

settings

– Display applet in Control Panel

• Settings Advanced Monitor tab

– Power Management applet in Control Panel


Configuration of APM/ACPI— Windows


Cleaning & Heat

• Cleaning– Use a screen cleaner to clean the LCD screen (not a

glass cleaner)– Use compressed air to clean out the keyboard and PC

Card sockets

• Heat– Use power management– Keep air space between the bottom of the laptop and

the surface it sits on– Don’t use a keyboard protector– Listen for fan running a lot or stopping


Protect the Machine

• Protect your investment with best practices

– Tripping Watch the power cord

– Storage Protect from damage and dirt

– Travel Remember foreign power is 230 V

– Shipping Protect from damage and theft

– Security Protect from theft


Troubleshooting

• Laptop won’t power on– Verify the outlet is good– Verify the adapter is good– Remove all peripherals

• Screen doesn’t come on properly– Make sure the display is on– Press FN key combination to activate the screen

• Wireless networking doesn’t work– Check for physical or software switch to turn it on– Ensure you’re in range


Troubleshooting

• Handwriting is not recognized– May need to retrain the digitizer

• Keypad doesn’t work– Probably unseated keypad connector– Check manufacturer’s disassembly procedures

• Touchpad doesn’t work– Clean with compressed air– May need to reconfigure touchpad driver


Beyond A+

• Intel’s Centrino Technology– Extremely low power– Fast CPUs– Integrated wireless networking

• Origami—Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC)– Small form factor tablet PC– Runs full-fledged OS such as

Windows XP or Vista

© 2007 the mcgraw-hill companies, inc. all rights reserved portable computing chapter 19

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