Mobile Devices: Components and Storage

• A mobile device is a portable, battery-powered computing gadget like smartphones, tablets, or laptops, designed for easy mobility.

Components

• Keyboards are a component of mobile devices.
• RAM (Random Access Memory) is a key component in mobile devices.
• Laptops use SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module), which is a more compact version of DIMM, designed for devices with limited space.
• SO-DIMM is lower powered and upgradable in laptops.
• RAM in small phones and tablets is often soldered to the motherboard and is not changeable.

Laptop Storage

• HDD (Hard Disk Drive) offers a cost-effective storage solution, is removable, and upgradeable, but is more fragile, cheaper, and slower.
• SSD (Solid State Drive) is more expensive but provides faster processing and shock resistance due to its non-removable parts, making it suitable for laptops and mobile devices requiring lower power.

Wireless Cards

• Wireless Network Interface Cards (NIC) are hardware components that enable devices to connect to wireless networks.
• BT (Bluetooth) cards link devices like keyboards, mice, microphones, and speakers.
• WLAN enables devices to connect to local WIFI networks.
• WWAN connects to mobile networks for internet access over long distances.
• It is important to power off the device before removing or connecting any wireless card components for safety.

Mobile Device Security

• Biometrics, such as fingerprint recognition, is a common security feature in mobile phones, unlike desktops.
• NFC (Near Field Communication) technology is more common in laptops and allows devices to connect when in close proximity, often used for contactless payments and data sharing.

Display Components

• OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) is a display technology where organic materials emit light when an electric current is applied, producing high contrast, vibrant colors, and true blacks.
• OLEDs are more flexible than LCDs, enabling curved displays.
• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a flat panel display that uses liquid crystals to modulate light, creating colorful images by controlling light flow through a backlight or reflector.
• IPS (In-Plane Switching) displays show true colors at all angles.
• TN (Twisted Nematic) displays are very fast but require the user to be directly in front of the screen.
• VA (Vertical Alignment) displays offer better viewing angles than TN displays.

Antenna

• When conducting maintenance, pay attention to the antenna cable placement on/under laptop displays.
• Removing the display on certain devices can interfere with other objects and integrated systems due to limited space.
• Antenna cables are often threaded in a specific path to optimize wireless network connection efficacy, usually aligned from the motherboard around the display and tucked under the screen's trim bezel to minimize signal interference.

Webcam & Microphone

• Webcams and microphones are usually located at the top of the screen panel.

Touch Screen/Digitizer

• A transparent layer that detects touch input (swipes, taps, presses) and translates it into digital signals.

Display Screen

• Visually outputs information from input via digitizer, touch screen, or keyboard.

Inverter

• A component in older laptop models that converts the low voltage DC power of the power supply into the AC voltage needed for the LED.