This document discusses various types of portable computing devices including notebooks, tablet PCs, and PDAs. Notebooks use similar components to desktop PCs but are modified for portability with features like thin LCD screens, compact hard drives, and power-efficient CPUs. Tablet PCs have touch screens and can be used with a pen while PDAs are smaller and more portable than notebooks, providing functionality like calendars and contacts on the go. The document covers hardware components, operating systems, connectivity options, and basic troubleshooting tips for these portable devices.

1. Portable Computing

2. Notebook Computers

3. Notebook Computers
(continued)
 Same technology as PCs, with
modifications for space, portability, and
power conservation
– Thin LCD panels (active matrix and passive
matrix)
– Compact hard drives
– Small memory modules
– CPUs that require less power

4. Notebooks versus PCs
Notebooks PCs
Usually purchased as
a whole unit; unlikely
to upgrade hardware
and OS
Design is typically
proprietary
Some universal
support issues, but
procedures vary
between brands
Highly modular
Components can be
interchanged,
upgraded, and
enhanced
Cost less than
notebooks

5. Windows Notebook
Features
 Multilink Channel Aggregation
 ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power
Interface)
 Power management
 Support for PC Cards
 Windows 9x Briefcase
 Windows 2000/XP Offline Files and Folders
 Folder redirection under Windows 2000/XP
 Hardware profiles under Windows 2000/XP

6. Power Management
 Power sources
– Battery
– DC adapter
– AC adapter
 Types of batteries
– Lithium ion
– NiMH
– Fuel cell

7. Power Management
(continued)

8. Power Management

9. Power Management
(continued)

10. Power Management
(continued)

11. Power Management
(continued)

12. Connecting Peripheral
Devices to Notebooks
 Ports on the notebook
 PC Card slot with lock
switch and eject button
 Headphone jack
 Microphone jack
 Infrared port
 Secure Digital (SD)
card slot
 CompactFlash Card slot
 Wireless antenna
on/off switch
 Serial port

13. Ports on a Notebook

14. Connecting Peripheral
Devices to Notebooks
(continued)

15. Connecting Peripheral
Devices to Notebooks
(continued)

16. Connecting Peripheral
Devices to Notebooks
(continued)

17. PC Card Slots

18. PC Card Slots (continued)
 Used by many devices
 Connect to the 16-bit PCMCIA I/O bus on
notebook motherboard
 Might contain a data cable to an external
drive, or might be self-contained
 Can interface with a network

19. PC Card Slot Standards
 CardBus (latest spec)
– Improves I/O speed
– Increases bus width to 32 bits
– Supports lower-voltage PC Cards while
maintaining backward compatibility
 Three other types (Type I, Type II,
Type III), which vary in thickness

20. PCMCIA / PC Cards
Short for Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association, and pronounced as separate letters, PCMCIA
is an organization consisting of some 500 companies that
has developed a standard for small, credit card-sized
devices, called PC Cards
Originally designed for adding memory to portable
computers, the PCMCIA standard has been expanded
several times and is now suitable for many types of devices

21. PCMCIA / PC Cards –
(Continued)
There are in fact three types of PCMCIA cards. All three
have the same rectangular size (85.6 by 54 millimeters),
but different widths:
Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and are used
primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer
Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick. These cards are
often used for modem and fax modem cards
Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick, which is
sufficiently large for portable disk drives

22. PCMCIA / PC Cards –
(Continued)
As with the cards, PCMCIA slots also come in three sizes:
A Type I slot can hold one Type I card
A Type II slot can hold one Type II card or one Type I card
A Type III slot can hold one Type III card or any combination of
two Type I or II cards
In general, you can exchange PC Cards on the fly (hot
swappable), without rebooting your computer. For example, you
can slip in a fax modem card when you want to send a fax and
then, when you're done, replace the fax modem card with a
memory card

23. PC Cards

24. PC Cards (continued)

25. Using a PC Card to
Interface with a Network

26. Using PC Card Slots and
Other Slots
 OS must provide two (2) services
– Socket service
 Establishes communication between card and
notebook when the card is first inserted
 Disconnects communication when card is
removed
– Card service
 Provides device driver to interface with the
card once socket is created
 Can be hot-swapped

27. Hot-Swapping

28. Types of Memory Used by
Notebooks

29. Upgrading Memory

30. Upgrading Memory
(continued)

31. Upgrading Memory
(continued)

32. Other FRUs for Notebooks
 Hard drive
 LCD panel
 Motherboard
 CPU
 Keyboard
 PC Card socket
assembly
 Optical drive
 Floppy drive
 Sound card
 Pointing device
 AC adapter
 Battery pack
 DC controller
FRU – Field Reserve Units

33. Hard Drive Comparison

34. Replacing a Hard Drive

35. Installing a Mini-PCI Card

36. Resources for
Troubleshooting Notebooks
 Apply same troubleshooting guidelines as
for desktop PCs
 Be especially conscious of warranty issues
 Loaded OS and hardware configuration are
specific; see documentation for details
 Support CDs bundled with notebook include
device drivers for all embedded devices
 Download additional or updated drivers
from manufacturer’s Web site

37. Tablet PCs
 Type of notebook computer that is
smaller, more graphical, more user
friendly, and more portable
 Has a touch screen
 Cost about the same as notebooks

38. A Tablet PC

39. Three Tablet Form
Factors
 Convertible tablet PC
 Slate model tablet PC
 Tablet PC with a docking station

40. Convertible Tablet PC

41. Features of a Tablet PC
 Functioning Windows XP computer with the
power of a full-sized notebook
 Input can be by handwriting, voice, hardware
keyboard, or on-screen keyboard
 Built-in support for wireless, wired, and dial-up
networking
 AC power adapter and rechargeable battery
 Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
 PC Card, USB ports, and VGA port for
peripheral devices

42. Writing on a Tablet PC

43. PDAs (Personal Digital
Assistance)
 Provide more portability than a notebook or
tablet PC
 Include a stylus
 Powered using an AC adapter or battery
 Use either a grayscale or color active matrix
or dual-scan passive matrix display
 Can interface with a desktop or notebook
computer to transfer files and applications
 Synchronize with PCs through a USB, serial,
or wireless port

44. A PDA

45. Optional PDA Accessories

46. Considerations When
Purchasing a PDA
 Applications that are included or can be
added later
 Ease of use; thoroughness of
documentation
 Ease of synchronization
 Availability of manufacturer support
 Type of batteries and anticipated battery life

47. Considerations When
Purchasing a PDA
(continued)
 Ability to use e-mail and the Web
without needing extra hardware or
software
 Availability of additional devices
 Ease of use of OS
 Warranty and price

48. Battery Life on a PDA
 Varies by model
 Short battery life is the largest
complaint;
– Risk of losing data and applications if
battery runs all the way down
 Use cradle and adapter

49. Variety of Ways Applications
Are Provided on a PDA
 All application software preinstalled
 Require user to download applications
at additional cost
 Support only preinstalled applications
and cannot download others
 Allow downloading email or Web site
content
 Access Internet directly by way of a
modem or wireless connection

50. Connecting a PDA to a PC
 Synchronization
– Process by which PDA and PC “talk” to each
other through universal cradle, cable, and
USB or serial connection – and occasionally,
wireless technology
– Capabilities
 Backup information from PDA to PC
 Work with PDA files on PC and download
applications from Web

51. PDA Manufacturers and
Operating Systems
 Windows Mobile by Microsoft
– More versatile
– Better for downloading and running
applications similar to Windows

52. PDA Manufacturers and
Operating Systems
(continued)
 Palm OS by PalmSource
– Less complex
– Easier to use
– Better choice when PDA is used for
simple tasks
 Principal difference between the two
OSs is in the applications they support

53. Troubleshooting Portable
Computers
 Laptop Won’t Power On
– Verify AC power by plugging another electronic device into the wall
outlet. If the other device receives power, the outlet is good
– If the outlet is good, connect the laptop to the wall outlet and try to
power on. If no LEDs light up, you may have a bad AC adapter. Swap it
out with a known-good power adapter
– A faulty peripheral device might keep the laptop from powering up.
Remove any peripherals such as USB or Firewire devices
 Screen Doesn’t Come On Properly
– If the laptop is booting (you hear the beeps and the drives), first make
sure the display is on. Press the FN key and the key to activate the
screen a number of times until the laptop display comes on
– If the laptop display is very dim, you may have lost an inverter. The clue
here is that inverters never go quietly. They can make a nasty hum as
they are about to die and an equally nasty popping noise when they
actually fail. Failure often occurs when you plug in the laptop’s AC
adapter, as the inverters take power directly from the AC adapter

54. Troubleshooting Portable
Computers
 Wireless Networking Doesn’t Work
– Check for a physical switch along the front, rear, or side edges of the
laptop that toggles the internal wireless adapter on and off
– Try the special key combination for your laptop to toggle the wireless
adapter.You usually press the FN key in combination with another key
– You might simply be out of range. Physically walk the laptop over to the
wireless router or access point to ensure there are no “out of range”
issues
 Handwriting Is Not Recognized
– If your PDA or tablet PC no longer recognizes your handwriting or stylus,
you may need to retrain the digitizer. Look for an option in your PDA OS
settings to “align the screen.” On Windows tablet PCs, you will find a
similar option under Start | Settings | Control Panel

55. Troubleshooting Portable
Computers
 Keypad Doesn’t Work
– If none of the keys work on your laptop, there’s a good chance you’ve
unseated the keypad connector. These connectors are quite fragile and
are prone to unseating from any physical stress on the laptop. Check the
manufacturer’s disassembly procedures to locate and reseat the keypad
– If you’re getting numbers when you’re expecting to get letters, the
number lock (NUMLOCK) function key is turned on. Turn it off
 Touchpad Doesn’t Work
– A shot of compressed air does wonders for cleaning pet hair out of the
touchpad sensors. You’ll get a cleaner shot if you remove the keyboard
before using the compressed air. Remember to be gentle when lifting off
the keyboard and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
– The touchpad driver might need to be reconfigured. Try the various
options in the Control Panel | Mouse applet