Mobile, Wireless, and

Pervasive Computing

Information Technology For Management 5th Edition

Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe
Lecture Slides by A. Lekacos,
Stony Brook University
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
1
 Learning Objectives

• Discuss the characteristics and attributes of mobile computing and

m-commerce.
• Describe the drivers of mobile computing.
• Understand the technologies that support mobile computing.
• Describe wireless standards and transmission networks.
• Discuss m-commerce applications in financial and other services,
advertising, and providing of content.
• Describe the applications of m-commerce within organizations.
• Understand B2B and supply chain applications of m-commerce.
• Describe consumer and personal applications of m-commerce.
• Describe some non-Internet m-commerce applications.
• Describe location-based commerce (l-commerce).
• Discuss the key characteristics and current uses of pervasive
computing.
• Describe the major inhibitors and barriers of mobile computing and
m-commerce.

2
 Mobile Computing

In the traditional computing environment it was necessary to

come to the computer to do some work on it. All computers were
connected to each other, to networks, servers, etc. via wires.

• Mobile Computing
• The first phase was to make computers small enough so they
can be easily carried - Mobile devices
• The second solution to the need for mobile computing was to
replace wires with wireless communication media.
• The third phase was a combination of the first two, namely to
use mobile devices in a wireless environment. Referred to as
wireless mobile computing, this combination enables real-time
connections between mobile devices and other computing
environments.
Ubiquitous Computing – computing anytime anywhere

3
 Mobile Commerce

M-commerce and m-business is any e-commerce or e-business

activities performed in a wireless environment. It is not merely a
variation on existing Internet services; it is a natural extension of
e-business creating new opportunities.

• Typical Applications include:

• Financial applications
• Inventory management
• Field Service management
• Product locating
• Real Estate

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 Mobile Computing Basic Terminology

• Personal digital assistant (PDA). A small portable computer, such as Palm

handhelds and Pocket PC devices.
• Short Message Service (SMS). A technology, in existence since 1991, that allows
sending short text messages.
• Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS). An extension of SMS that is capable of
simple animation, tiny pictures, and short melodies.
• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). The next generation of wireless
messaging, this technology will be able to deliver rich media
• Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). A technology that offers Internet browsing
from wireless devices.
• Smartphones. Internet-enabled cell phones that can support mobile applications.
• Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). Refers to a standard 802.11b which most of the wireless
local area networks are based on.
• Global positioning system (GPS) . A satellite based tracking system that enables
the determination of a GPS device’s location.
• WLAN. Wireless local area network
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Mobile Computing – Characteristics

Mobile computing has two major characteristics that differentiate

it from other forms of computing: mobility and broad reach.

• Mobility implies portability based on the fact that users carry a

mobile device everywhere they go. Therefore, users can initiate
real-time contact with other systems from wherever they happen
to be.
• Broad reach is the characteristic that describes the accessibility
of people. They can be reached at any time.

Ubiquitous Computing
Constant connectivity

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 Mobile Computing – Attributes

The characteristics of M-commerce, mobility and broad reach break the barriers of
geography and time. Creating unique value added attributes.

• Ubiquity refers to the attribute of being available at any location at any given
time. A mobile terminal in the form of a smartphone or a PDA offers ubiquity.
• Convenience. It is very convenient for users to operate in the wireless
environment. All they need is an Internet enabled mobile device such as a
smartphone.
• Instant connectivity. Mobile devices enable users to connect easily and
quickly to the Internet, intranets, other mobile devices and databases.
• Personalization. Personalization refers to customizing the information for
individual consumers.
• Localization of products and services. Knowing the users physically
location at any particular moment is key to offering relevant products and
services.

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 Mobile Computing – Drivers

The development of mobile computing and m-commerce is being driven

by number of factors.
• Widespread availability of mobile devices. The number of cell phones
exceeds 1.3 billion
• No need for a PC. The Internet can be accessed via smartphone or other
Internet-enabled wireless devices.
• The handset culture. The widespread use of cell phones
• Vendors are pushing m-commerce. Both mobile communication network operators
and manufacturers of mobile devices.
• Declining prices and increased functionalities.
• Improvement of bandwidth. To properly conduct m-commerce, it is necessary
to have sufficient bandwidth. 3G (third-generation) technology provides the
necessary bandwidth, at a data rate of up to 2 Mbps.

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 Mobile Computing – Value Chain

M-commerce is a complex process involving a number of operations and entities

(customers, merchants, mobile operators, etc.).
The key elements in the m-commerce value chain (for delivering content and applications to end users

Link Function Provider

Transport Maintenance and operation of the infrastructure supporting Technology platform
data communication between mobile users and application vendors
providers
Enabling services Server hosting, data backup, and system integration Infrastructure equipment
vendors
Transaction support Mechanisms for assisting with transactions, security, and Application platform
billing vendor
Presentation Conversion of content of Internet-based applications to Application developer
services applications suitable for mobile devices
Personalization Gathering of users’ preferences, information, and devices Content developer
support in order to provide individualized applications
User applications General and specialized applications for mobile users Mobile service provider
Content aggregators Design and operation of portals that offer categorized Mobile portal provider
information and search facilities

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 Mobile Computing Infrastructure – Hardware

To conduct m-commerce, one needs devices for data entry and access to the
Internet, applications, and other equipment.

• Cellular phones Cell phones that are Internet-enabled phones, also

known as smartphones.
• Attachable keyboard A larger keyboard attachment.
• Personal digital assistants (PDAs) with Internet access are now
available.
• Interactive pagers Two-way pagers with limited mobile computing
and m-commerce activities on the Internet.
• Screenphones A telephone equipped with a color screen, a keyboard,
e-mail service and Internet capabilities.
• E-mail handhelds Integrated device, which includes a keypad, e-mail
service and Internet capabilities , without the need to dial into an
Internet provider for access.
• There are many other devices that support wireless operations.
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Mobile Computing Infrastructure – Hardware

M-commerce also requires the following hardware which is

essential for wireless connectivity:
• A WAN modem
• A wireless LAN or MAN (metro-area network) adapter.
• A Web server with wireless support
• A WAP gateway
• A communications server
• An application or database server
• An enterprise application server.
• A GPS locator

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 Mobile Computing Infrastructure – Software

There is no widely accepted standard for wireless applications. Therefore, software

needs to be customized for each type of device.
Software Description

Microbrowser A browser with limited bandwidth and memory requirements. Provides wireless
access to the Internet

Operating system (OS) for An OS for mobile devices. Examples: Palm OS, Pocket PC, Win CE. Specialized
OS’s: Blackberry and Web browser.
mobile-client
Bluetooth (named for a Viking Chip technology for short-range communication among wireless devices. See
bluethooth.com.
king)
User interface Application logic for handheld devices.

Application middleware Provides connecting among applications, databases, and Web-based servers.

Wireless middleware Links wireless networks to application servers.

Wireless Application Protocol A set of communication protocols that enables wireless devices to “talk” to a server
on a mobile network, so users can access the Internet. Specially designed for small
(WAP) screen. (see wapforum.org).

Wireless Markup Language An XML-based scripting language for creating content for wireless systems.

Voice XML An extension of XML designed to accommodate voice. 12

 Mobile Computing Infrastructure – WWAN’s

At the core of most mobile computing applications are mobile

networks. These are of two general types: the wide area and the local
area. The wide area networks for mobile computing are known as
wireless wide area networks (WWAN).
Communication
Tower Mobile
Base Station Switching
Controller Station
(BSC) (MSC)
Mobile Mobile
Network Network

Wireless
transmission
Mobile
Phone
(terminal)

Fixed
Telephone
Infrastructure
Mobile
Phone

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Mobile Computing Infrastructure – WWAN’s

The success of mobile computing depends on the capabilities of

the WWAN communication systems
• 1G. The first generation of wireless technology. It was an
analog-based technology, in effect from 1979 to 1992.
• 2G. The second generation of digital wireless technology. In
existence today, 2G is based on digital radio technology and
mainly accommodates text.
• 2.5G. An interim technology based on GPRS (General Packet
Radio Services) and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global
Evaluation) that can accommodate limited graphics.
• 3G. The third generation of digital wireless technology, which
supports rich media such as video clips. It started in 2001 in
Japan, and reached Europe in 2002 and the United States in
2003.
• 4G. The expected next generation after 3G. 4G will provide
faster display of multimedia and is expected between 2006 and
2010. 14
Mobile Computing Infrastructure – Protocol’s

Through multiplexing protocols mobile communication system

providers will be able to service extremely large numbers of users.

Three main protocols:

• Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA). Used by 1G
systems, this protocol gives each user a different
frequency to communicate on.
• Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). Used with some
of the more popular 2G systems, this protocol assigns
different users different time slots on a given
communications channel.
• Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Used with most
2.5G and 3G systems, this protocol separates different
users by assigning different codes to the segments of
each user’s communications.
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 Mobile Computing Infrastructure – WLAN’s

Wireless local area networks (WLAN) - another technology, has been

making its way to the forefront as the market factors impeding its growth
are being addressed. It is like a wired LAN but without the cables
transmitting and receiving data over the airwaves.
• Wireless access point - a transmitter with an antenna, connected to a
wired LAN that provides an Internet connection. (A wireless access point
provides service to a number of users within a small geographical perimeter known
as a “hot spot”)
• Wireless network card incorporated with laptops, desktops, or PDAs will
provide access
• WLAN’s employ the Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) standard developed by the IEEE
• 802.11b Speeds up to 11Mbps
• 802.11a and 802.11g Speeds up to 54 Mbps
• Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) a built-in security system in Wi-Fi
encrypts the communications between a client machine and a wireless
access point.

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Mobile Computing – Financial Services

Mobile financial applications include:

• Banking: offer mobile access to financial and account information.
• Wireless payments: provides mobile phones with a secure purchasing tools
capable of instantly authorizing payments
• Micropayments: electronic payments for small-purchase amounts (generally
less than $10)
• Wireless wallets: Software (e-wallet) that stores an online shopper’s credit
card numbers and other personal information.
• Bill payment services: Paying bills directly from a mobile device
• Brokerage services: stock trades and quotes
• Money transfers: from one account to another

These service have the potential to turn a mobile device into a

business tool, replacing banks, ATMs, and credit cards by allowing a
user to conduct financial transactions any time and from anywhere
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Mobile Computing – Shopping
Shopping from wireless devices enables customers to perform
quick searches, compare prices, use a shopping cart, order, and
view the status of their order using their mobile wireless devices.

Some shopping applications include:

• Restaurant chains enabling consumers to place an order
for pick up or delivery virtually any time, anywhere.
• eBay offers “anywhere wireless” services as does
Amazon.com
• Purchasing movie tickets by wireless device

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 Mobile Computing – Advertising
Knowing the current location of mobile users (using GPS) and their
preferences or surfing habits, marketers can send user-specific
advertising messages to wireless devices.

This location-sensitive advertising, will informing a

user about:
• sales at a specific shop or mall
• today’s specials at a restaurant
• loyalty programs
• and much more
all when a potential buyer is within close proximity.
The most promising avenues of success for wireless advertising
will incorporate it with other advertising media, Web sites or
physical locations.
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Mobile Computing – Mobile Portals
These are customer channels, optimized for mobility, that
aggregates and provides content and services to mobile users.

The services provided by mobile portals include:

• News
• Sports
• E-mail
• Entertainment
• Travel information
• Restaurants
• Event information
• Leisure-related services (e.g., games, TV and movie listings)
• Community services
• Stock trading.
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Mobile Intrabusiness and Enterprise Applications

Today’s m-commerce applications are mainly used within

organizations.

• Support Of Mobile Workers: are those working outside

the corporate premises. Service technician’s, Sales
personnel, Delivery workers, etc.
• Wearable Devices. Employees may be equipped with a
special form of mobile wireless computing devices
• Camera.
• Screen.
• Keyboard/Touch-panel display.
• Speech translator

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Mobile Computing – Enterprise Applications continued

• Job Dispatch. To assign jobs to mobile employees, along

with info about the task.
• transportation (delivery of food, oil, newspapers, cargo, courier
services)
• Utilities measurement (gas, electricity, phone, water)
• Field service (computer, office equipment, home repair)
• Health care (visiting nurses, doctors, social services)
• Security (patrols, alarm installation).
• Supporting Other Types of Work.
• Tractors
• Mystery shoppers
• Collaboration

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Mobile Computing – Intrabusiness Applications

Wireless applications in the non-Internet environment have

been around since the early 1990s.

• Wireless networking, used to pick items out of storage in

warehouses via PCs mounted on forklifts
• Delivery-status updates, entered on PCs inside distribution
trucks
• Collection of data such as competitors’ inventories and
prices in stores using a handheld (but not networked)
device, from which data were transferred to company
headquarters each evening.
• Taking physical inventories

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 Mobile Computing – Mobile B2B

Mobile computing solutions (B2B and supply chain management) enable

organizations to respond faster to disruptions by shifting resources
related to critical events as they occur. The wireless environment has
enhanced these c-commerce transactions.

• By integrating the mobile device into the supply chain,

it is possible to
• make mobile reservations of goods
• check availability of a particular item in the warehouse
• order a particular product
• provide security access to confidential financial data
• reduce clerical mistakes and improve operations

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 Mobile Computing – Mobile B2C

A large number of applications exist that support consumers and

provide personal services.
• B2C transactions
• Personalize Merchandise Notification
• Mobile games
• Hotels services

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Mobile Computing – Mobile B2C Continued

• Wireless telemedicine
• storage of data and transferring of digital images from one
location to another
• videoconferencing used for “real-time” consultation between
a patient in one location and a medical specialist in another.

• Services
• News
• Weather
• Sports
• online language translation

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Mobile Computing – Location-based Commerce

Location-based commerce (l-commerce) refers to the

localization of products and services. From a consumer’s viewpoint,
l-commerce offers safety. From a business supplier’s point of view, l-
commerce offers an opportunity to provide services that meet
customers’ needs.

• The l-commerce services revolve around five key

areas:
• Location: determining the basic position of a person or a
thing (e.g., car or boat).
• Navigation: plotting a route from one location to another.
• Tracking: monitoring the movement of a person or a thing
(e.g., a package or vehicle).
• Mapping: creating maps of specific geographical locations.
• Timing: determining the precise time at a specific location.
online language translation

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Mobile Computing – L-Commerce Technologies

• Providing location-based services requires the following location-

based and network technologies:
• Position Determining Equipment (PDE). This equipment
identifies the location of the mobile device. (GPS)
• Mobile Positioning Center (MPC). The MPC is a server that
manages the location information sent from the PDE.
• Location-based technology. This technology consists of
groups of servers that combine the position information with
geographic- and location-specific content to provide an l-
commerce service.
• Geographic content. Geographic contents consists of streets, road
maps, addresses, routes, landmarks, land usage, Zip codes, and
the like. (GIS)
• Location-specific content. Location-specific content is used in
conjunction with the geographic content to provide the location of
particular services.

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Mobile Computing – L-Commerce Applications

• There are many applications related to Location Based Commerce:

• Location-based advertising.
• The wireless device is detected, and similar to a pop-up ads on a PC,
advertising is directed towards the PC.
• A dynamic billboard ad will be personalized specifically for the occupant of
an approaching car.
• Ads on vehicles (taxicabs, trucks, buses) will change based on the vehicles
location.
• E-911 emergency cell phone calls
• Telematics and telemetry applications: integration of computers and
wireless communications in order to improve information flow
(OnStar system by GM)

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Mobile Computing – L-Commerce Applications

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Mobile Computing – Pervasive Computing

A world in which virtually every object has processing power with wireless
or wired connections to a global network. The user doesn’t have to think
about how to use the processing power in the object; rather, the
processing power automatically helps the user perform a task (Invisible
Computing Everywhere).
• RFID (radio frequency identification) tag attached to items for
sale.
• Active badges worn as ID cards by employees.
• Memory buttons are nickel-sized devices that store information
relating to whatever it is attached to.
• Contextual computing, refers to the process of understanding the
user’s interactions within a valid context, to better understand what the
consumer needs, and what products or services they might possibly be
interested in at this time. Context awareness refers to capturing a
broad range of contextual attributes to better understand those needs.

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Mobile Computing – Pervasive Computing (continued)

• Smart homes provide a local Intranet where appliances within the

home communicate with each other and television, lighting, heating
controls and home security are programmed and monitored by the
system.
• Smart Cars have microprocessors controlling the radio,
transmission, remembering your seat position, adjusting the
temperature, making the suspension work better, helping you see in the
dark, and warning when tire pressure is low. In the shop, the onboard
microprocessors are used to diagnose problems.
• Smart “Things” Several other devices and instruments can be
made to be “smart.”
• Barcodes.
• Auto Identification (Auto-ID)
• RFID: It is used in wireless tollbooth systems, such as E-Z Pass.

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Mobile Computing – Pervasive Computing (continued)

• Smart Schools. Exploring communication between students,

teachers, and the environment to create a smart learning environment.
• Intelligent Elder- Care
• Smart Offices.
• Digital Cities.

Embedded
Computing

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 MANAGERIAL ISSUES
• Comparing wireless to synchronized mobile devices. In many cases, transmitting
data in the evening, using a docking device, is sufficient. In others, real time
communication is needed, justifying a wireless system.
• Timetable. Although there has been much hype about m-commerce, only a small number
of large-scale mobile computing applications have been deployed to date. The most
numerous applications are in e-banking, stock trading, emergency services, and some B2B
tasks. Companies still have time to carefully craft an m-commerce strategy.
• Setting applications priorities. Finding and prioritizing applications is a part of an
organization’s e-strategy. Although location-based advertising is logically attractive, its
effectiveness may not be known for several years. Therefore, companies should be very
careful in committing resources to m-commerce. For the near term, applications that
enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of mobile workers are likely to have the highest
payoff.
• Just a buzzword? In the short run, mobile computing, m-commerce, and especially l-
commerce, may be just buzzwords due to the many limitations they now face. However, in
the long run, the concepts will be increasingly popular. Management should monitor the
technological developments and make plans accordingly.
• Choosing a system. The multiplicity of standards, devices, and supporting hardware and
software can confuse a company planning to implement mobile computing. An unbiased
consultant can be of great help. Checking the vendors and products carefully, as well as
who is using them, is also critical. 34