Chapter 20

A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PCFifth Edition

Chapter 20

Notebooks, Tablet PCs, and PDAs

2A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition

You Will Learn…

How to support, upgrade, and add peripheral devices to notebooks

About technologies relating to personal digital assistants (PDAs)


Notebook Computers


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


Notebooks versus PCs

Notebooks PCsUsually 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 modularComponents can be

interchanged, upgraded, and enhanced

Cost less than notebooks


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


Power Management

Power sources Battery DC adapter AC adapter

Types of batteries Lithium ion NiMH Fuel cell


Power Management (continued)


Power Management








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


Ports on a Notebook


Connecting Peripheral Devices to Notebooks (continued)



Dell Notebook Computer on FIRE


This is a bad thing!




PC Card Slots


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


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


PC Cards


PC Cards (continued)


Using a PC Card to Interface with a Network


Using PC Card Slots and Other Slots OS must provide two 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


Hot-Swapping


Types of Memory Used by Notebooks


Upgrading Memory


Upgrading Memory (continued)


Upgrading Memory (continued)


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


Hard Drive Comparison


Replacing a Hard Drive


Installing a Mini-PCI Card


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


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


A Tablet PCLocked up

again! Darn…


Three Tablet Form Factors

Convertible tablet PC

Slate model tablet PC

Tablet PC with a docking station


Convertible Tablet PC


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


Writing on a Tablet PC


PDAs

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


A PDA


Optional PDA Accessories


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


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


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


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


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


PDA Manufacturers and Operating Systems

Windows Mobile by Microsoft

More versatile

Better for downloading and running applications similar to Windows


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


Summary

Portable devices and how to support them

Notebook computers

Tablet PCs

Personal digital assistants (PDAs)

Personal mentally challenged assistant

Chapter 20

Documents

personal digital assistants

connecting peripheral devices

convertible tablet pc

pc card slots

hard drive

tablet pc

pc cards

pc card