How Portable Computing Devices Affect Us

Research Report by Hovik Azoyan

January 20, 2018

ISO 2O

Portable Devices such as Smartphones, Laptops, GPSs, greatly affect our lives. Although there are countless ways that these devices make our lives better, there are also some ways they negatively affect us.

These are just some of the ways that computing devices have affected people's daily lives. The biggest of these devices have been laptops and smartphones: the release of the first laptop computer; the Epson HX-20, released in 1980, and the release of the revolutionary iPhone released in 2007. The laptop weighed 1.6 kg, which is actually lighter than most laptops to this day. It had very weak processors, almost no storage, a tiny screen, and it was very uncomfortable to hold. This laptop existed 10 years before the internet was even invented, so there wasn't much that you could do with it. Basically, it had almost no positive effect in people's lives, besides the fact that they owned the first laptop computer ever. But, this also meant that some of the cons of owning a laptop were eliminated; you couldn't get hacked or cyberbullied, since there was no internet.

The iPhone was a revolutionary phone. Many android phones at the time were attempting to do what Apple did with the original iPhone, but they were not having much luck. In just over its first year, Apple had sold almost 2 million iPhones! The iPhone was a very sleek, modern, and affordable device when compared to its competitors. It had quite a large touchscreen for its time, a compact size which would comfortable fit in the hand, and it featured a faster processor than anything on the market at that time. And of course, it brought a whole new os to the game. Apple had decided to leave android os to its competitors, and design their own operating system, which we can still the original aspects of in the latest updates. The apple iPhone brought fast processors, lots of storage and memory, and a new way to use your smartphone.

Over 120 million people have already been exposed by hackers, all just in the U.S.! Hacking became a major problem when the internet first became widely used by the public. If the hacker is talented enough, they might be able to gain access to information such as: name and address, relative information, banking info, ip address, etc. Because of the internet, cyberbullying has also become a very important issue in today's society. Almost all teens use the internet nowadays, whether it be on their smartphones, laptops, tablets, or other electronics capable of accessing the internet. Teens post on their social media account, update their status, or check on the latest news and trends. Other people who have access to view and comment on other people's post, sometimes feel the need to bully them through the internet. Many schools in U.S. states have made a new rule which states that students who cyberbully other students will be punished, sometimes resulting in suspension or even expulsion.

A smartwatch is a mobile device; it consists of a package, including the computer and the display, attached to a bracelet. While early models can perform basic tasks, such as calculations, digital time telling, translations, and game-playing, 2010s smartwatches are effectively wearable computers. Many run mobile apps, using a mobile operating system and Bluetooth connectivity. Some smartwatches function as portable media players, with FM radio and playback of digital audio and video files via a Bluetooth or USB headset. Some models, also called 'watch phones' (or vice versa), have complete functionality of a typical smartphone.

Questions:

1. In what ways are smartwatches and smartphones similar?

2. What information is at risk to being exposed by hackers?

3. Why was the original laptop computer not very user friendly?

Click here for answers

Bibliography

www.daily-sun.com/post/213831/Electronic-devices-banned-on-some-US \-flights-from-Middle-East
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmvpSTVu9N4
www.reviewlatest.com/best-smart-watches/
https://pixabay.com/en/question-mark-note-duplicate-2110767/