What is Mobile: Definition and 147 Discussions

A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, or hand phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while the user is moving within a telephone service area. The radio frequency link establishes a connection to the switching systems of a mobile phone operator, which provides access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Modern mobile telephone services use a cellular network architecture and, therefore, mobile telephones are called cellular telephones or cell phones in North America. In addition to telephony, digital mobile phones (2G) support a variety of other services, such as text messaging, MMS, email, Internet access, short-range wireless communications (infrared, Bluetooth), business applications, video games and digital photography. Mobile phones offering only those capabilities are known as feature phones; mobile phones which offer greatly advanced computing capabilities are referred to as smartphones.
The development of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) large-scale integration (LSI) technology, information theory and cellular networking led to the development of affordable mobile communications. The first handheld mobile phone was demonstrated by John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset weighing c. 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs). In 1979, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) launched the world's first cellular network in Japan. In 1983, the DynaTAC 8000x was the first commercially available handheld mobile phone. From 1983 to 2014, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions grew to over seven billion; enough to provide one for every person on Earth. In the first quarter of 2016, the top smartphone developers worldwide were Samsung, Apple and Huawei; smartphone sales represented 78 percent of total mobile phone sales. For feature phones (slang: "dumbphones") as of 2016, the top-selling brands were Samsung, Nokia and Alcatel.

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  1. Edwina Lee

    B Home mobile air conditioning: Is this a contradiction to thermodynamics?

    I am seeing lots of brands of home portable air conditioners to cool rooms. They are sold through well known nationwide chains such as Currys, Argos in the UK. Customer feedback shows that they really work. But why would they work??? Surely, these portable aircons need to take away heat from...
  2. J

    The future of mobile computing forensics analysts

    Hi there! I am a student in my first semester of undergrad studies for computer science. The first assignment in my CSC class is to write a paper on the future of computer science, which can be broad or niche. My end goal is to get a job in mobile computing forensics analysis, so this is what I...
  3. Faizan Samad

    I Why does doping make resonating valence bonds (singlet pairs) mobile?

    I know in RVB theory that neighbouring Copper atoms form singlet pairs via the superexchange "force". Upon doping with holes, these neutral singlet RVB pairs become mobile and charged and are able to superconduct. I know that the resonating valence bonds are in the copper 3d(x^2-y^2) orbital and...
  4. kyphysics

    Anyone Here Use Prepaid Mobile Phone Plan to Save $$$?

    I'm thinking of: a.) downgrading/sizing to a pre-paid/pay-as-you-go cell phone plan, instead of a fixed monthly one b.) getting rid of data plan You can buy prepaid plans for literally whatever (I think the minimum is like $3.00) amount you want and use minutes and/or data as you go. The...
  5. A

    Essay on Life without Mobile phones today

    Could this be a good essay for school or college children to write a essay on "Life without Mobile phones today" as the essay title? The Mobile phones (Wireless technology) has impacted our lives and its hard for us where once upon a time we were using land line phones (wired technology) and...
  6. M

    Engineering Mobile Comms: Number of Cells in Hexagonal Pattern

    Hi, I was looking at some notes and trying to understand the following statement which refers to the diagram below. "The number of cells in the radius ## D ## determined by ## N_c = D_R^2 ## where ## D_R = \sqrt{i^2 + j^2 + ij} ## where ## i## and ##j## are the number of cells along the ## u ##...
  7. TimeSkip

    Mobile network or internet on Long-Fi?

    I have a question if it would be possible to have a cellular network on Long-Fi? I have tried searching for information on the theoretical maximum bandwidth of Long-Fi; but, can't find anything. I also am unsure if the idea would be of interest to companies like Tesla to set up a hub connecting...
  8. BillTre

    Interesting Brain Scanning/Stimulating Backpack Allows Mobile Brain Studies

    This new technology will make monitoring outside of labs possible. It requires a brain implant. Kind of reminds me of the Borg.
  9. T

    Design of Hydropowered Turbine Propeller for Mobile Charger

    I am currently working on a project for an undergraduate course in university. My team and I have decided to make a hydropowered mobile device charger, and I am responsible for the design and modeling of the turbine propeller. This turbine will need to be able to function in low velocity streams...
  10. scottdave

    Mathematica Discover the LaTeX Mobile Decoder on Detexify for Mathematical Symbols

    Somebody on the Slack for one of my online classes shared this interesting mobile website where you can draw a mathematical symbol and get the LaTeX equivalent. http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
  11. Y

    Misc. Brainstorming concept for mobile solar array

    Hello! I'm in the early process of brainstorming plans for a roof mounted mobile solar array as a DIY project. The host vehicle will be a 8.5'x20' cargo trailer. On the roof I can fit an array of 6x solar panels that is almost exactly 8.5x20. However, I actually want to create 3 such arrays...
  12. B

    How many times I can charge my 5000mah mobile from 12 volt 7ah battery?

    Please help me. How many times I can charge my 5000mah mobile from 12 volt 7ah battery. I will use dc mobile charger.
  13. RentonPhysics

    My HTML5 Physics Apps Collection Age 6-14 - FELP.PL

    Enjoy my collection of physics&related html mini applications, it's free and not commercial (I did them for fun and for my kids at extra school lesson). The idea was "so you have this adress and discover by yourself what is that". Some are simply just external links to PHeT etc, some are unique...
  14. _maxim_

    Making a system with mobile electrical contacts

    Hi all, want to realize a system for a PCB which holds a solenoid coil moving in a vertical axis long about 600 mm. The coil must get electric contact only in some predefined positions so that, for a given quote, the coil connects to a different LC circuit for having different resonant frequency...
  15. F

    Is overcharging of mobile battery real ?

    I think max. voltage of a mobile battery is 4.3 V and voltage of a USB charger is 5 V; My question is , if we keep the charging process on even after mobile battery is 100 % charged, is it true that it will damage the battery ? Does it reduce the life of a battery or does it reduce the charge...
  16. jedishrfu

    Cool Mobile Robot Project on Youtube

    This is really cool using PVC pipes and 6 motors. Imagine how you could extend it with various sensors and making it autonomous:
  17. sophiecentaur

    What actual frequency is my mobile phone service in the UK?

    It's easy to get information about the channels that the various 2G, 3G, 4G services use but I want to find out the actual frequency my service uses in my home. I was hoping to try a 'passive relay' arrangement to bring the (totally rubbish) signal from upstairs to downstairs by my computer. I...
  18. H

    The force between a stationary and a mobile charge

    Does a current (or a mobile charge) exert any force on the stationary charge (charge with no motion)? We know that the current produces a magnetic field around which exert a magnetic force on mobile charge and now I like to know whether the current exert force on a stationary charge.
  19. kyphysics

    Laptop for Mobile Internet: Recommendations & Pros/Cons

    I currently use my phone's data plan (T-Mobile) for doing some work on the road, but I have some larger projects coming up that could really benefit from being able to use a laptop. I still can't get used to texting/typing on the ultra small keyboard of a tiny cell phone and hate doing it...
  20. DennisN

    Stargazing Can a Mobile Phone Capture the Beauty of the Night Sky?

    Behold my first photos of stars...:smile: Thanks to PF members and PF threads, and reading about astrophotography, I succeeded the first time. This was just some tests I did with my mobile phone, LG G4, which has a pretty decent camera which can be used in manual mode, i.e. I can set the ISO...
  21. T

    Using two connected Yagi antennas to "bend" a mobile signal

    I have a typical problem. I have two bars mobile signal in my attic - none at ground floor level. The reason is a roadside pole transmitter less than 500m away installed down in a dip behind houses (duh!) An electrically powered signal booster is illegal in the UK which atracts a £5000 fine...
  22. S

    Job Skills Retail mobile phone service stores - qualifications

    I am curious about this. What are the educational specifications of the people who work in the cellular/mobile telephone retail stores? Degrees in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science? Or are they people with degrees in Business, Psychology, Advertising, Art, Communications, or other not...
  23. spikey1973

    2A wireless charging mobile phone

    Very simple question that just want confirmed or disconfirmed.. I have a mobile cell phone which charges with max 2A but without wireless charging capabilities. Nowadays there are external wireless charging antennas for sale by the masses.. but even though there are charging platforms that can...
  24. P G Krish

    Microwave oven is prevents mobile signal?

    Hi guys, If i put mobile phone into micro oven, Is this prevent mobile signal
  25. Swepz

    What Can a Mobile Phone Camera Lens Reveal That the Naked Eye Can't?

    Hey guys I am a first timer on PF, and I am very new to the whole physics area but I am starting to find it very interesting :smile: Ive got a question about the optics of a normal camera lins of a mobile phone that perhaps someone can give me answares about of even point me in a direction...
  26. gjonesy

    Mobile technology Question -- tracking cellphone location

    I know quite a bit about tracking cell phones that are network contract phones. I need to know if it is possible to track a prepaid cell phone. I have heard that there are apps you can down load to a prepaid and there is a pay site that can then track the app on the phone. Has anyone had any...
  27. S

    Energy Consumed while charging a mobile phone

    The Rating on my Mobile Phone Charger is: Input : 100 - 240 VAC 50-60 Hz 0.15A Output : 5.0V ⎓ 1.0A How will we determine the energy consumed by the charger in T Hrs?
  28. F

    Contribution of mobile phones to global warming

    Hi, Where can I find a research or statics about the contribution of cellulars or general mobile devices (tablets, PDAs) to the global warming? But I am looking for specifically cellular phones for a project. Thanks a lot!
  29. Sirsh

    Website or Mobile Application?

    When should someone create an application for a mobile or a website, if you were to create one of the two? If you have an idea that can be created to be hosted on both, then which would you choose?
  30. Y

    Rent an Apartment, Buy House, Buy Mobile Home or a Trailer?

    So I just got out of college and have about 15k or so saved up. My job pays me about 65 k a year. I have no debt and own my car. I'm most likely going to move out of my parents house in a few months. I think it would be best not to buy a house for at least another decade, maybe two, and take out...
  31. U

    Slipping 4WD Mobile Vehicle Wheels Without Oil or Water

    Hello Everyone, I have a 4WD mobile vehicle, I am trying to get the wheel to slip in the floor. I don't want to use oil or any water product (for my electronic safety and to keep the floor less messy) Any idea how to make the wheel slip on the floor? I was thinking about using snowboard...
  32. J

    Control the direction of a game object on a mobile device

    This is more of a user experience question. I'm starting to remake a game (see http://playclassicsnake.com/play [Broken]) that works on mobile just as well as desktop. On desktop, one controls the snake (the lime green links) with the arrow keys, but I need a different way to do it on mobile. I...
  33. HyperTechno

    Android Wins: Which Mobile OS is Best for You?

    I OS is the most advanced mobile OS ever created. I do think it's much capable and technically advanced than android...:wink:
  34. Eltahawy

    Medical Flight Mode: Reducing Mobile Radiation?

    Does activating flight mode help in reducing mobile radiation?
  35. L

    Why Does My Phone Vibrate When Near a Computer or Monitor?

    Why mobile phone start to vibrate giving you the signal that the phone is going to ring if the telephone is near to computer, or monitor?
  36. T

    Charging 2 Mobile Devices from 1 Charger

    I would like to charge my śmart phone and a tablet from a single charger. The specs are as follows; Charger = 5.2 v and 2.0 amps Smart phone battery = 3.7 volts and 3300 mah Tablet battery = 3.7 volts and 4000 mah So using a Y cable, will this recharge both devices with any level of...
  37. S

    What does mobile phone accelerometers actually measure

    Hi Guys I am using a mobile phone to collect some accelerometer data for my walking experiments. I know this topic is done to death but a specific answer that I have never got is what does mobile phone accelerometers actually measure? Do they give the acceleration due to all the forces acting...
  38. L

    Engineering Tuning circuit in mobile handset system

    Studying about Communication Skills specifically about mobile handset and how do they transmit and receive signals etc. I came across this question which states "Why does a mobile phone handset have a tuning circuit for reception stage but not for transmission? The attempt at a solution I was...
  39. Redbelly98

    Have You Fallen Down the 2048 Rabbit Hole Yet?

    Has anyone else here gotten addicted to this game? I started playing a few weeks ago, and just came this close to getting a 4096! Just needed to get another freakin' 8, but ran out of space.
  40. Kostas Tzim

    Help Choosing a Mobile Phone

    Hello guys happy new year, i need opinions on some mobile phones, I am thinking of buying alcatel one touch pop c9 or Samsung ace 4 LTE, i have searched and compred them but i cannot really choose, samsung is known as an original and good company but i think that the phones it produces are...
  41. L

    Question about stationary and mobile phases

    We have been learning about HPLC and GC machines, and discussing the various types of columns, and I felt that everything was pretty clear and obvious. However, something from yesterday made me a bit confused, so I am hoping for some clarity. If you have a polar stationary phase, and you want...
  42. D

    Challenge Connecting Multiple Smartphone Mic's Simply & Quickly

    Dear Readers, I'm facing a pretty interesting challenge, which is: "How to connect multiple smartphone mic's in the quickest and simplest way?" Here is a use case. I go into a meeting with a group of random (strangers) that all have smartphones, Android, iOS, Windows. Now I want to record this...
  43. S

    Perpetuum Mobile and Gravitation

    I have fundamental question about what is called the “law of conservation of energy”. We all hear about the tidal power stations which using the tidal power. The source of the tidal power came from the changes in the gravity field between the moon and the earth. Allegedly, because of the law of...
  44. A

    Why mobile devices use same pins for charging and for pwr transferring

    Mobile battery has generally 3 pins, 3rd for safety and 2 pins for supply. How can mobile devices get electricity during charging from same pins from where it is transferring power to mobile circuit? Please help
  45. T

    Poynting Vector and Mobile phones in ovens

    Hi, sorry if this is in the wrong forum but 2 Quick hopefully simple questions about Poynting vector and EM waves. Q1) Say I have two antenna (antenni?)...dipoles maybe, both with say, 50W going into them, one oscillating on the kHz range, one on the MHz range (GHz, whatever). But for this...
  46. V

    Methods of Sending Notifications to Mobile Devices.

    I'm in the process of prototyping a monitoring device. When certain conditions are met, I need to send a SMS or comparable type of message to a mobile phone. My issue is that I don't really have any ideas on how to do that. I've tried to find answers in other places, but I haven't been able to...
  47. F

    Mobile Phone Tower Question - Wave Equation and No. of Photons Per Sec

    Homework Statement A mobile phone signal with a frequency of 1945Mhz is being broadcast from a transmitter with a peak output of 3kW. A: What part of the EM spectrum is the signal. Classify it in terms of its orientation of oscillation and propagation. B: Write a general equation for the...
  48. C

    Insulation blocks mobile phone signals

    Modern foil covered foam insulation and coated window glass unfortunately blocks mobile phone signals rather well. I'm aware of solutions that use broadband and wifi to tunnel through it but this seems like a problem waiting for a better solution. Are there any good/cheap alternatives to...
  49. A

    Difference between radio station and mobile phone station

    Please help me with this... Why a radio station can be broadcast to a whole city from a single antenna, whereas a mobile phone system needs a network of basestations? Thanks,,,
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