Challenges of Mobile Computing: An Overview

Abstract: Mobile computing is a new computing paradigm in which mobile devices are used to access information from anywhere, at any time. Wireless network greatly enhances the utility of a portable computing device. The field of mobile computing is merger of the portable computing device and wireless communication with the aim of providing seamless computing environment for mobile users. Mobility implies that network needs to cope with moving users. Wireless communication faces more obstacles than wired communication due to environmental interferences. As a result wireless communication is characterized by lower bandwidth, higher error rates and more frequent disconnections. Mobility can also cause wireless connectivity to be lost or degraded. Unlike typical wired network, number of mobile users varies dynamically and large convention and public events may overload the network capacity. Mobile devices are characterized by smaller size, light in weight and low power. Hence while designing wireless networks as well as mobile application softwares all these issues should taken in consideration.

Keywords: Mobility, Bandwidth, Portability, Address Migration, Access Point, Wireless Communication, Disconnections.