Portable

Portable communications devices refer to hand-held or wearable devices. For example, the Walkie Talkie is a device that is hand-held when in use, and wearable when not in use. Most walkie talkies have a belt clip or a housing, such as a leather holder, that allows them to be worn on a belt.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Portable telephones (cellular telephones) are also carried, or worn, on a belt, or in a pocket.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

More recently, portable devices have also become usable when worn. For example, most walkie talkies come with a VOX (Voice Operated Xmit) capability so that they will work hands-free, when used with a wearable microphone. Many telephones such as the Motorola Star Tac also feature an earpiece that allows the phone to be worn and used hands-free. The Star Tac was the first wearable cellular telephone, in the sense that it was the first that could be used while being worn.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The word portable derives from the French word porter ("to wear", as in "pret a porter" = "ready to wear", but also "to carry").

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Portable computers are computers that can be hand-held, used on a lap, or worn in a pocket, belt, or the like, such as Personal digital assistants (PDAs). PDAs are almost always worn (pocket or belt) when not in use, but more recently there has been a trend to having them be usable when worn (e.g. with eyeglass-based displays as well as electric seeing aids such as eyetap devices).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Portable class of device exists at one end of a continuum:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Portable: hand-held or wearable;
• Mobile: vehicular mounted (e.g. an automobile radiotelephone);
• Base station or desktop units: building-mounted.
Portable: See also ►



 

Portable computer: A Portable computer is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another (in other words, it is a computer that is portable). Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers. Early portables were unkindly referred to as "luggables," referring to their great size and weight (...

Personal digital assistant: Personal digital assistants (PDAs or palmtops) are handheld devices that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. A basic PDA usually includes a clock, date book, address book, task list, memo pad, and a simple calculator. One major advantage of...

Eyetap: The EyeTap is a device which "allows the eye itself to function as both a display and a camera". Eyetap devices measure the quantity of light in each of a large number of rays of light that converge into at least one eye of the wearer, and then resynthesize these same rays of light. Ideally, each ...




Portable related Images and Photos (experimental)

Portable Mesh Hammock	Portable Photo Studio	Portable Laundry Pod	Portable USB Power Supply
Portable Hand Shock Prank	FlipIt! Portable Power Strip	Powermonkey Portable Charger	JuiceBar Portable Solar Charger
FreeLoader Portable Solar Charger	Wavebox Portable Microwave Oven	H1 Portable Digital Audio Recorder	Vibroy Portable Vibration Speaker