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.

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

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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.

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

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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).

Related Topics:
Portable computer - Personal digital assistant - Eyetap

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

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