Mobile devices are typically handheld computers. They have many variants based on their characteristics such as physical dimension, hardware and software capability, what are they meant for, etc.
Take a look at the following table. It differentiates tablets, e-book readers, and smartphones based on their characteristics.
| Device | Tablets | E-book Readers | Smartphones |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tablets are portable computer devices. Unlike traditional computers, they donāt have keyboards or mouse, however the entire screen is touch sensitive. | E-book readersāalso called e-readersāare similar to tablet computers, except they are mainly designed for reading e-books (digital, downloadable books). | A smartphone is a powerful mobile phone that is designed to run a variety of applications in addition to providing phone service. |
| Used for | Almost all the jobs which we can do with traditional computers or desktops. | Reading e-books | Web browsing, watching videos, reading e-books, and playing games |
| Example | Samsung Tablets | Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook. | Sony smartphones, Samsung smartphones, Apple iPhone. |