Phones, Tablets and Laptops

About this interactive

Five lessons tour the operating systems people carry and use every day. Android is the Linux kernel with a front end built for mobile devices, and many manufacturers put it on their phones. Because its core is Linux, it will even install on a laptop or desktop, mobile-style buttons and all. Chrome OS is Linux built by Google for Chromebooks: light hardware for light work, with no Windows licence fee in the price. Chromium OS is the free, open-source project behind it, the one developers download. macOS is Apple's desktop system. Pinned apps sit in the Dock (right-click, Remove from Dock to unpin), Finder is the file manager, the menu bar at the top belongs to whichever app is in front, and the window buttons sit on the left. iOS on the iPhone and iPadOS on the iPad share their kernel with macOS but rebuild the front end for touch. You find the version under Settings, General, About. The iPad gets more screen but cannot call over the cell towers, even with a data plan; an app such as Google Voice can call over data instead.

What you'll learn

Choose between Android, Chrome OS and Chromium OS, iOS and iPadOS for a user or a device, from what each is built for: phones from many makers, low-cost laptops, open source, phone calls over the cell towers or a bigger screen
Predict where things are and what happens on macOS, iOS and Android: the Dock, Finder and menu bar, the iOS version in Settings, Android on a desktop

Aligned to

CompTIA Tech+

3.1 Explain the purpose of operating systems.

2.6 Compare and contrast common computing devices and their purposes.

3.2 Compare and contrast components of an operating system.

CompTIA A+ Core 2

1.8 Explain common OS types and their purposes.

1.10 Identify common features and tools of the macOS/desktop OS.

Key terms

Android: A mobile operating system used by vendors such as Samsung Galaxy, based on the Linux kernel.
Chrome OS: A Linux-based operating system developed by Google for Chromebooks, designed for lightweight tasks and sold under a proprietary license on supported hardware.
iPadOS: Apple's operating system built specifically for iPad devices, sharing the same XNU kernel as iOS and macOS but adapted for a larger tablet form factor.
macOS: Apple's Unix-based desktop and laptop operating system featuring the XNU kernel, a graphical Dock, menu bar, and Finder for file management.
Smartphone: A mobile device that combines cellular communication with computing capabilities, functioning essentially as a compact tablet capable of making phone calls and running applications.
Tablet: A portable computer that uses a touchscreen as its primary means of interaction, designed for entertainment, communication, and basic productivity tasks.

Topics

Android Chrome Os Macos Ipados Smartphone Tablet Interactive Predict

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