Embedded Linux and Google Android - Embeded linux is a scale down linux operating system designed for smart phones, PDAs, portable media players, internet telephones and many other types of devices and computers requiring an embedded operation system. Devices with embedded linux offer calender and address book and other PIM functions, touch screens and handwraiting recognition. Many also allow you to connect to the internet, take picture, send e-mail and instant messages, listen music and play video. Devices that us embedded Linux synchronize with desktop computers using a variety of technologies including bluetooth.

Google Android is an operating system designed by google for mobile devices. Used on more than 20 different types of mobile devices, Google Android allow programmers to design programs speciffically for devices supporting that operating system. Google Android contains features suchh as access to e-mail account, an alarm clock, Wi-Fi access, web browsing and Google android market app. Example Google Android version Honey comb, Froyo, Ice Cream Sndwich, Jelly.

Windows Embedded CE - Is a scaled down windows operating system designed for use on communications, entertaiment and computering devices with limited functionality. Examples of devices that use Windows Embedded CE includeVoIP telephones, industrial control devices, digital cameras, point of sale terminals, automated teller machine, digital photos frames, fuel pumps, security robots, handheld navigation evices, portable media players, ticket machines and computerized sewing machines.

Windows Embedded CE is a GUI that suports color, sound, multitasking, multimedia, e-mail, internet access and web the browsing. A bulit in file viewer allows users to view files created in populer programs such as Word, Excel and Power Point.

Devices equipped with Windows Embedded CE can communicate wirelessly with computers and other divices using bluetooth or other wireless technologies, as long as rhe device is equipped with the necessary communications hardware.

iPhone OS - Developed by Apple, is an operating system for the iPhone and iPod touch, Apple's smart phone and touch screen portable media player, respectively. These devices are multi touch, meaning they recognize multiple points of contact. This feature enables users to interact with iPhone Os devices using finger motions such ad tapping a button on the screen, sliding your finger to drag an object and pinchingor unpinching your fingers to zoom in or out.

With the iPhone OS users can manage contact and notes, send and receive e-mail and text messages, take pictures, view a compass, connect to the internet wirelessly and browse the web, check stock, access map and obtain dictionary, listen to the music, watch movies and videos and display photos. It also provides Wi-Fi access to the iTunes Music Store.

BlackBerry - The BlackBerry operating system runs on handheld devices supplied by RIM (Research In Motion). BlackBerry devicesprovide RIM capabilities such as managing schedules, contact and appoitment as well as phone capabilities. They also provide wireless functionality that includes sending e-mail messages, text messages and instant messages, connecting to the internet and browsing the web, and accesing bluetooth devices. Some BlackBerry devices allow users to take pictures, play music and access maps and directions.

Information on the device easily synchronizes wirelessly with a computer or other BlackBerry devices. Mny BlackBerry devices include a mini keyboard (Qwerty) some have touch screens. For a technical discussion about touch screens, read the high tech talk article on page.

Windows Mobile - Windows mobile an operating system based on windows embedded ce, includes functionality, programs and a user interface designed for spesific types of smart phones and pda's. Devices with a touch screen use windows mobile proffesional and those without touch screens use windows mobile standard.

With the windows mobile operating system and a compatible device, users have access to all the basic PIM (personal information manager) functions such as contact list, schdules, task, calenders and note. Information on the mobile device easily synchronizes with a personal computer or prints using cable or a wireless technology.

Windows mobile also provider numerous additional features that allow users to check e-mail, browse the web, listen to music, take pictures or record video, send and receive text messages and instant message, manage finances, read e-book, view a map, play game, many program etc.

Palm OS - A competing operation system to windows mobile is palm os, which runs on smart phones and pda. With palm OS devices, users manage schedules and contacts, phone message, notes, task and address list and appointments. Informations on the mobile device easily synchronizes with a personal computer or prints on a printer using a cable or a wireless technology.

Many palm  OS devices allow users to connect wirelessly to the internet, browse the internet, send and receive e-mail massages and instant message, listen music, record voice massages and view digital photos. Most have touch screens. The latest version of palm OS allows for biometric identification and support the use of smart card.

Solaris and Netware - Solaris, a version of unix developer by sun microsystems, is a server operating system designed specifically for e-commerce applications. Solaris manages high tarffic accounts and incoporates security necessary for web transactions. Client computers often use a desk top program, such as gnome desktop, that communicates with the solaris operating sytem.

Netware novell's netware is a server operating system designed for client/server networks. Netware has a server portion that resides on the network server and a client portion that resides on each cleint computer connected to the network. Netware support open source software and runs on all type of computers from mainframes to personal computers. Client computers also can have their own stand alone operating system such as a windows, mac os or linux.

Linux and Unix - Linux some network servers use linux as their operating system. Thus, linux also is a multipurpose operating system. With linux, a netwok administrator can configure the network, administer security, run a web server, and process e-mail. Clietnts on the network can run linux, unix, or windows. Distributions of linux include the mozilla web browser. Example : Ubuntu, Redhat, Backtrack, Garuda Os.

Unix in addition to being a stand alone operating system, unix also is a server operating system. That is, unix is capable of handling a high volume of handling a high volume of transactions in a multiuser environment and workng with multiple proccesors using multiproccesing. For this roason, some computer proffesionals call unix a multipurpose operating system because it is both a stand alone and server operating system. Many web servers use unix as their operating system. Example : Dolphin.

Windows Server 2008 - Is an upgrade to windows server 2003. Windows server 2008, which includes feactures of previous windows server versions, offers the following capabiliities :

To meet the needs off all sized of busienesses, the windows server 2008 family includes many edition, eith the more common listed below :

Most edition of windows server 2008 include hyper-v, which is a virtualization technology. Virtualization is the pratice of sharing or pooling computing resources, such as servers. Throught virtualization, for example operating system such as windows server 2008 can separate a physical server into several virtual servers. Each virtual server than can perform an independent, separate function, such as running a different operating system.

Server Operating System - As discussed earlier in this chapter, a server operating system in a operating system that is designed specifically to support a network. A operating system typically resides on a server. The client computers on the network rely on the server for resource.

Many of the stand-alone operating system discussed in the previous section function as client anda work in conjuction with a server operating system. Some of these stand-alone operating sytems do includes networking capability : however, server operating systems are designed specifically to support all size of network, including medium to large sized businesses and web servers. Example of server operating system include windows server 2008, Unix, Linux, Solaris and Net ware.