What is a common application of ARM technology?

ARM technology is most commonly associated with mobile devices due to its energy-efficient architecture and low power consumption. Built to optimize performance for battery-powered electronics, ARM processors are preferred in smartphones, tablets, and other portable gadgets. This efficiency enables longer battery life, which is essential for these devices that rely heavily on mobile computing.

In contrast, desktop computing typically uses x86 architecture, which is more suitable for high-performance applications and energy availability directly from the wall socket. Cloud data processing often involves data centers that prioritize scalability and performance, situations where ARM is just beginning to emerge but is not yet predominant. Mainframe computing is focused on powerful, large-scale processing where legacy architectures like x86 or specialized hardware are more common.

Thus, the widespread use of ARM technology in mobile devices highlights its relevance in the context of portable computing needs, making it the correct answer.