An electrically operated aerosol-generating system comprising: an aerosol-generating assembly comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, at least one electric heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate, a first data storage device, and a first electrical connector; a multi-purpose computing device comprising a supply of electrical energy, a multi-purpose user interface, at least one user input device, a second data storage device, a plurality of software applications installed on the second data storage device, a microprocessor, and a second electrical connector; and a battery unit comprising a battery, a third electrical connector configured for connection to the first electrical connector on the aerosol-generating assembly, and a fourth electrical connector configured for connection to the second electrical connector on the multi-purpose computing device;wherein the first and second electrical connectors (24, 18) are configured to enable two-way data transfer between the multi-purpose computing device and the aerosol-generating assembly, and to enable a supply of electrical current from the supply of electrical energy to the at least one electric heater; wherein at least one of the software applications is configured to control a supply of electrical current to the at least one electric heater in accordance with a predetermined heating profile stored on at least one of the first and second data storage devices (50, 34); wherein the first, second, third and fourth electrical connectors are configured to enable the two-way data transfer between the multi-purpose computing device and the aerosol-generating assembly; wherein the first, second, third and fourth electrical connectors are configured to enable the supply of electrical current from the supply of electrical energy to the aerosol-generating assembly; wherein the first and third electrical contacts (24, 22) are configured to enable a supply of electrical current from the battery to the aerosol-generating assembly; and wherein the at least one software application is configured to control the supply of electrical current to the at least one electric heater from at least one of the supply of electrical energy and the battery in accordance with the predetermined heating profile stored on at least one of the first and second data storage devices (50, 34). an aerosol-generating assembly comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, at least one electric heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate, a first data storage device, and a first electrical connector; a multi-purpose computing device comprising a supply of electrical energy, a multi-purpose user interface, at least one user input device, a second data storage device, a plurality of software applications installed on the second data storage device, a microprocessor, and a second electrical connector; and a battery unit comprising a battery, a third electrical connector configured for connection to the first electrical connector on the aerosol-generating assembly, and a fourth electrical connector configured for connection to the second electrical connector on the multi-purpose computing device;wherein the first and second electrical connectors (24, 18) are configured to enable two-way data transfer between the multi-purpose computing device and the aerosol-generating assembly, and to enable a supply of electrical current from the supply of electrical energy to the at least one electric heater; wherein at least one of the software applications is configured to control a supply of electrical current to the at least one electric heater in accordance with a predetermined heating profile stored on at least one of the first and second data storage devices (50, 34); wherein the first, second, third and fourth electrical connectors are configured to enable the two-way data transfer between the multi-purpose computing device and the aerosol-generating assembly; wherein the first, second, third and fourth electrical connectors are configured to enable the supply of electrical current from the supply of electrical energy to the aerosol-generating assembly; wherein the first and third electrical contacts (24, 22) are configured to enable a supply of electrical current from the battery to the aerosol-generating assembly; and wherein the at least one software application is configured to control the supply of electrical current to the at least one electric heater from at least one of the supply of electrical energy and the battery in accordance with the predetermined heating profile stored on at least one of the first and second data storage devices (50, 34).