| |
- CPU
- The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of the computer. It
is also known as the processor. The CPU processes data and instructions,
performs calculations and does what the software programs tell it to
do.
- Motherboard
- The motherboard is the main circuit board of the computer. All the
computer's main devices - including the CPU, storage disks, memory,
sound card and video card - attach to the motherboard. The motherboard
- Data storage devices (hard drives, floppy disks,
CD-ROMs, portable USB drives/flash drives, DVDs)
- There are several places to store data (or files) electronically.
One is the computer's hard drive, which is located
inside the computer. The hard drive is usually referred to as the C:
drive. In District 13, we store our files on a network drive, which
we call the H: drive. This drive is located on the hard drive of one
of the District's file servers.
- Another place to store information is on a floppy disk. To use a floppy
disk, a 3-1/2 inch square disk, the computer must have a floppy
disk drive, which spins the disk at high speeds as it reads or writes
information to the disk. The floppy disk drive is often called the A:
drive.
- Information can also be stored on a CD-ROM, which
is a round, shiny, portable disk that stores a large amount of information.
(It would take about 486 floppy drives to store the amount of information
that can be stored on a CD-ROM drive!) To access information stored
on a CD-ROM, the computer must have a CD-ROM drive. To copy or "burn"
information to a CD-ROM, you must have a writable CD-ROM (either a CD-R
or CD-RW), a CD-RW drive on the computer, and special CD burning software.
- A DVD looks like a CD-ROM but can store about seven
times as much data as a CD-ROM. It is often used to store large movie
files. A DVD player is needed to access the information from a DVD.
Like writable CD-ROMs, special hardware and software are needed to write
information to a DVD.
- Flash drives have become popular devices for storing
information. The flash drive is a small, portable memory device for
storing and carrying digital information. It connects to the computer
through the USB port and can store large amounts of information. Flash
drives are also known as thumb drives, jump drives and memory sticks.
Less expensive flash drives hold 128 megabytes of information; more
expensive ones can hold as much as 16 gigabytes.
- Input devices (keyboard, mouse, trackpoint, touchpad,
microphone)
- Input devices allows users to enter information into a computer. The
most common input devices are the keyboard and mouse.
- Most laptops use a touchpad instead of a traditional
mouse. The touchpad is a small, flat surface on which you slide your
finger to move the cursor. It also has buttons that function like the
buttons of a mouse.
- Some laptops use a trackpoint to control the cursor.
The trackpoint looks like a pencil eraser and is located between the
"G", "H" and "B" keys on the keyboard.
- A microphone can also be used as an input device.
A microphone is used to input audio data into a computer. Some people
prefer to use a microphone and voice recognition software instead of
a keyboard for entering text. Voice recognition software converts the
audio text into digitized text.
- Output devices (monitor, speakers, headphones)
- Output devices are used to get information out of the computer. The
most common output device is the monitor, the TV-like
part of the computer that you look at to see information. It is also
called the screen or the display.
- Speakers output sound from the computer.
- Headphones also output sound from the computer but
are designed for a single user to hear.
- Memory
- Memory provides temporary storage space on your computer. Memory holds
programs and data temporarily while you use them. RAM (Random Access
Memory) is the most important kind of memory, and "memory"
usually refers to RAM.
- Video card
- The video or graphics card is a device that attaches to the motherboard
of a computer to enable display capabilities. The monitor connects to
the computer's video card.
- Sound card
- A sound card, also known as an audio card, is a device that attaches
to the computer's motherboard to enable the computer to input, process,
and deliver sound. Speakers, headphones and microphones are plugged
into the computer's sound card.
|
- Printer
- The printer is an output device that produces a paper copy of information
from a computer. Printers are available in different sizes, styles,
speeds, and price. The two most common types of printers are the ink
jet and laser printers.
- Laptop
- The laptop is a small, portable computer - small enough that it can
sit on a user's lap.
- Digital camera
- A digital camera is a camera that stores images digitally rather than
recording them on film. Once a picture is taken, it can be downloaded
to a computer for viewing, editing and printing.
- Fax machine
- The fax machine, which is an abbreviation for the facsimile machine,
is a device that can send and receive pictures and text over telephone
lines. The fax machine scans a document and converts it into a digital
format, which is transmitted to a fax machine on the other end of the
phone line where a paper copy of the document is printed out.
- Scanner
- The scanner is a device that "takes a picture" of something
and turns it into a digitized image for editing, printing, or attaching
to an e-mail.
- Portable devices (e.g. PDA's, MP3 players, etc.)
|
|
- PDA
- Short for personal digital assistant, the PDA is
a handheld device that can offer many features. A PDA can function as a
cellular phone, fax sender, Web browser and personal organizer. The PDA
uses a stylus to input data, although portable keyboards can also be purchased
to use with a PDA.
- MP3 player
- An MP3 player
is a small, portable device that allows you to store and play music files
in MP3 format.
- iPod
- The iPod is a small portable
music player designed by Apple. Users can transfer songs to their iPod with
their computer, iTunes, and the iPod software. iPods can also be used as
a flash drive to store files.
|
- LCD projection device
- An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector is a projection device that
accepts output from a computer or video device and displays it on a
screen.
- Video production equipment
- The equipment needed (including video cameras, monitors, videotape
recorders, disk recorders editors, compression equipment) to record
and edit video and audio information, often for distribution on portable
media.
|
