CIS - Computer Concepts

RAM

*short-term memory on computer and stores data to be reached quickly* (short for Random Access Memory) / the more it has in the computer, the greater its capability to execute commands & run programs / *measured in megabytes or gigabytes* / the more of this you have, the faster you can do more things and all at once / *might be sluggish when multitasking* / not to be confused with hard drives - when they say *computer memory they mean this* / *pulls information from hard drive, memory, & inputs* / *when a computer shuts off or is disconnected it loses its RAM*

byte

8 BITS ARE IN THIS

7

A USB hub could extend your number up to ____ ports.

At least 2

Computers usually come with how many USB ports?

G/GB

Gigabytes - 1 BILLION BYTES ARE IN THIS

K/KB

Kilobyte - 1,024 BYTES ARE IN THIS

M/MB

Megabytes - 1 MILLION BYTES ARE IN THIS

Mosiac

Name of first web browser / all of today's browsers are based at least in part on this

T/TB

Terabytes - 1 TRILLION BYTES IN THIS

Apple App Store, Windows Store, Google Play

You can download apps through app stores such as?

control unit (CU)

a component of computer's central processing unit (CPU) / circuitry directing operations / receives input information

touchscreen

a display that also serves as an input device that can be used with a special pen device (stylus) or fingers to navigate & select items / tablets, smart phones & all in one devices have this feature / more common & allows for fast access to device

The Cloud

also known as cloud computing / common uses: social networking, email, backup services, storage, file sharing/ refers to software & services that are offered strictly online rather than purchased in a box and installed / businesses use this to reduce software & hardware costs / Ex: Adobe, Google, OneDrive, DropBox / once saved files, only accessible through Internet

data

any sequence of 1 or more symbols given as an act of interpretation

DVD

can hold up to 4.7 gigabytes good for backing up movies, video games, & computer software that require lots of space / SLOWEST METHOD to save data / you could use to make copies of something economically

thumb drive

have largely replaced other types of removable storage / generally size of a keychain / plugs into any USB ports / can be used many times before replaced / costs less than $1 per gigabyte of storage / USB ___________ have replaced Compact Disks as most commonly used mobile storage device

tablet

highly portable devices meant for light usage used for surfing web/watching videos have touch screen with on screen keyboard replacing need of traditional keyboard & mouse

CD

holds up to 650 megabytes of data useful for backing up audio or data

Laptop

lighter & smaller - made to be portable / use less energy & have battery that lets you move around but only has moderate computing power

non-impact printers

make no noise, fast high quality - Ex. Inkjet, Laser printers / cost more to run (ink & toner for example) / no mechanical components

Smartphone

mobile phones with lots of extras / could be used as digital camera, web browsing, running apps, playing media files, & more

All-in-one computer

more compact than desktops because tower and monitor are combined into one unit / some made portable or have touch screen display / may be used as powerful home computer that doesn't take up much space

Supercomputers

most powerful computers / used to process large amounts of data & run complex models / simulations Ex. NASA uses these to generate models of Earth's climate

CPU

often referred to as the processor or microprocessor & acts as the *brain of the computer* / coordinates between all parts of your computer to make everything you see happen / short for central processing unit - *generally the most expensive component to consider when purchasing computers* / *popular brands of processors: Intel / AMD* / the more cores it has, the more you can multitask

apps

short for application programs designed to be used on mobile devices / some are designed for desktop, some for mobile

impact printers

slow Ex. Dot Matrix, Ball Printers operates by striking metal/plastic head noisy - mechanical components

Web Browser

software application enabling you to access and view information on the internet / most have it pre-installed but could be downloaded from others if preferred (Ex. Google Chrome, Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari) / interpret *HTML and displays web page so you can see* / *you can navigate from website to website*

Operating System (OS)

software that allows your other apps to run / Ex. Windows 7 & 8, MAC OS X, Linux / today they rely on graphics / for mobile: Apple, Android, Windows Phone / without this computers would be a expensive paperweight

USB port

standard connection port - used to connect devices such as mice, keyboards, digital cameras, & most other accessories / somehow you always plug these in the wrong way first - made computer connections easier / could also be used to supply power to certain devices such as smartphones

Bit

stands for BINARY DIGIT / most basic unit of data

hard drive

stores info on a computer / holds data permanently or until deleted / referred to as storage on a phone or tablet / designed to move easily / fast & offers more space than others / saves information for you unlike a RAM

information

summarization of data

output device

this type of device *displays the information in some form* Examples: *printer, speakers, monitor smartscreen*

input device

this type of device allows you to *enter data into the computer* examples: *camera, stylus, touch screen, keyboard & mouse*

Desktops

traditional computer, big & bulky, aren't meant to move around / made of a tower (generally sits on floor) requires monitor, keyboard, & mouse / quite powerful computers and could be customized with new parts / often see in offices or used at home by video gamers

true

true or false? if you need to perform basic computing tasks such as word processing, email, & surfing the internet... most new computers come with all the RAM you need.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

unit in computers (memory) which carries out arithmetic and logic operations a performs simple math (+, -, x, /) / one of most important parts of a CPU