A
Access point - Wireless communication hub that allows users to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
ADSL - Stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts an ordinary household telephone line into an extremely fast internet connection, around ten times faster than a regular 56K modem.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) - This is a dedicated expansion port that is used for super-fast 3D graphics facilities.
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) - It is the 2nd largest processor manufacturer which produces processors such as Duron and Athlon.
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B
BIOS - The Basic Input/Output System for all computers. It stores the PC's basic hardware configuration on a chip and provides the initial instructions for POST (Power On Self-Test) and booting the operating system.
Bluetooth - A technology that enables devices (computers, printers, keyboards, etc) to communicate without wires.
Browser - A software program to help visit websites.
Bus - A computer's bus is for transportation of computer data. Inside your computer, binary data flows from your processor to other components via a data bus.
Byte - A unit of data generally formed from 8 bits. Roughly equivalent to one character in a word processing document.
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C
Cache - A small fast memory holding recently accessed data, designed to speed up subsequent access to the same data. Most often applied to processor-memory access but also used for a local copy of data accessible over a network etc.
CD-R (Recordable CD) - A blank CD that you can record onto once by using a CD-RW. A CD-R also refers to the drive in the PC which is used to record onto this type of CD.
CD-ROM - A compact disc that holds information that can be used on a PC such as games, music or programs. A CD ROM is read only and you cannot record onto it. A CD-ROM can be read by DVD, CD-R and CD-RW drives.
CD-RW (ReWritable CD) - This type of CD can recorded onto again and again. A CD-RW also refers to the drive in the PC which is used to record onto this type of CD. Great for MP3 or files too large to store onto floppy disc.
Centrino - New technology from Intel available on laptops. This is based on a new mobile processor designed to enable extended battery life, thinner laptops, with outstanding features and performance.
Chipset - Broadly speaking, any group of computer chips working together to perform certain functions.
Composite video - A type of video signal used by some camcorders, video recorders and TVs in which the red, green and blue signals are mixed together. The aerial connection on a TV set uses composite video.
CPU (Central Processing Unit) -This is the processor in the PC, sometimes referred to as the 'brain' of the PC.
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D
DDR RAM (Double Data Rate) - Which has been developed from SD RAM. It gives fast data transfer between the components in the PC, giving better performance than SD RAM.
Defragmentation - As files are created and deleted from the PC hard drive gaps or clusters are created. You can remove these gaps using the Defragment option on the PC. This will result in faster hard drive access.
Desktop - This is the area on your computer where the icons, such as My Computer, My Documents, and any shortcuts you create are displayed.
DLP projector - Produces a display by reflecting light off microscopic mirrors.
Docking station - Some laptops come with a docking station. This is a base that the laptop fits in to that contains the mains power and other connections and often one or more of the drive bays. This means that you can leave your connections set up at home whilst you take your more compact laptop away with you.
Dot pitch - The distance between the dots which make up the image on a monitor.
Download - The process of transferring information from a website or remote host to your hard drive.
Driver - Software needed to allow operating systems to communicate with hardware & peripherals.
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - A disc that holds up to 17Gb of digital data and provides excellent quality sound and graphics. It can hold more information than a standard CD and is most commonly used to store films. A DVD-ROM drives is backward-compatible with CD-ROMs so DVD-ROM players can play old CD-ROMs, CD-I disks, and video CDs, as well as new DVD-ROMs.
DVD-RW - This allows you to create and burn your own DVD movies. Can read both CDs and DVDs.
DVI (Digital Video Interface) - A video connection used on some TFT monitors and graphics cards that provides a purely digital connection between a PC and monitor. This gives a higher quality image than using a standard VGA connection.
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E
Ethernet - A local-area network (LAN) protocol developed by Xerox Corporation. It is one of the most widely implemented LAN standards.
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F
Firewall - Program used to protect a networked PC from being accessed remotely by computer "hackers". Popular with Internet users wanting to ensure hackers can't access their local hard drive to obtain personal information.
FireWire - Serial bus interface standard offering high-speed communications.
Flat-panel display - Slim monitors, similar to the liquid-crystal displays (LCD) found in notebook computers, designed for use with desktop PCs.
Floppy disk - A small, portable plastic disk coated in a magnetisable substance used for storing computer data, readable by a computer with a floppy disk drive. A floppy disk is 3.5 inch in size.
Floppy Disk Drive - A device that reads and writes floppy disks. The drive contains a motor to rotate the disk at a constant rate and one or more read/write heads.
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G
GB (Gigabyte) - Used to describe the size of a PC hard drive. 1Gb is equal to 1,024 Mb.
GHz - The unit of frequency used to measure the speed of a processor. 1 GHz is equal to 1000 MHz.
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) - A mobile phone standard that provides an 'always on' connection with speeds up to 150Kbit/s.
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) - (e.g. Geforce4), takes away much of the graphics processing from the main CPU and helps to deliver superior 3D graphics.
Graphics Card - The part of the computer that produces words and images seen on the screen.
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H
Hardware - The physical parts of a computer or other system, such as CPU, keyboard or printer. The term is used to distinguish these fixed parts of a system from the more changeable software or data components which it executes, stores, or carries.
Hard Drive - Reads and writes hard disks or floppy disks. The drive contains a motor to rotate the disk at a constant rate and one or more read/write heads which are positioned over the desired track by a servo mechanism.
Hard Disk Drive - A disk drive fitted into most PCs. It is used to store applications and documents and files they create. Most hard disks are permanently connected to the drive (fixed disks) though there are also removable disks.
HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface. A specification that combines audio and video into one digital interfaces for use with DVDs,digital TVs and so on.
HDTV - High Definition Television.High-resolution, widescreen digital TV that requires both an HDTV broadcast and television
High-definition - Also known as high-def or HD for short,a high-definition picture has a superior resolution to that of normal TV or video,and therefore shows more detail.
HPA (High Performance Addressing) - A type of screen found mainly on laptop computers HPA is a passive-matrix display technology that provides better response rates and contrast than conventional LCD displays. HPA displays are a cheap alternative to TFT and are not as fast as active-matrix (TFT) displays. HPA tends to be used in entry level laptops.
Hotlink - A mechanism for sharing data between two application programs where changes to the data made by one application appear instantly in the other's copy.
Hyper Threading - New technology from Intel that enables its newest Pentium 4 processors to behave as two separate processors, resulting in an improved performance.
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I
I link - A high speed link for sending video images and other multimedia data.
I/O (Input/Output) - The fundamental function of a PC which takes input from e.g. keyboard/mouse and outputs information to e.g. monitor /printer. eg I/O Ports are PS/2, Serial, Parallel, VGA and other ports to which external devices are connected.
Intel Processor - Intel is the world's largest PC chip manufacturer. They manufacture Celeron, Pentium and Centrino processors.
IrDA - InfraRed port on a desktop or laptop computer. Used for cable free communication with external devices like mobile printers/phones and PDAs.
ISP (Internet service provider) - A company that provides access to the Internet. They normally provide one or more e-mail addresses, space on the ISPs computers to build your own website and a phone number you can use to access the web and you email.
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J
Java - A programming language for the Internet that will work on any operating system.
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K
KB (Kilobyte) - A measure of capacity of a storage device eg Cache memory is measured in Kb. 1Kb kilobyte equals 1024 bytes. 1 byte is roughly equivalent to 1 character, therefore 1 kilobyte is roughly 1024 characters about a page of text.
KBPS (Kilobits Per Second) - Measures data transfer, such as the speed of data being transferred across a modem connection e.g. to or from the Internet. 1 byte is made up of 8 bits, 56kbps equals 56000 bits per second which is 7000 bytes per second.
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L
Laser printer - A type of printer that produces high-quality text and graphics using a laser beam. The beam builds up characters and images as tiny dots on a rotating drum. The drum then attracts ink powder (toner) to these dots. This is then transferred and heat-fused to paper.
LAN (Local Area Network) - Enables connection of multiple computers to allow sharing of data and peripherals such as printers and scanners. Also ideal for multi-player gaming eg Ethernet and FDDI.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) - An electro-optical device used to display digits, characters or images. It is commonly used in digital watches, calculators, PDAs and laptops.
Li-ion - Short for lithium-ion, which is a sophisticated type of rechargeable battery used in many portable computers and mobile phones. Li-ion cells offer good weight:life ratio and, unlike earlier battery technologies, do not suffer from the so-called 'memory' effects- allowing them to be recharged in haphazard fashion without detriment.
Linux - Operating system, such as Windows which runs on a variety of computers including PCs. It is available free and allows the user to adapt the program to suit their needs.
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M
MB (Megabyte) - A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory.
Memory - Often referred to as RAM (Random Access Memory). It enables you to take and use information from the hard drive so the processor can work with it. The more memory, the faster the PC. The are 3 types of RAM, SD, RD and DDR. DDR RAM is the fastest and SD RAM is the slowest.
Motherboard - The main circuit board inside the computer.
Modem - Modem stands for Modulator-Demodulator. A modem allows you to connect to the Internet via a phone line. A modem in your PC/ laptop enables you to use email and the Internet.
MP3 - MP3 is a file format that allows sounds to be compressed and stored digitally. Music can be downloaded from the Internet or from a CD onto a PC quickly whilst retaining the digital quality.
MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) - Is a computer file format (usually digital video and audio files) which reduces the space needed to store the information.
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N
Network - IA series of wires & cables that connects a number of computers and data is exchanged between computers via these cables. The maximum speed at which the data can be transmitted is called the bandwidth. Wireless networks are also now available
Networking - Involves hardware and software data communication systems.
Network Operating System (NOS) - An operating system which includes software to enable communication of computers via a network. This allows resources such as files, application programs and printers to be shared between computers.
NVIDIA - A graphics chip manufacturer.
Norton - Writer and producer of PC utilities and security programs to keep your PC/Laptop running smoothly eg Norton Anti Virus.
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O
OEM - Short for original equipment manufacturer, which refers to components sold to manufacturers purely for incorporation in complete systems. Often, OEM parts are similar to those sold retail, but may be cheaper or sold with different software.
Operating System (OS) - This software governs the way the components of a PC work together. It handles schedules tasks, allocates storage, and is seen as the default interface to the user when no application programme is running.
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P
Parallel Port - The most common kind of parallel port is a printer port. It enables connection of parallel devices and is faster than a standard serial port.
PC Card - A credit card-size device for adding anything, such as a modem or a hard drive to a notebook PC. Requires a PC Card slot.
PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) - A palmtop computer about the size of a pocket calculator. Usually without a keyboard and with a touch-sensitive screen, it will use text recognition for data entry. Most PDAs are supplied with contact management, diary and memo software, while many can access the internet and download email using a mobile phone or normal phone line.
Plug and Play - Hardware or software that, after being installed ("plugged in"), can immediately be used ("played with"), as opposed to hardware or software which requires configuration.
Processor - The central processing unit (CPU) which is the heart of the PC. The faster the processor, the faster the PC will work which is important when surfing the Internet or for games. The speed of a processor is measured in Megahertz (MHz). Intel and AMD manufacture processors.
PS/2 - The port to connect an external mouse/ keyboard to a laptop or PC.
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Q
QWERTY - Describes a standard English keyboard, refers to the first 6 letters on the keyboard.
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R
RAM (Random Access Memory) - RAM controls the amount of tasks that can be processed at any one time by a computer. This is the PC's short term memory which provides working space for data. More RAM = more tasks = faster computer.
RDRAM (Memory) - Short for Rambus DRAM, a type of memory (DRAM). The fastest current memory used by PCs (SDRAM) can deliver data at a maximum speed of approx 133MHz, RDRAM is faster than SDRAM and transfers data at up to 600 MHz.
RDRAM (Memory) - Short for Rambus DRAM, a type of memory (DRAM). The fastest current memory used by PCs (SDRAM) can deliver data at a maximum speed of approx 133MHz, RDRAM is faster than SDRAM and transfers data at up to 600 MHz.
Resolution - The number of pixels that can be displayed on a monitor. Expressed as horizontal x Vertical e.g. 1024 X 768
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S
Scan Disk - Windows program for detecting and repairing faults on a disc.
SCSI - Small Computer System Interface (pronounced 'skuzzy'). An extremely fast connection between such things as disk drives and scanners, and a PC. Up to seven devices can be daisy-chained together and connected to a normal SCSI controller.
SD RAM/RAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) - A type of memory and it increases the number of instructions a computer can perform at any one time. For example, the more ram you have, the more data you can work with at one time.
Serial Connection - (RS-232) serial ports are used for connecting external modems and some organisers. This is the slowest form of connecting peripherals and is gradually being replaced by USB connections
Sound card - An expansion card that the PC uses to play and record sound from a variety of different file types.
Synchronisation: (PDAs) - This allows you to link to your PC or laptop in order to exchange information. Many PDAs allow you to synchronise e-mail to read and reply on the move - your replies will be sent on return to your PC when you 'synchronise' your PDA and PC.
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T
Tablet PC - A type of notebook PC with a touchsensitive screen that can be written on, like a writing pad.
TFT (Thin Film Transistor) - A thin, bright, colour pc screen used on laptops or as PC monitors. They have superb resolution giving sharpness and brightness. They are usually light and small in size.
Touchpad - A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure.
Type II PC Card - The most common type of credit card-size expansion card used to add peripherals such as modems to a notebook PC. Fits into a Type II PC Card slot, which is standard on all notebooks.
TV Card - A card which fits into a PC and allows TV images to be displayed on screen via an aerial.
TV Out - A port on a graphics cards that allows you to connect a PC/Laptop to a TV. Useful with DVD drives so you can play DVDs on your PC and watch them on your TV screen.
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U
USB (Universal Serial Bus) - Used to connect a peripheral to a piece of hardware or peripheral to peripheral. It is faster and more stable than a parallel or serial connection.
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V
Video Conferencing - A discussion between two or more groups of people who are in different places. They can see and hear each other using electronic communications facilities. Picture and sound are carried by telecommunication network.
Virtual Memory - This is usually reserved hard drive space which is used as extra 'memory' when physical RAM is fully utilised.
Video RAM - Fast memory designed for storing the image to be displayed on a computers monitor.
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W
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) - The wireless application protocol (WAP)is brings the Internet to mobile phones and PDAs. WAP sites are limited to a few sites at the moment as the technology is new.
Webcam - A video camera designed to connect to your PC. It can be used to record video clips which you can send by email, or to transmit images directly over the internet for video-conferencing.
Wi-Fi - A catchier name for the 802.11a, b or g standard used for wireless networking devices.
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X
XP - Microsoft Windows XP. The latest home operating system from Microsoft. There are 2 different versions available ie Home or Professional Editions. Windows XP Professional includes networking and other features that make it ideal for business and advanced home computing. Windows XP Home Edition is ideal for home users and helps you do more with your computer and the Internet.
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Y
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Z
Zip Disc - Is used in a Zip Drive and is Removable disc used for storing information for a PC. It has a large capacity of 100Mb - 750Mb compared to a conventional floppy disc which only has a capacity of just 1.44Mb.
Zip Drive - A disc drive for use with Zip discs.
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