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• Types of computers


  • Personal Computer/Desktop
  • Laptop Computer
  • Tablets
  • Smartphones
• Personal Computer/Desktop


  • Spare parts tend to be standardised which usually results in lower costs
  • Tends to have a better specification for a given price
  • Power consumption is not critical since they usually plug straight into a wall socket
• Laptop Computer


  • Portable, can be taken anywhere
  • No trailing wires
  • Can take full advantage of WI-FI
  • Can link into any multimedia system
• Tablets


  • Very fast to switch on
  • Fully portable
  • Due to touch screen technology, they are simple to use and do not need any other input devices
  • Can use several Apps
  • Do not generate any heat
  • Battery life of a tablet is a lot longer
• Smartphones


  • Very small in size and lightweight
  • Can make phone calls as well as connect to the internet while on the move
  • Can be used almost anywhere because they use WI-FI and mobile phone connectivity
• Artificial intelligence (AI)


  The ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with human intelligence such as learning, problem solving and pattern recognition
• Examples of AI


  • Making a patient diagnosis based on their symptoms and their medical history
  • Analysing test results
  • Autonomous machines
• Machine Learning


  A computer or robot can modify its own behaviour in order to achieve other outcomes. They can learn new things without having their programs rewritten by a human.
• Extended reality (XR)


  Immersive technology that immerses users in a virtual or combined virtual and real environment. It includes virtual reality and augmented reality.
• Virtual reality


  An artificial environment created by software. The user makes use of data goggles, sensor suits, data gloves or helmets to get a feeling of reality.
• Augmented reality


  Allows a user to interact with the real and a virtual world at the same time, it is a combined virtual and real environment.
• Augmented reality


  • Can save money for business by minimizing the number of items that are returned from customers
  • Customers can try out different paint colors on the walls
  • Allows architects, builders and developers and clients to visualize what a proposed design would look like
• Input devices


  • Keyboards
  • Mouse
  • Tracker ball
  • Touchpads
  • Remote control
  • Joystick
  • Driving wheel
  • Touch screens
  • Scanners
  • Digital cameras
• Keyboards


  The most common input devices and are used to input text, numbers and instructions into the computer
• Keyboards


  • They are so common that everyone is familiar with them
  • Easy to use
• Keyboards


  • Very easy to make errors when entering the data
  • Unless user learns how to type, it can be very time consuming
  • Can cause strain injuries
  • Cannot be used to create diagrams
• Ergonomic keyboards


  Designed to reduce the health-related problems associated with standard keyboards such as repetitive strain injury (RSI)
• Concept keyboard


  Uses icons or phrases instead of standard letters, these are often used in fast-food restaurants, where a single key represents one item
• Numeric keypads


  Used to enter numbers only in ATMs and POS machines
• Mouse


  • Mechanical Mouse: It used to use a ball and a sensor to detect movement
  • Optical Mouse: uses an optical sensor to detect changes in reflected light
  • Wireless Mouse: Communicates with the computer using wi-fi or Bluetooth
• Mouse


  • They provide a fast method of input
  • They are intuitive to use
• Mouse


  • Can be easily damaged
  • Overuse of a mouse can lead to RSI
  • Needs a flat surface
• Tracker ball


  Uses a ball and sensor to detect movement, used where the user has a disability such as RSI, in control room environments, and in some luxury cars
• Touchpads


  The flat area next to the keyboard used to control the cursor in a laptop
• Remote control


  Used to control the operation of other devices remotely using infrared signals
• Joystick


  Used in video games and in simulators
• Driving wheel


  Used in video games and in simulators
• Touch screens


  The user can choose an option by simply touching a button/icon on the screen, the selection is automatically made without the need for any pointing device
• Uses of touch screens


  • ATM, POS and Public information system
• Touch screens


  • Easy to use, space saving as input and output devices are the same, cost effective
• Touch screens


  • Limited number of options, hygiene problems with lots of people touching the screen, not suitable for inputting large amount of data
• Resistive touch screen


  Sensitive to pressure from your finger or other object pressed onto the screen. The point of contact is detected because two metallic layers touch at that certain point resulting in a change in voltage.
• Capacitive touch screen


  Sensitive to static electricity on an exposed finger. This is detected by sensors places at the four corners of the screen allowing it to detect the touch point.
• Scanners


  Used to enter information from hard copy (text, documents, Photographs) into a computer, the hard copy is scanned by a light source and produces a computer readable image.
• Scanners


  • Images can be stored for editing at a later date
  • Much faster and more accurate than typing
  • It's possible to recover damaged documents and photographs by scanning in and then using appropriate software to produce an acceptable copy
• Scanners


  • Quality can be limited depending in how good a resolution the scanner is capable of
  • Can be fairly slow
• Digital cameras


  The images are stored on a memory card and can be transferred to a computer. The lens of the camera focuses the light onto a sensor which is covered with millions of light sensitive elements called pixels.
• Digital cameras


  • The picture can be seen immediately and erased if it is not good enough
  • Digital images can be manipulated more easily
• Scanners


  Used to enter information from hard copy (text, documents, Photographs) into a computer, the hard copy is scanned by a light source and produces a computer readable image
• Digital cameras


  Digital cameras have largely replaced traditional film-based cameras. The images are stored on a memory card and can be transferred to a computer. The lens of the camera focuses the light onto a sensor which is covered with millions of light sensitive elements called pixels