2.0

• There are different types of computing devices
• Computing devices


  • Smartphone
  • Tablet
  • Desktop computer
  • Laptop/Notebook
• How a computer works - the basics


  1. You type something using the keyboard (or the mouse or the touchscreen)

  2. The computer does some work

  3. Something gets shown on the screen
• Information processing cycle


  • Input
  • Processing
  • Output
• Information processing cycle


  • Storage
  • Communication
• How the information processing cycle works when you add a contact to your smartphone

  1. You give the smartphone some of the contact's details by typing them in

  2. The smartphone checks if it already has the contact

  3. The smartphone displays a message that a new contact has been added or that the contact already exists

  4. Contact added to storage if necessary
• Devices of a computer


  • Input and output devices
  • Storage devices
  • Communication devices
• Input devices and output devices

  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Touchpad
  • Computer screen or monitor
  • Printer
  • Speakers and headphones
• Other input and output devices

  • Digital camera
  • Joystick or game controller
  • Scanner
  • Microphone
  • Data projector
• The keyboard is the most commonly used input device
• A laptop computer has many built-in input and output devices
• Devices on a laptop computer

  • Screen (Output)
  • Keyboard (Input)
  • Touchpad (Input)
  • Camera (Input)
  • Microphone (Input)
  • Speaker (Output)
• Storage


  Where a computer keeps data and software permanently
• Storage capacity


  • Measured in Gigabytes (GB) and Terabytes (TB)
  • A Terabyte is 1000 Gigabytes
  • A single Terabyte can store about 250 movies
• Types of storage devices

  • Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
  • Optical Drive (CD/DVD)
  • Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • Flash Drive
  • Memory cards: SD and Micro SD
• • Desktops and laptops usually have a hard drive (HDD)
  • Hard drives have moving parts and are slower than electronic storage, but also much cheaper
  • Some desktops and laptops have a Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • SSDs are much faster than hard drives (because they have no moving parts), but are also more expensive
• • Both hard drives and SSDs come in portable versions, which can be connected to a computer using a cable
  • These portable drives are useful for making backups and for moving data from one computer to another
• A more common type of portable storage device is the flash drive - a type of small, cheap electronic storage that plugs into a USB port
• • Cameras and other devices use removable electronic storage called memory cards
  • The most common are SD and Micro SD
  • Many mobile devices allow you to insert a memory card to increase their storage capacity
• • Optical drives that can read DVDs and CDs are now regarded as 'old technology' and are no longer built into most new computers
  • They are really only used for playing music or movies from CDs or DVDs
• Communication devices


  • Cellular (technology)
  • WiFi (technology)
  • Router (device)
• Router


  • Can create a wireless (WiFi) network
  • Can help to connect wired ('cabled') network devices
• Backups


  • Copies of files, stored on another storage device separate from the computer
  • Made in case the original files are damaged or destroyed
• Processor (CPU)


  • The part of the computer that processes data and that carries out instructions
  • The 'brain' of the computer
• Computer memory (RAM)

  • Any data or program that a computer works with must first be loaded from storage into this memory
  • The contents of RAM is only temporary and disappears if the power is removed
• Software (programs, applications, apps)

  • Computers need instructions that tell them what to do
  • The software that controls the computer's operation is called the operating system
  • Apps allow you to do different tasks on the computer
• Without software, even the most expensive computer is worthless
• Windows desktop

  • Icons (or tiles) that represent items such as apps
  • Tooltips - short descriptions that appear when you hover the mouse pointer over an object
  • Shortcuts - icons with a small curved arrow in the bottom left corner that provide fast access to apps, files, printers, etc.
• Opening and closing an app on Windows

  1. Find the icon for the app on the desktop or in the Start menu

  2. Double-click or click once to open the app

  3. Click the Close button in the top right corner of the window to close the app
• It is important to use the Shut down option on the Start menu (and not the power button) to switch off the computer
• File Explorer


  • The program that allows you to see and manage the files stored on a computer
  • Divided into a left (navigation) pane and a right (contents) pane
• Windows operating system


  Each program (app) runs in its own window
• File Explorer


  Program that allows you to see and manage the files stored on a computer
• Accessing File Explorer


  1. Via the Start menu

  2. Divided vertically into left (navigation) pane and right (contents) pane
• Items in File Explorer

  • Drives
  • Folders
  • Files
• File Explorer

  • Allows sorting files by name, date, type, size
  • Allows deleting, renaming, moving, copying files
• Selecting multiple files


  1. Click on first file, hold Shift and click on last file (adjacent files)

  2. Click on first file, hold Ctrl and click on other files (non-adjacent files)
• Deleting files


  Select file(s), press Delete key or right-click and choose Delete
• Renaming a file


  Right-click on file, choose Rename, type new name, press Enter
• Moving files to another folder

  Select file(s), Cut, click on destination folder, Paste