P2 – DESCRIBE THE PURPOSE OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Lynda Spencelayh
2
Types of computer systems
• describe the purpose of at least three different types of
computer systems.
• You can choose three from following: PC, base unit,
laptop, net book, PDA, mobile phone, games console,
tablet, server, embedded devices (inside phones,
domestic appliances, cars)
• You should describe the purpose and a short description
of their key features. Where & when it may be used, who
is the user, what it might be used for.
Lynda Spencelayh
3
Different types of computer systems
There are many different types of computer systems, but
each one generally falls into one of three categories.
• Personal Computers – designed for one person to use
at a time including desktops, laptops, netbooks, PDA’s,
mobile phones, games consoles and tablet.
• Servers – control networks and other devices
• Embedded systems – hidden inside other machines
such as televisions
Lynda Spencelayh
4
Desktop computer
• The familiar desktop personal computer is built
around a base unit which maybe designed as a
tower or desktop unit.
• The base unit houses all the internal parts of the
computer system, such as the processor, RAM
and disk drives, and also has external ports which
allow it to be connected to other devices.
Lynda Spencelayh
5
Desktop computer
• A number of peripheral devices, such a mouse,
screen, keyboard and printer, are connected to the
base unit.
• In an office, a desktop will normally be linked into a
local network and, through that, to the internet. In a
home a desktop will usually be connected to a
broadband internet connection and may be linked
into a home Wi-Fi system
• A mouse is the most common pointing device in a
desktop system.
Lynda Spencelayh
6
Laptop
• The components that sit in the base unit of a desktop are
hidden away in the slim body of a laptop. It usually does
not have as many facilities and ports as a desktop, but
additional devices can be plugged in.
• Most laptops provide a touchpad as a pointing device, as
an alternative to a mouse.
• Laptops can be plugged into a docking station on a desk.
This has a full range of ports so that the laptop can be
used with a full size screen and keyboard, a mouse, a
local network and a broadband internet connection.
Lynda Spencelayh
7
Notebook and netbook
• Notebooks and netbooks are small laptops. They
usually less powerful than standard laptops, but
are cheaper and easier to carry around.
• All notebooks and netbooks have Wi-Fi interfaces
and are designed to be used for web browsing
and email.
Lynda Spencelayh
8
Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• A personal digital assistant [PDA] is a very small handheld
device also know as a palmtop computer. The small
screen size limits its capabilities to some extent. Many
use touchscreens for input.
• Most PDAs provide Wi-Fi access for web and email use.
Some are now combined with a mobile phone, and can
use 3G networks to access the internet.
• Most users link PDAs to a personal computer on a daily
basis, so that they can synchronise data, such as emails
and entries in a calendar
Lynda Spencelayh
9
Smart phone
• Smart phones are mobile phones that have many
of the functions of a PDA. In addition they
normally have a digital camera and the facility to
play audio files.
• Although most smart phones have a numerical
keyboard, some offer a full keyboard. Others use
touchscreens which can function as keyboards
when required.
Lynda Spencelayh
10
Games console
• Small handheld games consoles have a built in screen
and input buttons. Many have touchscreens
• Larger games consoles usually link to a television to
provide a screen joysticks and other game controllers are
built into the console.
• Additional devices with remote sensors can as well as
also be connected. These consoles usually offer internet
access so that videos can be downloaded and played as
well as games.
Lynda Spencelayh
11
Tablet
• A tablet computer is a type of laptop with a large
touch screen, which replaces the keyboard.
• Some tablets are specifically designed for
reading e-books, while others can be used for a
wide range of purposes, such as inputting data
and signatures into a form or drawing design
sketches for a customer.
Lynda Spencelayh
12
Server
• Any personal computer can be connected into a network.
A small network of two or three computers in an office or
home does not require any additional computers.
• But the task of managing a large network requires a
powerful computer known as a server.
• A server has several storage devices [hard disk drives]
and a means of connection to all the computers in the
network.
Lynda Spencelayh
13
Embedded devices
• Computer systems are also hidden away inside many
other kinds of machine. They all need a processor, plus
some form of input and output, but these don’t need to
take the form of keyboard, mouse and screen.
• These hidden computer systems are known as embedded
systems, and they can be found in music systems, cars,
[Global positioning systems GPS] games consoles,
phones and domestic appliances, such as DVD players
and washing machines.
• Most embedded systems have a very user friendly
interfaces and are dedicated to preforming specific
functions.