Name _______________________________________
Period ___________
Types of Computers and Computer Storage
Types of Computers
________________________
 A personal computer; designed to meet the computer needs of an individual.
 Provides access to a wide variety of computing applications, such as word
processing, photo editing, e-mail, and internet.
________________________
 A microcomputer that fits on a desk and runs on power from an electrical
wall outlet.
 The CPU can be housed in either a vertical or a horizontal case.
 Has separate components (keyboard, mouse, etc.) that are each plugged into
the computer.
_______________________
 A portable, compact computer that can run on an electrical wall outlet or a
battery unit.
 All components (keyboard, mouse, etc.) are in one compact unit.
 Usually more expensive than a comparable desktop.
 Sometimes called a Notebook.
________________________
 Powerful desktop computer designed for specialized tasks.
 Can tackle tasks that require a lot of processing speed.
 Often is an ordinary personal computer attached to a LAN (local area
network) so that common resources can be shared OR common projects can
be worked on.
________________________
 A computer that was the fastest in the world at the time it was constructed.
 Can tackle tasks that would not be practical for other computers.
 Typical uses
 Breaking codes
 Modeling weather systems

________________________
 Large expensive computer capable of simultaneously processing data for
hundreds or thousands of users.
 Used to store, manage, and process large amounts of data that need to be
reliable, secure, and centralized.
 Usually housed in a closet sized cabinet.
________________________
 Purpose is to “serve.”
 A computer that has the purpose of supplying its users with data; usually
through the use of a LAN (local area network).
________________________
 Also called a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).
 A computer that fits into a pocket, runs on batteries, and is used while
holding the unit in your hand.
 Typically used as an appointment book, address book, calculator, and
notepad.
 Can be synchronized with a personal microcomputer as a backup.
________________________
 a portable computer that uses an integral flat panel display screen or touch
screen for primary input and primary display
 It is the size of a notebook computer
 The Ipad is an example of a tablet computer
________________________
 Case that holds the power supply, storage devices, and the circuit boards
(including the motherboard).
________________________
The motherboard is the main circuit board of the computer.
_______________________
 The path from one component of a computer to another that data uses to
travel.
 Circuits run between different components on a circuit board
Examples:
 RAM and the microprocessor
 RAM and various storage devices
_______________________
 Silicon is melted sand.
 What the circuits are embedded into to keep them together.
_______________________
 A measurement used to describe the speed of the system clock.
 A megahertz (MHz) is equal to one million cycles (or pulses) per second.
 1.3 gigahertz (GHz) means that the microprocessor’s clock operates at a
speed of 1.3 BILLION cycles per second.
_______________________
 Our computers have the Intel Dual-core processing chip
 Other generations of Intel processors were called
 80-88
 286
 386
 486
 Pentium
_______________________
 A method for representing letters or numbers using only two digits, 0 and 1.
 _______
 Each 0 or 1
 _______
 8 bits
 Also referred to as Binary Code or Base 2
_______________________
 A byte is equal to 8 bits
 any combination of 8 1s and/or 0s
 A byte is the amount of memory it takes to store one character
Memory Measurements
_______
 Each 0 or 1
_______
 8 bits
_______
 Approximately 1,000 bytes
 Exactly 1,024 bytes
_______
 Approximately 1 million bytes
_______
 Approximately 1 billion bytes
_______
 Approximately 1 trillion bytes
Secondary Storage
 Secondary storage is needed to store data and programs when the computers
__________________.
 There are currently 3 types of secondary storage
 Magnetic Storage
 Optical Storage
 Flash Storage/Memory
Magnetic Storage
 any storage medium in which different patterns of _________________ are
used to represent stored bits or bytes of information
 Magnetic storage currently come in 3 forms
 Magnetic Tape
 Floppy Disks
 Hard Disks
Optical Storage
 A means of recording data as _____________________ on CD or DVD.
 Reading is done through a low-power laser light.
 ________
 Dark spots
 ________
 Lighter, non-spotted surface areas
Types of CDs
______________
 Cds that can be read but not written to
 Examples
 Computer games or music cds
______________
 Cds that can be written to once – about 800 MB
______________
 Cds that can be rewritten to up to about 100” – about 800 MB
Types of DVDs (Digital Video Disks)
______________
 DVDs that can be read but not written to
 Examples
 Movies or PC games that you buy
______________
 DVDs that can be rewritten to once – about 4.7 GB
______________
 DVDs that can be rewritten to once – about 8.5 GB
______________
 DVDs that can be rewritten to up to about 100” – about 4.7 GB
Flash Storage
 __________________________ that can be electrically erased and
programmed anew and that retains its data without a power supply
 Great for digital cameras and cell phones because they ___________ image
data even when batteries go "dead".