Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Computers and
Mobile Devices:
Evaluating Options
for Home and Work
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
Objectives Overview (1 of 3)
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Objectives Overview (3 of 3)
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Computers and Mobile Devices
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Mobile Computers and Desktops (1 of 7)
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Mobile Computers and Desktops
(2 of 7)
Figure 3-1 Computers and mobile devices are available in a variety of shapes
and size
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Mobile Computers and Desktops
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Mobile Computers and Desktops
(3 of 7)
• A laptop, also called a notebook computer, is a
thin, lightweight mobile computer with a screen in
its lid and a keyboard in its base
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Mobile Computers and Desktops
(4 of 7)
• A tablet is a thin, lighter-
weight mobile computer that
has a touch screen
• Two popular form factors of
tablets are slate and
convertible.
• A slate tablet resembles a
letter-sized pad and does
not contain a physical
keyboard.
• A convertible tablet is a
tablet that has a screen on
its lid and a keyboard on its
Figure 3-4 Slate and convertible tablets.
base.
Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights
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10
Factors to consider in buying a
computer
Consideration Questions
Platform • Do I need to use software that requires a specific
platform?
• Does the computer need to be compatible with
other devices I own that use a particular platform?
Hardware • Do I require specific hardware to perform my
intended tasks?
• How much data and information do I plan to store
on the computer?
Hardware • Will the tasks I perform or software I want to run
specifications require certain hardware specifications?
Form factor • Will I be using this computer in one location, or will I
need to be mobile?
Add-on • What additional devices will I need to perform my
devices intended tasks?
Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights
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11
Which Type of Computer Is
Right For You? (1 of 2)
Evaluating system requirements.
Specification Recommended Solution
Different Identify the program or app with the greater processor
processor requirement and select a computer with a processor that meets
requirements or exceeds the requirement.
Different Identify the program or app with the greater memory
memory requirement and select a computer with a memory type and
requirements capacity that meets or exceeds this requirement.
Computers with as little as 4 GB of memory are great for basic
web browsing and very basic productivity tasks, while computers
with as much as 32 GB are often used for virtual reality
applications, high-end gaming, and other intensive tasks.
Different Add the storage requirements for each program or app you want
storage to use, and select a computer with a storage capacity that
requirements exceeds the sum of all storage requirements.
Other differing In most cases, identify the program or app with the greater
hardware requirement and select a computer that at least meets or
requirements exceeds this requirement.
Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights
Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
12
Which Type of Computer Is
Right For You? (2 of 2)
• The form factor refers to the shape and size of the
computer.
• Various types of computers exist, including desktop
computers, all-in-one computers, laptops, tablets,
and other mobile devices.
• A desktop computer typically consists of the system
unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse which remain in
a stationary location under a desk or table.
• An all-in-one computer has a monitor and system
unit housed together.
Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights
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13
Mobile Computers and Desktops
(5 of 7)
• A handheld computer is a computer small enough
to fit in one hand
Figure 3-7 Stick computers are approximately the same size as USB flash drives
and can connect to an HDMI port on a TV or computer monitor.
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Mobile Computers and Desktops
(7 of 7)
• A desktop, or desktop computer, is a personal
computer designed to be in a stationary location, where
all of its components fit on or under a desk or table
Figure 3-8 The desktop with a tower shown in this figure is a Windows
computer, and the all-in-one is a Mac computer.
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Servers (1 of 3)
• A server is a computer dedicated to providing one or
more services to other computers or devices on a network
– Rack server
– Blade server
– Tower server
Figure 3-9 Shown here are a rack server, blade server, and tower server.
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Servers (2 of 3)
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Servers (3 of 3)
• Virtualization is the practice of sharing or pooling computing
resources, such as servers and storage devices
– Server virtualization uses software to enable a physical server to
emulate the hardware and computing capabilities of one or more
servers, known as virtual servers
• A server farm is a network of several servers together in a
single location
• A mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful server that can
handle hundreds or thousands of connected users
simultaneously
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Terminals (1 of 4)
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Terminals (2 of 4)
Figure 3-10 Many grocery stores offer self-service checkouts, where consumers
use POS terminals to scan purchases, scan their store or saver card and coupons,
and then pay for the goods.
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Terminals (3 of 4)
• An ATM (automated teller machine) is a self-
service banking terminal that connects to a host
computer through a network
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Terminals (4 of 4)
• A self-service kiosk is a freestanding terminal that usually
has a touch screen for user interaction
Table 3-2 Self-Service Kiosks
Type Typical Services Provided
Pay bills, add money to prepaid cards and phone plans, and
Financial kiosk perform other financial
activities.
Print photos from digital images. Some allow editing of digital
photos. Users may print
Photo kiosk
directly at the kiosk or may send an order to a photo lab to be
printed.
Print tickets. Located in airports, amusement parks, movie
Ticket kiosk theaters, rental companies, and
train stations.
Dispense item after payment is received. Examples include
Vending kiosk DVD rentals and license plate
renewals.
Visitor kiosk Manage Located in businesses, police stations, schools,
and track visitors hospitals, and other areas where access is controlled or
upon check-in. registration is required.
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Supercomputers
• A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful
computer – and the most expensive
– Capable of processing many trillions of instructions in a
single second
Figure 3-13 Supercomputers can process more than one quadrillion instructions in
a single second.
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Cloud Computing
• Cloud computing refers to an environment that provides
resources and services accessed via the Internet
Figure 3-14 Users access resources on the cloud through their Internet connections.
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Cloud Storage
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Cloud Storage
The Internet acts as a “cloud” of servers.
• Applications provided as a service rather than a product.
• Supplied by servers that provide cloud storage or online
storage.
Company Location
Dropbox dropbox.com
Google drive.google.com
Microsoft onedrive.live.com
Amazon amazon.com/gp/drive
Apple icloud.com
• Disadvantages.
- Access speed
- File security
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Mobile Devices (2 of 10)
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Mobile Devices (3 of 10)
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Mobile Devices (4 of 10)
• A digital camera is a mobile device that allows users to
take photos and store the photographed images digitally
– Smart digital camera
– Point-and-shoot camera
– SLR camera
Figure 3-16 SLR digital cameras have lenses and other attachments, whereas the lenses on
point-and-shoot cameras are built into the device. Many smartphones also have built-in digital
cameras.
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Mobile Devices (5 of 10)
Figure 3-17 This figure shows how a point-and shoot digital camera might work.
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Mobile Devices (6 of 10)
• Resolution is the number of horizontal and
vertical pixels in a display
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Mobile Devices (7 of 10)
• A portable media player is a mobile device on which you
can store, organize, and play or view digital media
Figure 3-19 Some portable media players have touch screens; others have touch-sensitive
pads or buttons that enable you to access your media library.
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Mobile Devices ( 8 of 10)
• A digital media player or streaming media player is a
device, typically used in a home, that streams digital media
from a computer or network to a television, projector, or
some other entertainment device
Figure 3-20 A digital media player streams media to a home entertainment device.
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Mobile Devices ( 9 of 10)
• An e-book reader (short for electronic book reader), or e-
reader, is a mobile device that is used primarily for reading
e-books and other digital publications
Figure 3-21 E-book readers enable you to read e-books and other digital publications such as
newspapers and magazines.
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Mobile Devices ( 10 of 10)
• A wearable device or wearable is a small, mobile
computing device designed to be worn by a consumer
Figure 3-22 Three popular wearable devices include activity trackers, smartwatches, and smart
glasses.
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Game Devices ( 1 of 2)
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Game Devices (2 of 2)
Figure 3-23 Gamers have a variety of ways to direct movements and actions of on-screen
objects.
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Embedded Computers (1 of 2)
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Embedded Computers (2 of 2)
Figure 3-24 Some of the embedded computers designed to improve your safety, security, and
performance in today’s vehicles.
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Putting It All Together
Table 3-3 Categories of Computers and Mobile Devices
Number of
Category Physical Size Simultaneously General Price Range
Connected Users
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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
a. storage media
b. solid-state drive Identify the letter of
c. digital literacy the choice that best
d. desktop h. server matches the phrase
e. smartphone i. mobile device or definition.
f. output device j. computer
g. input device k. tablet
l. laptop
m. Web
n. memory card
o. Internet
1. Having a current knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile devices, the web
and related technologies
2. Thin, lightweight mobile computer with a screen in its lid and a keyboard in its base
3. A thin, lightweight mobile computer with a touch screen
4. An electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory,
that can accept data, process the data according to specified rules, produce information,
and store the information for future use
5. A personal computer designed to be in a stationary location
6. A computer dedicated to providing one or more services to other computers or devices on
a network
7. A computing device small enough to hold in your hand
8. An Internet-capable phone that usually also includes a calendar, an address book, a
calculator, notepad, games, and several other apps
9. Any hardware component that allows you to enter data and instructions into a computer
or mobile device
10. Any hardware component that conveys information from a computer or mobile device to
one or more people
11. Where a computer keeps data, instructions, and information
12. Removable flash memory
13. A worldwide collection of computer networks
14. A worldwide collection of electronic documents
15. A storage device that typically uses flash memory to store data, instructions, and
information
© McGraw Hill, LLC 45
Discussion
1. Having a current knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile
devices, the web and related technologies
Digital Literacy
Figure 3-25 Most computers and mobile devices have ports so that you can connect the
computer or device to peripherals.
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Ports and Connections (2 of 6)
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Ports and Connections (3 of 6)
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Ports and Connections (4 of 6)
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Ports and Connections (5 of 6)
Figure 3-26 Docking stations often are used with tablets and other mobile computers, providing
connections to peripheral devices.
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Ports and Connections (6 of 6)
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Protecting Hardware (1 of 5)
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Protecting Hardware (2 of 5)
Figure 3-27 Some mobile computers and devices include fingerprint readers,
which can be used to verify a user’s identity.
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Protecting Hardware (3 of 5)
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Protecting Hardware (4 of 5)
• A surge protector, also called a surge suppressor,
uses electrical components to provide a stable current
flow and minimize the chances of an overvoltage
reaching the computer and other electronic equipment
Figure 3-29 If power fails, a UPS uses batteries to provide electricity for a limited
amount of time.
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Health Concerns of Using Technology
(1 of 2)
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How To: Protect Yourself When
Using Devices (1 of 2)
RSI most often is caused by three factors:
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65
How To: Protect Yourself When
Using Devices (2 of 2)
Ergonomics is an applied
science that specifies the
design and arrangement
of items that you use so
that you and the items
interact efficiently and
safely.
Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights
Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
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Case Study Activity 3-1 (2 of 2)
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Summary
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