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Definition
| With an LCD monitor using active-matrix technology, each pixel is charged individually, as needed. The result is that an active-matrix display produces a clearer, brighter image than a passive-matrix display. |
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| One of the keys on a standard PC computer keyboard used in conjunction with other keys for shortcuts and special tasks. |
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Definition
| A picture tube device in a computer monitor; very similar to the picture tube in a conventional television set. A CRT screen is a grid made up of millions of pixels, or tiny dots. The pixels are illuminated by an electron beam that passes back and forth across the back of the screen very quickly so that the pixels appear to glow continuously. |
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Definition
| A drive for reading compact discs (CDs). |
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| A drive that can both read and write data to CDs. |
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Central Processing Unit (CPU or processor)
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Definition
| The part of the system unit of a computer that is responsible for data processing (or the "brains" of the computer); it is the largest and most important chip in the computer. It controls all the functions performed by the computer's other components and processes all the commands issude to it by software instructions. |
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| Starting a computer from a powered down or off state. |
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| A port that enables tha computer (or other device) to be connected to other devices or systems such as the networks, modems, and the Internet. |
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Definition
| One of the keys on a PC computer keyboard that is used in combination with other keys to perform shortcuts and special tasks. |
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Definition
| The flashing I symbol on a computer monitor that indicates where the next character will be inserted. |
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Definition
| The set of special keys on a keyboard, generally marked by arrows, that move the cursor one space at a time, either up, down, left, or right. Other cursor control keys move the cursor up or down one full page or to the beginning or the end of a line. |
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| The first type of computer printer, which has tiny hammer-like keys that strike the paper through an inked ribbon. |
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Definition
| The diagonal distance, measured in millimeters. between pixels on the screen. A smaller dot pitch means that there is less blank space between pixels, and thus a sharper, clearer image. |
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Definition
| Special shelves inside computers designed to hold storage devices. |
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Definition
| A drive that enables the computer to read digital video discs (DVDs). A DVD+R/RW drive can write DVDs as well as read them. |
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Definition
| A drive that enables the computer to read and write to DVDs. |
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| A leading alternative keyboard that puts the most commonly used letters in the English language on the "home keys," the keys in the middle row of the keyboard. It is designed to reduce the distance your fingers travle for most keystrokes, increasing typing speed. |
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Definition
| Refers to how a user sets up his or her computer and other equipment to minimize risk of injury or discomfort. |
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Definition
| A port that is slightly larger than a standard phone jack and transfers data at speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps). It is used to connect a computer to a cable modem or a network. |
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Term
Expansion Cards ( or Adapter cards)
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Definition
| Circuit boards with specific functions that augment the computer's basic functions as well as provide connections to other devices. |
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Term
| FireWire Port (previously called the IEEE 1394 port) |
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Definition
| A port based on a standard developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), with a transfer rate of 400 megabits per second. Today it is most commonly used to connect digital video devices such as digital cameras to the computer. |
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Definition
| One of the fastest ports available, moving data at 800 megabits per second. |
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Definition
| Drive that plug into a universal serial bus (USB) port on a computer and store data digitally. Also called a USB drive. |
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Definition
| A form of portable storage. This removable memory card is often used in digital cameras, MP3 players and personal digital assistants (PDAs). |
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Definition
| A drive bay for a floppy disk. |
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Term
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Definition
| Act as shortcut keys to perform special tasks; thay are sometimes referred to as the "F" keys because they start with the letter F followed by a number. |
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Hard Disk Drive ( or hard drive)
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Definition
| Holds all permanently stored programs and data; is located inside the system unit. |
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Definition
| Any part of the computer you can physically touch. |
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Definition
| When a computer is in a state of deeper sleep. Pushing the power button awakens the computer from hibernation, at which time the computer reloads everything to the desktop exactly as it was before it went into hibernation. |
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Definition
| Printers that have tiny hammer-like keys that strike the paper through an inked ribbon, thus making a mark on the paper. The most common impact printer is the dot-matrix printer. |
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Definition
| A nonimpact printer that sprays ting drops of ink onto the paper. |
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Definition
| Hardware device used to enter, or input, data (text, images, and sounds) and instructions (user responses and commands) into a computer; input devices include keyboards, mice, scanners, microphones, and digital cameras. |
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Definition
| Used to enter typed data and commands into a computer. |
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Definition
| A nonimpact printer known for quick and quiet production and high-quality printouts; it uses laser beams to make marks on paper. |
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Term
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
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Definition
| Technology used in flat-panel computer monitors. |
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Definition
| A device for capturing sound waves (such as voice) and transferring them to digital format on a computer. |
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Definition
| A device that provides the computer with a connection to the Internet. |
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Definition
| A port that uses a traditional telephone signal to connect two computers. |
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Term
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Definition
| A common output device that displays text, graphics, and video as "soft copies" (copies that can be seen only on-screen). |
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Term
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Definition
| A special circuit board in the system unit that containsthe central processing unit (CPU), the memory (RAM) chips, and the slots available for expansion cards. It is the largest printed circuit board; all of the other boards (video cards, sound cards, and so on) connect to it to receive power and to communicate. |
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Term
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Definition
| A device used to enter user responses and commands into a computer. |
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Term
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Definition
| A device that combines the functions of a printer, scanner, fax machine, and copier into one machine. |
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Network Interface Card (NIC)
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Definition
| An expansion (or adapter) card that enables a computer to connect with a network. |
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Definition
| Printers that spray ink or use laser beams to make marks on the paper. The most common nonimpact printers are ink-jet and laser printers. |
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Definition
| Permanent storage, as in read-only memory (ROM). |
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Definition
| Section of a keyboard that enables a user to enter numbers quickly. |
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Definition
| A mouse that uses an internal sensor or laser to control the mouse's movement. The sensor sends signals to the computer, telling it where to move the pointer on the screen. |
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Term
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Definition
| A device that sends processed data and information out of a computer in the form of text, pictures (graphics), sounds (audio), or video. |
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Term
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Definition
| A port that sends data between devices in groups of bits at speed of 92 kilobits per second (kbps). Parallel ports were commonly used to connect printers to computers. |
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Term
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Definition
| Computer monitor technology in which electrical current passes trhough a liquid crystal solution and charges groups of pixels, either in a row or a column. This causes the screen to brighten with each pass of electrical current and subsequently to fade. |
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Term
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Definition
| Devices such as monitors, printers, and keyboards that connect to the system unit through ports. |
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Term
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Definition
| Illuminated, tiny dots that create the images you see on a computer monitor. Pixels are illuminated by an electron beam that passes back and forth across the back of the screen very quickly so that they pixels appear to glow continuously. |
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Definition
| Large printers that use a computer-controlled pen to produce oversize pictures that require precise continuous lines to be drawn, such as in maps or architectural plans. |
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Definition
| An interface through which external devices are connected to the computer. |
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Definition
| Used to regulate the wall voltage to the voltages required by computer chips; it is housed inside the system unit. |
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Term
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Definition
| A common output device that creates tangible or hard copies of text and graphics. |
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Term
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Definition
| A keyboard that gets its name from the first six letters on the top-left row of alphabetic keys on the keyboard. |
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Term
Random Access Memory (RAM)
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Definition
| The computer's temporary storage space or short-term memory. It is located as a set of chips on the system unit's motherboard, and its capacity is measured in megabytes. |
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Term
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Definition
| A set of memory chips located on the motherboard that stores data and instructions that cannot be changed or erased; it holds all the instructions the computer needs to start up. |
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Definition
| The number of times per second an electron beam scans the monitor and recharges the illumination of each pixel. |
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Term
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Definition
| The clearness or sharpness of an image, which is controlled by the number of pixels displayed on the screen. |
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Term
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Definition
| A port that enables the transfer of data, one bit at a time, over a single wore at speeds of up to 56 kilobits per second (Kbps); it is often used to connect external modems to the computer. |
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Term
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Definition
| An expansion card that attaches to the motherboard inside the system unit that enables the computer to produce sounds. |
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Term
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Definition
| When a computer's more power-hungry components, such as the monitor and hard drive, are powered down to save energy. |
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Definition
| A device used to tap or write on touch-sensitive screens. |
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Definition
| The metal or plastic case that holds all the physical parts of the computer together, including the computer's processor (its brains), its memory, and the many circuit boards that help the computer function. |
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Term
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Definition
| A printer that works by either melting wax-based ink onto ordinary paper (in a process called termal was transfer printing) or by burning dots onto specially coated paper (in a process called direct thermal printing). |
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Term
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Definition
| A keyboard key whose function changes each time it's pressed; it "toggles" between two functions. |
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Term
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Definition
| A mouse with a rollerball on top instead of on the bottom. Because you move the trackball with your fingers, it doesn't require much wrist motion, so it's considered healthier for your wrists than a traditional mouse. |
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Term
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Definition
| A small, joystick-like nub that enables you to move the cursor with the tip of your finger. |
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Term
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port
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Definition
| A port that can connect a wide variety of peripherals to the computer, including keyboards, printers, zip drives, and digital cameras. USB 2.0 transfers data at 480 megabits per second and is approximately 40 times faster than the original USB port. |
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Term
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Definition
| External bus that supports a data throughput of 480 megabits per second. These buses are backward compatible with buses using the original USB standard. |
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Term
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Definition
| An expansion card that is installed inside a system unit to translate binary data (the 1s and 0s your computer uses) into the images viewed on the monitor. |
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Term
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Definition
| Temporary storage, such as in random access memory (RAM); when the power is off, the data in volatile storage is cleared out. |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of restarting the system while it's powered on. |
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Definition
| A function key specific to the Windows operating system. Used alone, it brings up the start menu; however, it's used most often in combination with other keys as shortcuts. |
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Definition
| A storage drive that uses zip disk media. |
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