displays data & information in a form suitable for the user

Binary digit 0 or 1

Unique combinations of 8 bits of 0's and 1's

Located inside the system unit, contains the central electronic components of the computer including:

• Processor (CPU)
• ROM, RAM & Cache
• Slots for expansion cards
• Network interface card (NIC)

Random access memory- stores intructions & data currently using

- Temporary (Volatile) storage, that is erased when computer is turned off

Read only memory- stores start up instructions (needed for start up)

• Permanent (NON volatile) storage- data is NOT erased when computer is turned off

"Brains" of the computer

• Control all functions of the computer's components
• Processes all commands & instructions
• Performs billions of tasks per second without error

Refers to how you set up your computer & other equipment to minimize your risk of injury or discomfort- monitor height, chair, lighting and taking breaks

1 million bytes of data, length of 4 printed books

1 billion bytes of data

RAMS and hardrives are measured by GB

Printers image clarity

• Measured in dots per inch (dpi)
• Higher dpi= greater level of detail and clarity

Manipulating, calculating & organizing data into information

Describes the pace at which central processing units improve.

- This rule predicts that CPU capacity will double approx. every 2yrs.

A process

• Fetches required piece of data or instructions from RAM
• It decodes into something the computer can understand
• Executes the instruction
• Stores the results to RAM before fetching the next instruction

Dictates how many instructions the CPU can process each second

Run CPU at a faster speed than the manufacturer recommends

Contains the parts on a CPU required for processing

Enables a new set of instructions to start executing before the previous set has finished

Use of equipment to provide voice communications over a distance

Process of updating your data

Uses radio waves to transmit data signals

AKA- memory cards

Small circuit boards that hold a series of RAM chips

- They fit into special slots on motherboard

Text, sound and images and video clips able to send to others phones or email.

CD

DVDs

Blue ray Discs (BD)

1,000 terabytes

Amount of RAM sitting on memory modules in your computer

DVI, HDMI, Display port adapter

short message texts up to 160 characters- uses cellphone network

Monitors which application you use most and preloads these into your system memory so they'll be ready to go

A form of voice based internal communication to make phone calls.

Examples: Digital phone, skype, tech similar to email

Number of times per second a signal is measured and converted to a digital value

* Measured in kilobits per second

Waves that illustrate the loudness of a sound or brightness of colors in an image at a given moment in time.

Device that can display etext & that has supporting tools, like note taking, bookmarks & integrated dictionaries

Crisp, sharp grayscale presentation of text achieved by using millions of microcapsules with white & black particles in a clear fluid

System of 21 satellites (plus 3 squares) built and operated by the U.S. Military, that constantly orbits the earth. It pinpoints location on earth

Special chip that processes digital information & transmits signals quickly

The language computers use to process data into information, consisting of only values 0 and 1

A unit of computer storage equal to approx. 1 million bytes

Permanent storage, as in ROM (read only memory)

Interface which external devices are connected to the computer

Small blocks of memory, located directly on and next to CPU chip; acts as holding places for recently or frequently used instructions or data that the CPU accesses most.

*CPU can retrieve the instructions/data more quickly*

Strategy of running 2 hard drives in one system, cutting in half the time it takes to write a file.

Mirroring all data written on 1 hard drive to a second hard drive, providing instant backup of all data

The time it takes for the hard drives to read/write heads to move over the surface of the disk to the correct track

A thin, round, metallic storage plates stacked onto the hard drive spindle

A rule implemented in either software/hardware, which squeezes a given amount of audio & video information into less space.

The time it takes a storage device to locate its stored data

Converts analog signals to digital signals

A data processing device that gathers, processes, output & stores data.

Section of hard drive platter, wedge-shaped from center of the platter to the edge

A concentric circle that serves as a storage area on a hard drive platter