| A | B |
|---|
| Access | The act of reading data from or writing to a storage device |
| Biometric Device | Authentication techniques that rely on measurable physical characteristics that can be automatically checked. |
| Barcode scanner | Input devices that read bar codes that allow you to track both assets and inventory, check items in, manage item locations, maintain physical inventory, and control fixed assets. |
| Communications Connectivity | A computer buzzword that refers to a program or device's ability to link with other programs and devices. |
| Digital Camcorder | A camcorder that produced video recordings with highly accurate color and crisp clear resolution - far better than the resolution offered by television boradcast. |
| Digital Camera | A Camera that images rather than recording on film. Once a pictuer has been taken, it can be downloaded to a computer and then manipulated and printed. |
| Fire Wire Device | A very fast external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps |
| Global Positional System | By using three satellites, GPS can calculate the longitude and latitude of the receiver based on where the three spheres intersect. |
| Handheld comptuer (Pocket PC) | A portable computer that is small enough to be held in one's hand. Although extremely easy to carry, handheld comptuers have not replaced notebook comptuers because of the small keyboards and screens. The most popular hand-held comptuers are those that are specifically designed to provice PIM (personal information manager) functions, such as a calendar and address book. The most popular are IPAQ and Palm. |
| Handwriting Recognition | The technique by which a computer system can recognitze characters and other symbols written by hand. In theory, handwriting recognition should free us from our keyboards, allowing us to write and draw in a more natural way. It is considered one of the key technologies that will determine the ultimate success or failture of PDAs and other handheld devices. |
| Interactive Whiteboard | Whiteboards that are connected to a computer and input can be accomplised by writing or tapping on the whiteboard through interactive software. |
| Laptop Computer | A small portable computer - small enough that it can sit on your lap. Laptop computers are more frequently called notebook computers. |
| LCD (liquid crystal display) | A type of display used in many portable computers and flat screen monitors. LCD displays utilize two sheets or polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass though or blocking light. |
| Media Storage Device | Objects on which data can be stored. These inlcude hard disks, floppy disks, CD-ROMS, smart media, flash disks, memory sticks, and tapes. |
| Notebook Computer | An extremely lightweight personal computer. Notebook computer typically weigh less than 6 pounds and are small enough to fit easily into a briefcase. Aside from size, the principal difference between a notebook computer and a personal computer is the display screen. Notebook comptuers use a variety of techniques, known as flat panel technologies, to produce a lightweight and non-bulkt display screen. |
| Probe (scientific devices) | These devices are connected to a computer to be able to translate data received. |
| Scanner | A device that can read text or illustrations printer on paper and translate the information into a form the computer can use. |
| Speech Recognition | The field of comptuer science that deqals with designing computer systems that can recognize spoeken words. Note that voice recognition implies only that the computer can take dictation, not that it understands what is said. |
| Tablet PC | A type of notebook computer that has an LCD screen on which the user can write using a special-purposed pen or stylus. The handwriting is digitized and can be converted to standrd text through handwriting recognition or it can remain as handwritten text. Tablet PCs also typically have a keyboard and/or a mouse for input. |
| Tablet | An input device that enables the user to enter drawings and sketches into a computer. A digitizing table consists of an electronic tablet and a cursor or pen. A cursor (also called a puck) is similar to a mouse, except that it has a window with cross hairs for pinpoint placement and it can have as many as 16 buttons. A pen (also called a stylus) looks like a simple ballpoint pen but uses an electronic head instead of ink. The tablet contains electronics that enable it to detect movement of the cursor or pen and translate the movements into digital signals that it sends to the computer. |
| Touch Screen | A touch senstive transparent panel covering the screen. Instead of using a device such as a stylus, you can use your finger to point directly to a selection on the screen. |
| Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive (Pen Drive) | Plug this device into your USB port and you instantly have an additional hard drive. |
| Webcam | A camera that broadcast images through the itnernet through a computer or web cell phone. |
| Web Cell Phone | A cellular telephone that also allows users to access the Internet via wireless communication. |
| Web TV | A small box with a keyboard that connects to your telephone line and television. It makes a connection to the Internet via your phone service and then converts the downloaded web pages to a format that can be displayed on your TV. These products also come with a remote control so you cna navigate through the web. |
| Wireless communication | The ability to send data or video without being connected to a wire, either by telephone or handheld computers. |
