Fact Sheet

Laptops
A laptop is simply a computer that is portable, it is perfect if you
are travelling as you can use the internet or create documents for
any work that you wish to save whilst you are on the move.
As most laptops have a high speed now, it is best to just buy a
laptop with the highest CPU that is within your price range and
dont spend too much to get higher speed unless you are a gamer
and you want that extra second advantage over the other players. Most laptops
run on dual core processors and this is fine for most people as not all
applications take advantage of triple or quad core processors, again however if
you want a gaming laptop then you might choose to use a quad processor as a
lot of games run more smoothly as they take advantage of both triple and quad
processors. RAM is very important as the higher the memory, the better the
performance will be. The speed will be better and you can run more applications
simultaneously. It is required for the ability to be able to edit images and videos.

Netbooks
A netbook is a smaller version of a laptop that is even easier for
the use of travelling as you will be able to fit it in your bag instead
of having to have to carry a separate bag for it. It is primarily used
for internet applications. However many business workers have
them to do their work whilst they travel.

Mobile Phones
A mobile phone is a telephone that is portable and is linked with
a radio system instead of a physical connection so it can be
used anywhere; it is used to ring people. It is also used for text
messaging and for internet use, many people download apps to
use on their phone such as games, music, and other accessories
such as Facebook and Twitter.

Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)

Data terminal equipment is a device that is responsible for

converting information or data into signals or reconverting signals
back into data or information making it possible for the user to use.
Data terminal equipment also communicates with data circuitterminating equipment or DCE. The information that is transmitted
into signals is then exchanged through a modem or other serial
device. Data terminal equipment is the terminal (computer).

Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment (DCE)

Data circuit- terminating equipment is usually the modem. The DCE
is the device that links the data terminal equipment to a data
transmission circuit. DCE simply receives and transmits signals
through a network. Other examples of data circuit-terminating
equipment includes ISDN adapters, Satellites, Microwave stations and
Network interface cards (NIC).

3G
3G is responsible for allowing the use of internet wirelessly on
mobile devices. This can be on mobile phones, laptops or tablets.
3G is the third generation of wireless technology in which connects
a device to the internet.

GPRS
GPRS stands for general packet radio service. GPRS is a mobile
packet service that is capable of running on both 2G and 3G devices.
It enhances the phone to allow it to send and receive data quicker
than before. Data can also be transmitted whilst you are making a
call. GPRS increases the quality of 2G systems and making them
closer to 3G systems.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Data Transfer over both Wireless

and Wired Network:
Both wired and wireless Limited Area Networks (LAN) can be very effective in
certain ways, although each have many advantages; they both also have their
disadvantages. For example, Wired LANs can be very useful as they ensure the
best possible connection for the user with the lowest amount of interference.
However in order for these to be used within a household, the wires will need to
be used throughout the whole house. In order to set this up it can be very time
consuming and difficult to set up, it can also look very unappealing. If the wires
are needed across different levels or floors, then the wire will need to be run
through the floor/ ceiling and walls or it could be trailed up the stairs which could
create a hazard as people could potentially trip on this. Wireless LAN is the

opposite as no wires are needed in order for the user to connect to the internet
and therefore it is not very difficult to set up and does not produce any potential
hazards. Wireless LAN can be very useful as the technology used for this is
constantly being improved and allows anyone within the household to connect to
the internet wirelessly. Broadband Routers are becoming more reliable due to the
fact that they are constantly being upgraded, however they will not be as reliable
as Wired LAN as the use of Ethernet cables minimises the amount of interference
between the device and the router. Another advantage of Wireless LANs is that
they often come with firewalls built in, in order to prevent hackers. However a
disadvantage for wired LANs is that Ethernet hubs do not support firewalls and
therefore become a target for hackers.