 Laptop: a complete computer with battery and WiFi

enclosed in a case
 Netbook: a very low-powered machine
with low specifications but has been
largely been replaced by tablets
 Advantages of laptops
 Powerful CPU
 Full-scale OS
 Expandable
 Disadvantages of laptops
 Size
 Battery life is short compared to Smartphone
 Not ‘always on’
 No built-in cellular data
A mobile computer with a complete OS, the
size and shape of a cellphone with the ability
to make calls
 Advantages
 Always on
 Convergence device
 Built-in cellular
 Small size
 Built-in sensors
 Disadvantages
 Mobile OS
 Input can be difficult
 Not easily expandable
 Same technology as smartphones without the
ability to make phone calls
 Advantages
 Larger screens than smartphones
 Longer battery life than laptops
 Keyboard can be added to some tablets

 Disadvantages
 Mobile OS (Limited functionality)

 Windows tablets with full Windows OS more like

laptops
 Used to read electronic books
 Dedicated e-readers: Kobo, Kindle, Nook
 Devices such as Kindle Fire – tablets – allow for
multimedia
 Advantages of dedicated e-readers
 Cheaper than tablets and smartphones
 Smaller and lighter
 Longer battery life (weeks)
 Easier to read screens in sunlight

 Disadvantages of dedicated e-readers

 Single purpose device
 An extra item to carry around
 Convenience!
 With a mobile device The future of
you computing lies in
 can combine functions in always on,
new, creative ways
 are not restricted by time or always connected,
location
powerful,
 can be more productive.
convergent,
mobile
technologies!
 Battery life
 Capabilities limited by battery life
 Sensors, network connections, more powerful CPU all
use more power
 Average battery life
 Smartphone: 10 – 24 hours
 Tablet : 6 – 10 hours
 Laptop : 3 – 10 hours
 Limited battery life means
 Always carry extra batteries and chargers
 Might not make it through the day
 Have to make choices and limit our use
 Trade off between computer power and concumption
 Speed and availability of communication
 Cellphone reception is very important

 Some places may only have Edge available

 Size
 Device needs to be small and light

 Small and light limits computing components and batteries

Complete questions 1 - 13
 No single specification determines the speed or
performance

 Important to understand how each part affects

the performance

 A general rule of thumb is that more expensive

components are faster
CPU
 The brain of the computer and does most of the work
 Speed (GHz)
 Higher speed means more instructions executed per second
 Cores
 More is better
 Works very well with multi-tasking
Memory
 Where the computer keeps instructions it is working on
 Bigger is better
 Probably cheapest and simplest way to improve
performance
Cache
 Bigger is better
 Used to speed up slower media by temporarily storing
recently or frequently accessed data
 Typically built into hard drives and CPUs
 Cannot be upgraded
Storage
 Lower access times is better
 To increase speed, replace HDD
with a SSD, or add SSD
 SSD is faster but more expensive

Network
 Higher network speed is better
 Measured in Megabits or Gigabits
 Important when using network resources such as storage
on another computer
Graphics processing ability
 Bigger is better

 GPU – own processor, memory, bus, pipelines

 Very important for graphics-intensive tasks or games

Bus performance
 Bigger is better
 The speed at which data is moved between CPU and
other components
 Bus speed is least significant factor
Complete questions 14 - 20
Recommendation will depend on what it will be used for
 Home and personal use
 Limited office tasks
 Internet banking
 E-mail and browsing
 Skype
 View and share photos
 Entertainment e.g. casual gaming, playing music, viewing videos

 SOHO (Small Office Home Office)

 Accounting or billing
 Databases with clients, suppliers, stock, etc.
 Electronic document archiving
 Planning and scheduling
 Power users
 Hardcore gamers GAMES
 Architects
 Engineers
 Video editing professionals
 Scientists
 Etc.
 Home user SOHO Power user
Entry level Entry level for Best you can afford
administrative tasks
CPU
Depends on business
More is better More is better Use best RAM
Memory (RAM) available and as much
as you can afford
Use bigger drives if used Default size should be RAID offers speed and
Hard Disk for storing movies and efficient security
music Depends on use

Usually more expensive and with smaller capacity. Definitely faster.

Solid State Drive Put your OS on it for faster boot times.
Great for power users and anyone who wants speed!

DVD Drive Not so important anymore. Will depend on your needs.

USB 2 or 3
Firewire or Thunderbolt for high speed data and video connections.
Port Network port
 Home user SOHO Power user
Ergonomically designed Ergonomically Technology related to field of
designed interest
Mouse and Gamer - Specialized mouse
keyboard and keyboard with extra
programmable buttons and
faster response time
Entry level Entry level Power user - bigger display,
Monitor / even multiple displays.
Screen Entertainment users – Gamer – fast response time
big display available
Dependent on main Multi-purpose Will depend on use
Printer printing needs printer that can May need a plotter or high
scan, copy and print quality colour laser printer
Flash disk mostly Bigger external Large external storage
External External hard drive for storage for backups Cloud storage
storage backups Cloud storage
Cloud Storage
Included in multi- Quality scanner Quality scanner with OCR
Scanner purpose printer with OCR software software
Complete questions 21 - 24