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IGCSE ICT 1.4

The document outlines various types of computers, categorizing them into desktop and mobile computers. Desktop computers are general-purpose machines suited for office work, education, and entertainment, while mobile computers include laptops, smartphones, tablets, and phablets, emphasizing portability and versatility. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, such as desktops being easier to upgrade and mobile devices offering convenience but with limitations in battery life and screen size.

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izmatanveer00
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2 views

IGCSE ICT 1.4

The document outlines various types of computers, categorizing them into desktop and mobile computers. Desktop computers are general-purpose machines suited for office work, education, and entertainment, while mobile computers include laptops, smartphones, tablets, and phablets, emphasizing portability and versatility. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, such as desktops being easier to upgrade and mobile devices offering convenience but with limitations in battery life and screen size.

Uploaded by

izmatanveer00
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

4 TYPES OF
COMPUTERS
IGCSE ICT
Types of computers
•Some of the more common types currently
available:
1.4.1 Desktop computers

1.4.2 Mobile computers


1.4.1 Desktop computers
Desktop usually refers to a general-purpose computer
that is made up of separate monitor, keyboard, mouse
and processor unit.
The main uses of desktop computers include:
» office and business work (word processing, spreadsheets, finance
software and databases being the main use)
» educational use (using interactive software to teach or learn from)
» use as a gaming device (for example, games such as chess,
crossword puzzles, fantasy games, and so on)
» general entertainment (for example, live or ‘catch-up’ streaming
of television programmes).
Advantages and disadvantages of desktop computers over laptop
Advantages Disadvantages

Spare parts standardized results in low costs Not particularly portable because they are
made up of separate components.
Desktop computers are easier, and less
expensive, to upgrade or expand
The desktop tends to have a better more complicated because all the components
specification (for example, faster processor) for need to be hooked up by wiring, which also
a given price clutters up the desk space.
Power consumption is not critical because they
usually plug straight into a wall socket, and the
larger casings allow a better dissipation of any
heat build-up.
Because they are usually fixed in one location, Necessary to copy files as they aren't portable.
there is less likelihood of them being damaged
or stolen.
Internet access can be more stable because a
desktop computer is more likely to have a
wired internet connection
1.4.2 Mobile computers
Mobile computers, by their very name, suggest a group of
computers which are considerably more portable than desktop
computers. Such computers fall into four categories:
» laptop computers
» smartphones
» tablets
» phablets
Laptop (or notebook)
Laptop (or notebook) refers to a type of computer where
the monitor, keyboard, pointing device and processor are all
together in one single unit. This makes them extremely
portable.
Key features you would expect to find in a laptop:
» lightweight (to aid portability)
» low power consumption (and also long battery life)
» low heat output (cooling is very important).
Laptop (or notebook)

The main uses of laptop computers include:


» office and business work (word processing, spreadsheets, finance
software and databases being the main use)
» educational use (using interactive software to teach or learn from)
» used as a gaming device (for example, games such as chess,
crossword puzzles, fantasy games, and so on)
» general entertainment (for example, live or ‘catch-up’ streaming
of television programmes)
» used in control and monitoring (because they can be operated
anywhere using their internal battery, it is possible to use laptops to
gather data directly from the environment – for example, they can
be plugged into a gas boiler during maintenance to monitor its
performance).
Advantages and disadvantages of laptop
computers over desktop computers
Advantages Disadvantages

Portability; they can be taken anywhere Easy to steel


because the monitor, pointing device,
keyboard, processor and backing store units
are all together in one single unit.
Because everything is in one single unit, there Limited battery; need to carry charger
are no trailing wires (only one single cord is
used).
They take up much less room on a desk, so The keyboards and pointing devices can
they can be used anywhere sometimes be more awkward to use

Their portability allows them to take full It is not always possible to upgrade them, for
advantage of Wi-Fi features. instance by adding more RAM.

Because they are portable, they can link into


any multimedia system.
Smartphones
Smartphones allow normal phone calls to be made, but
also have an operating system (such as iOS, Android or
Windows) allowing them to run a number of computer
applications (known as apps or applets).
They allow users to send/receive emails, use a number of
apps, use a camera feature (to take photos or videos),
MP3/4 players (for music and videos), and so on.
Smartphones communicate with the internet either by
using Wi-Fi hot spots or by using 3G/4G/5G mobile phone
networks.
Smartphones
The new generation of smartphones are becoming even
thinner and lighter, because they make use of OLED
(organic light emitting diode) touch screens.
Future smartphones will also use OLED touch screens that
are coated with a crystalline layer that allows the phones
to be partially solar powered; this allows them to use Li-Fi
(similar to Wi-Fi, except communication uses visible light
rather than radio waves). Communication using Li-Fi is
considerably faster than with WiFi (much higher data
transfer rate); it is also more secure (by stopping internet
‘piggybacking’). The Li-Fi system can also be used during
aeroplane flights because it does not use radio waves and
therefore does not interfere with flight control systems.
Smartphones

Some of the typical features of smartphones


include:
» high-definition, anti-glare displays
» front- and back-facing cameras (which are used to take photos, videos or act as a
webcam when doing video calls over the internet)
» lower weight and longer battery life than laptops
» use Bluetooth for connection to printers and other devices
» make use of flash (solid state) memory and cloud storage facilities to back up
and synchronise (often just referred to as ‘sync’) data sources
» they use a number of sensors to carry out the following functions:
– proximity sensors to detect if the device is close to, for example the ear, which
allows it to block unintended ‘touches’
– accelerometers, which detect movement and orientation of the device (for
example, move the display from portrait to landscape to view videos, or allow it to
be used as a ‘steering wheel’ in-car racing games)
– can use sophisticated speech recognitions systems (such as Siri) to enable the
user to ask the device to look for things (such as search the address book).
Advantages and disadvantages of smartphones
Advantages Disadvantages

Easy to carry (very small in size and The small screens and keyboards make pages difficult
lightweight) to read

You can use them to make phone calls, It is more difficult and slower when typing things in
but also connect to the internet while (laptops and desktops have much bigger screens and
on the move much larger keyboards)
Because they use Wi-Fi and mobile Web browsing and photography can quickly drain the
phone networks they can be used battery
almost anywhere
They have apps which make use of Memory size in most phones is not very large when
sensor data provided by the compared to laptops and desktops – although it is
smartphone, for instance location data comparable with tablets
for maps – this can provide services
that are not available on desktops or
laptops
They have a reasonable battery life Not all website features are compatible with
compared to laptops smartphone operating systems.
Because of their small size, it is much easier to lose a
Tablets
• Tablets are becoming an increasingly used type of mobile
computer. They work in a similar way to a smartphone.
Tablets use touch screen technology and do not have a
conventional keyboard.
• Thekeyboard is virtual; that is, it is part of the touch
screen. However, it is possible to buy tablet cases which
contain a normal-sized keyboard.
• Internetaccess is usually through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G (mobile
phone) connectivity. Like smartphones, tablets are equipped
with a series of sensors which include camera, microphone,
accelerometer and touch screen.
• The
typical features of tablets are identical to those of a
smartphone (described earlier).
Advantages and disadvantages of tablets compared to
laptops
Advantages Disadvantages

very fast to switch on (no time delay tend to be rather expensive when compared to
waiting for the operating system to load up) laptops

fully portable – they are so lightweight that they often have limited memory or storage when
they can be carried anywhere compared to a laptop
touch screen technology means they are if 3G/4G/5G mobile phone networks are used, they
simple to use and do not need any other can be expensive to run if the internet is being
input devices accessed frequently
can use several apps as standard (such as typing on a touch screen can be slow and error-
built-in camera, MP3/4 players and so on) prone compared to a standard keyboard
not much heat – they use solid-state transferring of files often has to be done through
technology an ‘application atore’; this lack of ‘drag and drop’
battery life of a tablet is a lot longer facility can prove to be irritating to users

when the power button is pressed, it goes aptops tend to support more types of file format
into standby, but remains connected to the than tablets and are also better equipped to run
internet so the user still hears alerts when different types of software.
emails or other ‘events’ are received.
Phablets

• Some of the latest


smartphones have been
designed as a hybrid
between a tablet and a
smartphone; these are
referred to as a phablet.
They have much larger
screens than a smartphone
but are smaller than a
tablet. All the features of a
smartphone (described
earlier) also apply to
phablets together with the
typical features of a tablet

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