1.1 - Computer Hardware

1.1 - Computer Hardware

1. Input Devices

   • Mouse
     • Benefits: Benefits of mice are that they provide 360 degree movement for your desktop cursors. Another benefit is that there is a large variety of mice available for different uses. E.g. Gaming.
     • Limitations: The limitations of mice are that they can lead to injuries in the hand if used too much and also require lots of space as well as flat surfaces to allow the moving of it smoothly.
   • Keyboard
     • Benefits: The benefits of a keyboard are that it doesn't take any training to get someone to use it efficiently to input data and also, like this PC, most computers come with a keyboard.
     • Limitations: The limitations of keyboards are that they can take up high amounts of space and can be easy to make mistakes.
   • Webcam
     • Benefits: Benefits of a webcam would be that it is an easy way to communicate with people and is also cost effective/ cheap to get.
     • Limitations: They can breach your privacy if a hacker intercepts them. They are also quite low quality. Yet, they can also be bad if you are called by your boss while you are doing something unprofessional as it gives off a negative impression.
     • Use: To record/print image of yourself and is mainly used for video calls or videos in general.

2. Output Devices

   • Headphones
     • Benefits: Headphones provide much comfort in listening to music for hours rather ear phones cause pain listening for longer duration and also helps in growth of bacteria in the ear. Headphones gives best surround and 3D effect when compared to earphones.
     • Use: they can breach your privacy if a hacker intercepts them. They are also quite low quality. Yet, they can also be bad if you are called by your boss while you are doing something unprofessional as it gives off a negative impression.
     • Limitations: The only disadvantage with headphones is they cannot be put in pockets
   • Monitor
     • Limitations: High radiation, expensive and fragile.
     • Benefits: Low energy consumption and can use multiple screens.
     • Use: Monitors are used to display the software and act as a projection of the programs.
   • Printer
     • Benefits: One of the key advantages of printing out material is that it is convenient. Also, it is easier to read.
     • Limitations: Waste. Having a printer connected to a computer is a way of encouraging waste. Users may be more likely to print hard copies of documents that they could easily read online or off of the computer's monitor. Excess printing wastes electricity, ink and paper, and can add up to a substantial cost over time.
     • Use: Printers are used to convert digital documents/data into physical hard copies which can be annotated or filed.

3. Communication Devices

   • DVD's
     • Benefits: Very large storage capacity 4.7-9 Gb, Sound and picture quality is excellent, making them ideal for storing films with video and sound. DVDs are now mass produced so they are relatively cheap. DVD drives can read CDs.
     • Limitations: DVDs do not work in CD drives, There is no single standard of DVD, They can be easily damaged by breaking or scratching.
     • Uses: Short for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc, a DVD or DVD-ROM is a disc capable of storing large amounts of data on one disc the size of a standard Compact Disc. CD/DVD drives were first sold in 1997. They are widely used for storing and viewing movies and other data.
   • External Hard Drive
     • Use: An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a computer through a USB or FireWire connection, or wirelessly. External hard drives typically have high storage capacities and are often used to back up computers or serve as a network drive.
     • Limitations: External drives have the same data loss risks as internal drives. External hard drives can be attacked by viruses, worms, corruption, etc . They can also be affected by sunlight, heat, humidity, liquids, dust and magnetic fields. Most external hard drives have no password. If your hard drive or flash drive is lost or stolen, your information is available to anyone who plugs the device into a computer. File versioning is difficult to set up on external hard drives. If you back up to an external hard drive once per day, you’re often left with a single backup to rely on instead of multiple file versions.
     • Benefits: External hard drive is portable and operates on plug and play basis. It can be used as a storage device for any computer with a USB or Fire Wire capability. An external hard drive can be used as an emergency backup drive. Sometimes hard drives crash, so having a backup is essential if you depend on your computer for work or for personal needs. If you use external drive as your main drive, you can speed up the performance of Macs with slower internal drives.
   • Flash Memory
     • Benefits: Short for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc, a DVD or DVD-ROM is a disc capable of storing large amounts of data on one disc the size of a standard Compact Disc. CD/DVD drives were first sold in 1997. They are widely used for storing and viewing movies and other data.
     • Limitations: More expensive than CD or DVD as a medium They can be easily lost The metal part which is inserted into the USB port can be snapped off or damaged if they are handled roughly.
     • Uses: Flash memory is a non-volatile memory chip used for storage and for transfering data between a personal computer (PC) and digital devices. It has the ability to be electronically reprogrammed and erased. It is often found in USB flash drives, MP3 players, digital cameras and solid-state drives.