Processing devices

Processing devices

• Hardware
• Software
• Input devices
• Storage devices
• Output devices

Hardware

• Hardware is a general term for any part of the computer that can be physically touched, picked up, and moved around the room. In other words, hardware is the physical components that make up the computer.
• Examples of external hardware (outside of the computer):
• Monitor - displaying outputs from the computer
• Printer - printing out documents onto paper
• Keyboard - inputting textual data
• Mouse - pointing at and selecting icons and menu items
• Microphone - inputting voice or sound recordings
• Examples of internal hardware (inside the computer):
• Hard disk - to store applications and files
• CPU (Central Processing Unit) - the 'brains' of the computer
• Fan - keeps the CPU cool and prevents it from overheating
• Motherboard - main printed circuit board in the computer with sockets to connect to other parts
• Sound card - used to generate and capture sounds

Software

• Software is designed to perform specific tasks, by telling the computer what to do based on inputs it collects from the user. Software enables the user to use the computer to do things such as play games, write an essay, or listen music.
• Systems software controls the way the computer works and tells it what to do. Application software is designed to help the user perform specific tasks using the computer.
• Examples of systems software include:
• Operating System

Input devices

• Input devices are hardware that is used to input data into a computer or similar processing device such as a smart phone. Input devices are categorized as either manual or automatic. Manual input devices are tools that humans can use to enter the data by hand, and automatic input devices are devices that can input data into the system automatically without human intervention.
• Examples of manual input devices are:
• QWERTY keyboard
• Concept keyboard
• Mouse
• Trackball
• Touch pad
• Joystick
• Touchscreen (A/N: can also be classed as an output device, as it combines input (touch) and output (screen)
• Scanner
• Graphics tablet/Digitizing tablet
• Microphone
• Digital camera
• Examples of automatic input devices are:
• Barcode readers
• OMR (Optical Mark Reader)
• MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition)
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
• Magnetic stripe readers
• Sensors
• Biometric devices