Computer and Latest IT gadgets

 The word computer comes from the word “compute”, which means, “to calculate”
 Thereby, a computer is an electronic device that can perform arithmetic operations at high
speed
 A computer is also called a data processor because it can store, process, and retrieve data
whenever desired

The activity of processing data using a computer is called data processing

Data is raw material used as input and information is processed data obtained as output of
data processing

Characteristics of Computer

1) Automatic: Given a job, computer can work on it automatically without human

interventions

2) Speed: Computer can perform data processing jobs very fast, usually measured in
microseconds (10-6), nanoseconds (10-9), and picoseconds (10-12)

3) Accuracy: Accuracy of a computer is consistently high and the degree of its accuracy
depends upon its design. Computer errors caused due to incorrect input data or unreliable
programs are often referred to as Garbage- In-Garbage-Out (GIGO)

4) Diligence: Computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of concentration. It can
continuously work for hours without creating any error and without grumbling

5) Versatility: Computer is capable of performing almost any task, if the task can be
reduced to a finite series of logical steps

6) Power of Remembering: Computer can store and recall any amount of information
because of its secondary storage capability. It forgets or looses certain information only when it
is asked to do so

7) No I.Q.: A computer does only what it is programmed to do. It cannot take its own
decision in this regard

8) No Feelings: Computers are devoid of emotions. Their judgement is based on the

instructions given to them in the form of programs that are written by us (human beings)
Evolution of Computers and its applications

 Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical adding machine in 1642

 Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz invented the first calculator for multiplication in
1671
 Keyboard machines originated in the United States around 1880
 Around 1880, Herman Hollerith came up with the concept of punched cards that were
extensively used as input media until late 1970s
 Charles Babbage is considered to be the father of modern digital computers
 He designed “Difference Engine” in 1822
 He designed a fully automatic analytical engine in 1842 for performing basic
arithmetic functions
 His efforts established a number of principles that are fundamental to the design of
any digital computer

Some Well Known Early Computers

 The Mark I Computer (1937-44)

 The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (1939-42)
 The ENIAC (1943-46)
 The EDVAC (1946-52)
 The EDSAC (1947-49)
 Manchester Mark I (1948)
 The UNIVAC I (1951)

Computer Generation

 “Generation” in computer talk is a step in technology. It provides a framework for the

growth of computer industry
 Originally it was used to distinguish between various hardware technologies, but now it
has been extended to include both hardware and software
 Till today, there are five computer generations
IT Gadgets and their applications

 Computers play a vital important role in our daily life.

 Computer helps in the development of communication and information technology around
worldwide.
 It is a social tool that adds job skills necessary for the modern world (teach online
interaction, how to type, use of programs, etc).
 It is also used to get information about reservation of tickets, books in a library, medical
history of a person, place in a map, etc.
 The various applications of the computer in the field are, but not limited to:
 Education
 Communication
 Banking
 Medical
 Scientific Research
 Entertainment
 Government
 Business
 Designing

Basics of Hardware and Software

Basic Operation of Computer

Inputting. The process of entering data and instructions into the computer system

Storing. Saving data and instructions to make them readily available for initial or additional
processing whenever required

Processing. Performing arithmetic operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc.) or logical
operations (comparisons like equal to, less than, greater than, etc.) on data to convert them into
useful information
Outputting. The process of producing useful information or results for the user such as a printed
report or visual display

Controlling. Directing the manner and sequence in which all of the above operations are
performed

Central Processing Unit

 It is the brain of a computer system

 It is responsible for controlling the operations of all other units of a computer system

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Arithmetic Logic Unit of a computer system is the place where the actual executions of
instructions takes place during processing operation

Control Unit (CU)

Control Unit of a computer system manages and coordinates the operations of all other
components of the computer system.
Input devices

An input unit of a computer system performs the following functions:

 It accepts (or reads) instructions and data from outside world

 It converts these instructions and data in computer acceptable form
 It supplies the converted instructions and data to the computer system for further
processing
 Provide means of communication between a computer and outer world
 Also known as peripheral devices because they surround the CPU and memory of a
computer system
 Input devices are used to enter data from the outside world into primary storage
 Output devices supply results of processing from primary storage to users

Role of I/O Devices

Commonly Used Input Devices

 Keyboard devices
 Point-and-draw devices
 Data scanning devices
 Digitizer
 Electronic cards based devices
 Speech recognition devices
 Vision based devices
Keyboard Devices

 Allow data entry into a computer system by pressing a set of keys (labeled buttons) neatly
mounted on a keyboard connected to a computer system
 101-keys QWERTY keyboard is most popular

Point-and-Draw Devices

 Used to rapidly point to and select a graphic icon or menu item from multiple options
displayed on the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of a screen
 Used to create graphic elements on the screen such as lines, curves, and freehand shapes
 Some commonly used point-and-draw devices are mouse, track ball, joy stick, light pen,
and touch screen

Mouse

 Commonly used in personal computers and workstations

Trackball

 Commonly used in laptop (notebook) computers

Joystick

Commonly used for video games, flight simulators, training simulators, and for controlling
industrial robots

Electronic Pen

 Pen-based point-and-draw device

 Used to directly point with it on the screen to select menu items or icons or directly draw
graphics on the screen
 Can write with it on a special pad for direct input of written information to a system
  Pressure on tip of a side button is used to cause same action as right-button-click of a
mouse

Touch Screen

 Most simple, intuitive, and easiest to learn of all input devices

 Enables users to choose from available options by simply touching with their finger the
desired icon or menu item displayed on the screen
 Most preferred human-computer interface used in information kiosks (unattended
interactive information systems such as automatic teller machine or ATM)

Data Scanning Devices

 Input devices that enable direct data entry into a computer system from source documents
 Eliminate the need to key in text data into the computer
 Due to reduced human effort in data entry, they improve data accuracy and also increase
the timeliness of the information processed
 Demand high quality of input documents
 Some data scanning devices are also capable of recognizing marks or characters
 Form design and ink specification usually becomes more critical for accuracy

Image Scanner

 Input device that translates paper documents into an electronic format for storage in a
computer
 Electronic format of a scanned image is its bit map representation
 Stored image can be altered or manipulated with an image-processing software

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Device

 Scanner equipped with a character recognition software (called OCR software) that
converts the bit map images of characters to equivalent ASCII codes
  Enables word processing of input text and also requires less storage for storing the
document as text rather than an image
 OCR software is extremely complex because it is difficult to make a computer recognize
an unlimited number of typefaces and fonts
 Two standard OCR fonts are OCR-A (American standard) and OCR-B (European
standard)

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

 Scanner capable of recognizing a pre-specified type of mark by pencil or pen

 Very useful for grading tests with objective type questions, or for any input data that is of a
choice or selection nature
 Technique used for recognition of marks involves focusing a light on the page being
scanned and detecting the reflected light pattern from the marks

Bar-code Reader

 Scanner used for reading (decoding) bar-coded data

 Bar codes represent alphanumeric data by a combination of adjacent vertical lines (bars)
by varying their width and the spacing between them
 Scanner uses laser-beam to stroke across pattern of bar code. Different patterns of bars
reflect the beam in different ways sensed by a light-sensitive detector
 Universal Product Code (UPC) is the most widely known bar coding system

Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

 MICR is used by banking industry for faster processing of large volume of cheques
 Bank’s identification code (name, branch, etc.), account number and cheque number are
pre-printed (encoded) using characters from a special character set on all cheques
 Special ink is used that contains magnetizable particles of iron oxide
  MICR reader-sorter reads data on cheques and sorts them for distribution to other banks or
for further processing

Digitizer

 Input device used for converting (digitizing) pictures, maps and drawings into digital form
for storage in computers
 Commonly used in the area of Computer Aided Design (CAD) by architects and engineers
to design cars, buildings medical devices, robots, mechanical parts, etc.
 Used in the area of Geographical Information System (GIS) for digitizing maps available
in paper form

Electronic-card Reader

 Electronic cards are small plastic cards having encoded data appropriate for the application
for which they are used
 Electronic-card reader (normally connected to a computer) is used to read data encoded on
an electronic card and transfer it to the computer for further processing
 Used together as a means of direct data entry into a computer system
 Used by banks for use in automatic teller machines (ATMs) and by organizations for
controlling access of employees to physically secured areas

Speech Recognition Devices

 Input device that allows a person to input data to a computer system by speaking to it
 Today’s speech recognition systems are limited to accepting few words within a relatively
small domain and can be used to enter only limited kinds and quantities of data

Vision-Input Systems

 Allow computer to accept input just by seeing an object.

 Input data is normally an object’s shape and features in the form of an image
  Mainly used today in factories for designing industrial robots that are used for quality-
control and assembly processes

Output Devices
An output unit of a computer system performs the following functions:

 It accepts the results produced by the computer, which are in coded form and hence,
cannot be easily understood by us
 It converts these coded results to human acceptable (readable) form
 It supplies the converted results to outside world

Commonly Used Output Devices

 Monitor/Display: Displays visual information generated by the computer, including text,

graphics, and videos.
 Printer: Produces a hard copy of documents, images, or other content from the computer.
 Speaker: Outputs audio and sound generated by the computer, including music, system
sounds, and voice.
 Projector: Displays computer-generated content onto a large screen or surface, commonly
used for presentations.
 Headphones: Similar to speakers, they output audio and allow the user to listen to sounds
privately.
 Plotter: Outputs vector graphics by drawing lines on paper, often used for architectural or
engineering designs.
 Braille Display: Converts digital text into Braille characters for visually impaired users.
 3D Printer: Creates physical objects layer by layer based on digital 3D models.
 LED/LCD Panel: Used in various devices like smart TVs, digital signage, and information
displays.
 Haptic Devices: Provide tactile feedback, such as vibrating controllers or force feedback in
gaming.
  E-book Reader: Displays digital books and documents in an electronic format.
 Fax Machine: Transmits a scanned image or document over a telephone line.
 Digital Camera: Captures and stores digital images and videos.
 Virtual Reality (VR) Headset: Displays immersive virtual environments for users.
 Wearable Devices: Devices like smartwatches or smart glasses that display information on
a small screen.

Types of Output

Soft-copy output

 Not produced on a paper or some material that can be touched and carried for being shown
to others
 Temporary in nature and vanish after use
 Examples are output displayed on a terminal screen or spoken out by a voice response
system

Hard-copy output

 Produced on a paper or some material that can be touched and carried for being shown to
others
 Permanent in nature and can be kept in paper files or can be looked at a later time when
the person is not using the computer
 Examples are output produced by printers or plotters on paper

Monitors

 Monitors are the most popular output devices used for producing soft-copy output
 Display the output on a television like screen
 Monitor associated with a keyboard is called a video display terminal (VDT).
 It is the most popular Output device
Types of Monitors

 Cathode-ray-tube (CRT) monitors look like a television and are normally used with non-
portable computer systems
 Flat-panel monitors are thinner and lighter and are commonly used with portable computer
systems like notebook computers. Now they are also used with non- portable desktop
computer systems because they occupy less table space.

Printers

Most common output devices for producing hard-copy output

Dot-Matrix Printers

 Character printers that form characters and all kinds of images as a pattern of dots
 Print many special characters, different sizes of print and graphics such as charts and
graphs
 Impact printers can be used for generating multiple copies by using carbon paper or its
equivalent
 Slow, with speeds usually ranging between 30 to 600 characters per second
 Cheap in both initial cost and cost of operation

Inkjet Printers

 Character printers that form characters and all kinds of images by spraying small drops of
ink on to the paper
 Print head contains up to 64 tiny nozzles that can be selectively heated up in a few micro
seconds by an integrated circuit register
 To print a character, the printer selectively heats the appropriate set of nozzles as the print
head moves horizontally
 Can print many special characters, different sizes of print, and graphics such as charts and
graphs
  Non-impact printers. Hence, they cannot produce multiple copies of a document in a single
printing
 Can be both monochrome and color
 Slower than dot-matrix printers with speeds usually ranging between 40 to 300 characters
per second
 More expensive than a dot-matrix printer

Laser Printers

 Page printers that print one page at a time

 Consist of a laser beam source, a multi-sided mirror, a photoconductive drum and toner
(tiny particles of oppositely charged ink)
 To print a page, the laser beam is focused on the electro statically charged drum by the
spinning multi-sided mirror
 Toner sticks to the drum in the places the laser beam has charged the drum’s surface.
 Toner is then permanently fused on the paper with heat and pressure to generate the printer
output
 Laser printers produce very high quality output having resolutions in the range of 600 to
1200 dpi

Plotters

Plotters are an ideal output device for architects, engineers, city planners, and others who need to
routinely generate high-precision, hard-copy graphic output of widely varying sizes

Two commonly used types of plotters are:

 Drum plotter, in which the paper on which the design has to be made is placed over a drum
that can rotate in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions
 Flatbed plotter, in which the paper on which the design has to be made is spread and fixed
over a rectangular flatbed table
Screen Image Projector

 An output device that can be directly plugged to a computer system for projecting
information from a computer on to a large screen
 Useful for making presentations to a group of people with direct use of a computer
 Full-fledged multimedia presentation with audio, video, image, and animation can be
prepared and made using this facility

Voice Response Systems

 Voice response system enables a computer to talk to a user

 Has an audio-response device that produces audio output
 Such systems are of two types:
 Voice reproduction systems
 Speech synthesizers

Computer Memory and storage

The storage unit of a computer system holds (or stores) the following :

 Data and instructions required for processing (received from input devices)
 Intermediate results of processing
 Final results of processing, before they are released to an output device

Types of Memory

 Cache Memory
 Primary Memory
 Secondary Memory
Primary storage

 Used to hold running program instructions

 Used to hold data, intermediate results, and results of ongoing processing of job(s)
 Fast in operation
 Small Capacity
 Expensive
 Volatile (looses data on power dissipation)

Secondary storage

 Used to hold stored program instructions

 Used to hold data and information of stored jobs
 Slower than primary storage
 Large Capacity
 Lot cheaper that primary storage
 Retains data even without power

Cache Memory

Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory which can speed up the CPU. It acts
as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory. It is used to hold tho data and program
which are most frequently used by the CPU. The parts of data and programs are transferred from
the disk to cache memory by the operating system, from where the CPU can access them.

Primary Memory (Main Memory)

Primary memory is also known as main memory or may also refer to "Internal memory. Primary
memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is currently working. It
has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off. It is generally made up of
semiconductor device. These memories are not as fast as registers. The data and instruction
required to be processed resides in the main memory. It is divided into two subcategories RAM
and ROM.

Characteristics of Main Memory

 These are semiconductor memories.

 It is known as the main memory.
 Usually volatile memory.
 Data is lost in case power is switched off.
 It is the working memory of the computer.
 Faster than secondary memories.
 A computer cannot run without the primary memory.

Secondary Memory

This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than the
main memory. These are used for storing data/information permanently. CPU directly does not
access these memories, instead they are accessed via input-output routines. The contents of
secondary memories are first transferred to the main memory, and then the CPU can access it.
For example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.

1. Magnetic storage media:

Magnetic media is coated with a magnetic layer which is magnetized in clockwise or
anticlockwise directions. When the disk moves, the head interprets the data stored at a specific
location in binary 1s and 0s at reading. Examples: hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes

Floppy Disk: A floppy disk is a flexible disk with a magnetic coating on it. It is packaged inside
a protective plastic envelope. These are one of the oldest type of portable storage devices that
could store up to 1.44 MB of data but now they are not used due to very less memory storage.

Hard disk: A hard disk consists of one or more circular disks called platters which are mounted
on a common spindle. Each surface of a platter is coated with a magnetic material. Both surfaces
of each disk are capable of storing data except the top and bottom disk where only the inner
surface is used. The information is recorded on the surface of the rotating disk by magnetic
read/write heads. These heads are joined to a common arm known as access arm.

2. Optical storage media:

In optical storage media information is stored and read using a laser beam. The data is stored as a
spiral pattern of pits and ridges denoting binary 0 and binary 1.Examples: CDs and DVDs blu
ray disc.
Compact Disk: A Compact Disc drive(CDD) is a device that a computer uses to read data that is
encoded digitally on a compact disc(CD). A CD drive can be installed inside a computer’s
compartment, provided with an opening for easier disc tray access or it can be used by a
peripheral device connected to one of the ports provided in the computer system.A compact disk
or CD can store approximately 650 to 700 megabytes of data.

DVD: It stands for Digital Versatile Disk or Digital Video Disk. It looks just like a CD and use a
similar technology as that of the CDs but allows tracks to be spaced closely enough to store data
that is more than six times the CD’s capacity. It is a significant advancement in portable storage
technology. A DVD holds 4.7 GB to 17 GB of data.

Blue Ray Disk: This is the latest optical storage media to store high definition audio and video.
It is similar to a CD or DVD but can store up to 27 GB of data on a single layer disk and up to 54
GB of data on a dual layer disk. While CDs or DVDs use red laser beam, the blue ray disk uses a
blue laser to read/write data on a disk.

Solid State Memories: Solid-state storage devices are based on electronic circuits with no
moving parts like the reels of tape, spinning discs etc. Solid-state storage devices use special
memories called flash memory to store data. Solid state drive (or flash memory) is used mainly
in digital cameras, pen drives or USB flash drives.

Pen Drives: Pen Drives or Thumb drives or Flash drives are the recently emerged portable
storage media. It is an EEPROM based flash memory which can be repeatedly erased and written
using electric signals. This memory is accompanied with a USB connector which enables the
pendrive to connect to the computer. They have a capacity smaller than a hard disk but greater
than a CD

Memory Card: A memory card is a type of storage device that is used for storing media and
data files. It provides a permanent and non-volatile medium to store data and files from the
attached device. Memory cards are commonly used in small, portable devices, such as cameras
and phones.A memory card is also known as a flash card. most memory cards today range in
size from as small as 4 GB (gigabyte) up to as large as 128 GB.

Solid State Drive: An SSD is a storage medium that uses non-volatile memory as a means of
holding and accessing data. SSD has no moving parts which gives it advantages such as faster
access time, noiseless operation, higher reliability, and lower power consumption. SSDs have
become suitable replacements for a standard hard drive in both desktop and laptop computers.

Application Software

An application software is bought by the user to perform specific applications or tasks, say for
example making a document or making a presentation or handling inventory or managing the
employee database. An application software can be of two types –
General Purpose Application Software and Customized Application software.

 Solve a specific problem or do a specific task

 Programs included in an application software package are called application programs and
the programmers who prepare them are called application programmers
 Examples of application software are word processing, inventory management, preparation
of tax returns, banking, etc.

Logical System Architecture

General Purpose Application Software

Some of the application software is made for the common users for day to day applications and
uses. These are also referred as Office Tools. The users may use them in the manner they want.
Some of the popular types of general purpose application software are discussed below:

Word Processor: Word processor is a general purpose application software used to create
documents. It allows us to create , edit and format documents. We can use different types of
fonts of various sizes; underline or make bold a certain part of the text. We can add clipart and
other graphics into the document. Popular examples of Word processing software are Writer
(Open Office) and Microsoft Word.

We use word processing software for various uses like writing a simple document to designing
special art effects. Since we can attach images and different shapes, can use different colors,
even a poster can be designed using word processing software. Features like Mail Merge, Macro
has further enhanced the word processing software and made it very useful.

Presentation Tools: Presentation tools is a general purpose application software that lets us
create presentations on any topic. We can not only create a presentation and add slides into that
but also can use different types of background, fonts, animations, audio, video, etc. We can add
clipart and other graphics into our document. Even audio video files can be added on to the
presentations. Popular examples of Presentation tools software are Impress (open office) and
Microsoft Power Point.

Spreadsheet Packages: Spreadsheet is a general purpose application software that lets us create
and store data in tabular form. Both text and numerical values can be entered in that tables
known as a spreadsheet. We can not only create a document and add data into that but also can
create different types of charts and graphs based upon the numerical data stored in that page. All
common mathematical and statistical formulae can be used on the numeric data. Popular
examples of Spreadsheet software are Calc (Open Office) and Microsoft Excel.

Database Management System: Database Management System is general purpose application

software that lets us create computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and the use
of database for an organization and its end users. We can not only store data but can also manage
data in a database. We can also import and export the data to many formats including Excel,
Outlook, ASCII, dBase, FoxPro, Oracle, SQL Server, ODBC, etc. Popular examples
of Database Management System are Base (Open Office) and Microsoft Access.

Systems Software

System Software is the software that is directly related to coordinating computer operations and
performs tasks associated with controlling and utilizing computer hardware. These programs
assist in running application programs and are designed to control the operation of a computer
system. System software directs the computer what to do, when to do and how to do. System
software can be further categorized into

 Operating System

 Language Translators

Utility Software
A utility software is one which provides certain tasks that help in proper maintenance of the
computer. The job of utility programs is to keep the computer system running smoothly.
Nowadays many utility softwares are part of the operating system itself. Even if there is no
utility software on your computer, the computer works but with the right kind of utility software
loaded, the computer becomes more reliable and even its processing speed increases. Some of
the commonly use utility softwares are antivirus, Disk defragmenter, backup, compression etc.

Open source and Proprietary Software

Firmware

 Firmware is software substituted for hardware and stored in read-only memory

 Firmware technology has enabled production of various types of smart machines having
microprocessor chips with embedded software

Middleware

 Basic idea is to have a separate software layer to:

 Act as “glue” between client and server parts of application
 Provide programming abstraction
 Mask heterogeneity of underlying network, hardware, and OS
 Encourages three-tier software architecture against two- tier popularized by Server-Client
architecture

What is a mobile app (mobile application)?

A mobile app (or mobile application) is a software application developed specifically for use on
small, wireless computing devices, such as smartphones and tablets, rather than desktop or laptop
computers.

Mobile apps are sometimes categorized according to whether they are web-based or native apps,
which are created specifically for a given platform. A third category, hybrid apps, combines
elements of both native and web apps.

In today's digital age, mobile apps are an essential part of most people's daily lives. From social
networking and entertainment to productivity and business, mobile apps play a vital role in how
we interact with technology.
How are mobile apps built?

Mobile apps are built using a variety of programming languages and frameworks, and they can
be downloaded and installed from app stores such as the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Mobile apps are designed to provide a wide range of functions and services and with
consideration for the demands, constraints and capabilities of the devices they're built for. For
example, a gaming app might take advantage of the iPhone's accelerometer.

Other examples include games, social media platforms, email clients and banking apps. They can
also be used to access information, such as news and weather updates, and to perform tasks, such
as online shopping and booking travel.

How does a mobile app work?

Mobile apps are designed to run on specific mobile operating systems such as iOS, Android and
Windows Phone. When a mobile app is downloaded and installed on a device, it is stored in the
device's memory and is launched using the device's operating system.

When a user opens a mobile app, the app communicates with the device's operating system and
other built-in software components to access the device's hardware and services such as the
camera, GPS and internet connection. The app then uses this information to provide its specific
functions and services to the user.

Advantages of mobile apps

There are numerous advantages to using mobile apps, namely:

1. Convenience. Mobile apps can be downloaded and installed on a device, allowing users to
access the app's functions and services at any time, from anywhere.

2. Personalization. Mobile apps can be customized to meet the specific needs of individual
users, providing a personalized experience.

3. Offline access. Many mobile apps can be used offline, providing access to important
information and features even when an internet connection is not available.
4. Push notifications. Mobile apps can send push notifications to users, providing real-time
updates on important information and events.

Disadvantages of mobile apps

However, there are some disadvantages and considerations to keep in mind when using mobile
apps. These include:

1. Limited functionality. Mobile apps are designed to provide specific functions and services,
and they might not be able to provide the same level of functionality as a desktop
application.

2. Limited compatibility. Mobile apps are designed to run on specific mobile operating
systems, and they might not be compatible with all devices.

3. Security concerns. Mobile apps can access sensitive information on a device, and they
might not have the same level of security as a desktop application.

4. Limited updating capability. Some mobile apps might not be easily updated, and users
might need to download a new version of the app to access the latest features and bug fixes.