DIGITAL DEVICES

WHAT ARE DIGITAL DEVICES?

• Digital devices are pieces of hardware that use computers or
microcontrollers.
• Found everywhere in our digital world
• Enhance and support our lives – help to connect us digitally
• Used anywhere
TYPES OF DIGITAL DEVICES
PERSONAL COMPUTERS - DESKTOP

• Provides options to upgrade and

requires to add peripheral
devices
• More space for components
• ‘All in one’ desktop, in which the
PC hardware combined with
monitors
PERSONAL COMPUTERS - LAPTOPS

• Portable device
• Includes a keyboard, track pad, a
monitor and rechargeable
battery
• ‘desktop replacements’ with
bigger screens with better
resolution and performance
levels
PERSONAL COMPUTERS – SINGLE BOARD
COMPUTERS

• Affordable computers used in

embedded computing,
education, etc.
• Uses a cheap micro SD card as its
storage.
• Example: Raspberry Pi Zero
MOBILE PHONES – SPECIALIST PHONES
• Provides specialist features to
users with special needs
• An emergency button that is
connected to a list of emergency
contacts.
• When it is pressed, it calls every
person until someone answers
• Fewer, larger buttons and
connections for hearing aids.
• Example: Alto 2
MOBILE PHONES – SMART PHONES
• Small computers with Wi-Fi .
• Allows to make phones call and
access the internet.
• Includes features of other
devices like game consoles,
cameras (convergence).
• Apps with features, virtual
keyboard
• Uses more power than any other
phone
TABLETS
• Bigger than smartphones with
similar features like touch
screens, apps.
• SIM card slots to allow internet
connectivity using phone net.
• Can stay online when user not in
Wi-Fi signal range.
CAMERAS AND CAMCORDERS

• Uses light sensors to capture

images formed by light passing
through the lens
• Camcorders used for capturing
videos
FEATURES FOR A GOOD QUALITY IMAGE
HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS - TVs
• Displays still and moving images
on a screen.
• Number of pixels used to display
an image – Resolution
• HD TVs screens with big
resolutions – contains more
pixels – UHD TVs
• Built-in speakers
• Smart TVs – uses apps, streams
content
HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS – SOUND
SYSTEMS
• Uses high-quality speakers and
amplifiers
• Can play music from CDs or local
storage
• Connected to smartphones using
USB connections / Bluetooth
• Some require to connect to the
internet to play music online
PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDERS

• A device that records

broadcasted content so that it
can be watched at a later date.
• Satellite TV devices include a set
top box and a PVR
HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS – CD AND
BLU-RAY PLAYERS
• Connected to TVs in order to
play films and other content in
DVDs or Blu-ray disks
• Blu-ray players can play DVDs
but DVD players can’t play Blu-
ray
• Blu-ray disks can HD movies
GAMES CONSOLES
• Designed to enable users to
play video games
• Usually wireless
• Uses motion sensors to allow the
player to control game with
gestures – includes VR headsets
• Handheld versions- less effective
in image and sound quality
MEDIA PLAYERS
• Provide audio and video content
to TVs
• Accessed from the internet or
local storage
• Uses wireless or wired
connections
• Controlled using a remote
control
• Compact, portable devices that
use flash memory
NAVIGATION AIDS
• Can calculate the best route
between two locations
• Commonly used in cars, vans
and ships
• Used in specialist phones
• Use information from GPS
satellites to determine exact
point
• No Internet connectivity needed
HOME AUTOMATION DEVICES

• A group of devices used in smart

homes
• Senses and controls temperature
and lightning
• Can be accessed via apps on the
smartphone/internet
CONVERGENCE AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL
DEVICES
• A device that can perform a
range of functions is called a
multifunctional device.
• Convergence is a process when
the device changes to become
similar to another.
• Ex. Smartphones getting bigger
to become ‘phablets’.
FEATURES OF DIGITAL DEVICES
PORTABILITY AND STORAGE
• PORTABLITY
• A device which is portable is small in size and light in weight
• Easy to carry around
• Ex. Laptop, Smartphone, Handheld Consoles
• STORAGE
• Programs and files stored in storage
• Storage speed also affects performance
• More storages – More files can be stored
PERFOMANCE
• A high performance device performs its task quicker
• A faster processor – A better performance
• Instructions stored in the processor from RAM
• Virtual Memory – When RAM runs out – overflow
• Software can written that uses processor's capability
USER INTERFACE – COMMAND LINE
INTERFACE
• Users enter instructions and the computer systems provide results
• Found on older systems and the ones with very little storage
• Commands to be typed precisely
• A help menu present to explain the commands
USER INTERFACE – MENU-DRIVEN INTERFACE
• Options displayed like a list
• Select one of the options
• Triggers a command
• Easier than CLI – But takes more time – go through the menu
structure every time
• Used in ATMs, Older Mobile phones
USER INTERFACE- GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACE
• Uses a pointer on the screen, windows, icons and menus.
• Components of GUI-
• Windows – Parts of a screen dedicated for a particular app or system task
• Icons – Small images that represent an application
• Menus – Provide options for tasks relating to the OS
• Easiest type of interface to access
• But takes up more space than others
USER INTERFACE – VOICE INTERFACE
• Allows user to give spoken commands to a device
• Voice recognition software matches the spoken words against a list of
voices to find a match
• Data stored often online
• If can’t find a match, it produces unwanted results
• Use the results of conformation to learn the user’s voice to improve
future matches.
• Used in hands free operations
USER INTERFACE – GESTURE INTERFACE
• Found on touch screens of smart phones, tablets, etc.
• Can control the device by swiping and pinching the screen to zoom in
and out
CONNECTIVITY AND EXPANSION CAPABILITY
• Connectivity – to connect devices to share data (wired and wireless)
• Used to update software, back-up files or play media from one device
on another
• Different speeds of data transfer and levels of convenience
• Expansion capability – PCs allow users to connect additional
components
• Expansion slots to make use of flash memory cards
• USB ports and peripheral devices
WIRED AND WIRELESS CONNECTIONS
MEDIA SUPPORT
• Devices can read data from different sources of data
• Adapters connected to connect with an external device into which the
media can be inserted .
• Examples of media include SD and microSD flash memory cards and
DVD.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
• Benefit of lower energy consumption in mobile devices – longer
battery life
• Manufacturers create digital devices that consume less energy – rising
cost of energy and pressure from customers and governments to be
environmentally responsible
• Aim – save customers’ money and demonstrate social responsibility
• Computers let out a lot of heat – computers and servers to be cooled
SECURITY FEATURES
TEST YOURSELF
• Explain the features of digital devices.
• What is a navigation aid? Explain its working.
• What is a single board computing?
• What are the features of a good quality image?
• Give notes about Software security.
THANK YOU