Unit 1- Digital Devices Flashcards
What is a computer?
A computer is an electronic device capable of taking an input, processing data, storing information and providing an output
Data that is input, is raw, unprocessed information
Information is data that people understand
What is a mainframe computer?
A mainframe computer is a computer with huge processing power and data storage capabilities
Built to handle enormous amounts of data and carry out complex calculations
Designed to be secure, reliable and support large volumes of simultaneous users
Where are mainframe computers commonly used?
Carry out critical tasks for large organisations in sectors such as:
-Finance
-Health
-Government etc.
What is a microprocessor?
A microprocessor is an integrated circuit (IC) that contains a central processing unit (CPU)
A microprocessor is embedded into devices to help them carry out tasks
The microprocessor is responsible for executing instructions
Where are microprocessors commonly used?
Microprocessors are used in a home to monitor and control devices such as:
-Central heating systems
-Security alarm systems
-Home entertainment system etc.
What is a desktop computer?
A desktop computer is a computer designed to stay in one place, for example on a desk
A desktop computer traditionally consists of a separate:
Monitor
Computer
Keyboard & mouse
Desktop computers are typically more powerful than mobile computers
Desktop computers are upgradable, the parts can be replaced/changed to increase performance
What are the uses of desktop computers in office and business?
word processing, financial modelling, email, video/image editing
What are the uses of desktop computers in education?
online learning, research, content creation, multi media presentations
What are the uses of desktop computers for gaming and entertainment?
online gaming, streaming music/film/tv, social media, online browsing
What is a laptop computer?
A laptop computer is a computer designed to be portable
A laptop computer traditionally consists of built-in: Monitor, Computer, Keyboard & trackpad or touch screen keyboard & pointer
- not easily upgradable, components are integrated for size and efficiency
- battery powered
- used as desktop replacements
Why are Laptop computers typically less powerful than desktop computers?
- Power constraints due to size
- Focus on extending battery life
What are the advantages of laptop computers?
- easy to carry and use on the go (portability)
- access to internet and resources from anywhere (flexibility)
- can use for various tasks and activities (multi- functionality)
What is a mobile phones?
A mobile phone is an ultra portable electronic device designed to be lightweight and fit in a pocket or small bag
Mobile phones are used to transmit information between people and devices using radio waves
What are two examples of mobile phones?
- Smartphones
- Specialist
What is a smartphone?
- a versatile general purpose device
Smartphones use subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to link the devices to a network carrier, allowing them to make phone calls and send messages
What are the features of smartphones?
- SMS messaging
- phone calls
- voice over internet protocol
- accessing the internet
- mobile payments
What is a description of SMS messaging?
- Quick communication
- Messages are stored on the device and can be read at any time
- Use virtual keyboards and predictive text
What is a description of phone calls?
- simple voice communication
- requires cellular reception
What is a description of Voice over internet protocol?
- Audio & visual communication via the internet
- Requires extra apps installed on the devices
- Can make & receive calls via smartphone, tablet and computers
- Requires a forward facing camera for video calls
What is a description of accessing the internet?
- Requires cellular reception to access on the move
- Web pages are optimised for smartphone access
- Automatically used Wi-Fi when in range and connected
What is a description of mobile payments?
Uses NFC
What is a description of a camera?
- Smartphones have built-in cameras for video calls
- Camera can act as a barcode scanner for QR codes
What is a specialist phone?
A specialist phone is designed for a particular groups of users or environment
They prioritise specific features over general purpose use
What are the specialist features of senior phones?
- Larger buttons
- Easy to read displays
- Simplified user interface
- Emergency alert buttons
- Hearing aid compatibility
What are the specialist features of childrens phones?
- Brightly coloured
- Robust
- Child friendly interface
- Limited app access
- Parental controls
What are the specialist features of rugged phones?
- Designed for tough environments
- Thick screens
- Rugged outer casing
Built to withstand:
Water submersion
Dust
Extreme temperatures
Drops
What is a tablet device?
A tablet is a general purpose device that sits between a laptop and a smartphone
What is the difference in features between a smartphone and a tablet?
SIZE: smartphone- ultra portable and designed to fit into a pocket. tablet- portable but larger screens mean they require a bag or case
FOCUS: smartphone- communication. tablet- entertainment and productivity
POWER AND PERFORMANCE- smartphone- carry out everyday tasks. tablet- more powerful than a smartphone
BATTERY LIFE- smartphone- charging more often. tablet- longer battery life depending on usage
What is the description of a camera and camcorder?
Uses light sensors to capture images formed by light passing through a lens
What are the features of cameras and camcorders?
- Lens - High quality lens allows light to pass through without defects
- Image processor - Compensates for poor lighting
- Sensors - Capture detail, more pixels are produced
What is a description of a games console?
Specialised PC for playing video games
What are the features of a games console?
- Powerful processors & graphics for high quality smooth gameplay
- Online capability
- Controllers for interactivity
What is a description of home entertainment systems?
Hub for connecting audio and video devices
What are the features of home entertainment systems?
- Connects TVs, speakers and media players together
- Receiver processes audio and video signals
- Can provide immersive experience (surround sound)
What is a description of a media player?
A device for multimedia playback
What are the features of media players?
- Connects to TVs or speakers for playback
- Plays different media such as Blu-ray, DVD
- Portable media players for on the go
What is a multi functional device?
A multifunctional device is a device designed to carry out a wide range of tasks
Multifunctional devices combine functions that would usually be separate
What are examples of multifunctional devices?
- Smartphones - Communication, photography, gaming, media playback/streaming, web browsing all in one device
- Printers - Printing, copying and scanning in one device
- Smart TVs - Watch TV, connect to the internet, stream content
What is convergence?
Convergence is the merging of technologies that would usually be separate
Convergence led to the rise of smartphones
exam question: Describe how tablet computers allow people to work from home.
Workers can connect to the Internet [1] to access cloud storage [1]
What are the features of digital devices
Portability
Performance
Storage
User interface
Connectivity
Media support
Energy consumption
Expansion capability
Security features
What is a description of performance?
- processing power/memory (RAM)
What is a description of storage?
How much data can the device hold
What is a description of portability?
how easy the device is to carry around
What is a description of connectivity?
How can the device connect to other devices
What is a description of media support?
What media formats can the device play
What is a description of media support?
what media formats can the device play
What is a description of energy consumption?
How much energy does the device consume
What is a description of security features?
What security features does the device have to help protect device and user data
What is user interface?
A user interface is how the user interacts with the operating system
What is a description of expansion capability?
more storage, memory or other features be added
What are some examples of user interface?
- Command Line Interface (CLI)
- Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- Menu
- Natural language (NLI)
What is command line interface?
requires users to interact with the operating system using text based commands
CLIs are more commonly used by advanced users
What are some examples of common line interfaces?
MSDOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) and Raspbian (for Raspberry Pi)
What is graphical user interface?
requires users to interact with the operating system using visual elements such as windows, icons, menus & pointers (WIMP)
GUIs are optimised for mouse and touch gesture input
What are some examples of graphical user interfaces?
Windows, Android and MAC OS
What is an example of a menu interface?
Chip and pin machines
Vending machines
Entertainment streaming services
What is a menu interface?
A menu interface is successive menus presented to a user with a single option at each stage
Often performed with buttons or a keypad
What is a natural language interface?
A natural language interface (NLI) uses the spoken word to respond to spoken or textual inputs from a user
What are examples of natural language interfaces?
Virtual assistants - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
Search engines
Smart home devices
What is software?
the set of programs that control the hardware; they live on the computer system but cannot be physically touched
- system software
- application software
What is application software?
software chosen by a user to help them carry out a specific task
Application software is installed on top of system software and is user-chosen to best suit industry requirements
What is defragmentation?
software groups fragmented files back together in order to improve access speed
As programs and data are added to a new hard disk drive, it is added in order, over time as files are deleted this leaves gaps
As programs and data are added over time, these gaps get filled and data becomes fragmented
Defragmentation can only used on magnetic storage
What are common categories of application software?
Word processing: creating and editing text documents
Spreadsheet: organising and analysing data in a grid format
Database management systems: storing, retrieving and managing data in databases
Control/measurement: uses sensors to measure and control a system
Video editing: creating and modifying video files
Graphics editing: creating and modifying images
Audio editing: creating and modifying sound files
Computer-Aided Design (CAD): designing and modelling objects in 2D or 3D
What is system software?
software essential for the operation of a computer system
Without system software, a user has no starting point for giving a computer instructions
System software gives users a platform to run applications and carry out tasks
What are the essential services carried out by system software?
Compilers: translating high-level programming languages into machine code
Linkers: combining object files into a single executable program
Device drivers: controlling hardware components and peripherals
Operating systems: managing the computer’s resources and providing a user interface
Utilities: tools for maintaining and optimising the computer’s performance
What are examples of utility software?
- defragmentation (maintain)
- compression (enhance)
- task manager (trouble- shoot)
- encryption (enhance)
What is utility software?
software designed to help maintain, enhance and troubleshoot/repair a computer system
Utility software is designed to perform a limited number of tasks
Utility software interacts with the computers hardware, for example, secondary storage devices
Some utility software comes installed with the operating system
What is compression?
reduces the amount of secondary storage required by performing an algorithm on the original data
Lossy compression physically removes data from the original data to reduce its size, the original file can not be re-created
Lossless compression uses mathematics to order data more efficiently reducing its size, the original files can be re-created as no data is lost
What is encryption?
process of scrambling data using an algorithm from plain-text into cipher-text in order to make it unreadable to users without the master key
Encryption software enhances the security of the computer system and keeps data safe
What is task manager software?
software that is built into the operating system to allow users to monitor system resources in order to help troubleshoot potential problems
What information does the task manager give the system?
- Processes
- Performance
- App history
- Start-up apps
- Users
- Services
exam question: Describe how utility software can reduce access times for large files stored on magnetic media (2 marks)
By defragmenting file data [1]…
…that has been allocated randomly to free space [1]
By placing file data in adjacent sectors [1]…
…to reduce the need to spin the disc / seek across the platter surface [1]
What are the two main types of operating systems?
Single User Operating System
Network Operating Systems (NOS)
What is an operating system?
- software that provides an interface between the user and the hardware in a computer system
- hides the complexities of the hardware from the user, for example:
A user does not need to know ‘where’ on secondary storage data is kept, just that it is saved for when they want it again
What are the differences between a single user and an operating system?
single user:
- allows for a single general user
- no option to customise user interface for different users
- typically used in a household appliances
network:
- provides access to a network storage and shared resources
- server is sent requests when users log in with usernames and passwords
- users accounts are kept separate to ensure users cannot access each others files
What ae the functions of an operating system?
Memory management
Resource management
Security
Print spooling
What is memory management?
process carried out by the operating system allocating main memory (RAM) between different programs that are open at the same time
The OS is responsible for copying programs and data from secondary to primary storage as it is needed
Programs and data require different amounts of RAM to operate efficiently and the OS manages this process
RAM is allocated based on priority and fairness, for example, system applications (essential) may have a higher priority than user applications
The OS dynamically manages the memory, adjusting allocation as needed to maintain optimal system performance
Memory management makes multitasking possible
What is processor management?
a process carried out by the operating system dividing time (time slicing) in to small chunks and allocating them to different programs
The CPU can only execute one instruction at a time, it can can execute billions of them in one second.
The OS decides what programs get access to the CPU to give a user the perception of being able to use multiple programs at the same time (multitasking)
What is input/output management?
a process carried out by the operating system managing the way input and output devices interact with software
The OS allocates system resources to inputs/outputs to ensure efficient operation
I/O management makes plug-and-play (PnP) functionality possible, automatically detecting and configuring new inputs/outputs without the need for manually installing device drivers or power cycling the system
What is file management?
a process carried out by the operating system creating, organising, manipulating and accessing files and folders on a computer system
The OS manages where data is stored in both primary and secondary storage
File management gives the user the ability to:
Create files/folders
Name files/folders
Rename files/folders
Copy files/folders
Move files/folders
Delete files/folders
The OS allows users to control who can access, modify and delete files/folders (permissions)
The OS provides a search facility to find specific files based on various criteria
What is security management?
process carried out by the operating system enabling different users to log onto a computer
A system administrator is able to allocate different access rights for different users on a network
The OS is able to maintain settings for individual users, such as desktop backgrounds, icons and colour schemes
The OS audits (keeps a log of) files created by users, accesses, edits and deletes
Operating systems can provide software firewalls
What is print spooling?
a process carried out by the operating system when printing is required
The spooler creates a temporary holding area (queue) for the print job
Queuing pages increases efficiency
exam q: Explain one reason an administrator would use a network operating system to manage users.
[2]
Multiple people can use the same computer [1] because users can be added/deleted [1]
Only specific users can securely access their storage space [1] because user permissions can be edited [1]
Only certain users can install programs / access certain files [1] because user permissions can be enforced [1]
The limited storage on the machine can be shared [1] because the amount of resources/storage each user can access can be controlled [1]
What are office productivity tools?
are applications designed to enable common work related tasks to be carried out
Office productivity tools are often combined into a single application suite
What is word processing software?
software used primarily for tasks involving text and images
Common tasks include:
- Letters
- Reports
- Essays
- Books
Examples of word processing applications include:
Microsoft Word
Google Docs
What is spreadsheet software?
software used for tasks involving calculations
Spreadsheets allow users to model financial situations and answer ‘what if’ questions
Formulas and functions can be used to aid complex arithmetic calculations
Examples of spreadsheet applications include:
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Sheets
What is desktop publishing software?
used for tasks that involve complicated page layouts
Common tasks include:
- Newsletters
- Leaflets
Examples of desktop publishing applications include:
- Microsoft Publisher
-Adobe InDesign
What is database software?
- software used to store data
Common features include:
- Data entry form design
- Perform queries to select data that meet a certain criteria
- Build reports to display data in a readable format
Examples of database applications include:
- Microsoft Access
- Oracle MySQL
What is web authorising software?
software designed to allow the creation of websites
Websites are written in HTML and translated by web browsers to display in a way users can see and read
Web authoring software gives users with little to no HTML experience tools to help them create web pages
Uses a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) interface
Examples of web authoring applications include:
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Google Sites
What is image editing software?
- software that allows users to manipulate and enhance digital photographs and images
Common features include:
Resizing
Adjusting brightness & contrast
Applying filters
Red-eye removal
Cropping
Examples of image editing applications include:
Adobe Photoshop
GIMP
What is sound editing software?
Sound editing software is software that allows users to edit audio files
Common features include:
- Cut and join audio clips
- Alter volume
- Change tempo
- Add effects
- Apply audio processing
Examples of sound editing applications include:
Audacity
Adobe Audition
What is presentation software?
- software designed to allow users to create multimedia content that can be displayed typically on slides
Common features include:
- Transitions & animations
- Presenter notes
- Automatic or timed navigation
Examples of presentation applications include:
Microsoft PowerPoint
Google Slides
What is control software?
- software that users sensors to capture inputs, processes them and outputs something
They make something happen in the physical environment
Outputs can be commands that control devices such as:
- Actuators
- Motors
Commonly used in engineering, vehicles and building control
What is project management software?
software designed make the organisation of projects more efficient by tracking individual tasks
Common features include:
Timeline - shows a graphical representation of events and the time and order in which they occur
Critical path - allows a project manager to see the shortest time a project will take to complete
Milestones - a time or date by which a task must be completed
Gannt charts are often used to visualise project timelines
exam q: Describe how application software is different from systems software
[2]
Application software is used to carry out tasks for the user [1]
Systems software carries out tasks for the machine/computer [1]
What is a software licence?
a legal agreement that lays out rules for how software can and can’t be used
There are two main types of software licence, each with very different rules on usage, distribution and support, they are:
Free or open source
Proprietary
What are the features open source software?
Access to source code to edit/change
Able to edit and distribute
What are the features of proprietary software?
Costs money
Produced by ‘professional’ companies
More regular official updates/support/upgrades/fixes
What are the advantages of free or open source software?
- Allows collaboration with other people who may want the same modifications
-Less buggy versions of the software may appear faster - Usually free, good for companies with limited budgets
- Generally strong social support
What are the disadvantages of free or open source software?
- Relies on support of other users
- To edit the code, you need expert knowledge
-May not receive regular updates - Could be more open to exploitation through users adding malicious code
What are the advantages of proprietary software?
- Generally free customer support
- Created to professional standards
- Always someone to go back to with any problems
What are the disadvantages of proprietary software?
Cost can be significant
Limited expansion, only what is available
Relies on one company
May not fully meet the need of the user/customer
exam q: State what is meant by the term ‘open source software’. 2 marks
It is available to users [1] to modify /distribute / viewed [1]
What is communication software?
software that provides remote access to systems
To exchange files and messages in text, images, audio and/or video formats between different computes or users
What are some examples of communication software?
Web browsers
Social media
SMS/MMS
Instant messaging
What is a web browser?
piece of software used to access and display information on the internet
The purpose of a web browser is to render hypertext markup language (HTML) and display web pages
Web browsers interpret the code in HTML documents and translate it into a visual display for the user
What is social media?
a platform where users can connect with others and share content
They include platforms such as
Facebook
Tiktok
X (Twitter)
Instagram
LinkedIn
Social media platforms usually require users to create a profile and allow them to share text, images, videos, and links
They facilitate interaction, collaboration, and information sharing on a large scale
Privacy settings allow users to control who can see their content
What is email?
method of exchanging messages and files over the internet
The main uses of email are:
Personal communication
Professional correspondence
Marketing
What is SMS/MMS?
Short messaging service (SMS) and multimedia messages service (MMS) are a method of communication using a mobile phone network
SMS allows 160 text characters per message
MMS allows more than 160 characters and can include video, animations, images and audio
No internet connection is required
Why is software updated?
Software is updated to:
- Fix bugs or software vulnerabilities
Increase compatibility with newer operating systems
Improve performance
Introduce new features
Improve usability
Updates are typically downloaded from the internet by a user or automatically from within the software itself
Operating system can schedule updates to suit user needs and minimise disruption
What is instant messaging?
requires an internet connection to allow multimedia communication between single and groups of users
Includes extra features such as:
See when users are typing (online/offline status)
Include location data
exam q: Describe the function of a web browser 2 marks
To access/request/render/display [1] HTML / web pages [1]
What are the risks of updating software?
Software updates typically require the removal of components to be replaced with new ones
This process can cause
Incompatibility - may not work with older hardware or software
Workflow disruption - new features/interface tweaks may need time to adjust to, slowing down productivity
Update issues - in rare cases the installation process can go wrong, leading to data loss
What are the risks of not updating software?
Software is often released in a less than perfect state and flaws/vulnerabilities may exist which can provide an opportunity for hackers
Unpatched/outdated software can lead to:
Data breaches
Installation of malware
What is an input device?
hardware components that allow users to interact with a computer system
They enable the user to input data or commands into the system, which the computer then processes to produce an output
Fyn want to play a game he installed a year ago
A. Describe how Fyn can update the game software
[2]
B. Give 2 reasons why Fyn should update the game software
[2]
Answers
A.
Download (the update file) [1]
Install (the file) [1]
B.
Any two from:
To get new features (perfective)
Improve compatibility e.g. with operating system/hardware changes (adaptive)
To fix/patch bugs (corrective)
To protect against new security vulnerabilities (preventative)
What is a keyboard?
- entering data into a computer
- advantages: easy method of entering data, very common
- disadvantages: repetitive strain injury, flow to enter data compared to direct data entry
What are types of input devices?
keyboard, mouse, joystick, graphics tablet, scanner
What is a mouse?
- select on screen objects
- advantages: fast to make on screen choices, intuitive and precise control
- disadvantages: RSI (strain on wrist), requires a flat surface, people with disabilities find them difficult to use
What is a graphics tablet?
- uses a stylus to draw or write
- advantages: precise, natural feel, ergonomic
- disadvantages: cost, learning curve, battery life
What is a joy stick?
- moves sprites/characters around a game
- advantages: enhances gameplay, simulation experience, improves realism, accurate
What is a scanner?
- convert paper documents
- advantages: accurate reproduction, easy to share and store
- disadvantages: quality depends on resolution, high quality means can be slow
What is a digital camera?
- taking photos/videos
advantages: vast amounts can be captured, no developing, easy to share
disadvantages: storage compression can lead to a loss in quality, need to be tech-savvy to use effectively
What is a webcam?
- streaming images/video
- advantages: real time communication, cheap, multipurpose
disadvantages: image quality, privacy concerns
What is a microphone?
- input speech, sensor to pick up sounds
advantages: hands free input, can be used for voice recognition, fast
disadvantages: variable quality, verbal inputs be be inaccurate
What is a resistive touchscreen?
-Pressure causes layers to ‘touch’
advantages: intuitive, no need for a separate pointing device, easy to clean
disadvantages: screens can get easily dirty, easily scratched, less precise than a mouse
What is a capacitive screen?
Conduct electricity
Finger causes a change in electrical charge and can be measured precisely
advantages: intuitive, no need for a separate pointing device, easy to clean
disadvantages: screens can get easily dirty, easily scratched, less precise than a mouse
What is an OMR?
- Optical Mark Recognition
- Read marks on exam paper in pen/pencil
advantages: Fast processing, Reduced human error
disadvantages: Limited to specific forms, Cannot read handwriting, Form must be completed accurately
What is OCR?
- Text to digital data
advantages: Fast data entry, Accurate and less error prone
disadvantages: Can struggle with complex layouts, Font dependent, Not always 100% accurate, Expensive
What is a barcode scanner?
- Reads barcode labels
advantages: Fast and accurate, Low cost, Allows for automatic stock control, Tried & trusted
disadvantages: Requires line-of-sight, Barcodes are easily damaged, Barcodes can be swapped/altered by consumers
What is a biometric scanner?
- Fingerprint/facial/voice/iris recognition
advantages: Easier than passwords, More secure, Speed
disadvantages: Privacy concerns, Expensive
What is a magnetic stipe reader?
- Debit/credit cards
advantages: Fast, Simple to use, Secure (unreadable)
disadvantages: Magnetic stripes can get damaged and become unreadable, Reader must be in close contact
What is a chip and PIN reader?
- Retail card payments
advantages: Secure, Reduced fraud risk
disadvantages: Requires PIN input, Potential for skimming, High payment limits an issue for stolen cards
What is RFID reader?
- Contactless payments
advantages: Fast transaction (no pin), Data wirelessly transferred securely, Retailers don’t have to access customer credit/debit information
disadvantages: Transaction limit is smaller, RFID signals can be read/intercepted
What are analogue sensors?
- Measure environmental data e.g. temperature, light, sound, humidity etc.
advantages: Generally accurate, Provides real-time information, Automatic, Can collect data from places where they may be threat to human life
disadvantages: May require calibration, Data must be converted to digital data (ADC), Data may need to be checked for accuracy
What is an output device?
hardware components that receive information from a computer system and present it to the user in a comprehensible form
They enable the computer to communicate the results of processed data or commands
What are some types of output devices?
CRT monitor, LCD monitor, LED monitor, laser printer
What are the uses/features of a CRT monitor?
Display output from a computer
Screen size is measured diagonally in inches
Resolution is the number of pixels measured horizontally across the screen
What are the uses/features of a CRT monitor?
Display output from a computer
Screen size is measured diagonally in inches
Resolution is the number of pixels measured horizontally across the screen
What are the advantages of a CRT monitor?
Large viewing angles
Can be used with light pens
What are the disadvantages of a CRT monitor?
Run hot
Heavy
Consume more power (than other monitor types)
What are the advantages of a LCD monitor?
Low power
Lightweight
No flickering
No image burn-in
What are the disadvantages of a LCD monitor?
Motion blur/ghosting
Colour & contrast variable from different viewing angles
What are the features of an LED monitor?
Display output from a computer
Screen size is measured diagonally in inches
Resolution is the number of pixels measured horizontally across the screen
What are the advantages of an LED monitor?
No motion blur/ghosting
Low power
Long life
What are the disadvantages of an LED monitor?
More expensive (than LCD)
Contrast can be poor
What is the use of a laser printer?
High volume printing
Electronically charged toner
Dry ink
What are the advantages of a laser printer?
Fast
High-quality prints
Lower cost per page
What are the disadvantages of a laser printer?
Expensive initial cost
Limited to flat surfaces
What are the features/uses of an inkjet printer?
Home printing & photographs
Uses wet ink separated into black, cyan, magenta & yellow
Tiny dots sprayed onto paper
What are the advantages of an inkjet printer?
Lower initial cost
High-quality prints
Ink can be refilled
What are the disadvantages of an inkjet printer?
Slower
Higher cost per page
Ink may smudge
What are the features/uses of a dot matrix printer?
Useful when printing multiple copies
Paper is impacted through a ribbon of ink
What are the disadvantages of an dot matrix printer?
Noisy
Low print quality
Slow
What are the advantages of an dot matrix printer?
Low cost
Can print multi-part forms
Very good for long print runs
What are the disadvantages of a dot matrix printer?
Noisy
Low print quality
Slow
What are the features/uses of a 3D printer?
Create real-life versions of digital models
What are the advantages of a 3D printer?
Customisable designs
Rapid prototyping
Medical benefits
What are the disadvantages of a 3D printer?
Limited materials
Slow process
Counterfeit items easier to produce
Very expensive
What are the features/uses of plotters?
Create drawings & blueprints
What are the advantages of plotters?
High accuracy
Can print on various materials
Inexpensive to run
What are the disadvantages of plotters?
Slow
Expensive to buy
Large size
What are the uses/features of a multimedia projector?
Output computer usually to much larger display
What are the advantages of a multimedia projector?
Large display
Good for presentations
Space saving
What are the disadvantages of a multimedia projector?
Requires darkened room
Expensive bulbs
Need separate audio
Quality is variable
What are the uses/features of speakers?
Output audio
What are the advantages of speakers?
Range of sizes and power outputs
Immersive audio
Helps people with disabilities
What are the disadvantages of speakers?
Expensive for higher quality output
Varying sound quality
What are the features/uses of actuators?
Control motors, pumps, switches etc.
What are the advantages of actuators?
Precise movement
Programmable
Allow automatic control of many devices
What are the disadvantages of actuators?
Requires power
Potential mechanical wear
Requires DAC interface
List two peripheral devices that could be used to input text by people who are unable to use a mouse and keyboard
[2]
Any two from:
Microphone
Touchscreen
Trackpad
(Graphics) tablet
Camera / Eye tracker / Gesture sensor/reader
What is a storage device?
the hardware that reads from and writes to different storage medias
Storage devices are non-volatile secondary storage, that retain digital data within a computer system
They provide a means of storing, accessing, and retrieving data, which can include software applications, documents, images, videos, and more
There are 3 types of storage device:
Magnetic
Solid State
Optical
What is magnetic storage?
Magnetic storage is a type of non-volatile media that uses magnets (polarity) to store binary 0s and 1s
What are the advantages of magnetic storage?
- capacity (high storage)
- cost (low per gigabyte)
- speed , moderate read/write acess
What are the disadvantages of magnetic storage?
- durability as moving parts can get damaged if dropped
- portability as they are heavy and bulky making them less convenient for transport
- reliability
noise- loud spinning disks
What is solid state storage?
a type of non-volatile media that uses electronic circuits to store binary 0s and 1s
What are the advantages of solid state storage?
- capacity (medium/high storage)
- speed (fast read/write access)
- durability (no moving parts)
- portability
noise (silent)
What are the disadvantages of solid state storage?
- cost as very high per gigabyte
- reliability as limited read/write cycles
What is optical storage?
a type of non-volatile media that uses lasers to burn the surface of a disk, creating pits and lands suitable for storing binary 0s and 1s
What are the advantages of optical storage?
- cost as very low per gigabyte
- durability as no moving parts
- portability as small and no moving parts
- noise is silent
What are the disadvantages of optical storage?
- capacity is very low
- speed is very slow read/write access
- reliability - prone to scratches
What is a capacity of storage?
describe the amounts of binary digits that can be stored on a digital device
Bit- b- 1 or 0
Nibble- 4 b
Byte- B- 8 b
Kibibyte- KiB- 1024 B (210)
Mebibyte- MiB- 1,048,576 KB (220)
Gibibyte- GiB- 1,073,741,824 MB (230)
Tebibyte- TiB- 1,099,511,626,776GB (240)
Explain one benefit of using solid state storage with a smartphone
[2]
Data (transfer) will not be negatively affected by movement / less risk of damage to the drive [1]…
…because solid state storage does not use moving parts [1]
OR
Smartphones are portable [1]…
…because solid state storage takes up less space / has no moving parts [1]
OR
Longer battery life [1]…
…because solid state storage uses less power [1]
What is storage media?
Storage media is the physical media that holds non-volatile data
Storage devices have a specific read/write mechanism built in to interact with a particular storage media
For example, magnetic tape media is read by a magnetic storage device
What are hard disks?
- Hard disks are a magnetic storage media
- Made up of platters that spin on a central spindle
- A read/write head moves on an arm across the platter to read/write data
The amount of time taken to read/write data is influenced by:
How fast the platters spin (measured in revolutions per minute (RPM))
How fast the head moves across the platter
Used in personal computers, servers and backups
What is optical media?
Used with an optical storage device
All optical media is recordable (CD-R, DVD-R, BD-R)
Some optical media can be re-written (CD-RW, DVD-RW, BD-RE)
Used for multimedia (music, games & films)
CDs- up to 700 MB data
DVDs- 4.7 GB single sided/single layer
18 GB double sides/double layer
Blu-ray- 25 GB single sided, 50 GB double sided
What is flash media?
Flash media is a solid state storage media
More reliable than a hard disk as contains no moving parts
Very fast read/write speeds
Used in mobile devices, laptops
What is magnetic tape?
Old technology used primarily for recording sound
Now used to store vast amounts of data (backups)
Very slow read/write speeds
Used for whole system backups and archives
A USB flash memory card has 64 MiB of storage capacity.
Construct an expression to show how many bits are in 64 MiB
[3]
1 mark for sight of 8
1 mark for sight of 1024
1 mark for complete expression: 64 x 10242 x 8
…including all parts multiplied
All three marks for the result of the calculation: 536,870,912
What is RAM?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is primary storage that is directly connected to the CPU and holds the data and instructions that are currently in use (temporary)
RAM is volatile which means the contents of RAM are lost when the power is turned off
For the CPU to access the data and instructions they must be copied from secondary storage
RAM is very fast working memory, much faster than secondary storage
RAM is read/write which means data can be read from and written to
In comparison to ROM, it has a much larger capacity
RAM capacity can be increased to improve performance
What is ROM?
ROM (Read Only Memory) is primary storage that holds the first instructions a computer needs to start up (Boot file)
ROM contains the BIOS (Basic Input Output System)
ROM is a small memory chip located on the computers motherboard
ROM is fast memory, much faster than secondary storage but slower than RAM
ROM is non-volatile which means the contents of ROM are not lost when the power is turned off
ROM is read only which means data can only be read from
In comparison to RAM, it has a much smaller capacity
ROM capacity can not be increased
Some types of ROM can be changed
EPROM - erasable programmable read only memory
EEPROM - electronically erasable programmable read only memory
What are the differences between RAM and ROM?
Stores- ram- data and programs in use, rom- boot file
Capacity- ram- variable, rom- fixed
Contents- ram- variable, rom- fixed
Contents- ram- temporary, rom- permanent
Read/write- ram- read and write, rom- read only
What is flash memory?
Flash memory is a type of EEPROM (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)
Non-volatile
Fast access times
Low power consumption
Used in solid state drives, USB drives and SD memory cards
What is the purpose of the CPU?
The purpose of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is to execute instructions
The CPU achieves this by completing processor cycles
A modern CPU is capable of performing billions of processor cycles in one second
Explain one negative impact of a user decreasing the amount of RAM in a computer
[3]
Programs will load more slowly / Fewer applications can be open at the same time [1]…
…as they are more reliant on being read from secondary storage / virtual memory / HDD / SSD [1]…
…which has slower read/write times than RAM [1]
What is the central processing unit cycle stages?
Fetch stage
During the fetch stage of the cycle, the next instruction or data must be fetched from the computer’s memory (RAM)
The instruction or data is brought back to the CPU
Decode stage
During the decode stage of the cycle, the CPU needs to work out what is required from the instruction
This could be a range of tasks depending on what the instruction or data included
Execute stage
During the execute stage of the cycle, the CPU will carry out the instruction that was fetched
Some examples that would take place at this stage are
Performing a calculation
Storing a result or data back in main memory (RAM)
Going to main memory to fetch data from a different location
How is the speed of a processor measured?
The speed of a processor is measured by it’s clock speed
Clock speed is measured in Hertz (Hz)
The clock speed measures the number of processor cycles that can take place in 1 second
The faster the clock speed, the more instructions can be fetched and executed per second
Modern computers have a clock speed in Gigahertz (GHz), meaning billion
A clock speed of 3.5GHz can perform up to 3.5 billion instructions per second
What is meant by the number of cores?
A core works like it is its own CPU
Multiple core processors mean they have multiple separate processing units that can fetch, decode and execute instructions at the same time
Multi-core processors can run more powerful programs with greater ease
Multiple cores increase the performance of the CPU by working with the clock speed
Example: A quad-core CPU (4 cores), running at a clock speed of 3Ghz
4 cores x 3GHz
4 x 3 billion instructions
12 billion instructions per second
Describe how the speed of the processor affects a users experience when playing a game
[4]
A description to include four from:
Faster processors fetch/decode/execute more instructions/data / have more cycles [1] per second [1]
so:
graphics render more quickly / at greater resolution [1]
making the visuals smoother / graphics can be displayed at greater resolution [1]
making the environment more realistic [1]
more actions can be carried out [1]
making the gameplay more immersive/exciting [1]
What are the types features of devices?
Desktops: Ideal for high-performance tasks including graphic design, and video editing
Laptops: Portable, with similar functionality to a desktop, and suitable for a wide range of tasks including studying and day-to-day business
Tablets: Lightweight, touch-controlled, good for reading, browsing, and simple applications
Smartphones: Highly portable, useful for communication and light computing tasks including email and web browsing
What are the types of peripherals?
Keyboards and mouse: Essential for desktop setups and for ergonomic options to enhance comfort
Monitors: Larger screens improve productivity and reduce eye strain - they are also essential in aiding the use of computers for users with severe visual impairment
Printers and scanners: Necessary for hard copy documentation, including increasing the size of documentation for users
External storage: Provides additional or backup storage capacity
What type of peripherals aid accessibility?
Ergonomic keyboards: Designed to reduce strain on the hands, wrists and arms by preventing repetitive stress injuries (RSI)
Screen readers: Assist visually impaired users by reading text aloud to them
Braille displays: Enable visually impaired users to read digital text
Braille keyboard: Enables visually impaired users to use the keyboard effectively
Braille printers: Prints a hard copy of a document in braille for visually impaired users to read
Haptic feedback/vibration devices: Provides feedback to the user without reliance of visuals or sound
Reading pen: Allows users with dyslexia to interpret text
How can Software can be broken down into categories, depending on a user’s needs?
Productivity software
Specialised software
Accessibility software
What is productivity software?
Word processors: Essential for creating and editing documents
Spreadsheets: Used for data analysis and data management
Presentation tools: Vital for creating engaging presentations
What is specialised software?
CAD programs: Necessary for design and engineering tasks
Graphic design tools: Critical for creating visual content
Database management systems: Important for organising and managing large data sets
What is accessibility software?
Screen readers: Convert digital text into speech for visually impaired users
Voice recognition software: Allows users to control devices and input text using voice commands
Magnification tools: Enlarge text and images on the screen for users with low vision
How can you match these types of software to users needs?
Ensures optimal performance and accessibility
An example of this would be text-to-speech software which aids students with dyslexia in reading and comprehension
What is system configuration?
Display settings: Adjust screen resolution, brightness, and font size for better readability
Audio settings: Customise volume and audio output options to enhance listening experience
Accessibility features: Enable high-contrast modes, screen magnifiers, and voice commands.
What is system configuration?
Display settings: Adjust screen resolution, brightness, and font size for better readability
Audio settings: Customise volume and audio output options to enhance listening experience
Accessibility features: Enable high-contrast modes, screen magnifiers, and voice commands.
What is hardware and software settings?
Using hardware and software settings to enhance a users experience and specifically meet their needs comes with great benefits, these include:
Enhances usability and productivity
Ensures the ICT system meets specific operational and security requirements
There are many ways hardware and software can be configured to meet a user’s needs, some of these include:
Network settings
Adding user permissions
Security protocols
Network settings: Configure network connections, set up virtual networks and manage bandwidth to ensure users and guest users all have a positive experience
User permissions: Assign user roles, restrict access to sensitive data, and ensure data security
Security protocols: Implement firewalls, antivirus software, and encryption for enhanced data protection
What are hardware solutions?
Adjustable monitor stands: Provide ergonomic viewing positions to reduce strain
Alternative input devices: Use trackballs, head pointers, or adaptive keyboards for users with limited dexterity
There is a wide variety of other accessibility hardware features available such as:
Gesture interface
Braille keyboards
Reading pen
Puff suck switch
Foot pedals
Eye typers
What are software solutions?
Screen readers: Assist users with visual impairments by reading on-screen text aloud
Voice-to-text applications: Enable users to dictate text and control devices via voice commands
Customisable keyboard shortcuts: Simplify navigation and command execution for users with motor impairments
Some learners have accessibility needs. Describe two way that ICT systems can be configured to support learners with accessibility needs [4]
Answers
Gesture interface [1]
allows data entry for those with low levels of mobility/dexterity [1]
Braille keyboards [1]
would allow those with visual impairments to enter data [1]
Reading pen [1]
allows users with dyslexia to interpret text [1]
How can Software can be broken down into categories, depending on a user’s needs?
Productivity software
Specialised software
Accessibility software
