Chromebook A Chromebook is a laptop that runs Google’s Chrome OS operating system. While Google sells its own Chromebook model, the Chromebook Pixel, many other manufacturers offer Chromebooks as well. Examples include Dell, HP, Toshiba, Samsung, ASUS, and Acer. Chromebooks are designed to be inexpensive and highly portable. They are considered thin clients since they …
Cluster In computing, a cluster may refer to two different things: 1) a group of sectors in a storage device, or 2) a group of connected computers. 1) A group of sectors A sector is the smallest unit that can be accessed on a storage device like an HDD or SSD. A cluster, or allocation …
Coaxial Cable Coaxial (or “coax”) cable is a common type of cable used for transmitting data over long distances. It can carry either an analog or digital signal. While coax cables have many applications, they are most commonly used to transmit cable TV and Internet signals. Coax cables that run underground are typically thicker and …
Compact Flash Compact Flash, often abbreviated CF, is a removable memory card format that uses nonvolatile flash memory. Digital cameras and other handheld electronic devices use CF cards to store and transfer digital photos, video, and other data. SanDisk introduced Compact Flash in 1994, and over time it became one of the most common removable …
Component Computers are made up of many different parts, such as a motherboard, CPU, RAM, and hard drive. Each of these parts are made up of smaller parts, called components. For example, a motherboard includes electrical connectors, a printed circuit board (PCB), capacitors, resistors, and transformers. All these components work together to make the motherboard …
Computer A computer is a programmable machine capable of executing a programmed list of instructions, accepting input, and returning output. While many mechanical devices can technically function as computers, the term commonly refers to digital electronic computers. All computers are a combination of hardware and software that are useless without each other. The term “hardware” …
Configuration A system configuration refers to the technical specifications (or “tech specs”) of a device. For a computer, the primary specs include the CPU type and speed, system memory (or RAM), graphics card (GPU), storage device type and capacity, and operating system. A detailed configuration may include the motherboard, network adapters (including Ethernet and Wi-Fi capabilities), Bluetooth connectivity, and …
Console A console is the combination of a monitor and keyboard. It is a rudimentary interface in which the monitor provides the output and the keyboard is used for input. While any computer with a monitor and keyboard may be considered a console, the term most often refers to a system used to control one …
Controller Card A controller card, sometimes referred to simply as a “controller,” is a computer hardware component that creates an interface between a computer’s main system motherboard and other hardware components. Some controllers will be integrated directly into the motherboard, while others may be added on as expansion cards. Motherboards have several types of controllers …
DAS Stands for “Direct Attached Storage.” DAS refers to any storage device connected directly to a computer. Examples include HDDs, SSDs, and optical drives. While DAS can refer to internal storage devices, it is most often describes external devices, such as an external hard drive. The term “DAS” was created to differentiate between network-attached storage …