Scroll Wheel Computer windows are often not large enough to display the entire contents of the window at one time. Therefore, you may need to scroll through the window to view all the contents. Traditionally, this has been done by clicking and dragging the slider within the scroll bar. However, many mice now come with …
Secondary Memory Secondary memory refers to storage devices, such as hard drives and solid state drives. It may also refer to removable storage media, such as USB flash drives, CDs, and DVDs. Unlike primary memory, secondary memory is not accessed directly by the CPU. Instead, data accessed from secondary memory is first loaded into RAM …
Secondary Storage Secondary storage technology refers to storage devices and storage media that are not always directly accessible by a computer. This differs from primary storage technology, such as an internal hard drive, which is constantly available. Examples of secondary storage devices include external hard drives, USB flash drives, and tape drives. These devices must …
Sector A sector is the smallest unit that can be accessed on a hard disk. Each platter, or circular disk of a hard disk is divided into tracks, which run around the disk. These tracks get longer as they move from the middle towards the outside of the disk, so there are more sectors along …
Serial Port A serial port is a type of hardware interface found on personal computers from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. They were also called COM ports or RS-232 ports. Serial ports were used to connect peripherals like modems, game controllers, and mice. While generally considered obsolete in personal computing following the introduction …
Server A server is a computer that provides data to other computers. It may serve data to systems on a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) over the Internet. Many types of servers exist, including web servers, mail servers, and file servers. Each type runs software specific to the purpose of …
Shift Key The Shift key is a modifier key on the keyboard. Its primary purpose is to capitalize lowercase letters. When the Shift key is not being pressed, letters are entered as lowercase by default (unless Caps Lock has been activated). When a user holds down the Shift key while typing a letter, the capitalized …
Smartphone A smartphone is a mobile phone that includes advanced functionality beyond making phone calls and sending text messages. Most smartphones have the capability to display photos, play videos, check and send e-mail, and surf the Web. Modern smartphones, such as the iPhone and Android based phones can run third-party applications, which provides limitless functionality. …
Smartwatch A smartwatch is a digital watch that provides many other features besides timekeeping. Examples include monitoring your heart rate, tracking your activity, and providing reminders throughout the day. Like a smartphone, a smartwatch has a touchscreen display, which allows you to perform actions by tapping or swiping on the screen. Modern smartwatches include several …
Solid State In the context of electronic devices, “solid state” refers to a component that has no moving parts. Solid-state components use solid materials like silicon to carry electronic signals, as opposed to the vacuum tubes and other mechanical components used by early electronics. The term is often used specifically to refer to solid-state flash …