What is hardware?

Authors Avatar
GCSE ICT

             

       

            REPORT

                   ON

            HARDWARE

           

      BY:

        REBECCA SOTOMI

                        10 M

What is hardware?

Hardware is the physical devices that can be touched and used to send or receive messages or information to and from one person to another person.  

The components of a computer system are:

  • Input devices- these get data into the computer.
  • The main processor unit- this manipulates the data.
  • The storage devices- these save data.
  • The output devices- these display the data in soft or hard copy.
  • The cables and connectors that join it all together.

There are three types of hardware. These are:

1) INPUT DEVICES

 These are the tools used to enter data, commands and information into the computer’s central processing unit (C.P.U). The most common input devices are:

  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Scanner
  • Digital Camera
  • Joy stick
  • Roller ball
  • Microphone.

Keyboard

     This is the most common and widely used input device. It is used to key in data. Touching or pressing a key sends an electronic signal to the computer that interprets it as a character or function. Some special keyboards include touch sensitive keyboards, braille keyboards, mobile phone keyboards and Large-keyed colour coded keyboards, amongst others. Keyboards are divided into four main areas are:

♦ Function keys across the top

♦ Letter keys in the main section

♦ A numeric keypad on the right

♦ Cursor movement and editing keys between the main section and the numeric keypad.

Mouse

      This is a pointing device used to control the movement and position of the cursor by moving the mouse around on a flat surface such as a desk. The standard mouse comprises casing, buttons and base. As technology has developed, the mouse has evolved from its original design and now come in different styles to suit different requirements.

Scanner

     This is an input device that reads words or graphics from a printed page and translates the pattern of light and dark (or colour) into a digital signal the computer can store and manipulate. The most common scanner is the flatbed scanner that works quite like a photocopier. Hand-held scanners are still used but, as flat board scanners are now quite inexpensive, their use is diminishing. They are only a few centimetres wide and this limits the amount of information that can be scanned to small areas.

Digital Camera

           This looks just like a traditional camera but instead of recording an image on film, light intensities are converted into digital form that can be stored on a disk as a data file, similar to a word or Excel file. The digital camera is now more commonly and widely used than traditional camera because pictures can be previewed and if they are not good enough can be DELETED.

Joy Stick

       These are used mostly when playing computer games. The handle in the centre of the joystick moves an object on screen and translates movements of the hand and fingers into the motion on a computer screen.

Rollerball

         This is also known as a tracker ball. It is an upside down mouse that allows the user to point to selected items on screen. The user rotates the roller ball with his/ her fingers instead of pushing a mouse around a desktop. It requires very little space to operate and is commonly built into laptop computers in place of a normal mouse.

Join now!

Microphone   

         This input device is sound sensitive and the microphones used with computer are the same as any other type of microphone. Because it is used mostly with voice recognition that translates spoken words into digital signals for the computer, it makes it possible to operate a computer without using any hands- it’s hands free.

2) OUTPUT DEVICES

These are the devices used for retrieving information from the computer either through sight or hearing. The most common output devices are:

♦ Video Display Unit (VDU)

♦ Speakers

♦ Printers

Video ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

What is hardware?
Document Details
  • Word Count
    2766
  • Page Count
    11
  • Level
    GCSE
  • Subject
    ICT
Related Essays
Hardware Report
Hardware Report
Hardware analysis.
Hardware analysis.
ICT Ao1 Hardware
ICT Ao1 Hardware
Using Hardware
Using Hardware