There are many types of computers out there, all available for different purposes. Mac and PC are the two main computer producers, each has many models of each kind of computer.
Microcomputers are computers with microprocessor chips as their CPUs. Often called Personal Computers (PCs), they are used for word processing, emailing, music, photo and video editing, database management, and thousands of other uses. The two major kinds of PCs are desktops and laptops.
Desktop computers include a case that holds the computer’s insides (the motherboard, drives, cards, etc.), a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. Desktop computers are generally – as it sounds – set up at a desk or workspace permanently, and plugged into a wall outlet for power.
Laptop computers are portable notebooks small and light enough to be carried around. They have a built-in screen, keyboard, and mouse-device (sometimes a touchpad, sometimes otherwise), they generally fold to close. Laptops use a battery but also have a power charger cord that plugs into a wall.
Next we have workstations, which are very powerful microcomputers used for applications that require more power than regular PCs. Workstations are used generally for one person, but they can also be used as server computers - supplying files to client computers over a network. These high-end workstations are able to process much more than average microcomputers.
Another kind of computer is a PDA, or Personal Digital Assistant. It is a handheld microcomputer with a touch-sensitive LCD screen. They often can communicate with desktop computers or with each other (by cable connection, IR beam, or radio waves). They are generally used as personal planners, as calendars, to do lists, address books, etc. There are also palmtop or handheld PCs which are small microcomputers, similar to a mini laptop with a small keyboard and screen.
This is an example of a PDA.
Aside from microcomputers, there are mainframes, supercomputers, and minicomputers.
Mainframe computers are powerful enough to process up to several hundred users simultaneously. Users submit taks to the mainframe through terminals, which are devices with screens and keyboards but but cannot process data. Mainframes generally cost several hundred thousand dollars, and are used by large companies who need processing power and information storage in a central location. They are also used as server computers for very large networks.
Supercomputers are mainframe computer that have updated speed and processing power. They are used for extremely calculation-intensive tasks (such as aerodynamic flows, global weather patterns, etc.) and are typically several million dollars.
This is a supercomputer, a Cray-2 from the 1980’s.
Minicomputers are cheaper, less powerful versions of mainframes. They generally cost $100,000. However, these multi-user computers have been mostly taken over by high-end multiple-user microcomputer workstations.
