CHAPTER 6 : INSIDE COMPUTERS AND MOBILE DEVICES

 

OBJECTIVES

•Describe the various computer and mobile device cases and the

 contents they protect.

•Describe multi-core processors the components of a processor, and the four steps in a

 machine cycle.

•Identify characteristics of various personal computer processors on the market today,

 and describe the ways processors are cooled.

•Explain the advantages and services of cloud computing.

•Define a bit, and describe how a series of bits represents data.

•Explain how program and application instructions transfer in and out of memory.

•Differentiate among the various types of memory.

•Describe the purpose of adapter cards, USB adapters, and Express Card modules.

•Explain the function of a bus.

•Explain the purpose of a power supply and batteries.

•Understand how to care for computers and mobile devices.

INSIDE THE CASE

•The case contains and protects the electronics of the computer or mobile

  device from damage.

•The motherboard is the main circuit board of the computer.

       

PROCESSORS

•The processor, also called the central processing unit (CPU), interprets and

  carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer.

•A multi-core processor is a single chip with two or more separate processor cores.

•The control unit is the component of the processor that directs and coordinates most of

  the operations in the computer.

•The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic, comparison, and other operations.

•For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of four basic operations, which consist of

  a machine cycle :

FETCH, DECODE, EXECUTE, STORE

•The leading manufacturers of personal computer processor chips are Intel and AMD.

•A processor chip generates heat that could cause the chip to malfunction or fail.

•Require additional cooling

–Heat sinks

–Liquid cooling technology

–Cooling mats

CLOUD COMPUTING

•Business users choose cloud computing for accessibility, cost savings, space

  savings, scalability.

DATA REPRESENTATION

• Analog signals are continuous and vary in strength and quality.

• Digital signals are in one of two states: on or off

-> The circuitry in a computer or mobile device represents the on or the off

      states electronically by the presence or absence of an electronic charge.

-> Eight bits grouped together as a unit are called a byte. A byte represents

      a single character in the computer or mobile device.

MEMORY

• Memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to

  be executed by the processor, data needed by those instructions, and the

  results of processing the data.

• Stores three basic categories of items such as :

-> The operating system and other programs

-> Applications

-> Data being processed and the resulting information

• The system unit contains two types of memory :

  Volatile memory       - Loses its contents when power is turned off (RAM)

  Nonvolatile memory - Loses its contents when power is turned off (ROM, flash

                                         memory, CMOS)

• Access time is the amount of time it takes the processor to read from memory

  (nanoseconds).

ADAPTERS

•An adapter card enhances functions of a component of a desktop or server system unit

  and provides connections to peripherals.

•An expansion slot is a socket on a desktop or server motherboard that can hold an

  adapter card.

•With Plug and Play, the computer automatically can recognize peripheral devices as
  you install them.

POWER SUPPLY AND BATTERY

• The power supply or laptop AC adapter converts the wall outlet AC into DC power.

• Mobile computers and devices can run using either a power supply or batteries.

• Batteries typically are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

SUMMARY

•Various components inside computers and mobile devices.

•Types of processors, steps in a machine cycle, and processor cooling methods.

•Advantages and services of cloud computing.

•How memory stores data and described various types of memory.

•Adapters, buses, power supplies and batteries.

•Ways to care for computers and mobile devices.