A computer is an electronic device that is used to process information. This information can be in the form of alphanumeric characters (letters, numbers, and symbols), sounds, and pictures. Computers process this information (commonly referred to as data) to perform tasks as varied as turning on a light by voice command to executing mathematical calculations. These calculations might be as simple as adding 1 + 1 and giving you the result of 2, or as complex as calculating the trajectory of an unmanned rocket into space, or scanning your face to allow you into a locked room. Computers come in a variety of sizes and abilities. In general, smaller devices contain fewer computing abilities, although the processing power of today’s small devices can rival that of very large devices only a few years old.
Computing devices can be categorized in a number of different ways, based on their size and function:
- Desktop computers with peripheral components
- All-in-one desktop computers
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Smartphones
- Servers
- Supercomputers and mainframes
