A computer is a digital device that runs on electricity to perform logical and mathematical operations as per our requirements. A computer is made up of hardware and software.
Hardware are the physical devices attached to each other to form a computer. Some computers like laptops and tablets have just a single assembled hardware, which is a collection of multiple hardware devices, like a keyboard, mouse and monitor. Software is the programmable solutions that let us control hardware, to do the required logical and mathematical tasks.
Hardware examples are mouse, keyboard, monitor and UPS. Examples of software are operative systems, driver software and notepad applications.
Different types of computers
Here are the types of computers which are commonly used.
- Desktop Computer
- Laptop
- Smartphone
- Tablet
A desktop computer is an assembled computer. Separate CPU, UPS, Mouse, Keyboard, Speaker and Monitor are assembled to form a desktop computer. We put it on the desktop, that’s why we called it a desktop computer.
The Laptop is similar to a desktop computer, except it is a hardware computer, which has everything built including CPU, battery, Mouse, Keyboard, Speaker and Monitor. The laptop has the same operating system and the same set of software solutions, that the desktop computer has.
Smartphone is the smallest computer around. In 2008, iPhone was launched, the first popular smartphone. Since then, many different smartphones have been launched. iOS and Android are the two most widely used smartphone operating systems, Android being the most popular.
iPhone is based on iOS, it is a stylish and qualitative smartphone, and everyone wants to have their hand on it. But the Android-based smartphones made the revolution because Android is open source. Any mobile manufacturing company can use Android as their smartphone’s OS. As a result, there is a huge market for Android-based smartphones, targeting all kinds of audiences.
The Tablet is smaller than a laptop and bigger than a smartphone. Like a smartphone, it was again Apple in 2010, which introduced a popular tablet, called the iPad. The tablet is less popular as compared to smartphones and computers. This is because it is bigger, which makes it difficult to carry around, unlike smartphones. It has a large UI which is a competition to laptop and computer, but the configuration is normally low.
So, people mainly go for a smartphone or a computer. Nevertheless, tablets are cool and have their importance.
Some interesting facts
- The Antikythera Mechanism from Greece is believed to be the oldest computer in the world, dated back before BC.
- ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) is believed to be the first electronic computer.
- Osborne 1 is considered to be the first laptop. It was produced by Adam Osborne in 1981, also named after him.
- Douglas Engelbart is considered to be the inventor of the Computer Mouse, in the 1960s. A computer mouse is named a Mouse because of its appearance.
- The first computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI) was Xerox Alto. It was developed in the 1970s. It has a mouse to control the system.