Personal computing

Terms related to personal computers, including definitions about computers sold as consumer products and words and phrases about laptops, tablets and smartphones.

136 browser colors with names - Some Web page creators prefer to specify colors by name rather than by hexadecimal red-green-blue (RGB) intensity value.
2D barcode (two-dimensional barcode) - A 2D (two-dimensional) barcode is a graphical image that stores information horizontally as one-dimensional barcodes do, as well as vertically.
3-D printing (additive manufacturing) - 3-D printing is a manufacturing process that builds layers to create a three-dimensional solid object from a digital model.
3D (three dimensions or three dimensional) - 3D, or three dimensional, refers to the three spatial dimensions of width, height and depth.
3D mesh - ): A 3D mesh is the structural build of a three-dimensional model consisting of polygons.
4 P's marketing mix - The marketing mix, also known as the four P's of marketing, refers to the four key elements of a marketing strategy: product, price, place and promotion.
64-bit processor (64-bit computing) - A 64-bit processor refers to a microprocessor that can process data and instructions in chunks of 64 bits.
720p - 720p is a high-definition (HD) display standard used to describe the resolution of a television or computer display that measures 1280 x 720 pixels.
A-weighted decibel (dBA or dB(A)) - A-weighted decibel (dBA or dB(A)) is an expression of the relative loudness of sounds as perceived by the human ear.
abacus - An abacus is a manual aid to calculating that consists of beads or disks that can be moved up and down on a series of sticks or strings within a usually wooden frame.
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) - Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a protocol that maps dynamic IP addresses to permanent physical machine addresses in a local area network (LAN).
adware - Adware is any software application in which an advertising banner or other advertising material displays or downloads while a program is running.
AI PC - An AI PC is a personal computer equipped with hardware and software components to run artificial intelligence (AI) applications and tasks.
AI winter - AI winter is a quiet period for artificial intelligence research and development.
ambient temperature - Ambient temperature is the air temperature of any object or environment where equipment is stored.
Android Factory Reset - Android Factory Reset is a feature that erases all device settings, user data, third-party applications, and associated application data from an Android device’s internal flash storage to return the device to the condition it was in when shipped from the factory.
anime - Anime, pronounced AH-nee-may, is a style of Japanese animated entertainment that has become increasingly popular around the world in recent years.
anonymous FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a method for allowing users to access public files from a remote server or archive site without requiring them to identify themselves to the server or site.
anti-replay protocol - The anti-replay protocol provides Internet Protocol (IP) packet-level security by making it impossible for a hacker to intercept message packets and insert changed packets into the data stream between a source computer and a destination computer.
Apple - Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computer Inc.
Apple AirDrop - Apple AirDrop is a native feature in iOS and macOS that lets users share data from one device to another on the same Wi-Fi network.
Apple Bonjour - Apple Bonjour is a group of networking technologies designed to help devices and applications discover each other on the same network.
Apple Push Notification service (APNs) - Apple Push Notification service (APNs) is a cloud service that allows approved third-party apps installed on Apple devices to send push notifications from a remote server to users over a secure connection.
Apple Watch - Apple Watch is a wearable smartwatch that allows users to accomplish a variety of tasks, including making phone calls, sending text messages and reading email.
Apple watchOS (Apple Watch operating system) - Apple watchOS is the operating system (OS) designed specifically for the Apple Watch wearable device, with features that take advantage of the smaller screen and location of the device on the user's wrist.
at sign (address sign or @) - On the Internet, @ (pronounced "at" or "at sign" or "address sign") is the symbol in an e-mail address that separates the name of the user from the user's Internet address, as in this hypothetical e-mail address example: msmuffet@tuffet.
audio - Audio is sound that is within the acoustic range of human hearing.
augmented reality (AR) - Augmented reality (AR) is the integration of digital information with the user's environment in real time.
augmented reality app (AR app) - An augmented reality app (AR app) is a software application that integrates digital visual content (and sometimes audio and other types) into the user’s real-world environment.
augmented reality gaming (AR gaming) - Augmented reality gaming (AR gaming) is the real-time integration of virtual game elements with the physical environment of the player.
auto attendant (automated attendant) - An automated attendant (AA) is a telephony system that transfers incoming calls to various extensions as specified by callers, without the intervention of a human operator.
autocorrect - Autocorrect is a word processing feature that identifies misspelled words, and uses algorithms to identify the words most likely to have been intended, and edits the text accordingly.
autofill - Autofill, also called autocomplete, is a software feature that automatically inserts previously entered personal information into web form fields for the user's convenience.
Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) - Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) is a feature of Windows-based OSes -- included since Windows 98 and Windows ME -- that enables a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol client to automatically assign an IP address to itself when there's no DHCP server available to perform that function.
autonomous system (AS) - An autonomous system (AS) in networking is a collection of one or more associated Internet Protocol (IP) prefixes with a clearly defined routing policy that governs how the AS exchanges routing information with other autonomous systems.
backscatter spam - Backscatter spam, also called misdirected bounce spam or NDR spam, is a strategy for sending unsolicited email messages that takes advantage of the fact that certain types of mail transfer agent (MTA) programs return the entire message to the sender when a recipient's email address is invalid.
backslash - The backslash ( \ ) is a typographic and/or keyboard mark that is widely used in programming languages and other computing contexts.
beep code - A beep code is the audio signal from a computer when it first powers on to give the Power-On Self-Test (POST) result.
behavioral targeting - Behavioral targeting is the presentation of content and marketing based on the previous choices of users across websites.
Big Tech - Big Tech is a term that refers to the most dominant and largest technology companies in their respective sectors.
binaural sound (binaural beats) - Binaural sound is audio that is recorded through specialized dual microphone setups, allowing for a stereophonic 3D audio effect that simulates sound as heard when physically present.
BIOS (basic input/output system) - BIOS (basic input/output system) is the program a computer's microprocessor uses to start the computer system after it is powered on.
Bitcoin - Bitcoin is a digital currency -- also called cryptocurrency -- that can be traded for goods or services with vendors that accept Bitcoin as payment.
Bitly - Bitly is a URL shortener service that enables users to truncate webpage links.
Blu-ray - Blu-ray is an optical disc format designed to display high definition video and store large amounts of data.
bluesnarfing - Bluesnarfing is a hacking technique in which a hacker accesses a wireless device through a Bluetooth connection.
bone conduction headphones - Bone conduction headphones -- sometimes called 'bonephones'-- are headphones that transmit sound waves through the bones in a user's skull instead of their ear canal.
brain hacking - Brain hacking is the application of techniques and/or technologies to affect an individual’s mental state, cognitive processes or level of function.
browser - A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web.
busy lamp field (BLF) - A busy lamp field (BLF) is a light on a VoIP phone -- also known as an IP phone -- that tells end users when another extension within the system is in use by displaying a clear status on the phone's display.
BYOD (bring your own device) - BYOD (bring your own device) is a policy that enables employees in an organization to use their personally owned devices for work-related activities.
call tree - A call tree is a layered hierarchical communication model used to notify specific individuals of an event and coordinate recovery if necessary.
CamelCase - CamelCase is a way to separate the words in a phrase by making the first letter of each word capitalized and not using spaces.
capacitive touchscreen - A capacitive touchscreen is a control display that uses the conductive touch of a human finger or a specialized input device for input and control.
CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) - CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) is a virtual reality (VR) environment consisting of a cube-shaped VR room or a room-scale area in which the walls, floors and ceilings are projection screens.
CD-ROM - A CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) is a type of compact disc that can only be read, not written to.
change management - Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of an organization's goals, processes and technologies.
chat room - A chat room is an online platform that enables users to communicate with each other in real time.
chatting - While the term chatting or chitchat refers in general to communication between two or more parties that can occur in person, in today's modern age, it can also occur over the internet via Short Message Service (SMS) text message and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or, for example, through tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
chatty protocol - A chatty protocol is an application or routing protocol requiring a client or server to wait for an acknowledgment before transmitting data again.
Chernobyl virus - The Chernobyl virus is a computer virus with a potentially devastating payload that destroys all computer data when an infected file is executed.
chiplet - A chiplet is a sub processing unit, usually controlled by a I/O controller chip on the same package.
Chromecast - Chromecast is a streaming media adapter from Google that allows users to play online content such as videos and music on a digital television.
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing or supernetting) - CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing or supernetting) is a method of assigning IP addresses that improves the efficiency of address distribution and replaces the previous system based on Class A, Class B and Class C networks.
Citrix XenApp - Citrix XenApp, now called Citrix Virtual Apps, was a product that extends Microsoft Remote Desktop Session Host (formerly known as Terminal Services) desktop sessions and applications to users through the Citrix HDX protocol.
clean install - A clean install is a software installation in which any previous version is eradicated.
click fraud (pay-per-click fraud) - Click fraud -- sometimes called 'pay-per-click fraud' -- is a type of fraud that artificially inflates traffic statistics for online advertisements.
click-wrap agreement (click-through agreement) - A click-wrap agreement (click-through agreement) is an online agreement in which the user signifies their acceptance by clicking a button or checking a box that states, 'I agree.
Client Access Server (CAS) - The Client Access Server (CAS) is a server role that handles all client connections to Exchange Server 2010 and Exchange 2013.
clipboard - A clipboard is a feature in an operating system or application that temporarily stores data copied or cut from a document or other location, allowing the user to transfer or duplicate it elsewhere.
closed captions - Closed captions are a text version of the spoken part of a television, movie or computer presentation.
cloud collaboration - Cloud collaboration is a type of enterprise collaboration that allows employees to work together on documents and other data types, which are stored off-premises and outside of the company firewall.
cloud telephony (cloud calling) - Cloud telephony (cloud calling) is a type of unified communications as a service (UCaaS) that offers voice communication services through a third-party host.
cluster - Clusters are typically defined as collections or groups of items with similar or different characteristics.
CMOS sensor - A CMOS sensor is an electronic chip that converts photons to electrons for digital processing.
com - On the Internet, "com" is one of the top-level domain names that can be used when choosing a domain name.
commodity hardware - Commodity hardware in computing is computers or components that are readily available, inexpensive and easily interchangeable with other commodity hardware.
Common Language Runtime (CLR) - The Common Language Runtime (CLR) is programming that manages the execution of programs written in any of several supported languages, allowing them to share common object-oriented classes written in any of the languages.
Common Service Center (CSC) - Common Service Center (CSC) is an initiative by the government of India to establish locations with computers that are freely available for citizens to use.
compatibility - In the world of IT, compatibility refers to the ability of software and hardware from different sources to work together without having to be altered to do so.
connectionless - In telecommunications, connectionless describes communication between two network endpoints in which a message can be sent from one endpoint to another without prior arrangement.
corportal (corporate portal) - Corportals, short for corporate portals, are sometimes referred to as enterprise information portals and are used by corporations to build their internal web presence by leveraging a company's information resources.
cryptocurrency - Cryptocurrency is a digital form of currency that uses cryptography to secure the processes involved in generating units, conducting transactions and verifying the exchange of currency ownership.
CSS (cascading style sheets) - This definition explains the meaning of cascading style sheets (CSS) and how using them with HTML pages is a user interface (UI) development best practice that complies with the separation of concerns design pattern.
Ctrl-Alt-Delete - On a personal computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system, Control+Alt+Delete is the combination of the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and Del key that a user can press at the same time to terminate an application task or to reboot the operating system.
cursor - A cursor is the position indicator on a computer display screen where a user can enter text.
cyberbullying - Cyberbullying is a type of bullying in which one or more individuals use digital technologies to intentionally and repeatedly cause harm to another person.
cyberpsychology - Cyberpsychology is the field of study pertaining to the way people interact through computers or digital devices and the emotional effects that usage has on the brain.
cyberterrorism - Cyberterrorism is usually defined as any premeditated, politically motivated attack against information systems, programs, and data that threatens violence or results in violence.
CYOD (choose your own device) - CYOD (choose your own device) is an employee provisioning model in which an organization allows people to select the mobile devices they would like, usually from a limited number of options.
data plan (mobile data plan) - A data plan is an agreement between a mobile carrier and a customer that specifies how much mobile data the user can access, usually per month, for a specific fee on a carrier network.
data source name (DSN) - A data source name (DSN) is a data structure containing information about a specific database to which an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) driver needs to connect.
database availability group (DAG) - A database availability group (DAG) is a high availability (HA) and data recovery feature of Exchange Server 2010.
death by PowerPoint - Death by PowerPoint is a phenomenon caused by the poor use of presentation software.
deep web - The deep web is an umbrella term for parts of the internet not fully accessible through standard search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.
default password - A default password is a standard preconfigured password for a device or software.
defragmentation - Defragmentation is the process of locating the noncontiguous fragments of data into which a computer file may be divided as it is stored on a hard disk, and rearranging the fragments and restoring them into fewer fragments or into the whole file.
degrees of freedom (mechanics) - In mechanics, degrees of freedom (DOF) is the number of independent variables that define the possible positions or motions of a mechanical system in space.
desktop - A desktop is a computer display area that represents the kinds of objects found on top of a physical desk, including documents, phone books, telephones, reference sources, writing and drawing tools, and project folders.
desktop computer - A desktop computer is a personal computing device designed to fit on top of a typical office desk.