Personal computing

Terms related to personal computers, including definitions about computers sold as consumer products and words and phrases about laptops, tablets and smartphones.
  • downloading - Downloading is the transmission of a file or data from one computer to another over a network, usually from a larger server to a user device.
  • DRAM (dynamic random access memory) - DRAM (dynamic random access memory) is a type of semiconductor memory that is typically used for the data or program code needed by a computer processor to function.
  • dual SIM phone - A dual SIM phone is a mobile phone, typically a smartphone, with the capacity to use two subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
  • DuckDuckGo - DuckDuckGo is an independent company that offers products geared toward internet privacy.
  • dynamic IP address - A dynamic IP address is a temporary address for devices connected to a network that will continually change over time.
  • dynamic port numbers - Dynamic port numbers, also known as private port numbers, are the port numbers that are available for use by any application to use in communicating with any other application, using the internet's Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
  • e-procurement (supplier exchange) - Electronic procurement, also known as e-procurement or supplier exchange, is the process of requisitioning, ordering and purchasing goods and services online.
  • Echo Show - The Echo Show is a smart speaker enabled with a 7-inch touchscreen by Amazon featuring Alexa, the company’s AI assistant.
  • EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) - EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) is a user-modifiable ROM.
  • email - Email (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages from one user to one or more recipients via the internet.
  • email archiving - Email archiving is a systematic approach to saving and protecting the data contained in emails to enable fast retrieval.
  • email signature - An email signature -- or signature block or signature file -- is the short text that appears at the end of an email message to provide more information about the sender.
  • email virus - An email virus consists of malicious code distributed in email messages to infect one or more devices.
  • empirical analysis - Empirical analysis is an evidence-based approach to the study and interpretation of information.
  • enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) - Enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) is a service that allows users to save files in cloud or on-premises storage and then access them on desktop and mobile devices.
  • enterprise mobility - Enterprise mobility is an approach to work in which employees can do their jobs from anywhere using a variety of devices and applications.
  • EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) - EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) is memory that does not lose its data when the power supply is cut off.
  • evil twin attack - An evil twin attack is a rogue Wi-Fi access point (AP) that masquerades as a legitimate one, enabling an attacker to gain access to sensitive information without the end user's knowledge.
  • Exchange Management Console (EMC) - The Exchange Management Console (EMC), introduced by Microsoft in 2007, is an administrative tool with a graphical user interface (GUI) that's used to manage the components and resources of Microsoft Exchange Server.
  • Exchange Online - Exchange Online is the hosted version of Microsoft's Exchange Server messaging platform that organizations can obtain as a stand-alone service or via an Office 365 subscription.
  • external hard drive - An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a computer through a USB or Firewire connection, or wirelessly.
  • extranet - An extranet is a private network that enterprises use to provide trusted third parties -- such as suppliers, vendors, partners, customers and other businesses -- secure, controlled access to business information or operations.
  • Facebook - Facebook is a social networking website that was founded in February 2004 by Harvard University students Chris Hughes, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg.
  • Facebook Connect - Facebook Connect is a single sign-on application which allows users to interact on other websites through their Facebook account.
  • Facebook page - A Facebook page is a public profile specifically created for businesses, brands, celebrities, causes, and other organizations.
  • FaceTime - FaceTime is a proprietary video and audio calling service developed by Apple Inc.
  • fault tolerance - Fault tolerance is the capability of a system to deliver uninterrupted service despite one or more of its components failing.
  • FDISK - FDISK is a disk utility included in all versions of MS-DOS, Windows and Linux for formatting or partitioning a hard disk drive, or to delete different portions of it.
  • Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) - The Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) is a platform that streamlines the translation of spatial data between geometric and digital formats.
  • Fedora - Fedora, also known as Fedora Linux, is a popular open source Linux-based operating system (OS).
  • field of view (FOV) - Field of view (FOV) is the open, observable area a person can see through their eyes or via an optical device, such as a camera.
  • filter bubble - A filter bubble is an algorithmic bias that skews or limits the information an individual user sees on the internet.
  • Firefox - Firefox is a free, open source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and Mozilla Corporation in 2004.
  • FIX protocol (Financial Information Exchange protocol) - The Financial Information Exchange (FIX) protocol is an open specification intended to streamline electronic communications in the financial securities industry.
  • FPV drone (first-person view drone) - An FPV drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a camera that wirelessly transmits video feed to goggles, a headset, a mobile device or another display.
  • FQA (frequently questioned answers) - FQA (frequently questioned answers) are conventions or mandates scrutinized by individuals or groups who doubt their validity.
  • FUBAR - FUBAR is an acronym that originated in the military to stand for the words "f***ed up beyond all repair.
  • fuzzy search - A fuzzy search is a technique that uses search algorithms to find strings that match patterns approximately.
  • gaming - Gaming is playing an electronic video game, which is often done on a dedicated gaming console, PC or smartphone.
  • gaming disorder - Gaming disorder is the obsessive and compulsive overuse of internet games and video games as an escape from life, resulting in the prioritization of gaming over daily activities and interests and the continuation of gaming despite the negative consequences that may occur.
  • general-purpose computer - A general-purpose computer is one that, given the application and required time, should be able to perform the most common computing tasks.
  • glyph - In information technology, a glyph -- from a Greek word meaning carving -- is a graphic symbol that provides the appearance or form for a character.
  • Gmail - Gmail (pronounced Gee-mail) is a free web-based email service that provides users with 15 GB of storage for messages and the ability to search for specific messages.
  • GNU GRUB - GNU GRUB (or just GRUB) is a boot loader package that supports multiple operating systems on a computer.
  • Google ChromeOS - Google ChromeOS, formerly Chrome OS, is a lightweight operating system (OS) built on ChromiumOS, an open source OS that shares the same code base as ChromeOS.
  • Google Maps - Google Maps is a web-based service that provides detailed information about geographical regions and sites worldwide.
  • Google Street View - Google Street View is a feature of Google Maps that enables users to view and navigate through 360 degree horizontal and 290 degree vertical panoramic street level images of various cities around the world.
  • Google Trends - Google Trends is a free service provided by Google that displays how often specific keywords, subjects and phrases have been searched for on Google over a period of time.
  • GPS coordinates - GPS coordinates are a unique identifier of a precise geographic location on the earth, usually expressed in alphanumeric characters.
  • grawlix - A grawlix is a sequence of typographical symbols used to represent a non-specific, profane word or phrase.
  • grayscale - Grayscale is a range of shades of gray without apparent color.
  • green cloud - Green cloud refers to the potential environmental benefits that green IT services delivered over the internet can offer to individual companies and society as a whole.
  • greenhouse gas - A greenhouse gas lets the sun's rays warm the Earth's surface but restricts the heat from escaping into space.
  • Group Policy - Group Policy is a management feature in Microsoft's Active Directory (AD) that enables network and system administrators to configure and assign user and computer settings in an AD environment.
  • haptics - Haptics is the science of applying a sense of touch and control to interaction with computer applications.
  • hard-drive encryption - Hard-drive encryption is a technology that encrypts the data stored on a hard drive using sophisticated mathematical functions.
  • HDTV (high-definition television) - HDTV (high-definition television) is a television display technology that provides picture quality similar to 35 mm movies with sound quality similar to that of a compact disc.
  • honey monkey - A honey monkey is a virtual computer system that is programmed to lure, detect, identify and neutralize malicious activity on the Internet.
  • hosting (website hosting, web hosting and webhosting) - Web hosting -- also known as website hosting or webhosting -- is the process where a web hosting provider stores and maintains website files and applications on a server to make its customers' websites accessible on the internet.
  • hotkey - A hot key is a key or a combination of keys on a computer keyboard that, when pressed at one time, performs a task (such as starting an application) more quickly than performing a task by using a mouse or other input device.
  • iBeacon - iBeacon is a small-scale network device that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and acts as a transmitter to detect and track smartphones.
  • icon - In today's age of technological advancement, most people recognize the word 'icon' as referring to a small selectable or nonselectable image representing or leading to something else in a computer's graphical user interface (GUI) or on the web.
  • IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) - IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) is an electronic interface standard that defines the connection between a bus on a computer's motherboard and the computer's disk storage devices.
  • ILOVEYOU virus - The ILOVEYOU virus comes in an email with 'ILOVEYOU' in the subject line and contains an attachment that, when opened, results in the message being re-sent to everyone in the recipient's Microsoft Outlook address book.
  • image compression - Image compression is a process applied to a graphics file to minimize its size in bytes without degrading image quality below an acceptable threshold.
  • immersive technology - Immersive technology is an integration of virtual content with the physical environment in a way that allows the user to engage naturally with the blended reality.
  • immersive virtual reality (immersive VR) - Immersive virtual reality (immersive VR) is the presentation of an artificial environment that replaces users' real-world surroundings convincingly enough that they can suspend disbelief and fully engage with the created environment.
  • implied consent - Implied consent is an assumption of permission to do something that is inferred from an individual's actions rather than explicitly provided.
  • in-app purchase (IAP) - An in-app purchase (IAP) is something bought from within an application, typically a mobile app running on a smartphone or other mobile device.
  • Inbox Zero - Inbox Zero is a rigorous approach to email management that aims to keep an inbox empty -- or almost empty -- at all times.
  • Information Age - The Information Age is the idea that access to and the control of information is the defining characteristic of this current era in human civilization.
  • inkjet printer - An inkjet printer is a computer peripheral that produces hard copies of a text document or photo by spraying droplets of ink onto paper.
  • inline frame (iframe) - An inline frame (iframe) is a HTML element that loads another HTML page within the document.
  • instance - In object-oriented programming (OOP), an instance is a specific realization of any object.
  • instant messaging - Instant messaging, often shortened to IM or IM'ing, is the exchange of near real-time messages through a standalone application or embedded software.
  • interactive whiteboard - An interactive whiteboard, commonly known as a 'smartboard,' is an advanced display tool that operates interactively, either directly or through other devices, serving as a technological advancement over traditional whiteboards.
  • interlaced display - An interlaced display, or interlaced scan video, is when a video only changes every other row of pixels in the image at each screen refresh.
  • internet - The internet, sometimes simply called 'the net,' is a worldwide system of interconnected computer networks and electronic devices that communicate with each other using an established set of protocols.
  • internet metering - Internet metering is a service model in which an internet service provider (ISP) keeps track of bandwidth use and charges users accordingly.
  • Internet porn - Internet porn is sexually explicit content made available online in various formats including images, video files, video games and streaming video.
  • interrupt marketing - Interrupt marketing is the traditional model of product promotion, in which people have to stop what they're doing to pay attention to the marketing message or deal with it in some other way.
  • interrupt request (IRQ) - An interrupt request (IRQ) is a signal sent to a computer's processor to momentarily stop (interrupt) its operations.
  • intranet - An intranet is a private network contained within an enterprise that is used to securely share company information and computing resources among employees.
  • iOS software development kit (iOS SDK) - The iOS software development kit (iOS SDK) is a collection of tools for the creation of apps for Apple's mobile operating system (OS).
  • iPad Air - Apple's iPad Air is a tablet that is lighter and thinner than Apple's previous tablets.
  • ISP (internet service provider) - An ISP (internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and companies access to the internet and other related services.
  • iTunes U - iTunes U is a dedicated section of Apple's iTunes Music Store that features educational audio and video files from universities, museums and public media organizations for free download to PCs and mobile devices.
  • JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - JPEG (pronounced JAY-peg) is a graphic image file compressed with lossy compression using the standard developed by the ISO/IEC Joint Photographic Experts Group.
  • JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) - JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a text-based, human-readable data interchange format used to exchange data between web clients and web servers.
  • kernel panic - A kernel panic refers to a computer error from which the system's operating system (OS) cannot quickly or easily recover.
  • LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) - LAMP is an open source Web development platform that uses Linux as the operating system, Apache as the Web server, MySQL as the relational database management system and PHP as the object-oriented scripting language.
  • laptop - A laptop, sometimes called a notebook computer by manufacturers, is a battery- or AC-powered personal computer (PC) smaller than a briefcase.
  • laser printer - A laser printer is a popular type of computer printer that uses a non-impact photocopier technology where there are no keys striking the paper.
  • LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) - LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a type of flat panel display which uses liquid crystals in its primary form of operation.
  • leet speak (leet) - Leet speak, also known as simply leet, is the substitution of a word's letters with numbers or special characters.
  • Link Control Protocol (LCP) - In computer networking, Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) provides a standard way to transport multiprotocol data over point-to-point links; within PPP, Link Control Protocol (LCP) establishes, configures and tests data link internet connections.
  • load balancing - Load balancing is a technique used to distribute network traffic across a pool of servers known as a server farm.
  • LTE (Long-Term Evolution) - LTE (Long-Term Evolution) is a fourth-generation (4G) wireless standard that provides increased network capacity and speed for cellphones and other cellular devices compared with third-generation (3G) technology.
  • MacBook Air - MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight laptop from Apple.
  • Macintosh - The Macintosh, now called the Mac, was the first widely sold personal computer (PC) with a graphical user interface (GUI) and a mouse.