Input Devices

INPUT DEVICES

Camera - most cameras like this are used during live conversations.  The camera transmits a picture from one computer to another, or can be used to record a short video.

Compact Disc (CD) - CDs store information.  The CD can then be put into another computer, and the information can be opened and added or used on the second computer.
Note:  A CD-R or CD-RW can also be used as an OUTPUT device.

Keyboard - The keyboard is a way to input letters or numbers into different applications or programs.  A keyboard also has special keys that help operate the computer.

Mouse - The mouse is used to open and close files, navigate web sites, and click on a lot of commands (to tell the computer what to do) when using different applications.

Digital Camera - A digital camera can be used to take pictures.  It can be hooked up to a computer to transfer the pictures from the camera to the computer.  Some digital cameras hold a floppy disk, and the floppy disk can be taken out of the camera and put directly into the computer.

OUTPUT DEVICES

Monitor - A monitor is the screen on which words, numbers, and graphics can be seem.  The monitor is the most common output device.

Printer - A printer prints whatever is on the monitor onto paper.  Printers can print words, numbers, or pictures.

Speaker - A speaker gives you sound output from your computer.  Some Speakers are built into the computer and some are separate.

Disk Drives - A disk drive is used to record information from the computer onto a floppy disk or CD.

Floppy Disk - A floppy disk is used to record information on.  The information is stored on the floppy disk and can be used later or used on another computer.

STORAGE DEVICES

Floppy Disk

The last incarnation of the floppy disk was 3.5 inches and usually held 1.44 megabytes.

Floppy disks were the most common form of storage in early computing. While some older computers still utilize a floppy disk drive, most new computers do not offer them as an option and therefore, floppy disks are phasing out as a form of storage media.

Secure Digital (SD) Card

SD cards are often used in cameras and cell phones.

SD cards are a form of flash storage memory typically used in cameras, phones, PDAs and other small form-factor devices. However, many computers also have media card readers that accept SD cards as storage devices. A standard SD card holds up to 4 gigabytes, an SDHC card can hold up to 32 gigabytes and as-yet unreleased version (as of 2010), the SDXC card will theoretically hold up to two terabytes of data.

USB Flash Drive

USB flash drives are small and portable storage solutions.

USB flash drives use a solid state drive technology (no moving parts) that is both small in form and compatible with any computer that has a USB port. They are often called "jump drives" because they are so portable that they can quickly "jump" from one computer to another, or "thumb drives" because they're roughly the size of a thumb. As of October, 2010, USB flash drives can hold up to 256 gigabytes of data.

Hard Disk Drive

Hard disk drives are the most popular form of computer storage device and can either be internally installed within the computer or attached externally using an interface cable. Hard disks use a series of hard platters that spin on a motorized spindle and data is read magnetically by a set of heads that float above the platters. Hard disk drive technology provides the highest amount of data storage---up to 3 megabytes of data. CD, DVD and Blu-Ray disc

Optical media began with CDs, then moved to DVDs and the latest technology is Blu-ray.

Originally, CD-ROMs were just that---Read-Only Media (ROM). You could burn data onto a CD once and then only read from it. Now CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs are fully rewritable, meaning you can add and remove data as long as you have a CD-RW, DVD-RW or BD-RE optical drive. CDs hold a relatively small amount of data, usually about 700 to 800 megabytes. DVDs, however, can hold up to 8.5 gigabytes and Blu-ray discs can hold up to 50 gigabytes.