Computer Types

Remember the following words and word combinations.

1. digital circuit – цифровая схема

2. design, v – разрабатывать, предназначать

3. computation – вычисление

4. processing power – вычислительная мощность

5. support, v – поддерживать, обеспечивать

6. laptop – лэптоп, небольшой портативный компьютер

7. netbook – нетбук

8. palmtop – карманный компьютер

9. personal digital assistant – персональное цифровое устройство

10. intelligent – умный, программируемый, микропроцессорный

11. tablet – планшет, планшет ввода данных

Read and translate the text.

Text 2

A computer is a programmable machine. Computers can be generally classified by size and power, though there is considerable overlap. Their area of use is different. And there are different types of classification.

Based on operational principle, computers can be:

· Analogue computers: They use analogue signals.

· Digital computers: They use digital circuits. Digital computers are designed to operate on two states, namely bits 0 and 1. They are suitable for complex computation. Digital computers are programmable.

· Hybrid computers: These computers are a combination of both digital and analogue computer.

Based on Size and Processing Power, computers can be:

· Mainframes: a powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously. They are equal several small servers. Large organizations use mainframes.

· Minicomputers: minicomputers lie in between mainframes and microcomputers. Minicomputers are also called mid-range systems or workstations.

· Microcomputers: a computer with a microprocessor and its central processing unit. When supplemented with a keyboard and a mouse, microcomputers can be called personal computers (PC).

Based on Use, computers can be:

· Desktop computers: the most common type of PC.

· Laptopor notebook computer: a single easily portable box with everything built-in and able to run on internal batteries.

· Netbooks: a small notebook with limited functionality when not connected to an external network (e.g. the Internet)

· PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants, also known as a palmtop): a handheld computer. It has a touch screen and a memory card for storage of data. PDAs can also be used as portable audio players, web browsers and smartphones.

· Servers: they often provide services across a network. Usually they are very large in size, as they have large processors and many hard drives.

· Supercomputers: a system with massive numbers of processors.

· Wearable computers: they can be worn on the body, and they are often used in the study of human health.

· Embedded computers: a microcomputer built into some other 'intelligent' device and not directly usable as a computer.

· Tablets: mobile computers that are very handy to use.