Categories of computer

1. Computer is an electronic device (machine), that performs four basic operations: input, processing, output and storage.
2. 5 categories of computers are

• Supercomputer

• Mainframe

• Personal Computer

• Mobile computers and Devices

• Embedded computer

Supercomputer

A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful,  most expensive computer and used for very complex, sophisticated job such as nuclear research, calculating weather patterns, petroleum exploration, online banking, automotive design.

• Physical size

• Full room equipment

• Speed

• The fastest supercomputer are capable of processing billions of program instructions per second.

• Can operate at speeds measured in picoseconds-1,000 times as fast as microcomputers

•  Storage

• Can store more than 20,000 times the data and information of an average desktop computer.

Mainframe



A mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful computer that can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously (multi-user) and storing tremendous amounts of data, instructions and information.
Mainframes are often used in businesses that manage large amounts of data, for example, insurance companies use mainframes to process information about millions of policyholders.

• Physical size

•  Partial room to a full room of equipment

• Speed

• Powerful computer that handle hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously at the same time.

• Storage

• Can store tremendous amounts of data, instructions, and information

• Advantages

• Huge memory/Large  - Able to store tremendous amounts of   data, instructions & information.

• •High speed/Powerful - they can process vast amounts of data,   very quickly.

• •Super reliable   - incredibly reliable with mean time   between failure (MTBF) up to 20 years   because lot of circuitry is designed to   detect and correct errors.

• •Multi User   - They allow several users (sometimes   hundreds) to use the computer at the   same time.

Personal computer

Personal computer is a computer that can perform all its input, processing, output and storage activities by itself. Two types of personal computers are desktop computers and netbook computer.

• Physical size

• Fits on a desk 

• Speed

• Various depends on the memory and processors.

• Storage

• Various depends on the hard drive size

Mobile computer and devices

Mobile computer is a personal computer (that can perform all of its input, processing, output, and storage activities by itself) that you can carry from place to place.Examples of mobile computers are notebook computers, netbook and tablet PC's

Mobile devices is a computing device small enough to hold in your hand. Some of the examples are smart phones and PDAs, E-book readers, handheld computers, portable media players, and digital cameras.

• Physical size

• Fits on the lap, palm, pocket  

• Speed

• May slower than a personal computer

• Storage

• Small storage media

Embedded computer

Special-purpose computer that functions as a component in a larger product and perform various functions depending on the product.

• Physical size

• Small

• Speed

• May slower than a mobile computer and devices

• Storage

• Limited or small storage media

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