PERSONAL COMPUTER

A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original sale
price makes it useful for individuals, and is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no
intervening computer operator. This contrasted with the batch processing ortime-sharing models which
allowed larger, more expensive minicomputer and mainframe systems to be used by many people, usually
at the same time. Large data processing systems require a full-time staff to operate efficiently.
EXAMPLES:
- LAPTOP
- DESKTOP COMPUTER
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer
MOBILE COMPUTERS AND MOBILE DEVICES
A mobile device (also known as a handheld computer or simply handheld) is a small,
handheld computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input and/or a miniature
keyboard and weighing less than 2 pounds (0.91 kg). A handheld computing device has an operating
system (OS), and can run various types of application software, known as apps. Most handheld devices
can also be equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS capabilities that can allow connections to
the Internet and other Bluetooth-capable devices, such as an automobile or a microphone headset. A
camera or media player feature for video or music files can also be typically found on these devices along
with a stable battery power source such as a lithium battery.
EXAMPLES
- NOKIA
- SAMSUNG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_device
GAME CONSOLES
Console games are more commonly referred to as video games. They are played on a device specially
made for game play called a video game console. The player interacts with the game through a controller,
a hand-held device with buttons and joysticks or pads. Video and sound are received by the gamer though
a television.
EXAMPLES:
- MICROSOFT XBOX
- SONY PLAYSTATION
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/console_game.html)
SERVER
A server is a running instance of an application (Software) capable of accepting requests from the client
and giving responses accordingly. Servers can run on any computer including dedicated computers, which
individually are also often referred to as "the server". In many cases, a computer can provide several
services and have several servers running. The advantage of running servers on a dedicated computer is

security. For this reason most of the servers are daemon processes and designed by the designers in such
a way that they can be run on specific computer(s).
EXAMPLES:
- DATABASE SERVER
- FILE SERVER
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_(computing)
MAINFRAMES
A very large and expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds, or even thousands,
of users simultaneously. In the hierarchy that starts with a simple microprocessor (in watches, for
example) at the bottom and moves to supercomputers at the top, mainframes are just below
supercomputers. In some ways, mainframes are more powerful than supercomputers because they
support more simultaneous programs. But supercomputers canexecute a single program faster than a
mainframe. The distinction between small mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on
how the manufacturer wants to market its machines.
EXAMPLES:
-IBM ZSERIES
- IBM SYSTEM Z9
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/mainframe.html
SUPERCOMPUTER
The fastest type of computer. Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for
specialized applications that require immense amounts of mathematical calculations. For example,
weather forecasting requires a supercomputer. Other uses of supercomputers include animated graphics,
fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear energy research, and petroleum exploration.
EXAMPLES:
- CRAY TITAN
- NUDT Tianhe-2
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/supercomputer.html
EMBEDDED COMPUTER
An embedded system is a special-purpose system in which the computer is completely encapsulated by
the device it controls. Unlike a general-purpose computer, such as a personal computer, an embedded
system performs pre-defined tasks, usually with very specific requirements. Since the system is dedicated
to a specific task, design engineers can optimize it, reducing the size and cost of the product. Embedded
systems are often mass-produced, so the cost savings may be multiplied by millions of items.
EXAMPLES:
- CELL PHONE
- PRINTER
http://www.ece.ncsu.edu/research/cas/ecs