Related topics: operating system , laptop , windows
Computer
hideA computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.
Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century (1940–1945). These were the size of a large room, consuming as much power as several hundred modern personal computers (PCs). Modern computers based on integrated circuits are millions to billions of times more capable than the early machines, and occupy a fraction of the space. Simple computers are small enough to fit into a wristwatch, and can be powered by a watch battery. Personal computers in their various forms are icons of the Information Age and are what most people think of as "computers". The embedded computers found in many devices from MP3 players to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are however the most numerous.
The ability to store and execute lists of instructions called programs makes computers extremely versatile, distinguishing them from calculators. The Church–Turing thesis is a mathematical statement of this versatility: any computer with a certain minimum capability is, in principle, capable of performing the same tasks that any other computer can perform. Therefore computers ranging from a mobile phone to a supercomputer are all able to perform the same computational tasks, given enough time and storage capacity.
For more information about Computer, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with computer
Physicists lay the groundwork for cooler, faster computing
Dec 14, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (25) |
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University of Toronto quantum optics researchers Sajeev John and Xun Ma have discovered new behaviours of light within photonic crystals that could lead to faster optical information processing and compact computers that ...
Computer simulation strengthens link between climate change and release of subsea methane
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Dec 17, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (22) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A first-of-its-kind computer simulation that mirrors real-world observations of methane bubbling up from a seabed in the Arctic Ocean provides further evidence that warming oceans may unleash ...
Of girls and geeks: Environment may be why women don't like computer science
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Dec 14, 2009 |
3.6 / 5 (20) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- In real estate, it's location, location, location. And when it comes to why girls and women shy away from careers in computer science, a key reason is environment, environment, environment.
Taiwan unveils super-tiny microchip
Dec 16, 2009 |
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Taiwan has developed tiny microchips that could lead to lighter and cheaper laptops or mobile phones, researchers and observers said Wednesday.
A new generation of computer tablets is on its way
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Dec 17, 2009 |
3.7 / 5 (7) |
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I may have caught a glimpse of the future last week. In San Francisco, a startup company called Fusion Garage showed off the JooJoo, a touch-screen device that looks like the iPhone's big brother. The JooJoo ...
Modern tests demonstrate soundness of old iron bridge
15 hours ago |
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An unusual bowstring truss iron bridge that carried traffic across Roaring Run in Bedford County, Va. for almost 100 years is now a picturesque footbridge at the I-81 Ironto, Va. rest stop. Built in 1878, ...
Our devices will spin denser webs of data in 2010s
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Dec 15, 2009 |
5 / 5 (5) |
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(AP) -- Ten years ago, we would have been blown away by a cell phone with far more computing power and memory than the average PC had in 1999, along with a built-in camera and programs to manage every aspect ...
NASA Calculates a Carbon Budget for California
Dec 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- While world organizations struggle to find a benchmark and tracking standards for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, NASA has been supporting California’s new carbon emissions inventory report, using its satellite ...
Soil Microorganisms? Role Cited as a Missing Factor in Climate Change Equation
Dec 17, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Those seeking to understand and predict climate change can now use an additional tool to calculate carbon dioxide exchanges on land, according to a scientific journal article co-authored by a University of ...
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Resumes Observations
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Dec 16, 2009 |
4.6 / 5 (5) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers are receiving new science data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter after the spacecraft's six science instruments resumed observations today.
Computer-simulated Thunderstorms with Ice Clouds Reveal Insights for Next-generation Computer Models
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Dec 18, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Computer simulations of thunderstorms using data from a field campaign in Australia confirm that the "ice-phase" cloud processes in climate models contribute most to the wide discrepancy between ...
Microsoft to let Europeans pick browser in EU deal
Dec 16, 2009 |
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(AP) -- More than 100 million Europeans will get to pick a Web browser after Microsoft agreed to offer Internet users a choice to avoid fresh fines - a move that could represent a real thawing of long-standing ...
Intel hit with more antitrust charges in FTC suit
Dec 16, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (4) |
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(AP) -- The Federal Trade Commission piled on new antitrust charges against Intel Corp. on Wednesday, seeking to end what it described as a decade of illegal sales tactics that have crippled rivals and kept ...
National Robotics Engineering Center Demonstrates the Future of Smart Work
11 hours ago |
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The National Robotics Engineering Center, (NREC) at Carnegie Mellon University is at the forefront of partnering man with technology to improve safety and costs. Among the completed projects are, the Caisson ...
Analysts warn that FTC suit could damage Intel
Dec 18, 2009 |
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The Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit against Intel Wednesday -- the most far-reaching in a string of recent regulatory actions -- poses a huge threat to the Santa Clara, Calif., chip giant and could reshape the semiconductor ...
