Adv lesson 1

Review & Overview

Today you're just going to catch me up on everything you already know and remember. Then, after our review, we'll talk about our goal for this semester--making an ebook cookbook for SMART.

Review Q's
1. What are guides?
a. blue lines that show you measurements
b. blue lines that help you align your document
c. lines that help you align your project

2. What is standard resolution for an image being posted online?
a. 72 dpi
b. 100 dpi
c. 300 dpi

3. What tool do you use to bring in an image file from a folder into your .psd file?
a. import tool
b. move tool
c. shear tool

4. What is the name for the object that pops onto the screen when closing a document?
a. Dialog Box
b. tab
c. window

5. What is the best standard resolution for print?
a. 72 dpi
b. 600 dpi
c. 300 dpi

6. What buttons do you press to reveal your rulers while in photoshop?
a. apple(command) + RU
b. apple(command) + R
c. apple(command) + L

What are some things you remember learning?

***

Now that we've done our review--let's talk about ebooks.

What is an ebook?
An ebook--or electronic book--is a book that can be read and shared over the Internet, on your computer, cell phone, tablet, or even your TV.

The nice thing about ebooks is that they are completely portable, are easy to copy--and therefore easy to make, and ANYONE who wants to publish one can! Since they are digital you can also sell copies of your ebook without any costs--such as printing or shipping.

Of course if you wanted a tangible copy of your book you could always print it out as well.

Our goal this semester is to create a "read and share" ecookbook that we can distribute on the SMART website.



How are we going to do that?
There are a few different ways to make ebooks. This is how we are going to put ours together:

1. Collect recipes and textual information we'd like to be included in the book.

2. Find, photograph, and create images that correspond with our text.

3. Create a template layout for the book using photoshop.

4. Create pages for the ebook, using the template, by adding text and images.

5. Create cover page for book.

6. Compile pages into one web-friendly PDF.

7. Distribute PDF on the SMART website

8. Spread the word!



Learning goals this semester:
- using Microsoft Word to write and edit work.
- appropriate DPI for web and print.
- finding, creating, and using quality stock images
- using Photoshop to create an aligned template and matching cover page.
- compiling PDFs in Acrobat Reader
- updating SMART's Wordpress website
- using social networks



For the remainder of class I'd like you to take a look at some free ebooks so you can get ideas of what we can do with ours. After our book is complete we may even be able to share our book with these websites!

While looking at these ebooks think of what you like and what you don't like about their presentation. At the end of class be prepared to talk about your favorite or least favorite book.

http://www.recipe4living.com/assets/pdf/cookbooks/Budget_eCookbook_2.pdf

http://www.dacave.com/secrets/ecookbook.html

http://foodjournalofhershey.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/free-online-cookbook-impress-your-friends-with-a-three-course-meal/

http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/recipes/kidskitchen.aspx

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/images/free_stonesoup_ecookbook.pdf

http://www.bodybuildingapplied.com/bodybuilding_recipes.asp

http://toddycafe.com/about/recipebooklet.php

http://www.mountainbread.com.au/cgi-bin/index.pl?menu_id=220

http://coogsfinest.com/ecookbooks.htm

'Freedom Riders'

'Freedom Riders' film on PBS
After watching the clip on the film we'll have  small discussion about what this issue means to us and how digital media has given us an opportunity to shine light on issues that are important to us.

I would also like you all to brainstorm issues that are personally important to you.  Try and think of topics that SMART talks about, or issues that are neglected in mainstream media and history books.  If you had the chance to put together your own film or some other type of digital piece what would you want to talk about?  What would you want people to take from it? 

Feel free to leave comments on this post stating your ideas.

Chatspeak/Textspeak

Chatspeak/Textspeak

This and other notes are available online @ smartcomputerclass.blogspot.com

Last week it came to my attention that some of us don't know chatspeak, or if we do we don't know a lot of it.  Since it's coming to the end of the term why don't we take a break from all that dense stuff and have a little fun getting to know chatspeak.  :)

Chatspeak (aka Textspeak) came into popularity around the time instant messaging (or IMing for short) was introduced to the world--but it really took off when more and more people started text messaging (or texting for short).  Chatspeak takes the first letter of commonly used phrases and makes it somewhat it's own word.  Those familiar with chatspeak are able to understand easily--but those that don't may be lost!  Since it takes time to text and also since some people aren't very fast typers chatspeak provides a quick and easy way to send out messages.  It is also the "language" of choice for avid twitterers (people who use twitter a lot...if you don't know what that is just ask and I'll explain haha...).

Okay so there's our little history lesson...now let's take a look at some chatspeak!

Just so you know this isn't a COMPLETE list...not even I know all the different chatspeak words...but these are pretty basic ones that will help out a lot.

ALSO--some of them refer to certain adult words.  For the sake of keeping this page PG I've blanked them out, but you're all smart, you'll figure it out haha...

!!THE LIST!!
(I put a * next to the most commonly used ones...or at least the ones I use the most. ** means I use it a lot.)


.... - awkward silence/pause


! - surprise


? - confusion or questioning

@ - at



A/S/L? or ASL? - Age/Sex/Location?

ALOL - Actually Laughing Out Loud (because some people type LOL and it isn't true!)


ASAP - As Soon As Possible

BBQ - Barbeque (Yum)

BC or B/C - Because

*BDay or B-Day - Birthday



BF - Boyfriend sometimes Best Friend



BFF - Best Friend Forever

BFFL - Best Friends For Life



BFFLNMW - Best Friends For Life No Matter What



*BRB - Be Right Back

BYO - Bring Your Own



BYOB - Bring Your Own Beer



*Cmon or C'mon - Come on


*Cus - Because


D/L or DL - Download or Down Low

Dunno - Don't know



Enuf - Enough


EZ - Easy


FML - F--- My Life

FYI - For Your Information


*G2G - Got to Go


GF - Girlfriend

*Gonna - Going to



GR8 - Great


H8 - Hate


HW - Homework


*IDC - I Don't Care

*IDK - I Don't Know

IH8U - I Hate you


ILU - I Love you

*ILY - I Love You



IM - Instant Message

IMAO - In My Arrogant Opinion



*IMO - In My Opinion

IMHO - In My Humble Opinion


IMNSHO - In My Not So Humble Opinion


ISLY - I Still Love You



*IRL - In Real Life


JIC - Just In Case


*JK or J/K - Just Kidding


K - Okay


L8R - Later


*LMAO - Laughing My A-- Off


LMBO - Laughing My Butt Off

**LOL - Laugh Out Loud or soemtimes used for Lots Of Love, but typically people will think you're laughing if you type this. (sometimes lolz)

MLIA - My Life Is Average 


Msg - Message


*NVM - Never Mind


**OMG - Oh My God (sometimes zOMG)


*ORLY - Oh Really

Pls/Plz - Please


PM - Private Message


POS - Parent Over Shoulder (added this one in case you're ever by your child/grandchild and you see them type this...hahaha...)


POS - alternative meaning Piece Of S--- (if it's not a kid typing then you can assume this is what they mean)


POV - Point Of View


Ppl - People


Prolly - Probably


RIP - Rest In Piece



*RLY - Really


ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing


ROFLMAO - Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A-- Off

RT - ReTweet (Twitter reference)


RU - Are you


SMH - Shaking My Head


Sry - Sorry


STFU - Shut The F--- Up

Sup - What's up


Thx - Thanks


*TMI - Too Much Information


*TTYL - Talk To You Later

*TY - Thank You


*W/ - with


W/B or WB - Welcome Back


W/E - Whatever


*W/O - Without


*WTH - What The Hell/Heck


*WTF - What The F---

XOXO - Hugs and Kisses


ZZZZ - Sleeping or Bored


Someone sent you something not on this list?  Try checking out this page for more chatspeak http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp





!!SMILEYS and OTHER STUFF!!
(I use these more than anything else)


<3 - heart


</3 - broken heart


:)  - Smiley face


:( - Frowny face


:P - Sticking tongue out


P: - Something yummy....


:D - Big smile


D: - Big Frown

:O - surprise



XD - Laughing face


DX - Crying or angry face


>:D or >:) - evil smile

D:< - Really mad face



):< - Not happy


;) - winking/flirty


:') - Happy tears


:'( - crying


:* - kiss


^_^ - smiling cheerfully


-^_^- - blushing while smiling


>^_^< - cat smiling


O_O - surprise

OuO - Wide eyed smile


OwO - Kitty smile



X_x - Dead...

>_> - shifty eyes


= _ = - exhausted


-_- - annoyed/exasperated


@_@ - Dizzy or nerd with glasses (lol)

nlm - the middle finger

(_|_) - a butt or mooning


(>'-')> - Kirby or little ghost thing...


You can take a look at this list for more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons  or ask your kids/grandkids...kids are the ones that come up with most of these anyway, haha....


Sam's Comments on Chatspeak/Textspeak:


I don't use very much chatspeak/textspeak anymore.  I used to use it a lot when I was in elementary school and high school, but when I got to college I noticed that it had started to affect my grammar and writing skills.  Because of that I have made it a point to type "longhand" as much as possible and not use too much chatspeak.  IMHO kids today both benefit and suffer from chatspeak.  Since they are learning abbreviations and "shorthand" typing before they learn how to even spell they're never really allowing themselves to learn spelling and grammar--because they don't need to in order to get their point across.


It's also important to remember that when you are online or testing the way you type becomes your voice.  Someone who uses a lot of chatspeak and abbreviations is judged differently than someone who types "longhand."  Always consider who you are sending your messages to and how you want them to perceive you.  If it's your friend or sibling or some other peer feel free to type anyway that you want.  If it's someone you don't know or an employer or someone of other importance skip the chatspeak, use spell check, grammar, and punctuation--you want to look as professional as possible.  If it's your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or some other young person make sure you really know the meaning of the chatspeak words your using before you use them, because they'll probably make fun of you if you get it wrong.  Although, they'll probably make funny of you anyway because young people are ageist.  



Anyway, now that we had a little crash course in textspeak/chatspeak it's time for our assignment for the day!


!!ASSIGNMENT!!


Part 1. Using mostly or only chatspeak/textspeak reply to this comment and write a few sentences.


Part 2. Think of phrases you like to use a lot and create your own chatspeak word.  Reply to this comment again and tell us all what it is and when you use it.




!!QUESTION REVIEW!!


1. What does LOL mean?
A. Lots Of Love
B. Laugh Out Loud
C. All of the above.


2. What does SMH mean?
A. Shaking My Head
B. So Much Homework
C. All of the Above.


3. You would use XD when....
A. Laughing really hard at something funny.
B. Talking about HTML and coding.
C. All of the Above.



4. Which one of these is the REAL chatspeak word when stating an opinion about something?
A. IMO
B. IMHO
C. IMAO
D. All of the Above.

Software & Antivirus

We talked about hardware we could add to our computers, now let's take a look at software.

If hardware is made of the physical devices that you can add to your computer, then what is software?

Software is made up of the programs and applications you can install on to your computer.

Here are some examples of software:
Microsoft Suite
Adobe Suite
Dragon speaking software
Computer games like the Sims

Can you think of more examples of software?







There are lots of different types of software and countless programs and applications you can install on to your computer.  Instead of focusing on all those different types of software we are just going to focus on one; antivirus software.

So what is antivirus software?

Antivirus software is software that detects, prevents against and eliminates malware.

Malware is made up of computer viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, and any other computer threat.  All of these things are bad for your computer but some of them are worse than others.  If you ever want to protect and maintain your computer on your own it's good to know the difference between them.  It can be a little confusing though, so if you can't remember it's okay!
Let's take a look at some of the categories of malware.

- computer viruses act a lot like real life viruses.  The viruses attach themselves to existing files on a computer and corrupt them, then proceed to make copies of themselves to spread infection further. These viruses have the ability to spread from one system to another; making all computers they come across "sick."  Viruses can be spread through attached files in e-mails, infected files on CDs, DVDs, USB drives, or anything else that can carry files from one computer to another, and downloaded from the internet.  The best way to protect your computer from viruses is to be careful about who and where you're getting files from and to have a functioning antivirus program.
It is important to remember that computer viruses are malware, but not all malware are computer viruses.  People generally like to use the term "virus" to refer to everything that has infected their computer--but this is an inaccurate statement.

- a computer worm in many ways can be a lot scarier than a virus.  Worms don't need to attach themselves to files in order to make copies of itself.  Ever received an e-mail from a friend to a link that didn't work that they said they didn't send or have had someone post something on your facebook page that they said they didn't write?  These are examples of computer worms, they are spread through networks.  Someone clicks on a link in an e-mail or on a post that they think was sent to them on a friend--then nothing happens.  Or at least, it seems like nothing happens, in truth the worm has wiggled its way on your computer and will now send that same message to all of your friends.  The destruction worms can cause varies and it typically not extremely terrible--however it can be.  Most worms just take up space but others have the ability to "eat" or delete important files.
The best way to avoid getting worms is to be extremely cautious when clicking on links!  Worms are designed to fool you into believing that they are harmless.  You must be suspicious of every link and attachment someone sends--even if it's from your best friend.  Keep in mind how your friends write to you, what are their digital mannerisms?  If you receive an e-mail or a link with a generic and impersonal message that doesn't quite fit with the relationship you have with the sender just delete it and call and write them to see if it was something they really sent you.  Better safe than sorry.
Here are some wormy phrases you should be aware of:
- "OMG you have got to see this picture of you doing (whatever)!  I can't believe it (link)!" <--- plays on your insecurities or fears, makes you think that there are pictures of you on the internet you're not aware of.
- "Haha this is so cute/funny/crazy you have to see this (link)" <--- no indication of what "this" is, meant to peek your curiosity, plenty of variations of this
- "Make lots of money really fast!  It worked for me and since you're my friend I had to show you! (link)" <--- this is also commonly used to infect your computer with other types of malware.
BE AWARE!  TRUST NO LINK UNLESS YOU'RE CERTAIN!

- Phishing is done in a similar way to computer worms.  Links that seem secure are posted, instant messaged, or e-mailed--but typically by strangers (who usually want to give you free stuff or lots and lots of money for no reason at all!).  Phishing isn't really malware, but still something to be aware of because it is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY dangerous for you!  The purpose of phishing is to steal your personal information.  Fake websites that look exactly like real and trusted websites (i.e. Amazon.com) are created to collect your personal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information.
Since phishing doesn't infect your system with malware it's somewhat easy to avoid.  When you click on a link to go somewhere check the address bar.  Does the address in the address bar match up with the website you think you're on?  The best way to be sure you're logging on to a website is to type in the address yourself and not click on other links to go there.
Another way to avoid getting your information stolen is to just delete those e-mails that promise you gifts and money.  If someone were to offer you the same deal in real life, you would no doubt be suspicious--treat solicitors on the internet the same way you treat people in real life.

- Trojans or Trojan horses live up to their name.  They appear to be harmless, even desirable, disguising themselves as useful software for your computer or entertaining applications.  Ironically--the most successful trojans are ones that say they are antivirus software.  Trojans trick you into downloading them on to your system and may actually do the tasks you downloaded them for--but meanwhile they are corrupting your system.  They may download spyware and adware on to your computer, they may delete or corrupt your files, they may invade your privacy by watching your internet history, they may steal your passwords by copying down your keystrokes, they may be used by hackers to spy on your system.  Dangerous, dangerous, deceptive things indeed.
The best way to avoid them is to not download things from the internet unless they are coming from a trusted site--and even then you should always be cautious.  Also, spend the money on the name brand antivirus software!  The "free" stuff might actually end up costing you a lot in the end!  (Although AVG does offer a free version of their antivirus software here: http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage, and that is free antivirus software you can trust)

- Spyware can be unintentionally installed on your computer by visiting certain websites or downloading trojans OR it can be intentionally installed on shared computers by someone who is trying to track another user (say a jealous girlfriend who thinks their boyfriend is cheating on them for example).  But....we're just going to talk about the stuff that you download by accident...if you're interested in the other kind of spyware you can do the research on your own!  Spyware can do lots of things when it's on your computer.  It can collect your personal information, it can track your actions, it can log your keystrokes, it can slow down network connections and make your computer run slowly, and it can be really hard to detect and get rid of without good antivirus software.
Best way to avoid it is to, once again, avoid downloading things from the internet!  Also, avoid going to unsafe websites.

- Adware is somewhat like spyware in the way it gets on to your computer--but at the same time it's the complete opposite.  Adware lets you KNOW it's there.  It bombards your computer with pop-ups and advertisements in an attempt to get you to buy something you don't want.  Or even if you don't buy something--every time you click on one of those little pop-ups, someone, somewhere is making money. Adware alone is irritating and frustrating to get rid of, but--unless it's paired up with another type of malware such as spyware--it's the most harmless.




HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER AGAINST INFECTION!
- Do NOT download things from the internet unless you are 100% certain its safe.
- Do NOT click on links you're unsure of.
- Do NOT trust e-mails from people you don't know.
- Do NOT trust "deals" giving you gifts or money.
- Do NOT download your antivirus software from shady websites.

- DO be cautious at all times.
- DO buy and install a trusted antivirus software such as Sophos, AVG, Norton, McAfee, etc.
- DO talk to tech support when buying a computer about ways you can protect your system.
- DO get your computer checked out as soon as it starts having issues--the problem will not go away and it'll get worse before it gets better.
- DO consider a Mac if you're really scared.  Currently they are unaffected by malware :)

These are some of the tips I thought up, maybe you have some more suggestions?








I know all of this seems really scary and overwhelming at first, but that doesn't mean you should quit on learning how to use a computer!  Malware has affected every computer users life at least once and honestly the consequences are typically not as bad as it could be.  Remember, if you have a good antivirus program and keep it up to date you won't have to worry so much. :)

Memory

Last week we learned about how external hard drives can help preserve memory on a computer--but what exactly is memory and how can you tell how much you have available? Additionally, when buying a computer or digital device how do you you know if you're buying something with enough memory?

Webopedia defines memory as this:

"Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Moreover, the term memory is usually used as a shorthand for physical memory, which refers to the actual chips capable of holding data. Some computers also use virtual memory, which expands physical memory onto a hard disk.
Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM. You can think of main memory as an array of boxes, each of which can hold a single byte of information. A computer that has 1 megabyte of memory, therefore, can hold about 1 million bytes (or characters) of information.
There are several different types of memory:

RAM (random-access memory): This is the same as main memory. When used by itself, the term RAM refers to read and write memory; that is, you can both write data into RAM and read data from RAM. This is in contrast to ROM, which permits you only to read data. Most RAM is volatile, which means that it requires a steady flow of electricity to maintain its contents. As soon as the power is turned off, whatever data was in RAM is lost.

ROM (read-only memory): Computers almost always contain a small amount of read-only memory that holds instructions for starting up the computer. Unlike RAM, ROM cannot be written to.

PROM (programmable read-only memory): A PROM is a memory chip on which you can store a program. But once the PROM has been used, you cannot wipe it clean and use it to store something else. Like ROMs, PROMs are non-volatile.

EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory): An EPROM is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light.

EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory): An EEPROM is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge."

(http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/memory.html)

They mention "bytes." Bytes are the unit of measurement for memory.

1 bit = smallest amount of memory
8 bits = 1 byte (B)
1,000 bytes (B) = 1 kilobyte (KB)
1,000 kilobytes (KB) = 1 megabyte (MB)
1,000 megabytes (MB) = 1 gigabyte (GB)
1,000 gigabytes (GB) = 1 terabyte (TB)

(a more extensive chart and explanation can be found at http://www.whatsabyte.com/ )

Currently, electronics are sold with a number of GB or smaller. Hard drives and computers seem to be the only things sold in TB. However, as our software and technology grows and demands more memory--devices will need to be sold with more memory. This is why computers made in the 90's (for example) cannot handle the same tasks that computers today handle with ease.

So let's put this into context:
iPhone comes in 8GB, 16GB or 32GB

iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB

Laptops are now sold with 250 - 320GB

Desktop computers are now sold with 640GB - 1TB

Digital cameras use memory cards with 2GB - 16GB or more

Assignment
For today's assignment we are going to do a scavenger hunt to help us understand how much memory is worth.

1. Find three pictures and figure out how big they are.
(Hint: if you search google images google will tell you how big the picture is. If you search on the computer click on the file and the size of the file will show up at the bottom of the window)

2. Find out how much memory an EMPTY folder uses.
(Hint: open any folder on the computer, right click, create new folder, click on the folder and at the bottom of the menu it will tell you how big it is)

3. Find three mp3s and figure out how much memory they use.
(Hint: search an mp3 download website. The size is usually listed)

4. Find out how much memory on your computer is used and how much memory you have left.
(Hint: open desktop folder click on my computer icon, stats will show on the side or the bottom)

Good at math?
Try and figure out how many pictures or mp3s you could download to fill up the space available on your computer :)

Question Review
1. How many bits are in a byte?
A. 6
B. 8
C. 10
D. They're the same thing just spelled different.

2. Which is bigger 1,000 KB or 1 MB?
A. KB
B. MB
C. They're equal.

3. Which is bigger 1,000 MB or 1 TB?
A. MB
B. TB
C. They're equal.

4. How many megabytes (MB) are in a gigabyte (GB)?
A. 1
B. 10
C. 100
D. 1,000

External Hardware

External Hardware

Okay so now that we've gone over the basics of computers (mouse, keyboard, pc, and monitor) now let's take a look at how you can customize your computer and make it even more powerful.

External Hardware are electronic devices that you can connect to your computer to serve different purposes.

The most commonly used pieces of external hardware are external hard drives and memory sticks, but there are other devices you can attach to your computer as well.

Internal Hard Drive

Every computer has a hard drive built in. This is where all the memory for the computer and data is stored. However memory on an internal hard drive is limited--especially on older computers. When this memory is used up a computer will run slower, some programs will not open or run properly, large files can't be saved, and downloads will fail or load very slowly.

Memory can be used up very fast if you install large or newer programs on an older computer, if you save a lot of video files or projects on your computer, if your computer is infected with spyware or viruses, or if you download a lot of music and movies from the Internet.

When it comes to using large programs or programs that require a lot of memory the best thing to do is first buy a computer that is equipped to handle the needs of the projects you want to do or install more memory in your old computer--but this requires some patience and skill.

External hardware can be used to supplement the memory on your computer so you can use the memory on your computer just for applications and programs--if you want to.

So let's look at some different types of hardware.

External Harddrive

External Hard Drive

This device acts just like the harddrive built in to your computer except that it can easily be connected and removed from your computer and is often times portable.

You can use and external harddrive to save all of your personal files such as your documents, music, pictures, and video files. This saves a lot of space on your computer for just running and installing programs.

Another benefit to having an external harddrive is that if your computer ever breaks down your files are safe on your harddrive because it can be connected to other computers.

NOTE: files on your external will not be lost if your computer breaks down, but if your computer had a virus and a file saved on your external was infected the virus can spread if you connect your hard drive to other computers.

External harddrives are also used to back up computers daily, so if something ever did happen to your computer all your work and settings would be saved. When an external harddrive is used to backup a computer it becomes a clone of that computer--a computer Mini Me.

Memory Stick

This is much smaller and easier to carry around than an external harddrive. However memory sticks don't have as much memory on them as external harddrives. Their main purpose is to transfer files from one place to another or from one person to another.

They can also be called flash drives, USB sticks, and that stick thingie--as well as many other names.

Another little quirk about memory sticks is that they come in so many varieties. You can get them in different colors, shapes, patterns, and even ones that look like your favorite cartoon characters.

Other hardware

External hardware does not apply only to memory devices but includes many different electronics as well.

Mouse and keyboard

Yes, your mouse and keyboard can be considered external hardware.

Camera or webcam

When you connect your camera to your computer it's considered an external device.

For computers that don't have cameras built in, web cams can be purchased and connected to your computer.

Wacom Tablet

Tablets

Tablets are used by artists an designers as a way to draw easily on the computer. The pad acts as paper, the pen acts as a real pen or pencil. Some tablets also come with an additional mouse.



Printers and scanners

Printers are considered external devices.

Scanners can be used to copy images on to paper or to copy them on to your computer.

Nowadays you can easily buy all in one printer-scanner-copiers.

Wireless USB Adaptor

Wifi or bluetooth devices

For computers that don't have built in wireless or bluetooth receptors you can buy hardware (that looks like memory sticks) to connect you to wireless networks or Bluetooth.

Mp3 players

IPods and other mp3 players can be considered external hardware.

Other

USB Fan

USB Hamster runs as you type.

There are many other random things you can connect to your computer. Some things useful--some things not. For example a USB fan may be useful on a hot day--but a USB hamster running on a wheel while you type may not be the most helpful device, even if it is amusing!

Basically anything you can plug into your computer is considered and external device!





Assignment

Go online and find one piece of external hardware that we talked about today.

Once you've done that find the SAME EXACT DEVICE on two other websites and answer the following questions:

(you can write your answers or email them to me for a real challenge. My email is Rodriguez.SamanthaJ@gmail.com)

1. How much does the device cost in NEW condition on all three websites?

2. Which website sells the device NEW at the lowest cost?

3. Which website is the most expensive?

4. Do any of the websites sell it refurbished or used?

4a. If so what are the USED prices?

5. Which site has the best deal overall?

Here are some hints on how to complete this assignment:

- visit:
Www.bestbuy.com
Www.amazon.com
Www.newegg.com
Www.eBay.com
Www.circuitcity.com

Or google "external harddrive" or "camera" or whatever you want to look for.

- once you find something you like copy the name and model of the device by highlighting it, right clicking an pressing copy.

Then open a new tab, go to google, and paste the name of the device in the search bar.

When you're done with the assignment show me what you've found.


Question review

1. What is a hard drive?
A. It is where floppy go.
B. It is where computer data is stored.
C. It is the device used to read CDs.
D. It is one of those sticks that you put in the USB port.

2. Which of these is external hardware?
A. External hard drive
B. Digital camera
C. Scanner
D. All of the above.

3. What is an external hard drive used for?
A. Backing up computer settings
B. Backing up personal files
C. Saving memory on internal hard drive.
D. All of the above.

4. True or false - when a computer crashes and the files are wiped out all of the files on the external hard drive are lost too. T or F

Monitors

Monitors! One of the most important yet under appreciated parts of your computer. The monitor, simply put, is the screen you view everything on.


Their are a couple of different monitor options you can choose from:
- monitors come in a range of sizes
- newer TVs can be used as monitors
- all in one computers are built into their monitors
- monitors CRT or LCD screens.
- CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) use red green and blue light to create images. CRT devices are usually bulky and do not display hi def images
- LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) use crystals to display a wider range of colours. LCD devices take up less space and show higher quality images, but their screens can be easily damaged.


How CRT and LCD work

CRT, simply put, shines a sequence of red, green, and blue lights through tubes to create images.

LCD screens are made up of several layers. One layer shines white light (which is made of all colors) through, other layers block certain colors from shining through, and the last layer displays the result.


Things you should never do to your monitor
- don't hit or drop it
- don't poke it if you have a LCD (soft screen monitor)
- don't put a magnet or magnetic devices near or on your monitor
- don't try to eat it when you're hungry


Things you should do to your monitor
- turn it off when you're not using it
- wipe it and your keyboard down with disinfectant wipes every so often
- dust it off every so often
- treat it kindly

Things you could do to your monitor...but can be weird
- put stickers on it
- give it a name
- give it a personality
- call it your boyfriend


Random facts about monitors
- when there is a black dot on your screen this is what is called a "dead pixel." This only happens on LCD screens.
- pixels are tiny squares of colour that when grouped together make an image. On a LCD screen there are thousands of little pixels. When one of these pixel lights burn out it leaves a black spot--the dead pixel.
- higher resolution screens mean that a screen has more colour variety and more pixels to show details clearer.
- LCD technology was originally used for laptops, then desktops, and now TVs too.
- CRT technology is why TV's nickname is "the tube"

Assignment

- Get on a computer and appreciate your monitor.

- open up a program you never used before and learn what it's about. Use it, create something with it, and write a comment on the blog about what it's about. When you're done report to me about what you learned.


Question Review

1. LCD stands for...
A Liquid Chlorine Display
B Liquid Carbon Dating
C Liquid Crystal Display
D Liquid Carbon Display

2. Which of these devices use LCD technology?
A TV
B Laptop
C Desktop
D All of the above

3. What does CRT stand for?
A Crystal Ray Tube
B Cathode Ray Tunnel
C Crystal Ray Tunnel
D Cathode Ray Tube

4 What colors does CRT use to display images?
A red, yellow, blue
B red, green, blue
C red, yellow, green, blue
D all of them

Extra credit

What kind of monitors do the desktop computers have? (at SMART)

A CRT
B LCD