Table of Contents - Cengage · Chapter 1 Free Resources INTRODUING TODAY’S TEHNOLOGIES: omputers,...

Chapter 1 Free Resources INTRODUCING TODAY’S TECHNOLOGIES: Computers, Devices, and the Web

Discovering Computers 2016

Table of Contents Tap or click any topic below to view its content.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................................. 1

DISCLAIMER ........................................................................................................................................................... 3

ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AND CIRCUITRY OF A COMPUTER .............................................................................. 4

MINI FEATURE 1-1: GAMING AND DIGITAL HOME ................................................................................................. 6

GAMING ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Popular Games ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Types of Gaming Accessories ................................................................................................................................ 6

HOME AUTOMATION ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Popular Universal Remotes and Apps ................................................................................................................... 6 Popular Programmable Thermostats .................................................................................................................... 7 Popular Smart Home Appliances........................................................................................................................... 7 Popular Security Systems ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Popular Robotic Vacuums ..................................................................................................................................... 8

MEDIA STORAGE CAPACITY ................................................................................................................................... 9

Storage Terms and Their Byte Equivalents ........................................................................................................... 9 Various Memory Cards ........................................................................................................................................ 10

SECURE IT 1-1: BACKING UP COMPUTERS AND MOBILE DEVICES ......................................................................... 11

Cloud Storage Services ........................................................................................................................................ 11

SEARCH ENGINES ................................................................................................................................................. 12

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATORS: FACEBOOK AND MARK ZUCKERBERG ..................................................................... 13

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR: TWITTER .................................................................................................................. 14

ETHICS & ISSUES 1-2: SHOULD YOU BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PERMISSION BEFORE POSTING PHOTOS OF

OTHERS? .............................................................................................................................................................. 15

Websites about Photo Permissions ..................................................................................................................... 15

SECURE IT 1-2: PROTECTION FROM VIRUSES AND OTHER MALWARE .................................................................. 16

SECURE IT 1-3: CREATING STRONG PASSWORDS ................................................................................................. 17

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATORS: MICROSOFT AND BILL GATES ................................................................................. 18

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATORS: APPLE, STEVE JOBS, AND STEVE WOZNIAK ............................................................ 19

APPLE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19 STEVE JOBS ................................................................................................................................................................. 19 STEVE WOZNIAK .......................................................................................................................................................... 19

EXPANDED TABLE 1-2: CATEGORIES OF APPLICATIONS ........................................................................................ 20

CELLULAR TRANSMISSIONS ................................................................................................................................. 23

MINI FEATURE 1-2: STAYING IN SYNC .................................................................................................................. 24

Websites about Wired Setups ............................................................................................................................. 24



Websites about Wireless Syncing........................................................................................................................ 24 Cloud Storage Services ........................................................................................................................................ 24

TECHNOLOGY TREND: MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCS) ..................................................................... 25

MINI FEATURE 1-3: DIGITAL SCHOOL ................................................................................................................... 26

Websites about Digital Technologies in Classrooms ........................................................................................... 26

ONLINE INVESTING .............................................................................................................................................. 27

MOBILE PAYMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 28

SECURE IT 1-4: SHOPPING SAFELY ONLINE ........................................................................................................... 29

Websites about Shopping Safely Online.............................................................................................................. 29

TECHNOLOGY TREND: QR CODES ......................................................................................................................... 30

HIGH-TECH TALK: TRIANGULATION ...................................................................................................................... 31

HIGH-TECH TALK: NEURAL NETWORKS ................................................................................................................ 33

ETHICS & ISSUES 1-4: SHOULD WIKIS BE ALLOWED AS VALID SOURCES FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH? ................... 35

ETHICS & ISSUES 1-5: SHOULD EMPLOYEES BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK POSTS?

............................................................................................................................................................................ 36

Websites about Online Social Networks ............................................................................................................. 36

TECHNOLOGY @ WORK: HEALTH CARE ................................................................................................................ 37

Websites about Technology in Health Care ........................................................................................................ 37



Disclaimer Cengage Learning and the Shelly Cashman authoring team do not support and are not responsible for

the content of material in third-party or external web/Internet sites. Opinions expressed at third-party

or external web/Internet sites do not necessarily reflect that of Cengage Learning or the Shelly Cashman

authoring team.

The Free Resources include links to web addresses at dscov.com. Web addresses with this domain will

redirect to the actual websites or resources listed and are provided as abbreviated links for students

who wish to type them into a browser.

Tap or click here to return to the Table of Contents.



Electronic Components and Circuitry of a Computer The electronic components and circuitry of a computer usually are part of or are connected to a

motherboard (Figure 1). The motherboard, sometimes called a system board, is the main circuit board of

a personal computer. Many electronic components attach to the motherboard; others are built into it.

Two main components on the motherboard are the processor and memory. Many motherboards also

integrate sound, video, and networking capabilities.

Figure 1: Motherboard in a laptop.

Many components, such as the processor, are chips that can attach to a motherboard or other circuit

board. A computer chip is a small piece of semiconducting material, usually silicon, on which integrated

circuits are etched (Figure 2). An integrated circuit contains many microscopic pathways capable of

carrying electrical current. Each integrated circuit can contain millions of elements such as resistors,

capacitors, and transistors. A transistor, for example, can act as an electronic switch that opens or closes

the circuit for electrical charges. Today's computer chips contain millions or billions of transistors. Most

chips are no bigger than one-half-inch square.

Figure 2: Computer chip.

A processor, also called a CPU (central processing unit), is the electronic component that interprets and

carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer or mobile device. The processor significantly

impacts overall computing power and manages most of a computer or mobile device's operations. On

larger computers, the various functions performed by the processor extend over many separate chips

and often multiple circuit boards. On smaller computers or devices, all functions of the processor usually

are on a single chip.



Memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed by the

processor, data needed by those instructions, and the results of processing the data (information).

Memory usually consists of one or more chips on the motherboard or some other circuit board in the

computer or mobile device. RAM (random access memory), also called main memory, consists of

memory chips that can be read from and written to by the processor and other devices. Users typically

are referring to RAM when discussing computer memory.

Answer the following question by tapping or clicking the best response, which will open a browser

window or tab that reveals whether your selection is correct or incorrect. Close the window or tab when

you are finished viewing it.

Which of the following interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer or

mobile device?

a. memory

b. transistor

c. processor

d. RAM


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Mini Feature 1-1: Gaming and Digital Home The following sections discuss gaming and home automation.

Gaming The tables below list popular games by genre and types of gaming accessories. You can find additional

information by entering search text from the tables’ Name or Description columns.

Popular Games

Name Description

Bejeweled Puzzle and Strategy

Bike Race Racing and Sports

Just Dance (Community and World Dance Floor features) Music and Fitness

My Fitness Coach Music and Fitness

Need for Speed Racing and Sports

SimCity Simulation

The Legend of Zelda Action-Adventure

Trivia Crack Puzzle and Strategy

Words with Friends Puzzle and Strategy

World of Warcraft Role Playing

Types of Gaming Accessories

Name Description

Body balancer Wii Balance Board – Nintendo

Body sensor Kinect for Xbox

Dance Master Dance Pad – DDR

Eyeware Gunnar advanced gaming eyeware

Gamepad Handheld game controller – Nintendo

Headphones Ear Force – Turtle Beach

Joystick Flight Stick – Thrustmaster

Musical Guitar Hero – System Skins

Shooting Sharp shooter – Sony

Wireless wheel Wireless racing wheel – Mad Catz

Home Automation The tables below list popular universal remotes and apps, programmable thermostats, smart home

appliances, and security systems. You can find additional information by entering search text from the

tables’ Name or Description columns.

Popular Universal Remotes and Apps

Name Description

Acoustic Research Remote control hardware

Logitech

Monster

Phillips



Sony

Harmony Smart Control App that controls home theater devices

Loxone Smart Home App that controls lighting, heating, curtains, blinds, music, and alarm system

Peel App that provides television viewing recommendations

Smart Remote (for Samsung Galaxy)

Infrared emitter on phone controls television and electronics

WeMo Products to control home electronics, lighting, and appliances and to monitor energy consumption

Popular Programmable Thermostats

Name Description

Ecobee Smart Learns household’s heating and cooling cycles to save energy. Many include mobile apps for remote monitoring and controlling. Honeywell Wi-Fi

Smart

Lux

Nest Learning

Venstar Wi-Fi

Popular Smart Home Appliances

Name Description

Clothes Washer Wi-Fi enabled connections to mobile devices – Samsung

Dishwasher Programmable dishwasher – Meiko

Oven

Zipel oven with Android app – Samsung

Wi-Fi enabled oven – GE

Refrigerator

Wi-Fi enabled with Twitter and Facebook apps – Samsung

Device-to-device connectivity and connections to mobile devices – LG

Popular Security Systems

Name Description

ADT Home and business monitoring service

Devon Security

Pinnacle Security

Vivint

Frontpoint Security Home monitoring service with remote mobile device apps

LifeShield Security Home monitoring service

Logitech Security system hardware and automation

Lorex

Samsung

Schlage

Stanley



Popular Robotic Vacuums The following list identifies popular robotic vacuums. You can find additional information by entering the

list items as search text.

iRobot Roomba

LG HOM-BOT

Neato Robotics

Samsung Smart Tango

Thyme Vacuum Cleaning Robot

Discover More: To display search results about home automation in a new browser window or tab, tap

or click this link: dscov.com/16/01m1. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.


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Media Storage Capacity Capacity is the number of bytes (or characters) a storage medium can hold. The table below identifies

the terms manufacturers use to define the capacity of storage media.

Storage Terms and Their Byte Equivalents

Storage Terms Exact Number of Bytes Approximate Number of Bytes

Kilobyte (KB) 210or 1,024 1 thousand

Megabyte (MB) 220 or 1,048,576 1 million

Gigabyte (GB) 230 or 1,073,741,824 1 billion

Terabyte (TB) 240 or 1,099,511,627,776 1 trillion

Petabyte (PB) 250 or 1,125,899,906,842,624 1 quadrillion

Exabyte (EB) 260 or 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 1 quintillion

Zettabyte (ZB) 270 or 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 1 sextillion

Yottabyte (YB) 280 or1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176 1 septillion

Examples of storage media include hard drives (hard disks and solid-state drives), optical

discs, USB flash drives, and memory cards.

Hard Drives

o Current hard disks that are housed inside laptops or desktops have storage

capacities from 500 GB to 4 TB and more.

o Storage capacities of current SSDs in laptops or desktops range from 16 GB to 512

GB and more.

o External hard drives have storage capacities up to 4 TB and more.

Optical Discs

o A typical CD-ROM has a storage capacity from 650 MB to 1 GB.

o DVDs have storage capacities ranging from 4.7 GB to 17 GB.

o Blu-ray Discs (BDs) have storage capacities of 100 GB, 200 GB, and more.

USB Flash Drives

o Current USB flash drives have storage capacities ranging from 2 GB to 1 TB, with the

latter being extremely expensive.

Memory Cards

o Common types of memory cards include SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity), SDXC

(Secure Digital Extended Capacity), microSDHC, microSDXC, CF (CompactFlash), xD

Picture Card, Memory Stick Pro Duo, and M2 (Memory Stick Micro). The table below

compares storage capacities of these media.



Various Memory Cards

Media Type

Typical Current Storage Capacities

Sample Image

SDHC SDXC

4 to 32 GB 64 GB to 2 TB

microSDHC microSDXC

4 to 32 GB 16 GB to 2 TB

CF 4 to 512 GB

xD Picture Card 256 MB to 2 GB

Memory Stick Pro Duo M2

4 to 32 GB 2 to 16 GB

Indicate whether the following statement is true or false by tapping or clicking your response, which

will open a browser window or tab that reveals whether your selection is correct or incorrect. Close the

window or tab when you are finished viewing it.

A hard drive with a 20 GB storage capacity can store more items than one with a 20 TB storage capacity.

True

False


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Secure IT 1-1: Backing Up Computers and Mobile Devices Cloud Storage Services The following list identifies popular cloud storage services. You can find additional information by

entering the list items as search text.

Box

Dropbox

Google Drive

IDrive

JustCloud

OneDrive

SugarSync

ZipCloud

Discover More: To display search results about cloud storage services in a new browser window or

tab, tap or click this link: dscov.com/16/01s1. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.


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Search Engines The following lists identify popular general-purpose and question-and-answer search engines. You can

find additional information by entering the list items as search text.

General-Purpose Search Engines

o Bing

o Google

o Yahoo! Search

Question-and-Answer Search Engines

o About.com

o Ask

o eHow

Discover More: To display search results about search engines in a new browser window or tab, tap or

click this link: dscov.com/16/01r3. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.


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Technology Innovators: Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg With more than 1 billion active users per month, Facebook lives up to its mission “to make the world

more open and connected.” Mark Zuckerberg founded the company in 2004 and became one of the

youngest self-made billionaires in history.

Both Microsoft and Aol had recruited Zuckerberg during his senior year in high school in New

Hampshire. He declined their job offers and decided to attend Harvard. In college, he and some friends

developed several projects, laying the foundation that led to Facebook’s eventual start. Tyler and

Cameron Winklevoss and Divya Narendra argued that Zuckerberg stole their idea for the website and

sued Zuckerberg. The ensuing litigation and settlement were the subject of the movie, The Social

Network.

Zuckerberg had instant success launching Facebook from his dorm room, and the website’s popularity

quickly spread to other Ivy League and Boston-area colleges and then worldwide. He left his studies at

Harvard University in 2004 and moved to California.

Facebook employees work in a “hacker culture,” which involves developing new products and solving

problems creatively and quickly. Posters on walls remind them that “this journey is 1% finished,”

meaning that many projects remain to continue keeping people connected worldwide.

Do you have a Facebook account? If so, what new products have been introduced since you became a

member of the Facebook community? If not, why do you choose to not join? What qualities make

Facebook such a popular website?




Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from dorm room at Harvard University.

True

False


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Technology Innovator: Twitter Twitter helps people from nearly every country in the world obtain up-to-the-minute information about

the things that matter most in their lives via 140-character Tweets. This social media site has become

one of the more popular websites since it was formed in 2006. The more than 280 million monthly

active users can post messages and include photos, videos, news stories, and other ideas. Businesses

also use Twitter to deliver information and advertisements about products and services and to obtain

feedback from customers.

Jack Dorsey developed the idea behind Twitter, initially called twttr, while studying at New York

University. Then, while running his web-based company that dispatched taxis and couriers, he

collaborated with board members of a podcasting company who were interested in Internet and text

messaging. Several months after Dorsey sent his first Tweet, the cofounders introduced the service to

the public.

Notable Tweets have been sent by NASA astronauts at the International Space Station, Lady Gaga, Justin

Bieber, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee.

Do you have a Twitter account? If so, who or what do you follow? If not, why do you choose to not

join? What qualities contribute to Twitter’s popularity?




Jack Dorsey’s initial name for Twitter was twttr.

True

False






Ethics & Issues 1-2: Should You Be Required to Obtain Permission before

Posting Photos of Others? The resources listed in the table below contain more information about obtaining permission before

posting pictures of others online. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or entering the web address, you

can find desired information by entering search text from the table’s Website Name or Description

column.

Websites about Photo Permissions

Website Name Description Web Address

Better Business Bureau Article titled “Facebook: Permission before Posting?”

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Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities dscov.com/16/01e2b


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Secure IT 1-2: Protection from Viruses and Other Malware The following list identifies popular antivirus tools. You can find additional information by entering the

list items as search text.

Avast

Avira

AVG AntiVirus

Kaspersky Internet Security

Intel Security

Microsoft Security Essentials

Norton Security

Panda Security

Trend Micro

ZoneAlarm

Discover More: To display search results about antivirus tools in a new browser window or tab, tap or

click this link: dscov.com/16/01s2. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.





Secure IT 1-3: Creating Strong Passwords The following list identifies popular online tools to evaluate password strength. You can find additional

information by entering the list items as search text.

How Secure Is My Password

Microsoft Password Strength Tester

OWASP Passfault

Strength Test – Rumkin

The Password Meter

The Password Security Checker – Estatis

Yahoo! Password Strength Test

Discover More: To display search results about creating strong passwords in a new browser window or

tab, tap or click this link: dscov.com/16/01s3. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.





Technology Innovators: Microsoft and Bill Gates Bill Gates learned to program computers when he was 13 years old. Early in his career, he tailored the

BASIC programming language for the MITS Altair, one of the first microcomputers. He founded

Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen, three programmers, and one product. Five years later they licensed

the first operating system, called PC-DOS, to IBM for $80,000. This decision to license, rather than sell,

the software is considered one of the wisest business decisions Gates ever made. The company now

employs more than 128,000 people and has annual revenues in excess of $86 billion.

In the mid-1980s, Microsoft’s MS-DOS operating system was a huge success. Microsoft followed MS-

DOS with Microsoft Windows, a graphical user interface (GUI) operating system, and the Internet

Explorer browser. In addition to its success in the operating system market, Microsoft has the popular

productivity software suite, Office, which is available for both PC and Mac computers and includes

products for word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases.

Microsoft also has other diverse assets, including the acquisition of Skype; in the mobile phone industry

with its Windows Phone OS; the MSNBC cable television network; SharePoint, a web app platform used

primarily to manage documents; and gaming software, including Flight Simulator and Halo. Microsoft

also develops hardware, such as the Surface tablet, Xbox, mouse devices, keyboards, fingerprint

readers, webcams, and game controllers.

Although Bill Gates retired in 2008 from his role as Microsoft’s chief software architect, he remains on

the company’s board of directors and is an advisor on key development projects. He devotes much of

his time codirecting the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a philanthropic organization working to help

people worldwide lead healthy, productive lives. His foundation awards grants with the goal of using

technology to improve health, to help reduce poverty, and to improve education and graduation rates,

with an emphasis on online learning.

He has authored two books, Business @ the Speed of Thought and The Road Ahead, both of which

remained on The New York Times bestseller list for many weeks. He also is the founder and chairman of

Corbis, a company that provides photos, illustrations, video, and merchandise for newspapers,

magazines, and other media, and also preserves historic photographs in climate-controlled facilities.

Which Microsoft products have you used? Why would Bill Gates retire from Microsoft and devote his

energies toward furthering his philanthropic interests?




Bill Gates retired from Microsoft in 2008 but remains on the company’s board of directors and is an

advisor on key development projects.

True

False






Technology Innovators: Apple, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak Fortune called Steve Jobs the “greatest entrepreneur of our time.” Those words are a fitting tribute to

the man who cofounded Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak. Five years later, he was worth $200 million

and on the cover of Time at the age of 26. By that time he had helped build the first desktop computer,

marketed an innovative operating system, and cofounded the Apple Computer Corporation.

Apple Apple is noted for introducing groundbreaking products, starting with the Apple I, a circuit board

developed in Jobs’ parents’ garage. The Apple II was the first mass-marketed personal computer in

1977, and the Macintosh, which featured a graphical user interface, was introduced seven years later.

Under Jobs’ direction as CEO, Apple then developed the iOS and OS X operating systems; iLife for

working with photos, music, videos, and websites; and iWork, a collection of business programs. Apple

also has led the digital media revolution with its iPod mobile devices, iPad tablets with Retina display,

iTunes online music and app store, and iTunes U free educational content from schools, libraries,

museums, and organizations.

Steve Jobs Jobs used his personality traits and motivational skills to lead Apple to become one of the world’s top

consumer electronics companies. Until his death from a pancreatic tumor in 2011, he was instrumental

in introducing original products and branding the company’s image. He also revolutionized music

distribution by guiding the evolution of the iTunes store. As Apple’s CEO, he earned a salary of $1 per

year. Jobs also cofounded Pixar Animation Studios, which merged with The Walt Disney Company in

2006. He then became a member of Disney’s board of directors and the company’s largest shareholder.

Steve Wozniak Mixing fun with work comes naturally for Wozniak. He says his computer designing career began as, and

still continues to be, a hobby filled with creativity, humor, games, and education. In his opinion, Apple

was successful because he designed computers that had minimal parts and maximum performance. He

was inducted into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. One

of his current passions is applying artificial intelligence to the area of robotics. He also is a member of

the Silicon Valley Aftershocks, a polo team that plays using Segway electric transportation devices, and

competed on the television program Dancing with the Stars.

Which Apple products have you used? What qualities make Apple products popular in the

marketplace?




Steve Jobs’ salary as Apple’s CEO was $1 per year.

True

False






Expanded Table 1-2: Categories of Applications The table below includes elements from and expands on Table 1-2 in the book.

Category Sample Applications Sample Uses

Productivity

Word Processing Create letters, reports, and other documents.

Presentation Create visual aids for presentations.

Spreadsheet Organize data in columns and rows, and perform calculations.

Database Organize data to allow access, retrieval, and use of that data.

Note Taking Enter typed text, handwritten comments, drawings, sketches, photos, and links.

Calendar and Contact Management

Organize appointments and contact lists, and share this information with others.

Project Management Plan, schedule, track, and analyze events, resources, and costs of a project.

Accounting Record and report financial transactions.

Personal Finance Balance checkbook, pay bills, and track income and expenses.

Tax Preparation Guide you through the process of filing taxes.

Legal Assist in preparation of legal documents.

Document Management Provide means for sharing, distributing and searching through documents.

Enterprise Computing Support functional units in a large organization.

Support Services Make business or personal tasks, such as shopping and traveling, easier.

Graphics and Media

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Create engineering, architectural, and scientific designs and models.

Desktop Publishing Create publications that contain text, graphics, and colors.

Paint/Image Editing Create and modify graphics.

Photo Editing and Photo Management

Modify, view, organize, and share digital photos.

Video and Audio Editing Modify recorded movie clips, add music, etc.

Multimedia and Website Authoring

Combine text, graphics, audio, video, and animation in an interactive application.

Media Player View images, listen to audio/music, and watch videos.



Disc Burning Write files on a disc.

Personal Interest

Lifestyle Access news, check weather, compose music, locate points of interest, and more.

Medical Research, establish fitness program, track activity, monitor sleep patterns, and more.

Entertainment Listen to music, view photos, watch videos, play games, and more.

Convenience Obtain directions, set an alarm, use a personal assistant, and more.

Educational Access guides, learn a skill, support academics, and more.

Communications

Blog Read time-stamped articles.

Browser Access and view webpages.

Chat Room Participate in live, online typed conversation with many others.

Online Discussion View online areas where users have written discussions.

Email Send and receive messages.

FTP Transfer items to and from other computers on the Internet.

Internet Phone (or VoIP) Speak to other users over the Internet.

Internet Messaging Exchange real-time messages with another user.

Mobile Messaging Send and receive short text, picture, or video messages, mainly on mobile devices.

Videoconference Meeting between geographically separated people via a network.

Web Feeds Keeps track of changes made to websites.

Security

Personal Firewall Detect and protects against unauthorized intrusions.

Antivirus Protect a computer against viruses.

Spyware, Adware, and Other Malware Removers

Detect and deletes spyware, adware, and other malware.

Internet Filters Remove or blocks certain items from being displayed or received.

File, Disk, and System Management

File Manager Display and organize files on storage media.

Search Locate files and other items on storage media.



Image Viewer Display, copy, and print contents of graphics files.

Uninstaller Remove a program.

Disk Cleanup Search for and remove unnecessary files.

Disk Defragmenter Reorganize files and unused space on a computer’s hard disk.

Screen Saver Cause a display device’s screen to show a moving image or blank screen after a period of no keyboard or mouse activity.

File Compression Shrink the size of a file.

PC Maintenance Identify and fixes operating system problems.

Backup and Restore Copy files or contents of a drive, and if necessary, returns backed up files to original form.




Which of the following applications enables users to view images, listen to audio/music, and watch

videos?

a. media player

b. database

c. FTP

d. personal firewall


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Cellular Transmissions Cellular data transfer rates are stated in Kbps (kilobits per second, or thousand bits per second), Mbps

(megabits per second, or million bits per second), and Gbps (gigabits per second, or billion bits per

second). Several categories of cellular transmissions exist, defining the development of cellular

networks. Although the definitions of these categories may vary by mobile service providers, below are

some general guidelines:

1G (first generation of cellular transmissions)

o Transmits analog data at speeds up to 14.4 Kbps

2G (second generation of cellular transmissions)

o Transmits digital data at speeds from 9.6 Kbps to 144 Kbps

o Improved voice transmissions, added data communications, and added SMS (short

message service) or text messaging services

o Standards include GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and GPRS

(General Packet Radio Service)

3G (third generation of cellular transmissions)

o Transmits digital data at speeds from 144 Kbps to 3.84 Mbps

o Improved data transmissions, added MMS (multimedia message services)

o Standards include UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), CDMA

(Code Division Multiple Access), EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment), and

EVDO (Evolution Data Optimized)

4G (fourth generation of cellular transmissions)

o Transmits digital data at speeds up to 100 Mbps

o Improved video transmissions

o Standards include Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), and

IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX)

5G (fifth generation of cellular transmissions)

o Future generation of cellular transmissions

o Expected to improve bandwidth and transmission speeds (hundreds of times faster

than 4G LTE)

o Fewer dead zones expected

o Expected to provide artificial intelligence capabilities on wearable devices




A 4G cellular device should transmit data faster than a 3G cellular device.

True

False






Mini Feature 1-2: Staying in Sync The resources listed in the tables below contain more information about setting up a home network and

wireless syncing. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or entering the web address, you can find desired

information by entering search text from the tables’ Website Name or Description columns.

Websites about Wired Setups


About.com Article titled “Home Network Setup – Networking Advisor”

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eHow Article titled “How to Network Your Computers”

dscov.com/16/01m2b

HowStuffWorks Article titled “How Home Networking Works”

dscov.com/16/01m2c

YouTube Video titled “How to set up a wired network”

dscov.com/16/01m2d

Websites about Wireless Syncing


gizmag Article titled “Apple's iCloud enables automatic, wireless syncing between devices”

dscov.com/16/01m2e

HowStuffWorks Article titled “How to Sync Your Phone to Your Computer”

dscov.com/16/01m2f

PCWorld Article titled “How to sync files and folders across two PCs”

dscov.com/16/01m2g

YouTube Video titled “How to AUTO SYNC Photos, Contacts, Notes, Calendar Between iPhone, MAC, PC, iPad, iPod”

dscov.com/16/01m2h

Cloud Storage Services The following list identifies popular cloud storage services. You can find additional information by

entering the list items as search text.

Box

Dropbox

Google Drive

IDrive

JustCloud

OneDrive

SugarSync

ZipCloud


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Technology Trend: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) The thought of having more than 2,000 students enrolled in a single class may seem daunting, but this

enormous course existed nearly 10 years ago. It was one of the first massive open online courses

(MOOCs) and was a pioneer in opening access to quality education anywhere the Internet is available.

Since that time, millions of people worldwide have registered for credit and noncredit classes taught by

experts ranging from corporate CEOs to yoga masters. One of the more popular courses, Introduction to

Artificial Intelligence, had more than 150,000 students enroll.

The MOOC format can vary depending upon the subject matter and instructor’s expertise, but most

involve videos of lectures, assigned readings, assignments, and interactive discussions. Some instructors

open their courses to anyone interested in attending, and they invite people to share the course

content. Other instructors, however, keep the course closed and maintain strict control of their

resources. Khan Academy is one of the more popular MOOCs, and the short video instructions on

thousands of topics have been translated into 40 languages.

MOOC completion rates generally are quite low, often around 10 percent. Critics also note that

instructors do not know if the enrolled students actually are completing the assignments themselves,

which is an issue in most online classes. In general, however, the concepts of providing wider access to

education and the opportunity to learn from experts are valuable outcomes from this form of online

instruction.

Have you participated in a MOOC? If so, describe your experiences and what you learned in the

course. If not, what subjects would be interesting to study in a MOOC? Why are the completion rates so

low in these courses?




The Khan Academy is a popular MOOC.

True

False


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Mini Feature 1-3: Digital School The resources listed in the table below contain more information about technologies integrated in

classrooms. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or entering the web address, you can find desired

information by entering search text from the table’s Website Name or Description column.

Websites about Digital Technologies in Classrooms


National Math + Science Initiative

Article titled “Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Blended Learning”

dscov.com/16/01m3a

The Huffington Post Article titled “Technology in the Classroom” dscov.com/16/01m3b

U.S. Department of Education

Article titled “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students”

dscov.com/16/01m3c

U.S. News & World Report Article titled “Technology in the Classroom” dscov.com/16/01m3d


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Online Investing The following list identifies popular online investing websites. You can find additional

information by entering the list items as search text.

Charles Schwab

E-Trade

Fidelity

Firstrade

Merrill Lynch

Scottrade

TD Ameritrade

Vanguard

Discover More: To display search results about investing websites in a new browser window or tab, tap

or click this link: dscov.com/16/01r6. Close the window or tab when you are finished viewing it.


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Mobile Payments Many technology companies are investing millions of dollars to develop digital wallets that enable

mobile payments. Instead of using credit cards or cash to pay for purchases, customers can use an app

on their smartphones or enter personal information in a keypad at the checkout register. Coupons and

loyalty cards are linked to the accounts, and customers can link their smartphones to their current credit

cards.

Square, PayPal, Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft are among the companies implementing mobile

payments. Starbucks and Whole Foods are two of the more popular merchants using the Square

technology. Dollar General, Famous Footwear, and Home Depot accept PayPal payments at their stores.




To pay for an item using a mobile payment app, the customer swipes his or her mobile payment card

through the retailer’s card reader.

True

False






Secure IT 1-4: Shopping Safely Online The resources listed in the table below contain more information about safe online shopping

techniques. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or entering the web address, you can find desired


Websites about Shopping Safely Online


CNET Article titled “How to shop safely online” dscov.com/16/01s4a

US-CERT Article titled “Security Tip: Shopping Safely Online”

dscov.com/16/01s4b

wikiHow Article titled “How to Shop Online Safely” dscov.com/16/01s4c


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Technology Trend: QR Codes Marketing and advertising executives use QR codes as an effective method of engaging readers and

consumers. According to comScore, a digital analytics company, the most commonly scanned QR codes

are found in magazines and newspapers or on product packaging. People are most likely to scan them at

home or in stores.

While retailers realize the benefits of using the codes to share product details, other industries are

devising creative uses for these codes. In particular, the medical field is finding this technology is a

practical and efficient method of disseminating information and educational materials, such as facility

maps, hospital tours, and health services. For example, patients with chronic medical conditions can

store their personal health history in a QR code on their medical records, so that first responders can

access this information quickly in an emergency. In other cases, a code on the back of an insurance card

can give information about drug reactions to chemicals, patients can watch videos describing how to

perform therapy exercises or care for wounds, and nutritionists can add meal plans and diets.

Medical personnel, in general, have found patients have a positive attitude toward seeing the QR codes.

The front-desk staff can create QR codes for appointment reminders to scan into the patients’

smartphones. Patients are likely to recall seeing the information and can retrieve the details on their

smartphones quickly and conveniently, without having to search for an appointment card or for written

instructions.

Have you scanned QR codes? If so, which ones? What information did you obtain? Which products do

you use that have these codes?




In which location are people most apt to scan QR codes?

a. at home

b. at school

c. on public transportation

d. at sporting events


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High-Tech Talk: Triangulation Have you wondered how a Nintendo Wii game console is able to determine the precise location of a Wii

Remote while you interact with a game? How does the Wii console know where you are pointing the Wii

Remote, swinging it like a golf club, or motioning as if you are throwing a bowling ball? The answer is

triangulation.

Triangulation is the process by which you can use trigonometry to determine the location of an object

by measuring the angles from two or more fixed points. Surveyors often use triangulation to measure

distance. Starting at a known location and elevation, surveyors measure a predetermined length to

create a base line and then use an instrument called a theodolite to measure the angle to the unknown

point from each side of the base line. The length of the base line along with the two known angles

allows a computer or individual to determine the exact location of the third point (Figure 3). Electronic

theodolites calculate angles automatically and then send the calculated angles to a computer for

analysis.

Figure 3: Example of triangulation.

In Figure 3, the distance between points A and B is known. The theodolite calculates angle CAB (α) and

also calculates angle ABC (ß). A human or computer can calculate the location of point C by determining

the distance between points A and C and between points B and C. The formula used to determine the

location of an object will vary depending upon the number of fixed points used in the measurement.

With two fixed points, a relatively simple formula calculates the location of the third point. As the

number of fixed points increases, the calculation becomes more complex.

Similarly, the Nintendo Wii game console uses triangulation to determine the location of a Wii Remote.

When you set up a Wii game system, you place a sensor bar, which contains two infrared transmitters,

near or on top of a television set. While you are using a Wii Remote, the Wii console determines the



remote's location by calculating the distance and angles between the Wii Remote and the two

transmitters on the sensor bar. Determining the location of a Wii Remote is relatively simple because

the sensor bar contains only two fixed points: the transmitters.

A more complex application of triangulation occurs in global positioning systems. A global positioning

system (GPS) is a navigation system that consists of one or more earth-based receivers that accept and

analyze signals sent by satellites in order to determine the receiver's geographic location. GPS receivers

are found in handheld navigation devices and many vehicles. GPS receivers use triangulation to

determine their location relative to at least three geostationary satellites. Geostationary satellites, the

fixed points in the triangulation formula, remain in the same location above the earth. At least 24

operational geostationary GPS satellites orbit the earth at any given time, although at this time, 31

operational satellites are in orbit. A GPS receiver can increase its accuracy by using more than three of

these satellites to determine its location. This is done by measuring the distance from each of the

satellites, which always are a fixed distance apart, that are in range. In addition to determining position,

GPS receivers also are able to calculate the speed of a moving object by recording its change in location

from each satellite during a period of time. For instance, if a GPS receiver determines that you travel

two-hundredths of a mile in one second, it automatically would be able to calculate that you are

traveling at a rate of 72 miles per hour.

Another form of triangulation also can be used to determine the exact location of certain mobile

phones, usually after a caller dials for emergency assistance. Although some mobile phones are not

equipped with a GPS receiver, computers still can determine the phone's distance from other known

locations, which might include cell towers. Because the location of two or more cell towers within range

are known, computers easily can calculate the location of the mobile phone. Even if you think the

position of your mobile phone can be determined automatically, always be prepared to give your

location to an emergency dispatcher.

The next time you are passing a surveyor, playing a Nintendo Wii, following a prescribed route on a

vehicle's navigation system, or observing emergency personnel respond to an accident, keep in mind

that none of it might have been possible without the concept of triangulation.

Where else have you seen examples of triangulation?




At least 31 operational GPS satellites are always in orbit.

True

False


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High-Tech Talk: Neural Networks A neural network is a type of artificial intelligence system that attempts to emulate the way the human

brain works. Neural networks are named after neurons, which are the billons of cells in the human brain

that perform intelligent operations. Each neuron is like a small computer with basic capabilities. When

billions of neurons are connected together, however, these cells are the intellectual capacity in the

human brain, the most intelligent system known.

Neural networks are modeled on the human brain. A neural network uses an interconnected system of

hundreds or thousands of specially designed circuits, also called artificial neurons. Like the brain's

neurons, these circuits are connected together. Neural networks also are called artificial neural

networks (ANNs) to differentiate the network of artificial neurons from the network of biological

neurons in the human brain.

A neural network uses these circuits to create connections between inputs and outputs. The most

common neural network model is the multilayer perceptron (MLP), which consists of at least three

layers of circuits: a layer of input circuits, which is connected to one or more layers of hidden circuits,

which are connected to a layer of output circuits (Figure 4). The knowledge of a neural network is

housed in the hidden layers, which store the information that defines relationships between inputs and

outputs.

Figure 4: Common multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network model.

Just as people do, neural networks learn from experience. Some neural networks are trained using a

process called backpropagation, as shown in Figure 4. During backpropagation, the input data, which is

the information used to make a decision, repeatedly is presented to the neural network via the input



layer. The neural network then generates an output, which is the resulting decision, prediction, or

response, based on the weighted connections between the inputs and outputs, as stored in the hidden

layers.

The output of the neural network then is compared with the desired output, and the error is calculated

based on historical or known data. This error then is fed back, or backpropagated, to the hidden layer to

adjust the weights of the connection. During each repetition, the neural network learns to associate the

weight of the relationship between certain inputs and outputs. It then adjusts the weights of the

connections between the inputs and outputs accordingly. The hidden layers thus store a neural

network's knowledge as weighted connections between inputs and outputs, which are known as

synaptic weights. As training continues, the extent of the error decreases with each iteration, until the

neural network reaches a fully trained state where it reliably produces the desired output. The neural

network then is ready to produce outputs when the desired output is unknown.

Unlike humans, once trained fully, a neural network recognizes and classifies patterns in huge quantities

of complex data, at high speeds that humans cannot duplicate. Uses of neural networks include a wide

range of applications, such as sorting mail at the U.S. Postal Service, determining the number of jurors to

call at county courthouses, and identifying police officers with a potential for misconduct. Scientists use

neural networks to predict rainfall and forecast air quality. Manufacturers benefit from neural networks

that allow them to test the quality of plastics and welding and determine which type of concrete to use

on a highway. In health care, neural networks help predict heart attacks and cancer risk, while helping to

improve treatment.

In which applications might neural networks be useful in higher education environments?




The most common neural network model is the multilayer backpropagation (MLB).

True

False


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Ethics & Issues 1-4: Should Wikis Be Allowed as Valid Sources for

Academic Research? By protecting a wiki's contents, administrators ensure that the content follows the guidelines of the

wiki; it also reduces the wiki's vulnerability to vandalism.

The following list identifies several strategies wiki administrators use to evaluate and monitor new and

changed content.

Require editors to register

Recognize accurate editors and contributors

Limit the number of changes a new editor can make

Approve new editors' content before posting

Manage disruptive editors

Warn or ignore editors who contribute content that does not fit the guidelines or whose

behavior is disruptive

Discourage edit warring, which occurs when multiple editors disagree with each other's content

and make continual changes to the page

Monitor edits

Review recently edited pages

Enable administrators and editors to undo changes

Watch pages with content that is changed frequently or is susceptible to vandalism, such as for

celebrities or public figures in the midst of a scandal

Lock or protect pages

Enable only registered editors to change certain pages

Limit the number of pages that can be created, moved, or uploaded

Use applications

Detect and reverse vandalism using Huggle, Twinkle, Igloo, STiki, and other applications that

provide content management tools, such as tracking of recently edited pages, and the ability to

rollback a page to before it was edited




Requiring editors to register before editing a wiki can help ensure the wiki’s accuracy.

True

False


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Ethics & Issues 1-5: Should Employees Be Held Accountable for Their

Online Social Network Posts? The resources listed in the table below contain more information about employers’ monitoring of

employees or potential employees’ social media activities. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or

entering the web address, you can find desired information by entering search text from the table’s

Website Name or Description column.

Websites about Online Social Networks


Career Builder Article titled “Think before you post: Your online presence can cost you your job”

dscov.com/16/01e5a

Workforce Article titled “Should you Check Your Employees’ Social Media Accounts?”

dscov.com/16/01e5b


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Technology @ Work: Health Care The resources listed in the table below contain more information about how the health care industry

uses technology. As an alternative to tapping, clicking, or entering the web address, you can find desired


Websites about Technology in Health Care


Becker’s Health IT & CIO Review

Article titled “10 Biggest Technological Advancements for Healthcare in the Last Decade”

dscov.com/16/01w1a

Forbes Article titled “5 Ways Technology Is Transforming Health Care”

dscov.com/16/01w1b

referral md Article titled “The 7 Biggest Innovations in Health Care Technology”

dscov.com/16/01w1c


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Table of Contents - Cengage · Chapter 1 Free Resources INTRODUING TODAY’S TEHNOLOGIES: omputers,...

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