this is our project for Intro to Computing Summer session 2013

1. S
Form Factors
By: Clark Allen, Alexander Dirst, Michael Owens
Introduction to Computing Section 003
Summer Semester 2013
Professor Erin Reddick 06/13/2013

2. Introduction
 There are many different forms
of technology used to fulfill a
variety of tasks.
 Many different tech devices
are used, such as a desktop
computer, server-class
computer, laptop, tablet, smart
phone, video game
consoles, or embedded
systems. All of the devices are
available in various, in fact the
specs are what typically drives
a consumer to different
technology.
 Specifications- are a set of
requirements used as a guide
to buying and creating
technology.
 For example you can have one
person who needs a system to
record music in a studio, that
person may need for
example, a desktop that fulfills
the size and dimensions or a
component, to properly record
a song. These are examples of

3. What are Form Factors?
S A Form Factor, is the
configuration of a computer’s
system unit; such as a system
board or a system unit.
S Another example of form
factors are personal computers
in which some are small and
some are large, some are
desktop, and some are portable
like laptops.

4. Compare
various
different
computing
form factors
-Desktop
computer
Server-class
computer
Laptop
TabletSmartphone
Video
games
Embedded
Systems
(Air
Conditioner,
Thermostat)

5. Examples of Computing Form
Factors
Desktop Computer
Laptop Computer
Server-Class
Computer

6. Examples of Computing Form
Factors (cont)
Tablets Smartphones

7. Examples of Computing Form
Factors (cont)
Video Game Consoles

8. Examples of Computing Form
Factors (cont)

9. The Input/Output Devices
List of various Input Devices
 Digital Cameras
 Keyboard
 Microphone
 Mouse, touchpad, or
other pointing device
 MIDI Keyboard
 Scanner
 Remote
 Graphics Tablet
 Gamepad, Joystick,
Controller, Barcode
Reader etc
 CD/DVD ROMs
 Storage Devices
List of various Output
Devices
 Printer
 Braille reader
 Flat panel
• GPS
• Headphones
• Computer Monitor
• Printer
• Projector
• Sound Card
• Speakers
• TV

10. Desktop Computer
Input Devices
Output Devices
Processing Power In Terms of the RAM
and CPU
How and Where The
Platform is used.
 Keyboards, Mouse,
Graphic Tablets, Joystick,
CD/DVD ROMs,
scanners, cameras, video
capture hardware, and
storage devices.
 Visual Display device,
printer, speakers, and
headsets, print,
 2-8 GB-RAM
 1.33 GHz-CPU
How the Platform is used: It can be used to
surf the internet, make music or various
things, and used to do work. It can be used
for business or personal.
Where the platform is used: It is not
portable, so therefore can only be used in
areas with internet connection and outlets to
plug it in.
Examples
iMac, Dell, HP
desktops

11. Laptop
Input Devices
 Microphones,
webcams, DVD/CD
ROMs, MIDI Devices,
Keyboard, Mouse,
Storage devices.
Output Devices
 Visual Display,
printers, sound
output,
headphones,
Processing Power In Terms of the
RAM and CPU
 Typical RAM: 2 GB
 2 GHz CPU
How and Where The
Platform is used.
How the Platform is used: Laptops
are used due to a desktop not being
portable, it can be used to surf the
internet and do work, business and
personal.
Where the platform is used: It can be
used anywhere due to it being portable.
Examples
MacBook, Dell
Laptop, HP
netbooks,

12. Tablet
Input Devices
 Fingers, rubber-
tipped Stylus, a
nomad
brush, Keyboard
Output Devices
 Sound
Output,
Auxiliary
Devices
Processing Power In Terms of
the RAM and CPU
How and Where The Platform is
used.
260 MB of RAM
How the Platform is used: It can be
used for multiple things such as
business or personal, through
facetime/skype you can contact people
whether out or at home.
Where the platform is used: It can be
used anywhere due to it being portable.
Example
s
Apple iPad,
Samsung Galaxy
Tablet, Kindle
Fire

13. Smartphone
Input Devices Output Devices
Rubber Tipped Stylus,
Fingers, Regular
Keyboard,On Screen
Keyboard, In Phone
Microphone,
Headset, auxiliary
devices, headphones,
speakers.
Processing Power In Terms of
the RAM and CPU
 260 MB of RAM
 Dual- Core Processor
CPU.
How and Where The Platform is
used
How the Platform is used: It is used as a
communication device to contact people
whether out or at home, for personal or for
business.
Where the platform is used: It can be
used anywhere due to it being portable.
Examples
Apple
iPhone, HTC
Android, Samsun
g Galaxy

14. Video Game Consoles
Input Devices
 Gamepad, Joystick, Controller,
Headsets, Xbox
Kinect/Playstation Move/Wii
motion sensor
Output Devices
Sony Playstation 3D display, Speakers,
Headphones, the TV you play the game
on, HDMI, Digital Outputs
Processing Power In
Terms of the RAM and
CPU/ Examples of
consoles
 Playstation 4: 8GB GDDR5 RAM,
x86-64 AMD 'Jaguar' 8 cores in CPU.
 Xbox One: 8GB DDR3 RAM, 8-core
CPU,
 Wii U: 2 GB total, consisting of four
512 MB (4 Gb) DDR3-1600 RAM,
Multi-Core IBM PowerPC “Espresso”
CPU.
How and Where The Platform is
used
How the Platform is used: The video game console is used
to play video games through. Used during leisure time or
perhaps it may be someone’s job.
Where the platform is used: It depends which videogame
console is used, if it is a portable it can be used anywhere
(ex. PSP, Nintendo DS, etc.), if it is non portable then it is
typically played in a building as long as long as there is an
outlet to plug it in, a TV display and for some Wi-Fi.

15. Embedded Systems (e.g.,
thermostat or Airplane Control
Systems)
Input Devices
Various buttons/knobs
and keyboards to adjust.
Very complex systems
Output Devices
With things such as thermostats, you
get adjusted temperatures and with
things like Air traffic control systems
you get directing flights.
Processing Power In Terms
of the RAM and CPU.
How and Where The
Platform is used.
 Static RAM, Dynamic
RAM
 Microprocessor CPU
How the Platform is used: It is used
as a complex system to help things
operate.
Where the platform is used: It is used
in most things electronic.