Early computing devices included basic materials like fingers and toes, pebbles, grains, cowries, sticks, and tally marks that were used for counting before modern technology. These early counting devices had problems in that they could not easily count large numbers, were time-consuming, took up significant space, and required availability of limited materials. The document defines early computing devices and lists examples like fingers, pebbles, grains, cowries, and sticks that were used for counting in early ages before mechanical devices.