Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Computer

There are alternative, more technologically advanced, designs of muse available. For example, a mouse has been developed where the rubber ball has been replaced with an optical sensor that detects motion on the desktop. A tiny digital camera takes up to 1,500 pictures per second of the surface beneath the mouse and these pictures are translated into movement of the cursor on the screen. You don’t need a mouse mat because the sensor works on most non-reflective surfaces-even your laptop-and as there are no moving parts the mouse moves smoothly.

The cordless mouse relies on digital radio technology to send signals to a digital receiver. Radio waves enable communication with the CPU from a distance range of up to two metres regardless of any obstacles which might be in the way.

• Tracker Ball

A tracker ball, sometimes referred to as a roller ball, is like an upside down mouse that allows the user to point and select items on screen by rotating the ball around a desktop. It requires very little space to operate and is often used in conjunction with computer-aided design software. Sometimes you find a small tracker ball built into laptop computers in place of the conventional mouse.

• Scanner

Scanners read words, symbols or other graphics from a printed page and ‘translate’ the pattern of light and dark or colour into a digital signal that the computer can store and manipulate. The quality of the image is dependent on the resolution of the scanner.