ICT terms and their meaning

Introduction

According to Wikipedia, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is a broader term for Information Technology (IT), which refers to all communication technologies, including the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, video-conferencing, social networking, and other media applications and services enabling users to access, retrieve, store, transmit, and manipulate information in a digital form.

A

Antenna – This is a wired rod that is used in receiving radio and television signals. New inventions have overtaken the use of an antenna.

B

Bluetooth – It is a wireless device that enhances connection with a nearby device like the keyboard, phone or printer using waves.

Blog – It is a website that contains information on various fields or subjects from different people. They are accessible by internet user except for those that have restrictions. Blogs have over the years been a source of making money online.

Blogger – A person that writes for blogs or owns a blog.

Boot – It is an act of starting up a device for use like a computer or a phone. The boot helps the phone or computer to reset and function properly.

Browser – This is a computer program that assists in searching for information on the internet. Examples are Chrome, Opera Mini, PHX Browser, Firefox, among others.

C

Cache – it describes that particular information is stored for a short period of time.

Calculator – It is a mobile device that assists in arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and advanced arithmetic. It also stores information and draws graphs. Now, calculators are in phones, computers and wristwatches.

Compression – Compression is the act of reducing a large size document or file to a smaller size. It helps the computer to save space.

Content – the information and ideas on a website (text, images and videos).

CPU – This is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. It is generally regarded as the computer’s brain.

Crash – This is when software or hardware refuses to function properly. When a system crashes, all the data and information are lost.

Cybercrime – This is an illegal activity that puts internet users at risk or any criminal activity that is achieved using the computer.

Cyber protection – This encompasses all those strategies that one does to protect the computer from cybercrime.

Data -This is all the information that can be processed by a computer.

Database – This is a place that stores all information on a computer are stored.

Digital camera – This is a device used in taking pictures of people and events. It can be used to store information like video recordings. A digital camera can be found on phones.

Download – the processing of accessing and moving or transferring information from the internet to a phone or a computer.

DV- This is an abbreviation for Digital Video

DVD – Digital Video Disc is a computer to carries and preserve information, sounds, pictures and videos.

E

E-mail – It is a modern medium of transferring message or information over the internet from one person to another.

F

Feedback – This is a quick response from the computer.

File – This is a collection of data that is given a unique name and is stored on the computer’s secondary storage.

Folder – This is the directory in which files are sent to and stored. They can be found in systems and phones.

Function – It is used to describe any single operation of a computer.

G

Gmail – This is an example of an e-mail client just like yahoomail.com.

Google – This is a search engine that gives access to various information. It is the most widely used search engine in the world.

H

Home page – This is the first page in a browser.

I

Internet – This is a set of networks that are interconnected in various ways that permits the computer users around the world to exchange information.

ISP – This is an organization that gives access to the internet.

M

Modem -This is a device used on a computer that permits the transfer of information, ideas, facts and opinion to each other. It can be used to send signals to a computer.

Monitor – it has a rectangular shape with a screen like that of a television.

P

Phone – This is a wireless device that is used in sending information via calls and text messages from one place to another.

Printer – This is a rectangular output device that is connected to a computer to duplicate what is on the screen on paper.

Processor – This is the part of a computer that makes it works faster and with great speed.

V

Virus -a group of rules secretly put into a computer or computer program which can destruct information and causes damages. Virus has the ability to crash a system.

Viral – This is the rapid spread of information within a short period on the internet and social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, 2go, Snapchat, among others.

S

Social media – These are online platforms that help people communicate with people in far places through calls and chats. Examples are Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, 2go, Snapchat, among others.

Speaker – This is an output device that produces sound. It can be found in phones, computers, radios, etc.

T

Telephone – a wired device that is used in sending information from one place to another through calls.

U

UPS – This is an abbreviation for Uninterrupted Power Supply

W

Wi- Fi – an invention that has made communication on a computer easy via a wireless signal.

Wireless – spreading information without cable.

Wristwatch – a device that tells time and date.

WWW – an abbreviation for World Wide Web