Types of Computers

There are many computers, and there are varying typologies depending on the perspective. In this brief section, we’ll survey the types according to how they relate to your role as an educator and a technology user.

• Mainframe – A fairly large computer. In the beginning of computers, a mainframe occupies as large as a small building. Nowadays, mainframe refers to a smaller computer, but still significantly larger than the one you use at your desktop. These usually have the size of a cabinet. Mainframe usually refers to the size, although a mainframe is frequently associated with server.
• Server – A computer which ‘serves’ or handles processes for another computer, called a client. A server may store data, process requests, perform calculations, or any combination of these. Considering that a single client may process requests from innumerable clients, the server function is best assigned to a mainframe or a server-function designed hardware. Samples are a web server, a chat server (IRC), and an email server (POP3 and SMTP).
• Client – A computer which makes the requests to a server computer. A client is actually associated with the function of an application, such as an email client (for example, Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thurnderbird) or a chat client (for example, Yahoo! Messenger).
• Microcomputer – Also called a desktop. This refers to the computer you frequently user -  with a monitor, a keyboard and a mini tower. The term ‘microcomputer’ refers to the old terminologies when mainframes were called ‘macrocomputers.’ Something in between ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ was also called the ‘minicomputers,’ which had the capability of macrocomputers but were smaller in size and expected to handle less processes.
• Laptop / Notebook – Very similar to desktop, save for the capability to be mobile. They were intended to give you the capability to compute as if with a desktop while having the capability to bring all those functions easily to wherever you are.
• Netbook – A smaller derivative of the laptop, a netbook has a significantly smaller storage capacity and minimal upgrade capability. A netbook is an attempt to take advantage of cloud services – operations and storage – while maximizing mobility. This has been rendered impractical and outmoded by the tablet form factor (see below).
• Mobile Device – Previously called ‘PDAs’ or personal digital assistants, mobile devices are small electronic gadgets  for personal productivity, such as scheduling, notes and data storage. With the merge of cellular phone and PDAs, mobile devices now have wi-fi and/or 3G capability and internet-related software, such as browsing, email and chat – aside from their basic communication (i.e., call and SMS) functions. They allow the users to do computing tasks while literally on the go.
• Tablet - Modern touch-based computers which have their own operating systems and whose capabilities are extended by the applications made available by the developer community. Currently, the two common operating systems for tablets are the Android (by Google) and iOS (by Apple). The primary strength of the tablet is mobility and ability to add functionality through available applications.
• Hybrid - A hardware form factor that mixes tablet and laptop. Usually, it is a laptop that has a touchscreen, which can be swiveled so that it covers the keyboard (functioning like a tablet), like the Lenovo Twist, or the screen can be physically disconnected from the rest of the body (again, functioning as a standalone tablet), like the Asus Transformer T100. The benefits of the hybrid over the tablet is that it allows the flexibility of ease of typing when needed and ability to focus on content communication (e.g., presentation to a client) or create content while on the move.