Jargon Buster

32bit/64bit A measure of how much data a PC can process at once. Most older computers are 32bit, more modern ones are 64bit.

3G/4G/5G Technologies that deliver faster mobile broadband.

4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels.

720p/1080p/1440p Common types of high-definition video of 1280x720, 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 pixels respectively.

802.11ax Wi-fi standard with speeds up to 10 times faster than 802.11ac. Also called Wi-fi 6.

Action camera A digital camera designed to record action while attached to a person’s body or equipment.

AMOLED Active-matrix Organic Light-emitting Diode. An alternative technology to LCD for creating flat-panel displays.

Backhaul The process of sending data to a wired access point to reach the wider internet.

Beta A version of software that’s being tested.

Cache A temporary space for storing information.

Codec Short for Compressor/ Decompressor. A file that tells a computer how to record or play a type of media file.

Cookie A small text file stored on your computer by a website.

Core Units on a processor that carry out program instructions.

Cryptocurrency An online currency not backed by any country.

A measurement that shows how the human eye perceives different colours.

Depth mapping Working out the distance between the surface of objects from a given viewpoint.

DNS Domain Name System. A technology that associates computers with their addresses on the internet. dpi Dots per inch. A measure of printed image quality, or the size an object will be shown on screen.

Driver A file that tells Windows how to work with an external device.

EXE or Executable file A program file designed to run in Windows.

EXIF Exchangable Image File Format. A method for storing extra data in photo files.

False positive When an antivirus program wrongly detects a malware infection.

Firmware Software stored on hardware to control its operation.

Frame rate The number of still images, or frames, shown per second to create a moving image.

GEDCOM Short for Genealogical Data Communication. A file format used by genealogy programs to share data.

Gesture Finger movements on a screen that perform an action, such as pinching to zoom.

GHZ Gigahertz. A measure of how many instructions a chip can process per second.

Gorilla glass Scratch-resistant glass that’s used to protect the screens of tablets and phones.

Graphics card A component in a computer that produces the image shown on the monitor.

HDR High-dynamic range. A camera that takes more than one photo with different levels of colour and contrast.

Hotspot A public area covered by a Wi-fi network that allows you to access the internet.

IP address Internet Protocol address. A unique set of numbers used to identify computers and websites on the internet.

IPS A screen technology. Monitors that use it have wider viewing angles and more accurate colours.

ISO file A type of image file that contains all the data from a disc.

LCD Liquid-crystal display. The technology used to create almost all flatscreen monitors.

LED Light-emitting diode. An electronic device that emits light.

Mesh Wi-fi Wireless network solution that uses multiple, connected routers to stretch Wi-fi further than a traditional router.

Microsd card A small type of memory card.

MKV Matroska. An open source type of video file.

OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer. Components or software installed by the manufacturer.

Open source Software that can be modified by anyone.

PCI Express Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. A faster version of PCI - a slot on the motherboard for expansion cards.

Plug-in A small program that adds extra features to software.

Product key A unique serial number that must be typed in by the user before a program will launch for the first time.

PUP Potentially unwanted program. A program that may not be desired, despite the user consenting to it being downloaded.

Ransomware Malware run by hackers who lock PC files and demand a payment to release them.

Retina Apple’s marketing term for extremely high-resolution displays. Typically above 300 pixels per inch (ppi).

RTF Rich Text Format. A file format used to transfer files between word-processing programs.

SATA Serial ATA. An interface for connecting hard drives to a PC.

SD card Secure Digital card. A popular type of memory card.

SIM Subscriber Identity Module. The smart card used by all digital mobile phones.

SMART Self-monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. PCtesting tech developed by IBM.

Source code Program instructions written in a high-level language.

Spoofing A technique whereby hackers pose as legitimate websites, emails or IP addresses to gain access to sensitive data.

SRGB A standard RGB colour space for use on monitors, printers and the internet.

SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that, unlike a hard drive, uses no moving parts.

Switch Mechanism under a keyboard that determines whether a key has been pressed.

System image A backup of your operating system drivers, PCS settings, programs and files.

A Windows feature that reverts your computer’s system files to an earlier point in time.

Tag A keyword used to describe a file or web page.

Temporary file A file created by a browser to store website data.

Thread Smallest sequence of instructions that can be managed by your processor.

Thunderbolt A very fast port for connecting external storage to a computer.

Tor browser A web browser designed for anonymous surfing.

Two-factor authentication A system that uses two different means to identify the user. For example, a PIN and a password.

USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors to USB.

USB-C A new connector that’s reversible.

Webm Video file format supported by major browsers and software.

ZIP file A file that contains compressed documents or files.