A-Z Glossary of Gadget Terminology

#

• 3.5mm Headphone Jack: A standard size audio plug used on portable devices such as iPhones and iPods. Of note the HTC Touch/Diamond 1x and 2x series uses a propriety plug, much to users indignation.
• 73/23/EEC: European Union Low Voltage directive.
• 89/336/EEC: European Union EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) directives.

A

• Analog Signal: Common transmission protocol for Television broadcasts world-wide. Now being superseded by Digital signal.
• AV: Abbreviation for Audio-Visual.

B

• Bluetooth: Wireless technology standard for short-range (10m or 30ft) networking devices that allows such devices to automatically recognize each other and transfer information between them.

C

• Cradle or Device Dock: Allows a handheld device to synchronize with a computer, recharge its battery and run on AC power.
• CompactFlash Card (Type I and Type II): Removable card used to expand the capabilities of a device. Common types of CompactFlash cards include memory and wireless cards. Type I devices are 3.3 mm thick. Type II devices are 5 mm thick. Type 1 is mostly used.
• CCD (charge-coupled device): Sensor for recording images, consisting of an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors.
• C-Mount: Standardized adapter for optical lenses on CCD cameras.
• CS-Mount: Same as C-Mount but the focal point is 5 mm shorter. A CS-Mount lens will not work on a C-Mount camera.

D

• Data Matrix: A two dimensional Barcode - often used for promotions where offer info can be read into a mobile device via its built-in camera.
• DHCP (Dynamic host configuration protocol): A communication protocol that allows network administrators to manage and automate the assignment of Internet Protocol addresses to computers in a network.
• DC Jack or DC Connector: An electrical connector plug (and wire) for supplying direct current (DC) power to gadgets and electricals.
• Dongle: Refers to a portable device that plugs into a USB port. Looks like a USB Stick or Pen. Common use as a broadband wireless adaptor.
• DVB (digital video broadcasting): Suite of internationally accepted open standards for modern digital television.

E

• EMC (electromagnetic compatibility): A set of standards in respect to radio interference for electrical equipment.

F

• FireWire or IEEE 1394: A personal computer/digital audio video serial bus interface standard, offering high-speed communications.

G

• IMAP (Internet message access protocol): A standard client/server protocol that allows you to access e-mail from a server. Using IMAP, you can store and browse your e-mail on the server. Gmail amongst other allows the use of this protocol.

H

• HF (high frequency): Radio frequencies between 3 and 30 MHz. Also known as the decameter band or decameter wave.

I

• IEEE 802.11b-1999 or 802.11b: A set of standards carrying for wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands.
• Intel 2700G: Low power (50 mW max) graphics co-processor for the XScale PXA27x processor. Often found in PDA handheld devices.
• IrDA (Infrared Data Association): Protocol standards for short-range exchange of data over infrared.
• Infrared Sensor: A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection.

L

• LAN (local area network): A computer network usually covering a confined area such as within a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to another LAN over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves to form a wide area network (WAN).

M

• Megapixel (MP): 1 million pixels. In digital cameras, the term is used for the number of pixels making up an image and also the number of image sensor elements within the electronics. Higher number = better quality pictures. Other uses describe the number of display elements in a digital display.
• Memory Stick: Removable flash memory card. A (USB) Memory Stick plugs into a USB port to access its storage.
• Memory Stick PRO: Higher capacity and faster transfer rate than a standard flash memory stick.
• Memory Stick PRO Duo: Removable flash memory card with high capacity, faster speeds and a smaller size than standard and PRO sticks.
• Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo: Removable flash memory card which is overall three times faster than the Memory Stick PRO format.
• Memory Stick Micro: Small size format of the memory stick. Size: 15 × 12.5 × 1.2 mm.
• xD-Picture Card: Flash memory card, used mainly in digital cameras. Manufacturers are moving away from the xD card in favor of SD cards. Type M/M+ and type H xD-Picture cards have higher capacities.
• MHZ: Megahertz.
• MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 or MP3: A digital audio encoding format using lossy data compression. Used in audio storage and the standard for digital audio compression for music files on digital audio players.
• MPEG-2 or MPEG2: A standard for lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression used with movie files.
• microSD: The smallest memory card available and commonly used in newer cellular phones, handheld GPS devices, portable media players, digital audio players and digital cameras etc. Size: 15 × 11 × 1mm. This is a quarter the size of standard SD cards.
• miniSD Card: Small size memory storage card often used in cell phones/mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players and other such gadgets. Size: 21.5 x 20 x 1.4mm.
• MMC (MultiMediaCard): A flash memory card. Now superseded by Secure Digital cards (SD card).

P

• PIM (Personal information manager): A program that stores and organizes your personal information, such as Calendar, Contacts, Messaging (email), and Tasks.
• POP3 (post office protocol 3): A standard client/server protocol that allows you to access your e-mail from a server. Using POP3, you must download your email to your local computer to view and browse your messages.

R

• RAS (remote access server): A type of server that allows users to access a network from a remote location.
• RAM (random-access memory): The primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you perform a reset.
• RF (radio frequency): A frequency within the range of 3 Hz to 300 GHz.
• RF Cable: Often relates to a simple aerial wire to connect TV's with other devices using the Analogue signal.
• ROM (read-only memory): Memory that stores data and programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the device. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents after you perform a reset. Some programs essential to the operation of your device are in ROM.
• RS-MMC (reduced-size MultiMediaCard): Smaller version of the MultiMediaCard (MMC). Generally superseded by SD cards.

S

• Serial Connector: An I/O port often used to connect devices such as a handheld digital device or digital camera to your computer.
• SCART: 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual (AV) equipment together. Also refers to a Scart Lead or Scart connector. (Images / Wikipedia).
• SDRAM (synchronous dynamic random-access memory): A type of DRAM that is synchronized with the optimal clock speed of the microprocessor.
• SD Card (secure digital memory card): A type of removable memory commonly used in digital cameras, handheld devices, cell phones, and other such gadgets. Size: 32 x 24 x 2.1mm.
• SDHC Card (secure digital high capacity, SD 2.0): An extended version of the SD card with increased storage capacity up to 32GB. SDHC cards are the same size as standard SD (SD 1.x) cards, allowing a SDHC device to support both SDHC cards and older SD-cards.
• Shutter Speed : Usually refers to a camera aperture and the time it is held open during the taking an image to allow light to reach the imaging sensor.
• SMS (short message service): A service that is capable of sending short messages to wireless devices.
• SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol): A type of protocol used for sending and receiving email. SMTP is typically coupled with POP3 or IMAP.
• Smart Camera or Intelligent Camera: A self-contained, standalone vision system with built-in image sensor in the housing of an industrial video camera.
• S-Video or Super Video (Separate video): An analog video signal that carries data as two separate signals - brightness and color.
• Symbol Rate: When quoted with digital television equipment, the meaning is used to show the equipment Data Flow Rate often as bits per second. More information - Wikipedia Symbol Rate.
• SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array or Super VGA): Broad term that covers a wide range of computer display standards.
• Sync Cable: A cable through which you can connect a handheld device to a computer to transfer or synchronize files.
• Synchronization: An automated process that replaces files in one location with the updated files from another location. For example, you can synchronize the files on your computer with the files on your handheld device.

T

• TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol): The basic communication language of the Internet.

U

• USB (universal serial bus): A hardware interface for a low-speed device such as a USB-compatible keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, speakers, printer, broadband devices (DSL and cable modems), imaging devices, or storage devices. USB devices can be conveniently connected and disconnected while the computer is still on.
• UHF (Ultra high frequency): A frequency range between 300 MHz and 3 GHz (3,000 MHz).
• UHF Connector: Threaded connector plug used with Radio frequency (RF) devices.

V

• VGA-Out: Enables a device to output its display or what shown on its screen to a monitor and other compatible display device.
• VHF (Very high frequency): Radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies below this are High frequency (HF), and those above are Ultra high frequency (UHF).
• VPN (virtual private network): A set of communication protocols that allows remote users to securely access a network.

W

• WAP (wireless application protocol): A standardization for the way that wireless devices access the Internet.

Y

• Y-Cable: Type of cable containing three ends. Uses may be for splitting one audio or video channel into two or for complex uses such as splicing signals from a high density computer connector to its appropriate peripheral .