01They Do Not Look Like Computers

When you hear the word “computer,” you might picture a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

But look at some devices we use every day: phones, tablets, and game consoles. Some have no keyboard. Some have no mouse. A game console may not even have its own screen.

Desktop Computer

Keyboard, mouse, monitor
The shape we usually call a “computer”

Phone

You touch the screen
It can take photos, play sound, and go online

Tablet

A large touch screen
Useful for learning, drawing, and watching videos

Game Console

You control it with a gamepad
It sends game pictures to a screen

Smartwatch

Small enough to wear
It tracks time, movement, and health data

02But They Do Similar Jobs

Instead of looking at their shapes, let’s look at what happens when they work.

A computer, phone, tablet, and game console can all follow the same basic pattern:

1

Input

You tap the screen, type,
or press a gamepad button

2

Process

The device follows a program
and works with the information

3

Output

The screen changes
or the speaker makes a sound

Example: You Tap “Play” on a Phone

Your finger taps the screen The phone handles the action The video starts playing
Guess: When you press the “jump” button on a gamepad, is that input, processing, or output?
Answer: Input. The gamepad first tells the console what you did. The game program processes that input, and then the character jumps on the screen.

03They Have Similar Parts Inside

These devices do not just work in similar ways. They also contain some similar parts. You do not need to memorize the names yet—just notice what each part does.

Processor

Follows program instructions, works with data, and performs calculations.

Memory

Temporarily holds programs and data that are being used right now.

Storage

Keeps apps, games, photos, videos, and other files for a long time.

Programs

Tell the device what to do and the order in which to do it.

Remember This

Different shapes do not mean completely different machines. If you look past the outside, phones, tablets, game consoles, and computers have many similar ways of working.

04Why Do They Look So Different?

Because they are designed for different jobs. Engineers choose different shapes, controls, and parts depending on how people will use each device.

Computer

Good for typing, coding, making documents, and connecting many extra devices.

Phone

Made to travel with you, so it is small and includes a touch screen, camera, and phone functions.

Tablet

Bigger than a phone but easier to carry than many computers, with a large touch screen for reading and drawing.

Game Console

Built mainly for games, so its controls, graphics, and sound are designed around playing.

A girl discovers that phones, tablets, and game consoles are also computing devices
So something does not
have to look like a PC
to be a computer!

What You Now Know

  • Phones, tablets, and modern game consoles are computing devices too.
  • We should not judge a computer only by its shape. We should look at how it handles information and runs programs.
  • These devices can receive input, process information, and produce output.
  • They also contain processors, memory, storage, and programs.