Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Plotters
are a type of hard-copy output device used for general design work. Businesses
typically use plotters to generate paper or acetate blueprints, schematics, and drawings of
buildings or new products. Standard plot widths are 24 inches and 36 inches, and the length
can be whatever meets the need—from a few inches to many feet.
Digital Audio Player
A
digital audio player
is a device that can store, organize, and play digital music files.
MP3
(MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a popular format for compressing a sound sequence into a very
small file while preserving the original level of sound quality when it is played. By compressing
the sound file, it requires less time to download the file and less storage space on a hard drive.
You can use many different music devices about the size of a deck of cards to download
music from the Internet and other sources. These devices have no moving parts and can store
hours of music. Apple expanded into the digital music market with an MP3 player (the iPod)
and the iTunes Music Store, which allows you to find music online, preview it, and download
it in a way that is safe, legal, and affordable. Other MP3 manufacturers include Dell, Sony,
Samsung, Iomega, and Motorola, whose Rokr product is the first iTunes-compatible phone.
The Apple iPod Touch 3.5-inch widescreen lets the user watch movies and TV shows
and view photos and album art. The display automatically adjusts the view when it's rotated
from portrait to landscape. An ambient light sensor adjusts brightness to match the current
lighting conditions. It also supports wireless networking so that the user can access the Inter-
net, view YouTube videos, and purchase music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store.
digital audio player
A device that can store, organize,
and play digital music files.
MP3
A standard format for compressing
a sound sequence into a small file.
The Apple's iPod Touch
(Source: Courtesy of Apple.)
Special-Purpose Input and Output Devices
Many additional input and output devices are used for specialized or unique applications.
Two examples of such devices are discussed in the following sections.
E-Books
The digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book is called an e-book (short for
electronic book). The Project Gutenberg Online Book Catalog lists over 20,000 free e-books
and a total of more than 100,000 e-books available. E-books can be downloaded from this
