Contents
(graphics added wherever possible to aid understanding)
Add-on
Address (of a website)
Address Bar (of a browser)
Android
Audio sockets
Dongle – usually USB
Fibre Broadband
Outlook
Tool Tip
USB Hard Drive
Webcam
Add-on
An addition to your web browser to add extra features such as the ability to view animations using Adobe Flash.
Address
Every page on the internet has a unique address so your browser knows which file to display on screen from the millions on the internet. It’s essential that it’s typed exactly as it’s written and into the “Address Bar” (it’s easy to mistakenly type it into the Search Bar).
Address Bar
Many browsers have a separate address bar – usually on the left. Their search bar is then placed on the left and used for the browser’s built-in search feature to look for items using the terms you tpe in.
Audio sockets
The following picture shows the sockets available on many Desktop PCs (what I call the large boxes which sit on or under your desk). If you have these, your headphone or speakers plug into the green one (as indicated).
Dongle (usually USB)
There are 2 kinds in frequent use:-
1. Wireless dongles for connecting wirelessly to the home router
2. Bluetooth dongles for connecting a bluetooth keyboard or mouse to a PC
Fibre Broadband
A faster type of broadband which is being made available in more and more areas of the UK, which offers the potential to be much faster and with a larger bandwidth than traditional broadband (which is ADSL broadband), in exchange for a higher monthly fee and new contract (in most cases).
The advantage will really be seen by users doing a lot of downloading or streaming of files (especially if high quality is needed) – eg. movies or You Tube/TV channels, and where many users in the household doing these things at the same time.
Outlook
When a person says Outlook, they are usually referring to:-
The program which is part of Microsoft Office (along with Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and a few others). It has a cost attached to using it – whether you pay this all in one sum of money by buying Office 2019 Home and Student Edition (for example) or as part of Office 365 Subscription (payable monthly or annually). This Outlook can be used whether or not you are connected to the internet at the time.
However, it can also be used to refer to OUTLOOK.COM – the FREE Outlook-type program which anyone can sign up for and use for as long as they wish. Unlike the program if you don’t have a connection to the internet your email is accessible, along with its other features. As a result it is described as ‘webmail’.
Tool Tip (a Windows feature)
A tool tip is a small pop up window which appears when you move your mouse to hover (move over) a Windows menu or toolbar button – it explains what the item or button does. An example is shown below of a Tool Tip for my Santander button on my Bookmarks Toolbar in Firefox.
USB Hard Drive
Usually used for backups, but also for transferring large amounts of data quickly between PCs, since they are available in capacities from 500GB up to 4TB (4 times as much!).
Webcam
Built into almost all laptops, tablets and smartphones, most people don’t have to think about their webcam – until it stops working !
Desktop PC users need to plug in a USB-connected one like the one below (which usually have a microphone built in). This type are also used when a PC or laptop’s built in web fails to work reliably.
