Dell Latitude D530: Glossary

Glossary

Terms in this Glossary are provided for informational purposes only and may

or may not describe features included with your particular computer.

A

AC — alternating current — The form of electricity that powers your computer when

you plug the AC adapter power cable in to an electrical outlet.

ACPI — advanced configuration and power interface — A power management

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specification that enables Microsoft

Windows

operating systems to put a computer

in standby or hibernate mode to conserve the amount of electrical power allocated to

each device attached to the computer.

AGP — accelerated graphics port — A dedicated graphics port that allows system

memory to be used for video-related tasks. AGP delivers a smooth, true-color video

image because of the faster interface between the video circuitry and the computer

memory.

AHCI — Advanced Host Controller Interface — An interface for a SATA hard drive

Host Controller which allows the storage driver to enable technologies such as Native

Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot plug.

ALS — ambient light sensor — A feature that helps to control display brightness.

antivirus software — A program designed to identify, quarantine, and/or delete viruses

from your computer.

ASF — alert standards format — A standard to define a mechanism for reporting

hardware and software alerts to a management console. ASF is designed to be

platform- and operating system-independent.

B

battery life span — The length of time (years) during which a portable computer

battery is able to be depleted and recharged.

battery operating time — The length of time (minutes or hours) that a portable

computer battery powers the computer.

BIOS — basic input/output system — A program (or utility) that serves as an

interface between the computer hardware and the operating system. Unless you

understand what effect these settings have on the computer, do not change them. Also

referred to as system setup.

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bit — The smallest unit of data interpreted by your computer.

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Bluetooth

wireless technology — A wireless technology standard for short-range (9

m [29 feet]) networking devices that allows for enabled devices to automatically

recognize each other.

boot sequence — Specifies the order of the devices from which the computer

attempts to boot.

bootable media — A CD, DVD, or floppy disk that you can use to start your

computer. In case your hard drive is damaged or your computer has a virus, ensure that

you always have a bootable CD, DVD, or floppy disk available. Your Drivers and

Utilities media is an example of bootable media.

bps — bits per second — The standard unit for measuring data transmission speed.

BTU — British thermal unit — A measurement of heat output.

bus — A communication pathway between the components in your computer.

bus speed — The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer

information.

byte — The basic data unit used by your computer. A byte is usually equal to 8 bits.

C

C — Celsius — A temperature measurement scale where 0° is the freezing point and

100° is the boiling point of water.

cache — A special high-speed storage mechanism which can be either a reserved

section of main memory or an independent high-speed storage device. The cache

enhances the efficiency of many processor operations.

L1 cache — Primary cache stored inside the processor.

L2 cache — Secondary cache which can either be external to the processor or

incorporated into the processor architecture.

carnet — An international customs document that facilitates temporary imports into

foreign countries. Also known as a merchandise passport.

CD-R — CD recordable — A recordable version of a CD. Data can be recorded only

once onto a CD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over.

CD-RW — CD rewritable — A rewritable version of a CD. Data can be written to a

CD-RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten).

CD-RW drive — A drive that can read CDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs)

and CD-R (recordable CDs) discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but

you can write to CD-R discs only once.

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CD-RW/DVD drive — A drive, sometimes referred to as a combo drive, that can read

CDs and DVDs and write to CD-RW (rewritable CDs) and CD-R (recordable CDs)

discs. You can write to CD-RW discs multiple times, but you can write to CD-R discs

only once.

clock speed — The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast computer

components that are connected to the system bus operate.

CMOS — A type of electronic circuit. Computers use a small amount of battery-

powered CMOS memory to hold date, time, and system setup options.

COA — Certificate of Authenticity — The Windows alpha-numeric code located on a

sticker on your computer. Also referred to as the Product Key or

Product ID.

Control Panel — A Windows utility that allows you to modify operating system and

hardware settings, such as display settings.

controller — A chip that controls the transfer of data between the processor and

memory or between the processor and devices.

CRIMM — continuity rambus in-line memory module — A special module that has

no memory chips and is used to fill unused RIMM slots.

cursor — The marker on a display or screen that shows where the next keyboard, touch

pad, or mouse action will occur. It often is a blinking solid line, an underline character,

or a small arrow.

D

DDR SDRAM — double-data-rate SDRAM — A type of SDRAM that doubles the

data burst cycle, improving system performance.

DDR2 SDRAM — double-data-rate 2 SDRAM — A type of DDR SDRAM that uses a

4-bit prefetch and other architectural changes to boost memory speed to over 400

MHz.

device — Hardware such as a disk drive, printer, or keyboard that is installed in or

connected to your computer.

device driver — See driver.

DIMM — dual in-line memory module — A circuit board with memory chips that

connects to a memory module on the system board.

DIN connector — A round, six-pin connector that conforms to DIN (Deutsche

Industrie-Norm) standards; it is typically used to connect PS/2 keyboard or mouse

cable connectors.

disk striping — A technique for spreading data over multiple disk drives. Disk striping

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can speed up operations that retrieve data from disk storage. Computers that use disk

striping generally allow the user to select the data unit size or stripe width.

DMA — direct memory access — A channel that allows certain types of data transfer

between RAM and a device to bypass the processor.

docking device — provides port replication, cable management, and security features

to adapt your notebook to a desktop workspace.

DMTF — Distributed Management Task Force — A consortium of hardware and

software companies who develop management standards for distributed desktop,

network, enterprise, and Internet environments.

domain — A group of computers, programs, and devices on a network that are

administered as a unit with common rules and procedures for use by a specific group

of users. A user logs on to the domain to gain access to the resources.

DRAM — dynamic random-access memory — Memory that stores information in

integrated circuits containing capacitors.

driver — Software that allows the operating system to control a device such as a

printer. Many devices do not work properly if the correct driver is not installed in the

computer.

DSL — Digital Subscriber Line — A technology that provides a constant, high-speed

Internet connection through an analog telephone line.

dual-core — A technology in which two physical computational units exist inside a

single processor package, thereby increasing computing efficiency and multi-tasking

ability.

dual display mode — A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as an

extension of your display. Also referred to as extended display mode.

DVD-R — DVD recordable — A recordable version of a DVD. Data can be recorded

only once onto a DVD-R. Once recorded, the data cannot be erased or written over.

DVD+RW — DVD rewritable — A rewritable version of a DVD. Data can be written

to a DVD+RW disc, and then erased and written over (rewritten). (DVD+RW

technology is different from DVD-RW technology.)

DVD+RW drive — drive that can read DVDs and most CD media and write to

DVD+RW (rewritable DVDs) discs.

DVI — digital video interface — A standard for digital transmission between a

computer and a digital video display.

E

ECC — error checking and correction — A type of memory that includes special

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circuitry for testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory.

ECP — extended capabilities port — A parallel connector design that provides

improved bidirectional data transmission. Similar to EPP, ECP uses direct memory

access to transfer data and often improves performance.

EIDE — enhanced integrated device electronics — An improved version of the IDE

interface for hard drives and CD drives.

EMI — electromagnetic interference — Electrical interference caused by

electromagnetic radiation.

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ENERGY STAR

— Environmental Protection Agency requirements that decrease

the overall consumption of electricity.

EPP — enhanced parallel port — A parallel connector design that provides

bidirectional data transmission.

ESD — electrostatic discharge — A rapid discharge of static electricity. ESD can

damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment.

expansion card — A circuit board that installs in an expansion slot on the system

board in some computers, expanding the capabilities of the computer. Examples

include video, modem, and sound cards.

expansion slot — A connector on the system board (in some computers) where you

insert an expansion card, connecting it to the system bus.

ExpressCard — A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems

and network adapters are common types of ExpressCards. ExpressCards support both

the PCI Express and USB 2.0 standard.

Express Service Code — A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell™

computer. Use the Express Service Code when contacting Dell for assistance. Express

Service Code service may not be available in some countries.

extended display mode — A display setting that allows you to use a second monitor as

an extension of your display. Also referred to as dual display mode.

extended PC Card — A PC Card that extends beyond the edge of the PC Card slot

when installed.

F

Fahrenheit — A temperature measurement scale where 32° is the freezing point and

212° is the boiling point of water.

FBD — fully-buffered DIMM — A DIMM with DDR2 DRAM chips and an

Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) that speeds communication between the DDR2

SDRAM chips and the system.

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FCC — Federal Communications Commission — A U.S. agency responsible for

enforcing communications-related regulations that state how much radiation

computers and other electronic equipment can emit.

fingerprint reader — A strip sensor that uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate

your user identity to help secure your computer.

folder — A term used to describe space on a disk or drive where files are organized and

grouped. Files in a folder can be viewed and ordered in various ways, such as

alphabetically, by date, and by size.

format — The process that prepares a drive or disk for file storage. When a drive or

disk is formatted, the existing information on it is lost.

FSB — front side bus — The data path and physical interface between the processor

and RAM.

FTP — file transfer protocol — A standard Internet protocol used to exchange files

between computers connected to the Internet.

G

G — gravity — A measurement of weight and force.

GB — gigabyte — A measurement of data storage that equals 1024 MB

(1,073,741,824 bytes). When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often

rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes.

GHz — gigahertz — A measurement of frequency that equals one thousand million

Hz, or one thousand MHz. The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces

are often measured in GHz.

graphics mode — A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal pixels by y vertical

pixels by z colors. Graphics modes can display an unlimited variety of shapes and

fonts.

GUI — graphical user interface — Software that interacts with the user by means of

menus, windows, and icons. Most programs that operate on the Windows operating

systems are GUIs.

H

hard drive — A drive that reads and writes data on a hard disk. The terms hard drive

and hard disk are often used interchangeably.

heat sink — A metal plate on some processors that helps dissipate heat.

hibernate mode — A power management mode that saves everything in memory to a

reserved space on the hard drive and then turns off the computer. When you restart

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the computer, the memory information that was saved to the hard drive is

automatically restored.

HTTP — hypertext transfer protocol — A protocol for exchanging files between

computers connected to the Internet.

Hyper-Threading — Hyper-Threading is an Intel technology that can enhance overall

computer performance by allowing one physical processor to function as two logical

processors, capable of performing certain tasks simultaneously.

Hz — hertz — A unit of frequency measurement that equals 1 cycle per second.

Computers and electronic devices are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz

(MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz).

I

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iAMT — Intel

Active Management Technology — Delivers more secure systems

management capabilities, regardless of whether the computer is turned on or off, or

the operating system is not responding.

IC — integrated circuit — A semiconductor wafer, or chip, on which thousands or

millions of tiny electronic components are fabricated for use in computer, audio, and

video equipment.

IDE — integrated device electronics — An interface for mass storage devices in which

the controller is integrated into the hard drive or CD drive.

IEEE 1394 — Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. — A high-

performance serial bus used to connect IEEE 1394-compatible devices, such as digital

cameras and DVD players, to the computer.

infrared sensor — A port that allows you to transfer data between the computer and

infrared-compatible devices without using a cable connection.

integrated — Usually refers to components that are physically located on the

computer’s system board. Also referred to as built-in.

I/O — input/output — An operation or device that enters and extracts data from your

computer. Keyboards and printers are I/O devices.

I/O address — An address in RAM that is associated with a specific device (such as a

serial connector, parallel connector, or expansion slot) and allows the processor to

communicate with that device.

IrDA — Infrared Data Association — The organization that creates international

standards for infrared communications.

IRQ — interrupt request — An electronic pathway assigned to a specific device so

that the device can communicate with the processor. Each device connection must be

assigned an IRQ. Although two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, you

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cannot operate both devices simultaneously.

ISP — Internet service provider — A company that allows you to access its host server

to connect directly to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access websites. The

ISP typically provides you with a software package, user name, and access phone

numbers for a fee.

K

Kb — kilobit — A unit of data that equals 1024 bits. A measurement of the capacity of

memory integrated circuits.

KB — kilobyte — A unit of data that equals 1024 bytes but is often referred to as 1000

bytes.

key combination — A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same

time.

kHz — kilohertz — A measurement of frequency that equals 1000 Hz.

L

LAN — local area network — A computer network covering a small area. A LAN

usually is confined to a building or a few nearby buildings. A LAN can be connected to

another LAN over any distance through telephone lines and radio waves to form a

wide area network (WAN).

LCD — liquid crystal display — The technology used by portable computer and flat-

panel displays.

LED — light-emitting diode — An electronic component that emits light to indicate

the status of the computer.

local bus — A data bus that provides a fast throughput for devices to the processor.

LPT — line print terminal — The designation for a parallel connection to a printer or

other parallel device.

M

Mb — megabit — A measurement of memory chip capacity that equals 1024 Kb.

Mbps — megabits per second — One million bits per second. This measurement is

typically used for transmission speeds for networks and modems.

MB — megabyte — A measurement of data storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB

equals 1024 KB. When used to refer to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to

1,000,000 bytes.

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MB/sec — megabytes per second — One million bytes per second. This measurement

is typically used for data transfer ratings.

media bay — A bay that supports devices such as optical drives, a second battery, or a

Dell TravelLite™ module.

memory — A temporary data storage area inside your computer. Because the data in

memory is not permanent, it is recommended that you frequently save your files while

you are working on them, and always save your files before you shut down the

computer. Your computer can contain several different forms of memory, such as

RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym

for RAM.

memory address — A specific location where data is temporarily stored in RAM.

memory mapping — The process by which the computer assigns memory addresses to

physical locations at start-up. Devices and software can then identify information that

the processor can access.

memory module — A small circuit board containing memory chips, which connects to

the system board.

MHz — megahertz — A measure of frequency that equals 1 million cycles per second.

The speeds for computer processors, buses, and interfaces are often measured in MHz.

Mini PCI — A standard for integrated peripheral devices with an emphasis on

communications such as modems and NICs. A Mini PCI card is a small external card

that is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI expansion card.

Mini-Card — A small card designed for integrated peripherals, such as

communication NICs. The Mini-Card is functionally equivalent to a standard PCI

expansion card.

modem — A device that allows your computer to communicate with other computers

over analog telephone lines. Three types of modems include: external, PC Card, and

internal. You typically use your modem to connect to the Internet and exchange e-

mail.

module bay — See media bay.

MP — megapixel — A measure of image resolution used for digital cameras.

ms — millisecond — A measure of time that equals one thousandth of a second.

Access times of storage devices are often measured in ms.

N

network adapter — A chip that provides network capabilities. A computer may

include a network adapter on its system board, or it may contain a PC Card with an

adapter on it. A network adapter is also referred to as a NIC (network interface

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