EDEXCEL GCSE ICT

Personal
Digital
Devices

2 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Comparing Devices

n this unit you need to be able to choose suitable

digital devices for different types of people and
for different purposes. In order to do this you
need to develop an understanding of the different
factors used to compare digital devices.
The prefixes kilo, mega, giga and tera are
used in both units of speed and storage, so it is
important that you understand what they mean.
Name
kilo
mega
giga
tera

Abbreviation
K
M
G
T

Size
1,000
1,000,000
1,000,000,000
1,000,000,000,000

As you can see by looking at the table they go

up in multiples of 1,000.

Storage
This is the amount of space
the device has available to store
files such as images, music and
videos. Therefore the larger the
storage capacity of a device the
more files you can store on it.
Storage capacity is measured
in bytes (B) and the prefixes
from the table are used as an
easy way of measuring multiples of 1,000 bytes.
For example the storage capacity of this iPod is 8
GB, this is equivalent to 8,000 MB or 8,000,000 KB.

Speed
The speed of a device is usually determined
by the speed of its processor. Processor speed is
measured in hertz (Hz), this is the number of instructions the processor can carry out in 1 second.
For example a processor with a speed of 1 Hz
would process 1 instruction per second.

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 3

Personal Digital Devices

Comparing Devices
Task

1.2

Practice Questions
Mobile Phone A

Mobile Phone B

Modern processors are usually measured in megahertz (MHz)

which is 1,000 instructions per
second and
gigahertz (GHz)
which is 1,000,000
instructions per
second.

Resolution
The resolution of a device is the maximum
number of pixels (dots that make up the image) it
can fit on the screen. The higher the resolution, the
more detail can be displayed.
Resolution is given in width x height, for
example 1024 x 768 is a common screen resolution.

Storage
Processor Speed
Resolution

512 MB
300 MHz
320x240

Storage
16 GB
Processor Speed 1 GHz
Resolution
360x640

Question 1:
Which mobile phone has the largest storage capacity? (1)
Mobile Phone A
Mobile Phone B

Question 2:

The smallest unit of storage capacity is the bit,

there are 8 bits in 1 byte. A lowercase b is used as
an abbreviation for bit whereas an uppercase B is
used for byte.

Which mobile phone has the fastest processor? (1)

Mobile Phone A
Mobile Phone B

Question 3:

1 byte (B)
1 kilobyte (KB)
1 megabyte (MB)
1 gigabyte (GB)
1 terabyte (TB)

Task

1.1

Each student in the class needs one of

the storage cards. You need to organise
yourselves so that you are standing with your
cards in order from smallest to largest storage
capacity.

Which mobile phone has the lowest resolution? (1)

Mobile Phone A
Mobile Phone B
Assessment Type:

Peer
Self
Teacher

Date:

Mark:

4 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Mobile Phones

obile phones are everywhere and they

have changed the way we live our daily
lives. Everyone uses their mobile phone
in slightly different ways and as a result different
people need different mobile phones.

Personal Digital Devices

Task
Complete this interactive timeline.

1.3

Multifunctional Phones
Imagine the first mobile phone. It could only
make calls, it couldnt even send text messages!
Now with a multifunctional phone (aka smartphone) we can check our e-mail, browse the web,
play games and so much more!
A multifunctional phone is described as a phone
that has taken on the features and functions of
multiple devices. For example many people dont
bother buying a separate digital camera as their
mobile phone has one built in.

Features
This table outlines the main features of mobile
phones:
Feature

Description
The amount of time you can talk on
Talk Time
your phone before the battery runs out.
Short Messaging Service - allows users
SMS
to send and receive text messages.
Allows users to send pictures, video and
MMS
sound along with text.
A camera built into the phone, which
Camera
allows you to take photos or record
video.
Third Generation phone offer high3G
speed internet access.
Allows user to send and receive data
Bluetooth
from nearby devices (within 50 metres).
Music
You can store music and listen to it on
Playback the move.
Similar to bluetooth, but the range and
WiFi
speed are greater.
Mobile
Browse the internet on your mobile
Internet
phone.
Global Positioning System - uses satelGPS
lites to find your position and give you
directions.

Limitation
The more you talk on your phone, the quicker the
battery runs out.
You can only send 160 characters per message.
Normally pictures are compressed, so they will
lose quality.
The quality of the pictures depends on the
camera resolution.
In some areas there is limited or no 3G coverage.
Will not work if the device is out of range.
Music files can be large, so storage space can
become used up quickly.

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 5

Personal Digital Devices

Mobile Phones

Security
Most multifunctional phones store a lot of
personal information that you would not want
to get into the wrong hands, so security is an
important consideration.
There are several steps that you can take to
protect your phone:
Keeping your phone out of sight so it is less
tempting to thieves.
Setting a PIN or password so only you can
access it.
Locking the SIM card.
Writing down the IMEI number so your
mobile phone can be blocked if it is lost or
stolen.
Turning off bluetooth to stop bluejacking.

Bluejacking is the process of sending unwanted

messages to other mobile phones using
bluetooth.

Task
Watch this interactive animation about
Mobile Phones.

User Types
Different features will be more important to
different users, in the table are three different types
of users each with a list of features that might be
important to them.

Business Users

Teenagers

Senior Citizens

Email
Mobile Internet
GPS
QWERTY Keyboard
Installable Apps

SMS
MMS
Installable Apps
Mobile Internet
Music/Video Player

Large Screen and Buttons

Lightweight
Panic Button
Limited number of Features
Simple User Interface

Can drain your battery quickly.

Task

1.5

Practice Questions
Question 1:
State two measures you could take to protect the personal information stored on your phone. (2)

Question 2:
Give a feature that would make a phone easier to use for a partially sighted user and explain why. (2)

Question 3:
Explain how you could transfer a photo from one mobile phone to another. (2)

You need to be in range of a wireless network.

Limited by the small screen; only works within
signal range.

1.4

Assessment Type:
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

Mark:

6 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Personal Computers

he first computers were so big that they

filled an entire room and needed several
people to operate them. In the 1970s
computers became small enough to fit onto
a desk and be operated by one person, thus
becoming personal. There are three main types of
personal computer Desktop, Laptop /Notebook
and Tablet. Each has its own benefits and
drawbacks.
Desktop

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 7

Personal Digital Devices

Personal Computers
Task

Recommendations
You need to recommend a suitable type of computer for the users shown below. For each user
you need to select two features that you think will be important to them and explain why.

1.6

Susan is a business woman that travels all around the world to attend business meetings. She needs
to send and receive emails and prepare business presentations.
Type of computer:

Laptop / Notebook

Tablet

Feature 1:
Reason:

Tablet
Laptop/Notebook
Desktop

NotScreen
Very
Portable
Optical
Physical
On
High
Medium
Low
Portable
Processor
Storage
Portable
Processor
Storage
Drive
Keyboard
Processor
Storage
Keyboard
Capacity
Capacity
Speed
Speed
Capacity
Speed

Feature 2:
Reason:
High Processor Speed
Not Portable
Optical Drive
Physical Keyboard
High Storage Capacity

Medium Processor Speed

Portable
May Have Optical Drive
Physical Keyboard
Medium Storage Capacity

Low Processor Speed

Very Portable
No Optical Drive
On Screen Keyboard
Low Storage Capacity

HDD

RAM

The Hard Disk Drive is used to permanently

store files and applications. The larger the capacity
of the HDD the more files can be stored and the
more applications can be installed. Users that want
to store lots of videos and music will need a large
hard disk drive.
Many Laptops and Tablets now come with a
SSD (Solid State Drive) instead of a HDD.
SSDs have no moving parts which makes
them more reliable than HDDs, however
they are also much more expensive.

Random Access Memory holds all the programs

and files that are currently open, the more RAM the
more you can have open at the same time without
the computer slowing down. RAM is wiped when
the computer is turned off.

NotScreen
Very
Portable
Optical
Physical
On
High
Medium
Low
Portable
Processor
Storage
Portable
Processor
Storage
Drive
Keyboard
Processor
Storage
Keyboard
Capacity
Capacity
Speed
Speed
Capacity
Speed

Peter is a musician that is setting up a home studio and needs a computer to record his tracks, edit
them and burn them to CD.
Type of computer:
Feature 1:
Reason:

Tablet
Laptop/Notebook
Desktop

NotScreen
Very
Portable
Optical
Physical
On
High
Medium
Low
Portable
Processor
Storage
Portable
Processor
Storage
Drive
Keyboard
Processor
Storage
Keyboard
Capacity
Capacity
Speed
Speed
Capacity
Speed

Feature 2:
Reason:

NotScreen
Very
Portable
Optical
Physical
On
High
Medium
Low
Portable
Processor
Storage
Portable
Processor
Storage
Drive
Keyboard
Processor
Storage
Keyboard
Capacity
Capacity
Speed
Speed
Capacity
Speed

Practice Questions
Question 1:
State which type of computer would be most suitable for a PE teacher to use out on the sports field. (1)

Question 2:
Explain which type of computer would be most suitable for video editing. (2)

Optical
Drive
Allows you read CD-ROMs and
DVD-ROMs in addition to playing CDs and
DVDs. Most optical drives also allow you to
write data onto disk.

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

Mark:

8 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Cameras & Camcorders

Digital Cameras

Compact

he main function of
digital cameras is to take
photographs, however
most modern cameras also
allow you to record video. There
three main types of digital
camera, these are outlined in
Small and Light
the table to the right:
Fixed Lens
Limited Functions
Zoom
It is important to understand Beginner
the difference between optical
and digital zoom. Cameras with optical zoom use
a lens to make an object or person appear closer
without reducing image quality. Digital zoom uses
image processing to enlarge part of the image
reducing the quality of the image. This is the same
as when you zoom in on an image on a computer.

Resolution
Digital images are made up of lots of little dots
called picture elements (pixels). The number of
pixels a camera can capture is measured in megapixels (MP), one megapixel is equal to 1 million
pixels. Therefore the higher the number of megapixels the camera can capture the higher the
quality of the images.

Geotagging
Many new cameras are fitted with GPS (Global
Positioning System) chips, these allow images to
be tagged with the details of the location in which
they were taken.

Digital Camcorders
As previously mentioned most modern
digital cameras can also record video. The
term digital camcorder is reserved for devices
whose main function is to record video.
The majority of digital camcorders currently
in the shops record high definition (HD) video, this
means more detail is captured when compared to
the traditional standard definition (SD).

Bridge

DSLR

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 9

Personal Digital Devices

Cameras & Camcorders

Task

Recommendations
You need to recommend a suitable type of camera for the users shown below. For each user
you need to select two features that you think will be important to them and explain why.
Samantha is going on holiday and wants to buy a new camera to take with her.
Type of camera:

Medium Sized
Fixed Lens
Some Manual Controls
Intermediate

Large and Heavy

Removable Lens
Full Manual Controls
Advanced

Storage
Digital cameras use removable memory cards to
store images, the most common type of memory
card is the SD (secure digital). Many camcorders
also use SD cards for storage, however some have
an inbuilt HDD which provide a longer recording
time.

Feature 1:
Reason:

Camcorder
DSLR
Bridge
Compact

SmallManual
Fixed
Limited
Medium
Some
Large
Removable
Full
Optical
Geotagging
Digital
Lens
Manual
and
Zoom
Zoom
Functions
Sized
Light
Heavy
Lens
Controls
Controls

Feature 2:
Reason:

SmallManual
Fixed
Limited
Medium
Some
Large
Removable
Full
Optical
Geotagging
Digital
Lens
Manual
and
Zoom
Zoom
Functions
Sized
Light
Heavy
Lens
Controls
Controls

Harry is a bird watcher and needs to take pictures of birds that are far away.
Type of camera:
Feature 1:
Reason:

Camcorder
DSLR
Bridge
Compact

SmallManual
Fixed
Limited
Medium
Some
Large
Removable
Full
Optical
Geotagging
Digital
Lens
Manual
and
Zoom
Zoom
Functions
Sized
Light
Heavy
Lens
Controls
Controls

Feature 2:
Reason:

SmallManual
Fixed
Limited
Medium
Some
Large
Removable
Full
Optical
Geotagging
Digital
Lens
Manual
and
Zoom
Zoom
Functions
Sized
Light
Heavy
Lens
Controls
Controls

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

1.7

10 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Games Consoles

ames consoles
were first introduced in the
1970s and were designed to
allow users to play simple video
games on their TV screens.
Modern games consoles
are multi-functional
devices, they enable
people to do so much
more than gaming, for
example watching films and surfing the Internet.

Controllers
The current generation of games consoles
enable users to control the device with movement,
for example by moving their hands. Some consoles
still require you to hold a physical controller for this
to work, whereas others are totally hands free.
It doesnt stop there, new technologies are
developing all the time, for example the
entire user interface of the Xbox One
can be controlled using the
voice and hand gestures.

Media
Up until relatively recently most games were
distributed to customers using physical media
such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays. Now many games
can be downloaded directly to your console almost
instantly without any need for you to leave your
house!

Portable Gaming
A range of handheld consoles are also available
which allow to play games on the move, however
these are slowly being taken over by smart phones.
For many people it simply doesnt make sense to
carry around a separate games console when they
can play games on their phone.

There are several health risks associated with

the use of games consoles. A common problems
include; RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury), eye strain and
obesity. There is also the risk of becoming addicted
to playing games which can have a negative
impact on your social life.
Dont worry it isnt all bad news,
playing games can also have a
positive impact on your health. A
range of games and peripherals are
now available that are specifically designed to improve fitness
levels, for example Wii Fit.

Task

Pick one of the consoles from the drop down list and prepare a digital advert designed to
persuade people to buy it. Console:
XboxStation
Play
Nintendo
360 3DS
Wii
3
Vita

The advert must meet the following requirements:

Created using PowerPoint
Plays without user interaction
Includes key features of the console
Includes a comparison with similar consoles
Includes a special offer

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

1.8

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 11

Home Entertainment

Digital TV

Personal Video Recorders

igital television services provide us with

hundreds of channels to choose from, these
have replaced the traditional analogue
service which only had five channels.
There are three methods that can be used to
bring digital tv signals into our homes:
Aerial
Satellite
Cable
Most of these methods require a set top box to
convert the signal into a form the TV can display.
However some TVs come with this ability built in.

Personal Video Recorders or PVRs allow you to

record films and TV programmes onto an internal
HDD. In addition to this they enable users to
pause and rewind live TV, which is really useful
if someone calls during your favourite TV show.
Popular examples of PVRs are the Sky+ box and
TiVO.

Health

Digital advert

Personal Digital Devices

Smart TVs
This term is used to describe TVs that can
connect to the Internet in order to access a range
of additional features and services. For example on
demand TV and games. The ability to install applications enables new features to be added at any
time.

On Demand

High Definition
High definition TVs (HDTVs) are capable of
displaying HD television signals. HD gives a more
detailed picture than the traditional standard definition (SD) broadcasts. Each frame of an SD video is
made up of 576 lines, whereas HD video has either
720 or 1080 lines.

Formats
The DVD is a common format used to distribute SD video, however it isnt suitable for HD
video as the storage capacity is too small.
A new type of disc with a much higher storage
capacity called the Blu-ray was created for HD
video. So you now have the option of buying films
and TV shows on Blu-ray and playing them on a
Blu-ray player.
The storage capacity of a standard DVD is 4.7 GB
compared to 25 GB for a standard Blu-ray disk.

A broadband Internet connection gives you

access to a range of on demand entertainment
services, this means you can watch TV programmes
and films when you like. BBC iPlayer is an example
of an on demand entertainment service.
You can access these services using a computer
that is connected to the Internet. Many set top
boxes and games consoles also provide access to
on demand services.

12 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Personal Media Players

ersonal media players - the name given to

portable devices that allow you to play media
on the move. There are two main types:

These are designed just to play audio, for

example music and talking books. Often known as
MP3 players (named after the popular MP3 audio
file format) most now support a range of formats.
The cheapest audio players dont have a screen,
just simple buttons for example the iPod Touch. If
you pay slightly more you can get one with a small
LCD screen which allows you to select
a song by picking it from a
list.

Global Positioning SYSTEM

Geocaching

PS is used by a range of devices to calculate

your current location. It does this using
signals from a network of satellites orbiting
the Earth.

This is an outdoor activity which makes use of

GPS receivers or GPS enabled mobile devices to
locate containers, called geocaches.
Geocaches usually
take the form of a
small waterproof
container. A log book
is kept inside, which
the geocacher signs
and dates.

Sat Navs
Sat navs are devices that are specifically
designed to give you directions based on your
current location which is calculated using GPS.
These are most commonly found in cars, however
some are designed for use on bicycles and motorbikes.
There are a range of benefits and drawbacks
associated with the use of sat navs in place of traditional paper maps. These are outlined in the table
below:

Convergence

These usually feature a colour screen which

makes them suitable for watching video in
addition to the ability to listen to music and audio
books.

Navigation Aids

Audio Players

Multimedia
Players

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 13

Personal Digital Devices

This is the name given to the process of devices

adopting the features and functions of other
devices. Smart phones taking on the features of
media players is a good example of convergence.
This means that a large number of people no
longer carry around a separate media player as
their smart phone has a built in media player.

Task

Practice Questions

1.9

Question 1:

Benefits
Maps more likely to be
up to date
Spoken directions
Create routes to avoid
traffic jams

Drawbacks
Signal can be lost in
tunnels/under bridges
May distract the driver
Can be a target for
thieves

Smart
Phones
Many smart
phones contain GPS
receivers and map
apps which enables
them to double up
as sat navs. This is
another example of
convergence (see the
previous page).

Task

1.10

Practice Questions
Question 1:
Kirtan is organising a walking holiday and is providing each person taking part with a GPS tracker.
State three things that could be calculated using the data from these trackers. (3)

State the name of a common audio file format. (1)

Question 2:
Smart phones taking on the features and functions of media players is an example of convergence.
Describe another example. (2)

Question 2:
Describe the function of GPS. (2)

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

Mark:

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

Mark:

14 | EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide

Personal Digital Devices

Peripherals

Peripherals are external devices that you connect to a computer or other digital devices. They fall into
three categories, these are shown in the table below:
Input Devices
Input data into a digital device
so it can be processed.

Output Devices
Storage Devices
Output data from a digital device
Allow you to store data and
in a form that humans can undertransfer it to other digital devices.
stand.

EDEXCEL GCSE ICT Revision Guide | 15

Personal Digital Devices

Extended Questions
Task

1.12

Extended Question Practice

The question below is an example of an extended question which is worth six marks and takes
your use of spelling, punctuation and grammar into account. It is important that you practice
answering this type of question. To get you started use this form to help you structure your answer to
the following question.
Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of allowing secondary school students to bring mobile phones
into school.
There are a range of potential benefits and drawbacks to allowing students to bring mobile phones
into school, one benefit is...

students could
dontlook
can
need
useup
make
the
touse
information
inbuilt
beof
given
a installable
calendar
a camera
on theastimetable
internet
to
antake
organiser...
photos
when
or homework
not
or video
in a computer
app...
for coursework...
room...
Keyboard
Mouse
Touch screen

Monitor
Speakers
Headphones

Memory stick
External HDD
Memory card

Task

Another potential benefit is...

students could
dontlook
can
need
useup
make
the
touse
information
inbuilt
beof
given
a installable
calendar
a camera
on theastimetable
internet
to
antake
organiser...
photos
when
or homework
not
or video
in a computer
app...
for coursework...
room...

1.11

Choosing Peripherals
Think of three peripherals that would be commonly used with each of these devices:

It is also worth considering that...

students could
dontlook
can
need
useup
make
the
touse
information
inbuilt
beof
given
a installable
calendar
a camera
on theastimetable
internet
to
antake
organiser...
photos
when
or homework
not
or video
in a computer
app...
for coursework
room

Although it is clear that there are a range of benefits related to the use of mobile phones in school, the
drawbacks also need to be considered.
A potential drawback is...

they could distract

be used students
to send
take photos
bullying
from their
and
of
text
other
videos
work...
messages...
students
of bullying...
without permission...

Another potential drawback is...

they could distract

be used students
to send
take photos
bullying
from their
and
of
text
other
videos
work...
messages...
students
of bullying...
without permission...

After weighing up the potential benefits and drawbacks I have come to the conclusion that...

Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:
Assessment Type:
Peer
Self
Teacher
WWW:
EBI:

Date:

Date:

Mark:

Task

Revise Personal Digital Devices by taking part in the digital treasure hunt.

1.13