AAC – Advanced Audio Coding (Apple)

Aero – Windows Vista/Windows 7 vector-based 3D-rendered desktop

AES – Advanced Encryption System (WiFi)

AGP – Advanced Graphics Port (External Bus)

ALU – Arithmetic Logic Unit (CPU)

AMR – Audio Model Riser (communications port)

API – Application Program Interface (programming)

APM – Advanced Power Management (BIOS)

Aspect Ratio – Ratio of width to height of a television
(computer monitor) picture

ATA – AT Attachment (Same as IDE)

ATA2 – AT Attachment (Same as EIDE)

ATAPI – AT Attachment Packet Interface

ATX – Desktop computer case/motherboard formfactor

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BEDO – Burst Extended Data Out (DRAM/memory)

BIOS – Basic Input/Output System

Bit – Binary digit – Smallest unit of information handled by a computer

BLOG – Web Log

Bluetooth – Wireless technology to connect devices

BNC – Bayonet Nut Connection (Ethernet)

bps – Bits Per Second

BTX – Desktop computer case/motherboard formfactor

Byte – 8 bits

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CAS – Column, Address, Strobe latency (RAM/memory)

Cat 5 – Category 5 Ethernet cable 100Mb/s

Cat 5e – Category 5 enhanced Ethernet cable 1Gb/s

Cat 6 – Category 6 Ethernet cable 10 GB/s

CCD – Charge Coupled Device

CDMA – Code Division Multiple Access – cellphone technology

CF – Compact Flash memory card

CHS – Cylinder/Head/Sector (Hard Disk Drive addressing)

CL – CAS latency – Number of clock cycles between the time a read command is sent and data is available (RAM/memory)

CL – CAS Latency (RAM/memory)

CMOS – Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor

CNR – Communications Network Riser (communications port)
update of AMR

CompTIA – Computer Technology Industry Association

CPU – Central Processing Unit (computer brain)

CRT – Cathode Ray Tube (old style computer monitor)

CSMA/CD – Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detect (Ethernet)

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DAC – Digital to Analog Converter

DDR – Double Data Rate (RAM/memory)

DDR2 – Double Data Rate - Second Generation (RAM/memory)

DDWG – Digital Display Working Group (Developed DVI)

DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Digilante – Internet vigilante (Fights internet scammers)

DIMM – Dual Inline Memory Module (RAM/memory)

DIP – Dual In-Line Packaging

DIP – Dual Inline Packaging (RAM/memory)

DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance – Network alliance
for all electronics

DLP – Digital Light Processing – Texas Instruments HD display technology

DMA – Direct Memory Access (External Bus)

DMP – Digital Media Players (DLNA)

DMS – Digital Media Servers (DLNA)

DNS – Domain Name System

DOCSIS – Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification

DRAM – Dynamic Random Access Memory

DRM – Digital Rights Management

DSL – Digital Subscriber Line (Internet connection)

DVD – Digital Video Disk

DVI – Digital Video Interface

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ECC – Error Correcting Code (RAM/memory)

EDB – External Data Bus

EDORAM – Extended Data Output Random Access Memory (RAM/memory)

EDTV – Enhanced Definition Television

EEPROM – Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (BIOS)

EFF – Electronic Frontier Foundation

EIDE – Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics

EISA – Extended ISA Architecture (External Bus)

EMR – Electronic Medical Records

EPROM – Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (BIOS)

Ethernet – Network card for internet connection (DSL or cable)

EULA – End User License Agreement

EVSSL – Extended Validation Secure Sockets Layer (Network Security)

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FAT – File Allocation Table

Firewire – Communications Port (IEEE-1394, iLink)

Formfactor – Shape, size, and packaging of a motherboard

FPM – Fast Page Mode (DRAM/memory)

FPS – Frames Per Second (Speed of a graphics card)

FPU – Floating Point Unit (Math Co-Processor)

FQDN – Fully Qualified Domain Name

FSB – Front Side Bus

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GB – Gigabytes (1,073,741,824 bytes)

GDI – Graphics Device Interface

GHz – Gigahertz (1,000,000,000 cycles per second)

GNP – Gaming Network Processor

GPRS – General Packet Radio Service (Cellphone service)

GPS – Global Positioning System

GPU – Graphics Processing Unit (Graphics card)

GSM – Global System for Mobile communications (Cellphone network)

GUI – Graphical User Interface (Windows, Ubuntu, etc.)

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Hacker - A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary. RFC1392, the Internet Users Glossary, usefully amplifies this as: A person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a system, computers and computer networks in particular.

HDCP – High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HD DRM)

HDMI – High Definition Multimedia Interface

HDTV – High Definition Television

Hot Spot – WiFi Access Point

HPFS – High Performance File System (OS/2)

HSPDA – High Speed Downlink Packet Access (Cellphone network)

HTPC – Home Theater Personal Computer

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ICH – Input/Output Controller Hub

IDE – Integrated Drive Electronics (External Bus)

IOAPIC – Input/Output Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller

IP - Internet Protocol

IPTV – Internet Protocol Television

IRQ – Interrupt Request (External Bus)

ISA – Industry Standard Architecture (External Bus)

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KB – Kilobytes (1,024 bytes)

L1 Cache – Level 1 Cache (on CPU)

L2 Cache – Level 2 Cache (on motherboard or CPU)

L3 Cache – Level 3 Cache (on motherboard)

LBA – Logical Block Addressing (Hard Drive addressing)

LCD – Liquid Crystal Display (Video)

LCOS – Liquid Crystal on Silicon

LED – Light Emitting Diode (Video)

LIF – Low Insertion Force (CPU locking mechanism)

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MAC – Media Access Control (Ethernet)

MB – Megabytes (1,000,000 bytes)

Mbps – Megabits Per Second (Network speed)

MCA – Micro Channel Architecture (External Bus)

MCC – Memory Controller Chip

MCH – Memory Controller Hub

MHz – Megahertz (1,000,000 cycles per second)

MIMO – Multiple Input, Multiple Output

MMC – Multimedia Card (Memory card)

MOV – Metal Oxide Varistor (Surge Protection)

MP3 – MPEG Audio Layer 3 (Audio)

MPEG - Moving Picture Experts Group

MRAM – Magneto-resistive Random Access Memory (Memory)

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NAS – Network Attached Storage

NAT – Network Address Translation

NIC – Network Interface Card

NMI – Non-Maskable Interrupt (Error)

NTFS – NT File System (NT = Windows New Technology)

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OLED – Organic Light Emitting Diode (Video – Small Molecule)

OPML – Outline Processor Markup Language

PBGA – Plastic Ball Grid Array (CPU)

PCB – Printed Circuit Board

PCI – Peripheral Component Interconnect (External Bus)

PCIe – PCI Express (See PCI) (External Bus)

PCMCIA – Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (External Bus for notebooks)

PDF – Portable Document Format

PGA – Pin Grid Array (CPU)

PIO – Programmed Input/Output (IDE Mode)

Pixels – Small dots that make up a video screen

PLED – Polymer Light Emitting Diode (Video – Long Molecule)

PMC – Programmable Metallization Cell (Flash Memory)

PMR – Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (Hard Drive)

PnP – Plug and Play

POST – Power On Self-Test

PPGA – Plastic Pin Grid Array (CPU)

PROM – Programmable Read Only Memory

PVR – Personal Video Recorder

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RAID – Redundant Array of Independent Disks (Hard Drives)

RAM – Random Access Memory (Volatile Memory)

RAS – Row Address Strobe (RAM/Memory)

RAW – Digital photo file format without compression

RIMM – Rambus In-Line Memory Module (Obsolete)

RISC – Reduced Instruction Set Computer (CPU)

ROM – Read Only Memory (Non-Volatile Memory/BIOS)

RSS – Really Simple Syndication
(Internet broadcast technology)

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S/PDIF – Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format

SCSI – Small Computer System Interface (External Bus)

SD – Secure Digital (Memory card)

SDRAM – Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (RAM/Memory)

SDTV – Standard Definition Television

SEC – Single-Edge Connector (CPU)

SECC – Single Edge Contact Cartridge (CPU)

SEPP – Single Edge Processor Package (CPU)

SFF – Shuttle Form Factor (Small motherboard form factor)

SIMM – Single In-Line Memory Module (RAM/Memory)

SIPAC – Silicon Diode for Alternating Current (Surge protection)

S-IPS – Super In-Plan Switching (TFT classification for LCD’s)

SLDRAM – Synchronous Link Dynamic Random Access Memory (RAM/Memory)

SLI – Scalable Link Interface (Nvidia graphics cards)

SLM – Spatial Light Modulator (Holographic technology)

SMART – Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology

SMD – Surface Mount Devices

SMM – System Management Module (BIOS)

SMS – Short Message Service (Text Messaging)

SODIMM – Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (RAM/Memory)

SOJ – Small Outline J-Lead (DRAM/Memory)

SOMA – Self-Ordered Magnetic Arrays

SPD – Serial Pressure Detect chip (RAM/Memory)

SPGA – Staggered Pin Grid Array (CPU)

SPIT – Spam over Internet Telephony

S-PVA – Super Patterned – ITO Vertical Alignment
TFT classification for LCD’s)

SRAM – Static Random Access Memory (RAM/Memory)

SSID – Service Set Identifier (WiFi)

SSL – Secure Sockets Layer (Network security)

STP – Shielded Twisted Pair Cable

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TCP – Transmission Control Protocol

TFT – Thin Film Transistor (Video)

TN – Twisted Nematic (TFT classification for LCD’s)

tRAS – Row Active Time (RAM/Memory)

tRCD – Row Address to Column Address Delay (RAM/Memory)

tRP – Row Percentage Time (RAM/Memory)

TSOP – Thin, Small Outline Package (DRAM/Memory)

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UART – Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
Chip (Serial Port)

UDI – Unified Display Interface

UEFI – United Extensible Firmware Interface (Replacing BIOS)

UPnP – Universal Plug and Play

URL – Universal Resource Locator (www address)

USB – Universal Serial Bus (Communications Port)

UTP – Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable

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VESA – Video Electronics Standard Association

VLB – VESA Local Bus (External Bus)

VM – Virtual Machines (Software)

VRAM – Video Random Access Memory (DRAM/Memory)

VRM – Voltage Regulator Module (Motherboard)

WAN – Wide Area Network

WB – Write Back (CPU Cache)

WGF – Windows Graphic Foundation

WiFi – Wireless Fidelity (Wireless internet connection)

WiMax – Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
(Wireless Network)

WMA – Windows Media Audio

WORM – Write Once, Read Many

WT – Write Through (CPU Cache)

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xD – Extreme Digital (Memory Card)

ZIF – Zero Insertion Force (CPU locking mechanism)

1080i – Interlaced HDTV specification

1080p – Progressive HDTV specification

3G – Third Generation Cellphone Network

4G – Fourth Generation Cellphone Network

720p – Progressive HDTV specification

802.11 – WiFi Standards

802.11b – WiFi Standard (operates @ 2.4GHz / 11mbps)

802.11g – WiFi Standard (operates @ 2.4GHz / 54mbps)

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