Student A: A personal digital assistant may be used to store and display addresses and telephone numbers, to-do lists, and other electronic information. – Student B: Yes, this is true.

S. A: Personal digital assistants do not have large storing capacity. – S. B: No, this is false. They have become the most popular apparatus with the majority of consumers because of its small size, multi-function data processing and large storing capacity.

 

1. PDAs need a plug-in memory.

2. Liquid crystal display may be activated by a separate handheld stylus.

3. PDAs can be used for data-sharing applications over the Internet.

4. Personal digital assistants are rather bulky to be carried in a purse, brief case or

pocket.

5. A PDA transfers and receives information from the host computer by using a

portable information terminal.

6. PDAs have one port for electrically connecting to other peripheral devices.

 

III. Complete the following sentences using words and expressions given below.

1. A personal digital assistant generally consists of a microprocessor, data storage

memory…, and an input/output device such as a keyboard and a touchscreen

or a LCD screen.

2. PDAs are capable of … a variety of application software packages.

3. The touch-sensitive screen of a PDA are activated by a separate … stylus.

4. Many existing PDAs offer the ability to … transmit and receive e-mail messages.

5. The process of … data into a personal digital assistant or reading information from a PDA is referred to as hot linking.

6. A personal digital assistant may include a … down display screen and a control panel.

7. The PDA enables a user to access a terminal using a pen or voice, instead of a conventional ….

 

fold handheld keyboard wirelessly loading area running

 

IV. Put the questions to the words in bold type.

Personal digital assistants are popular both as portable computers and as wireless communication devices. Personal digital assistants are utilized in a variety of applications. They are adapted to perform a variety of functions including organizing, computing, paging, internet browsing, cellular communication and even global positioning. Personal digital assistants provide a user with the convenience to be able to store diaries, meeting schedules, and address books in a compact, transportable form as well as to be able to instantly add new entries such as meeting notes, new addresses etc. A PDA provides computing and information storage and retrieval capabilities for personal or business use. In general, the personal digital assistant is a multi-media product.

 

V. Answer the questions.

1.What isPDA?

2. What does a personal digital assistant generally consist of?

3. What are personal digital assistants used for?

4. What function of the PDA has recently become the most significant one?

5. By what device is the touch-sensitive screen of a PDA activated?

6. Owing to what features are PDAs so popular?

7. How are PDAs connect to other peripheral devices?

8. How is the process of loading data into a personal digital assistant or reading information from a PDA referred to?

 

DVD players

 

A portable DVD player is a handheld compact video player that reads and reproduces picture information previously recorded on a digital video disk. A digital video disk (DVD), also known as digital versatile disk, is a type of optical data storage disk that utilizes a low power laser to read data from the disk. DVD discs are small, circular discs used as a non-volatile storage medium. DVD discs are commonly used to store digital data, especially audio and video image data.

A digital video disk can store information in several formats. DVD-VIDEO discs can store video information (e.g., movies, TV episodes, or music videos) using information compression algorithms, such as MPEG-2 for video compression/decompression. DVD-ROM discs can store digital data in compressed form for computer use, though the format is usually significantly different from that found on DVD-VIDEO discs. The data stored in the digital video disk may be categorized into two types: presentation data and navigation data. The presentation data is compressed audio and video data. The navigation data is control information used to reproduce the presentation data. The audio and video images are typically formatted and encoded according to industry standard protocols before being stored on a DVD disc. Such standards include DVD VOB, VideoCD, CD-I, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, CD-ROM, or CD-DA. A DVD player reads the encoded data from the DVD and decodes it for reproduction on a computer, television, or other audio/visual device.

DVD systems have become popular in recent years as home video entertainment systems. DVD systems may also be used to record, store and provide data, such as computer and computing systems, in larger quantities than have heretofore been practicable with other storage devices. The digital versatile disk standards provide for many features that were not available in previous standard video technologies, such as VHS tape and laser disc.

The information storage capacity of a typical DVD is much higher than a CD. Presently available DVDs have a variety of capacities, which depend on the technology used to manufacture the discs. Single-layer technologies can be either single or double-sided with capacities of 4.7 gigabytes and 9.4 gigabytes, respectively. Dual layer technologies will soon be available which use single or double-sided capacities that hold approximately 8.5 gigabytes per side. This high information storage capacity makes DVDs suitable for storing not only audio information, but also video information and large amounts of computer data as well.

A digital versatile disc player is generally composed of three logical units, as defined in the DVD specification. The first logical unit is a DVD player application that presents an interface to the user and relays user commands to the second logical unit. The second logical unit is a DVD navigator that reads and interprets the information on the DVD and controls, which segments of video and audio are processed, based on the user commands. The third logical unit is a DVD presentation layer that decompresses data read from the DVD and presents the corresponding audio, video and subpicture streams, as applicable, to one or more renderers.

DVD players are compatible with VCD and CD, that is, can read VCD and CD including CD, CD-R, and CD-RW and DVD including DVD, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM.

Mobile audio/video is an important form of entertainment and information today. Mobile A/V devices are often utilized in automobiles, at the gym, jogging and the like. People have come to rely on mobile devices for entertainment and information content. Portable electronic devices have decreased both in size and weight over the

last few years and are becoming ever more popular with travellers. This demand for smaller size with ever-increasing capability results in the rapid popularization of portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, portable digital and video cameras, portable music players, portable electronic games, and cellular phones. Portable electronic devices being designed today require the ability to operate with multi-media features and provide the user with the same enjoyable experience as that experienced from conventional high quality desktop systems.

Because DVD players must be operationally attached to a video display, such as a television or television monitor, they are virtually impossible to use anywhere space is limited. Thus, portable DVD players incorporated with display devices were developed. Portable DVD players include a battery for providing power to the disc drive as well as other electronic components of the system that are collateral to the disc drive.

The display devices used in portable DVD players are generally liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. An organic light-emitting diode display uses organic luminous devices as the light source of the display. Compared with LCD screens, an OLED has advantages of simpler structures, self-emitting design, excellent operating temperature, high definition, high contrast, and a wide viewing angle. Hence, it is the preferred display device for portable DVD players and other portable electronics such as mobile phones, personal digital assistant, hand-held videogames, digital cameras, portable DVD players, and automobile navigation devices.

 

Comments:

 

versatile гнучкий

MPEG-2 стандарт MPEG-2//розширення MPEG-1 для кабельного

телебачення та відео дисків DVD

 

Video Home System стандарт VHS//стандарт для аналогового

(VHS) відеозаписування на відеокасети

 

collateral спільний

 

 

I. Match the words in the text with their definitions:

1. Entertainment A. Valuable property promised to a lender

if one is unable to repay a debt.

2. Specification B. The amount of stated substance contained in

Something.

3. Content С. The act of entertainment.

4. Attached to D. A detailed plan or set of descriptions or

directions

5. Collateral E. To belong to or be connected with.

 

 

II. Identify whether the following sentences are true or false. Use the model: