Module 4: Programs and Apps: Using Apps for Productivity, Graphics, and Security

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17e

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Icebreaker: Interview Simulation

Mobile phones, computers, and tablets have become an important part of our daily lives. Life seems boring without these gadgets. Many installed apps, games, music, and videos provide a way to connect, entertain ourselves, and get work done.

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Discuss some of your favorite apps and why and how you use them.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Module Objectives (1 of 1)

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

• Identify the general categories of programs and apps
• Differentiate among the ways you can acquire programs and apps
• Identify the key features of productivity applications
• Identify the key features of graphics and media applications
• Explain how digital media is used online
• Identify the key features of file, disk, and system management tools
• Describe augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence
• Identify the uses of personal-interest applications
• Identify the key features of security tools

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(1 of 11)

• All smartphones, computers, or tablets require a program or app to run.
• Businesses and home users use productivity apps to manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases.
• The terms "software," "program," and "app"are used interchangeably.
• Apps are categorized according to productivity, graphics and media, personal interest, and communications.

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Figure 4-1 People use a variety of apps.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(2 of 11)

Table 4-1 Programs and apps by category.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(3 of 11)

Table 4-1 Programs and apps by category (continued).

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(4 of 11)

• Local apps are apps that you install on your computer’s hard drive.
• Portable apps run from a removable storage device such as an external hard drive, flash drive or the cloud.
• A native app is an app written for a specific operating system and installed on a computer or mobile device.
• Web apps are programs that you access via the Internet using a browser on a computer or mobile device.
• Apps that you access on a smartphone or tablet are called mobile apps.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(5 of 11)

• Using mobile apps, you can check email, maintain an online calendar and contact lists, and obtain maps and travel directions on your mobile device without having to use a desktop or laptop computer.
• Mobile apps usually focus on a single task, such as checking email, searching the web, or sending a text message.

Figure 4-2 Mobile and web apps

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(6 of 11)

Some apps are available as both native and web apps.

• The native app allows you to search for an item to purchase by taking a photo of a product or its bar code with your device’s camera or tapping the microphone to speak the names of items to add to your shopping cart.
• The mobile web app runs in a browser, as shown by the web address in the search bar.

Figure 4-3 Amazon’s native app (left) and web app (right).

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(7 of 11)

• Some apps are available as both web apps and mobile apps.
• In this case, data and activity can be synchronized between the web app and the mobile app so that your actions, data, information, and settings will be consistent across all your devices.

Figure 4-4 Mail apps synchronize data between mobile and web-based versions.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(8 of 11)

• Many on-screen keyboards assist you by predicting words and phrases you might want to type based on context or by providing automatic corrections.
• Some on-screen keyboards include voice recognition capabilities so that you can speak the words to be typed.
• Users who need to type significant amounts of information may opt for a portable keyboard that they can connect to their smartphones using Bluetooth.

Figure 4-5 You can enter information in mobile apps using a Bluetooth keyboard or an on-screen keyboard.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(9 of 11)

Although mobile apps are popular and convenient, they have limitations.

Table 4-2 Pros and cons of mobile apps.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(10 of 11)

• Web apps rely on HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language) to display information, JavaScript to manage the app’s performance, and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to format information.
• By using cross-platform development tools, developers can build apps that work on multiple platforms.
• Fitness trackers have sensors to track your heart rate.
• Digital cameras have sensors for remote controls.
• Smart home devices such as the Nest Thermostat have temperature sensors.
• Google Home or Amazon Alexa smart speakers have sensors that detect the sound of a voice.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How Do You Use Programs and Apps? �(11 of 11)

• Mobile commerce, or m-commerce, apps let you use your mobile device to make online purchases of goods and services.
• Mobile payment capabilities are built into apps, such as Uber or Lyft for rides, and online retailers, such as Amazon or Walmart.

Figure 4-6 M-commerce allows apps such as Uber to provide payment methods for services.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (1 of 7)

• When you copy, distribute, download, or otherwise use without permission or payment any programs and apps, you are violating the law.
• The copyright law led to the development of digital rights management (DRM). DRM for programs and apps defines restrictions regarding their use, modification, and distribution.
• Access controls are security measures that define who can use a program or app, as well as what actions they can perform within the program or app.

Figure 4-7 Passwords and biometrics are types of access controls.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (2 of 7)

• Programs and apps are distributed in a variety of forms: retail, custom, software as a service (SaaS), shareware, freeware, open source, and public domain.
• Shareware is copyrighted and distributed at no cost for a trial period. Payment is to be made to use shareware beyond that period unless you cancel within a specified period.
• Freeware is copyrighted and provided at no cost by an individual or a company that retains all rights.
• Open-source programs and apps have no restrictions from the copyright holder regarding modification and redistribution; users can add functionality and sell or give away their versions to others.
• Public domain programs and apps have been donated for public use and have no copyright restrictions.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (3 of 7)

Table 4-3 Popular types of mobile apps.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (4 of 7)

Table 4-3 Popular types of mobile apps (continued).

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (5 of 7)

A license agreement specifies the number of devices on which you can install the product, any expiration dates, and other restrictions.

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Table 4-4 Types of license agreements.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (6 of 7)

Update Programs and Apps

• Updates can prevent or repair problems, provide additional functionality, or address any security or other issues.
• Many desktop and mobile apps use an automatic update feature that provides the latest system software and security updates automatically.
• Updates that address a single issue are called patches.
• A service pack is a collection of updates combined in one package.
• Upgrades are new releases of the program or app and may require an additional fee to enable the upgrade to install.
• to install

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Ethics and Issues: Acquire Programs�and Apps Responsibly (7 of 7)

• An uninstaller is a tool that removes the program files as well as any associated entries in the system files.
• A common infringement on copyrights is piracy, where people illegally copy software, movies, music, and other digital materials.
• Piracy is common in software, where the code and files are digital.
• Piracy is illegal, and you can be fined or otherwise punished if you purchase or sell pirated programs and apps.

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Figure 4-10 Tap and hold an icon on a smartphone.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (1 of 11)

• Productivity apps are apps for personal use that you may use to create documents, develop presentations, track appointments, or stay organized.
• Productivity applications include word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, productivity suites, and enterprise computing.
• During the process of developing a project, you will likely switch back and forth between the following activities.
• When you create a project, you enter text or numbers, insert images, add contacts, schedule appointments, and perform other tasks using a variety of input methods, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touch, or voice.
• To edit is to make a change to the contents of a document, worksheet, or presentation, such as font, spacing, and alignment, among others.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (2 of 11)

• When you save a project, the computer transfers the project from memory to a local storage medium.
• A hard copy is information that exists on a physical medium, such as paper.
• A word-processing app, sometimes called a word processor, includes tools for entering, editing, and formatting text and graphics.
• Word processors can be used to create documents and reports, mailing labels, flyers, brochures, newsletters, resumes, letters, and more.

Figure 4-12 Word-processing apps, such as Microsoft Word, enable you to create any different types of documents.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (3 of 11)

• The files you create are called documents, and each document is a collection of one or more pages.
• When you start a word-processing program, a blank document opens on the screen
• Document management tools protect and organize files and let you share your documents with others.

Table 4-5 Uses of word processing.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (4 of 11)

• Spreadsheet apps allow you to organize data in columns and rows and perform calculations on the data.
• These columns and rows collectively are called a worksheet.
• A spreadsheet file is also known as a workbook as it can contain thousands of related individual worksheets.
• A cell in a worksheet is the location formed by the intersection of a column and a row.
• A workbook is a collection of related worksheets contained in a single file.

Figure 4-14 Worksheets can contain data, tables, formulas, and charts.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (5 of 11)

Key Features of Spreadsheets

• Formatting tools to change a worksheet’s appearance and Developer tools to add customized functions.
• Printing features to control whether you want to print entire worksheets or only selected areas.
• Web capabilities to share workbooks online, add hyperlinks, and save worksheets as web pages.
• Tools to analyze data in a spreadsheet.
• Charts (graphs) represent data using bars, columns, pie wedges, lines, or other symbols.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (6 of 11)

Presentation apps can help you organize your content and create professional-looking digital slide shows

• Presentations can be displayed in different views and have insert, delete, duplicate, hide, and move slides features.
• The main points of a slide are added as a bulleted list by typing them in a text box on the slide.
• Graphics or images can be added to give presentations greater impact.
• Using design ideas can give your slides a more professional appearance.

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Figure 4-16 Presentation apps provide you with templates and design ideas.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (7 of 11)

Format Presentation Content

Table 4-6 Adding content to slides.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (8 of 11)

Common Presentation Tasks

• With a presentation program, slides can be customized by adding visually interesting effects. These are:
• Transitions
• Animations
• A slide master is an overall template for a presentation format with a theme, customized title, text fonts, backgrounds, and so on.
• A slide show is a display or delivery of the content of your presentation.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (9 of 11)

Databases

• A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and reporting of that data.
• A relational database management system (RDBMS), or relational database, is a database that consists of a collection of tables where items are organized in columns and rows.
• Large enterprises use databases to store vast quantities of data that enable us to shop online.

Figure 4-17 Databases.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (10 of 11)

Key Features of Database Apps

• Data is organized into tables of records (rows of data) and is stored electronically in a database.
• Each piece of data in a database is entered and stored in an area called a field.
• A column contains a specific category of information, such as a person, place, object, event, or idea. Columns contain fields; rows contain records
• Each field is assigned a field name, which is a column label that describes the field.
• Fields are defined by their data type, such as text, date, or number.
• Hyperlinks store data as web addresses.
• Tables are a collection of records for a single subject. Tables store data for the database. A database can contain one or more tables.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Productivity Apps (11 of 11)

A productivity suite is a collection of individual related applications available together as a unit.

Table 4-7 Popular productivity suites.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Discussion Activity

Discuss the advantages of a database over spreadsheets. In what case might a database be a more effective option than a spreadsheet?

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (1 of 16)

• Digital graphics and media include still images, animated images, and audio.
• Digital media apps fall into two categories:
• Apps that are used to capture, edit, and create digital media
• Apps that play digital media
• Digital graphics and media make digital content appealing and entertaining.
• The major types of digital media include graphics, animation, video, and audio.

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Figure 4-20 Types of digital media.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (2 of 16)

• Digital graphics can be as simple as a line drawing or as complex as a highly detailed photo or 3-D illustration.
• Digital media apps can be used to create, edit, and modify digital graphics.
• Digital media apps can be used to create an animation.
• While creating an animation by drawing illustrations, a digital video can be created by capturing live action with a video camera.
• Digital video usually includes digital audio, which is sound that is recorded and stored as computer data.

Figure 4-21 Digital graphics.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (3 of 16)

How Computers Represent Images and Sounds

• Cameras, musical instruments, and video projectors are analog devices.
• Computers are digital devices.
• A digital recorder turns the sound into numbers representing tones and then generates an electronic signal of numbers.

Figure 4-22 Converting analog data into digital data.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (4 of 16)

• Converting analog data to digital data is also called digitizing the data, which is the process of changing the data into a form that computers and other digital devices can use.
• A process called sampling converts the analog sound waves into digital sound.

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Figure 4-23 Sampling sound.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (5 of 16)

Digital Graphics

• Digital graphics fall into two main types:
• Bitmap graphics (raster graphics) assign colors to the smallest picture elements, called pixels.
• Vector graphics consist of shapes, curves, lines, and text created by mathematical formulas.
• Bitmaps can be created and edited using graphics apps, such as Adobe Photoshop and Windows Paint.
• Bitmap-editing programs are painting programs.
• Adobe Illustrator is used for creating and editing vector images.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (6 of 16)

Resolution and Compression

• Resolution refers to the clarity or sharpness of an image: the higher the resolution, the sharper the image and the larger the file size.
• On a digital camera, resolution is typically measured in megapixels, or millions of pixels.
• High-resolution photos and other complicated graphics can be difficult to copy, download, or send as email attachments.
• Compression makes digital media files smaller by reducing the amount of data in the files.
• Some types of bitmap graphics (JPEG files) use lossy compression, and other types of media files (TIF, PNG, and GIF) can be compressed using lossless compression.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (7 of 16)

Table 4-8 Common graphics file formats.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (8 of 16)

Table 4-9 Common audio file formats.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (9 of 16)

• Many smartphones have built-in sound recording tools, including microphones.
• A sound card, which is a circuit board that computers use to process sound.
• Speakers play sound and can be built-in or attached as peripheral hardware to your device, either by a cable or wirelessly.

Figure 4-24 Recording sound.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (10 of 16)

• Synthesized music is created as a digital file from the start using electronic instruments called synthesizers, or synths, for short.
• To play a synthesizer, you press a key on the keyboard, generating an electrical current that becomes sound
• Musicians play synthesizers, which look like piano keyboards, to mimic sounds from acoustic or electric instruments or to produce unusual sounds that other instruments cannot generate.

Figure 4-25 Musician playing a synthesizer.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (11 of 16)

• Voice recognition software is used as a security measure to allow access to only authorized people the software recognizes by voice.
• As speech recognition software translates spoken words into text a computing device can understand, a text-to-speech app or read-aloud technology, does the opposite.
• Text-to-speech app breaks words into individual sound units called phonemes and then strings them together to create words and phrases, or synthesized speech.
• A video that is shared millions of times over social media in a short period is called a viral video.
• Digital video files have two parts:
• A codec encodes and usually compresses data for storage and then decompresses the data for playback.
• A container which bundles the video, audio, codec, and other parts into a single package.
• Video codecs are compatible with only some containers.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (12 of 16)

• Video file formats are one way to describe a video file.
• Resolution is another format.
• 720p, HD, or 4K, given as descriptions of videos refer to resolution.
• Digital video resolution is given as width × height.
• Video resolutions can be organized into three categories:
• Standard Definition (SD): Resolutions of 640 × 360 and 720 × 480
• High Definition (HD): Resolutions of 1280 × 720 and 1920 × 1080 (Full HD)
• Ultra High Definition (UHD): The 4K standard provides a resolution of 3840 × 2160, while the 8K standard provides a resolution of 7840 × 4320

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (13 of 16)

Digital Animation

• A web page with moving objects is an example of animation.
• Simulations are sophisticated computer animations that are useful for training and teaching in many fields, particularly in areas in which learning can be dangerous or difficult.

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Figure 4-27 Using animation and simulations in training.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (14 of 16)

Animation in Entertainment

• The most popular uses of 3-D animation are in ads, films, and computer games.

Ways to Create a Solid 3-D Image

• Apply highlights and shadows to a wireframe drawing (a 3-D object composed of individual lines) in a process called rendering.
• Stop motion animation, in which animators move real-life objects through a sequence of poses and capture the movements one frame at a time.

Figure 4-30 3-D rendering.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (15 of 16)

Digital Media Creation and Editing Apps

• Graphics apps can be used to create, view, manipulate, and print digital images such as photos, drawings, clip art, and diagrams.
• Image-editing apps help to modify existing images.
• Drawing apps help to create simple vector images.
• In some programs, you layer graphics to create collages.
• Advanced programs can be used to create sketches, logos, typography, and complex illustrations for web or print use.
• Photo editing apps can be used to enhance and retouch photographs.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Graphics and Media Applications (16 of 16)

Capture Videos

• Videos can be captured using a smartphone or digital video camera, and then played back on a computing device or post it on a video-sharing website.
• Digital video camera, camcorder, tablet, or smartphone can be used to capture full-motion images and store them in a file on the camera or phone.
• Action camcorders are compact, waterproof, and weather-resistant.

Figure 4-31 Uses for digital video.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Digital Media on the Web (1 of 1)

• Streaming the media means receiving the audio or video content on your computer from a server and then watching or listening to the media as it arrives.
• For on-demand content, such as television shows, the original media file is stored on the media distributor’s server.
• With live video streaming, often used for sports events, the content is sent out live, as it happens, and is available only once.
• Smart TVs connect to a Wi-Fi network and let you view Internet content, including television shows, movies, games, and photos.
• Streaming video is more convenient and less expensive than traditional cable and satellite television content.
• Streaming digital audio in the form of audio books, using sites such as Audible, and as audio podcasts, may include news stories, music, lectures, or radio shows.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

50

Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (1 of 7)

• Virtual reality (VR), a computer-simulated, 3-D environment that you can explore and manipulate, attempts to remove the barrier between the viewer and the media.
• Augmented reality (AR) apps overlay information and digital content on top of physical objects or locations.
• In a virtual world, a 3-D computer model creates a convincing illusion of depth and space to make you feel you are part of a real scene you can explore.

Figure 4-34 AR game Pokemon Go on a smartphone.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (2 of 7)

AR and VR in Gaming

• Today’s video games use high-end graphics, powerful processors, and the Internet to create environments.
• These systems use handheld controllers as input devices, speakers and a television screen or computer monitor as output devices, a hard drive and memory cards or optical discs for storage.

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Figure 4-35 Gaming system.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

52

Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (3 of 7)

• A VR gaming system can be set up using hardware.
• These systems run on customized desktops and include a headset, controllers, and sensors to track the movements.
• Augmented reality gaming integrates visual and audio game content with your environment.

Figure 4-36 VR gaming system.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (4 of 7)

• Microsoft offers the HoloLens headsets, which use holograms, projected images that appear three-dimensional.
• Motion-sensing game consoles allow you to interact with the system through body movements.
• Physical therapists use these consoles along with virtual reality gaming techniques to challenge and motivate patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Figure 4-37 Using a motion-sensing game console.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (5 of 7)

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technological use of logic and prior experience to simulate human intelligence.
• Machine learning is a branch of AI that trains machines to learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions to progressively improve their performance without much human intervention.
• Some of the practical uses of AI include strategic gaming, military simulations, statistical predictions, and self-driving cars.
• Navigation apps, which provide you with information about traffic and the best routes, along with preferred stops along your way.
• Security, such as using your fingerprint to access your phone, or facial recognition and motion-detection cameras that alert you to unusual or unauthorized visitors.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

55

Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (6 of 7)

• Natural language processing is a form of data input in which computers interpret and digitize spoken words or commands.
• Digital assistants use natural language processing to respond to verbal commands or questions, using search technology to provide answers or perform a task.

Figure 4-38 Smart devices provide you with assistance.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

56

Virtual and Augmented Reality and�Artificial Intelligence (7 of 7)

• Robotics is the science that combines engineering and technology to create and program robots.
• A robotic arm or instrument can be more precise, flexible, and controlled than a human hand.
• Robotic surgeries often take less time to heal and can prevent risk of infection as they require a smaller incision site.

Figure 4-39 Robot used to detect weeds and spray chemicals.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

57

Knowledge Check Activity 4-1

Complete the following sentence.

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Producing an environment where physical and digital objects interact is the goal of ________.

1. virtual reality
2. augmented reality
3. mixed reality
4. artificial Intelligence

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Knowledge Check Activity 4-1: Answer

Producing an environment where physical and digital objects interact is the goal of ________.

Answer: c.

mixed reality

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Personal Interest Applications (1 of 1)

Countless desktop, mobile, and web apps are designed specifically. Some applications focus on a single service, while others provide several services in a single application, including:

• Lifestyle applications
• Medical applications
• Entertainment applications
• Convenience applications
• Education applications
• Financial applications

Figure 4-40 Using a financial app.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Secure IT: Security Tools (1 of 5)

• To protect your computer and mobile devices against malware, you can use one or more security tools.
• These security tools include personal firewalls, antivirus programs, malware removers, and Internet filters.
• A firewall is a protective barrier between a computer or network and others on the Internet.
• A personal firewall is a security tool that detects and protects a personal computer and its data from unauthorized intrusions.
• An antivirus app protects a computer against viruses by identifying and removing any computer viruses found in memory, on storage media, or on incoming files.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Secure IT: Security Tools (2 of 5)

Spyware, Adware, and Other Malware Removers

• Spyware is a type of program placed on a computer or mobile device without the user’s knowledge that secretly collects information about the user. It can enter your computer when you install a new program, through a graphic on a web page or in an email message, or malware.
• Adware is a type of program that displays an online advertisement in a banner or pop-up or pop-under window on web pages, email messages, or other Internet services. An adware remover is a program that detects and deletes adware
• A spyware remover is a type of program that detects and deletes spyware and similar programs.
• Malware removers detect and delete spyware, adware, and other malware.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Secure IT: Security Tools (3 of 5)

• If an antivirus program identifies an infected file, it attempts to remove the malware.
• If the antivirus program cannot remove the infection, it often quarantines the infected file.
• A quarantine is a separate area of a hard drive that holds the infected file until the infection can be removed.
• Quarantined files remain on a computer or mobile device until the user deletes them or restores them.
• Filters are programs that remove or block certain items from being displayed.
• Five widely used Internet filters are anti-spam programs, web filters, phishing filters, pop-up and pop-under blockers, and ransomware apps.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Secure IT: Security Tools (4 of 5)

• Web filtering software is a program that restricts access to certain material on the web.
• Phishing is a scam in which a perpetrator sends an official-looking email message that attempts to obtain your personal and/or financial information.
• Some browsers include phishing filters.
• A pop-up blocker or pop-under blocker is a filtering program that stops pop-up or pop-under ads from displaying on web pages.

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Figure 4-41 Phishing email message.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Secure IT: Security Tools (5 of 5)

• Ransomware is a type of attack that affects your files and personal data. Some attacks encrypt your data and files or otherwise restrict access.
• Some ransomware threatens to publish your personal data, or in the case of a corporation, sensitive company files, unless a payment is made.

Figure 4-42 Ransomware attacks affect your data and files until you pay.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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How To: Use System Management�Tools (4 of 5)

• A crash occurs when the program or app stops functioning correctly. This can be caused by an issue with the hardware, the software, a virus or other malware, or using invalid data or commands.
• Troubleshooting refers to the steps you take to identify and solve a problem, such as a crash.
• Patch finders compare the software versions. Restorers allow you to restore.
• File managers perform functions such as displaying a list of files on a storage medium; organizing files in folders; and copying, renaming, deleting, moving, and sorting files.
• Search tools allow you to locate a file, contact, calendar event, app, or any other item stored on your computer or mobile device.

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Case Study Activity 4-1 (1 of 2)

Ameesha visited a bank to ask about the billing and payment schedule for her credit card. The bank manager explained the billing process and activated email reminders to be sent to Ameesha two days before the payment due dates.

Due to her busy schedule, Ameesha was worried that if she forgets to check her email, then she will miss a payment and be charged a late fee. She asked her IT technician friend, Hamza, for a solution.

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Case Study Activity 4-1 (2 of 2)

After reading the case study on the previous slide, answer the following question:

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Which type of app should Hamza suggest to Ameesha to help her manage her problem?

1. An educational app
2. An entertainment app
3. A lifestyle app
4. A financial app

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

68

Case Study Activity 4-1: Answer

Which type of app should Hamza suggest to Ameesha to help her manage her problem?

Answer: d.

A financial app

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Self-Assessment

1. Of all the types of apps and programs described in this module, which are most important to you and why?
2. What is one question you still have about programs or apps? Where can you go to learn more?

Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Summary

Click the link to review the objectives for this module.

Link to Objectives

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Jennifer T. Campbell, Discovering Computers: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices, 17th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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