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What is a Device?
A device can be defined in easy language as an essential body part of a computer system. To ease it down, in simple words a device in computer language is a constituent element that aids the computer system to obtain the desired result from the data which is provided to the system. Some of the examples of a device are Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard, Printer, CPU, Speakers, etc. There are two types of devices namely Input and Output Device.
What is an Input Device?
An input device is considered to be ‘the dictator’ of a computer system. The computer system does not understand the daily language we speak. To make the computer perform a task or get a task done from it, input devices play an important role in this situation.
An input device is that device of the computer system which allows a user to enter certain desirable commands and get a desirable outcome/result in return.
Input devices act as a loophole to connect the outside world with the world of programming by converting a command into computer language and making the computer work on it to give us the output we want.
For example-
The attached mouse to a computer, when moved by the user gives a command or some information to the computer which then makes the cursor on the screen move and hence, we can select anything we want from the screen by clicking the right mouse button.
Other examples of Input Devices are-
Keyboard-
A keyboard is a panel that consists of various buttons. These buttons include numbers, letters from A-Z, certain commands, the power ON/OFF button on a laptop.
If one wants any desirable output, the user can obtain it by pressing any button on the keyboard. A simple press on the letter ‘A’ will ask the computer to display the letter ‘A’ on the screen and so on.
A keyboard even helps us to perform certain functions by using various shortcuts (this is by pressing two buttons at the same time).
Mouse-
The mouse is a small device that is movable and lets you control a wide range of actions on the screen of a computer. Common types of a mouse have two buttons, with a wheel in between the buttons. Most types of a mouse are connected to the computer with the help of a thin wire that helps gain power from the computer and run.
Webcam:
A webcam is an input computer device that works like an ordinary camera, just like those on the back and front of our mobile phones. A webcam can be inside the computer (for example, a laptop where it is engraved in the frame surrounding the screen ) or connected via wire.
A webcam is a small video camera device that is connected to a computer. Because it can capture and record multiple pictures and record video, it is known as a web camera.
This plays an important role when the user wants to video call or Skype someone.
Output Device
An output device is the computer’s way of getting in contact with the user. In simple words, any device that accepts a command from the input devices of a computer system and thus provides a desirable output to the user is called an output device.
The output can be textual, visual or audio or even a hard copy (prints in the form of paper from the printer). The user enters the known information (via input devices) and the computer in return runs the given information and gives him a desirable result (via output devices).
Examples of Output Devices are-
Printer-
A printer is an output device that allows the user to print the required data on paper. In other words, a printer is an output device of a computer system that helps the user create a hard copy of the information provided to it.
Speaker-
A speaker is an output device that enables the user to listen to audio. A speaker converts the commands of a computer system to audio and enables us to hear this audio in the form of an audio clip, music or tunes.
Projector-
A projector is an output device that allows a user to forecast the computer’s output on a large display material like a screen or a wall. A projector can be used to project the output of a computer or a laptop on a screen. It helps to magnify visual clips, pictures or the computer systems screen using the physics of lenses. Thus, it is an output device for giving presentations on a large scale and even at conferences.
Difference between an Input and Output device-
Input Devices | Output Devices |
It accepts information from a user. | It gives a desired result to the user after the given information is processed. |
An input command is performed by a user. | An output command is performed by the system. |
An input device can only give information to other devices but it cannot gain information from other devices. | An output device can gain information from other devices and provide us with a desirable result but it cannot give information to other devices. |
Information is sent to the system by an input device on which the system then works. | The processed information is gained from the system which is then provided to the user by an output device. |
Examples of Input Devices are- Mouse, Keyboards, Joysticks, etc | Examples of Output Devices are- Printer, Monitor, Speakers, etc. |
Conclusion
Input and output devices of a computer system are two sides of the same coin, one cannot function without the other. They act as a source for all the starting and ending tasks of a computer and help the user to know his computer system in detail. It builds a comfortable working place for the user. New devices also interest the user to know his computer system. Without any of the two, an operation cannot be a success.
