Consumer Technology
Definitions about consumer technology including Internet acronyms, tech lingo, multimedia definitions, words about personal computing and peripherals as well as terms used in wireless and mobile computing.
Desktops and laptops
Terms related to PCs, including definitions about desktop computers and words and phrases about computer components.
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chiplet
A chiplet is a sub processing unit, usually controlled by a I/O controller chip on the same package.
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product development (new product development - NPD)
Product development, also called new product management, is a series of steps that includes the conceptualization, design, development and marketing of newly created or newly rebranded goods or services.
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channel partner
A channel partner is a person or organization that provides services or sells products on behalf of a software, hardware, networking or cloud services vendor. Value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators (SIs), consultants, managed service providers (MSPs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and independent software vendors (ISVs) may all be called channel partners.
End user hardware
Terms related to peripheral devices including definitions about keyboards or mice and words and phrases about printers, monitors, digital cameras and scanners.
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computer worm
A computer worm is a type of malicious software program whose primary function is to infect other computers while remaining active on infected systems.
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LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a type of flat panel display which uses liquid crystals in its primary form of operation.
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busy lamp field (BLF)
A busy lamp field (BLF) is a light on a VoIP phone -- also known as an IP phone -- that tells end users when another extension within the system is in use by displaying a clear status on the phone's display.
Internet acronyms and lingo
Terms related to Internet acronyms and lingo, including slang definitions and jargon about texting, Twitter and other social networking sites.
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IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
IPv6 is a set of specifications from the Internet Engineering Task Force that improves IPv4 by extending IP addresses from 32 bits to 128 bits.
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dark web (darknet)
The dark web, also referred to as the darknet, is an encrypted portion of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific configuration or authorization to access.
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dopamine-driven feedback loop
A dopamine-driven feedback loop is a self-perpetuating circuit fueled by the way the neurotransmitter works with the brain’s reward system.
Internet technologies
This WhatIs.com glossary contains terms related to Internet technologies, including definitions about port numbers, standards and protocols and words and phrases about how the Internet works.
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blade server
A blade server, sometimes referred to as a high-density server, is a compact device containing a computer used to manage and distribute data in a collection of computers and systems, called a network.
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Internet Information Services (IIS)
Internet Information Services (IIS) is a flexible, general-purpose web server from Microsoft that runs on Windows systems to serve requested HTML pages or files.
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browser
A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web.
Multimedia and graphics
Terms related to multimedia, including graphics, animation and video definitions and words and phrases about images and sound.
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computer worm
A computer worm is a type of malicious software program whose primary function is to infect other computers while remaining active on infected systems.
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PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a file format used for lossless image compression. PNG has almost entirely replaced the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) that was widely used in the past.
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video conferencing (video conference)
A video conference is a live, visual connection between two or more people residing in separate locations for the purpose of communication.
Personal computing
Terms related to personal computers, including definitions about computers sold as consumer products and words and phrases about laptops, tablets and smartphones.
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Group Policy Object (GPO)
Microsoft’s Group Policy Object (GPO) is a collection of Group Policy settings that defines what a system will look like and how it will behave for a defined group of users.
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ambient temperature
Ambient temperature is the air temperature of any object or environment where equipment is stored.
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stablecoin
Stablecoin is a fixed-price cryptocurrency whose market value is attached to another stable asset..
Printers
Terms related to printers, including definitions about scanners and words and phrases about inkjet, laser, photo and all-in-one printers.
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offset printing (offset lithography)
Offset printing, also called offset lithography, is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the print media.
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rafts, skirts and brims
Rafts, skirts and brims are structures created at the base of the bottom of a 3D print. These structures are temporary and used to improve print reliability and quality.
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print bed
A print bed is the surface on a 3D printer where a print head lays down the materials that make up a 3D print.
Wireless and mobile
Terms related to wireless and mobile technology, including definitions about consumer mobile technology devices and communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX and LTE.
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Google Pay (Android Pay)
Google Pay is the search company’s electronic wallet and payment service offering.
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React Native
React Native is an open source JavaScript framework for mobile application development. The framework is based on Facebook’s user interface (UI) JavaScript library, React, and can be used to design apps for the web, iOS and Android.
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machine-to-machine (M2M)
Machine-to-machine, or M2M, is a broad label that can be used to describe any technology that enables networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without the manual assistance of humans.