1.
Keyboard:
Keyboard is the most
common input device used for entering text data directly into a computer. A
computer keyboard is similar to that of a typewriter, but it has additional
keys as well. The most commonly available computer keyboard has 104 keys. Data
is entered into a computer by pressing a set of keys available with the
keyboard. Keyboard is the oldest input device, which is still being used with
the modern computer. When user presses a key, the corresponding character
appears on screen.
1. Keyboard Keys:
The keys of the
keyboard are divided as:
1.
Numeric keys
2.
Character/Alphanumeric keys
3.
Punctuation keys
4.
Functional keys
5.
Special purpose keys
6.
Cursor movement keys
a.
Numerical keys:
Numeric
keyboard is usually located on right side of the keyboard with its 10 digits (0
to 9) and mathematical operators (+,-,*,/). These keys are used to input
numeric information.
b.
Character/Alphanumeric keys:
These
keys are mainly used to enter characters. These keys include keys for
characters like a-z, A-Z, 0-9, enter key and shift key.
c.
Punctuation keys:
To
type the special punctuation characters, punctuation keys, such as the colon
(:), the semicolon (;), the question mark (?), single quotes (‘), and double
quotes (“) are used.
d.
Function keys:
These
keys are arranged at the topmost row of the keyboard and each one of them has a
special function key differs from software to software. Normally, a standard
keyboard has 12 function keys (F1, F2 …F12).
e.
Special purpose keys:
These
keys are used to perform special functions like deletions or moving a page up
or down. Some others keys in this category are Home, End, Insert, Ctrl and Alt
etc.,
f.
Cursor movement keys:
These
keys allow us to move around the screen. Most keyboards have the keys such as
arrow keys to move the cursor up/down.
2.
Multimedia
keyboard:
A
multimedia keyboard is designed to make it one touch simple for the user to
access often used programs. Multimedia keyboard contains various additional
keys to perform functions like volume control, launching internet explorer,
changing song and video tracks, launching e-mail software etc., A typical
multimedia keyboard contains buttons that control various computer processes,
such as turning on the compute’s power, putting the CPU to sleep, and waking it
up again.
The
web browser keys on a multimedia keyboard should be familiar to most internet
users. Back, forward, stop, and refresh buttons are usually present on such
keyboard. A specific type of multimedia keyboard is called a gaming keyboard.
It is used for high-tech video games, can be even more expensive.
3.
Wireless keyboard:
Wireless
keyboards are also available today, but a higher price than wired keyboard. These
keyboards do not have any wire attached to them. Wireless keyboard interacts
with the computer through Bluetooth or infrared technology. Wireless keyboards
transfer typing data to the computer via infrared beams. A beam of information
is sent from the keyboard, as you type, to a receiver, which is plugged into
the computer. Wireless keyboard operates on battery power rather than using
electricity from the user’s computer.
Advantage
of using wireless keyboard rather than a regular keyboard is that it offers
much more mobility. A wireless keyboard can be used on a lap, in a bed, or just
used while on the go for laptop users. Disadvantages of using a wireless
keyboard are that it has to be installed & configured before it can be
used. Regular keyboards on the other hand, run on plug & play software
& work immediately after they are plugged in.
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