Each month we explain technology terms in plain English. Here's our updated A-Z of technology jargon explained.
What is 802.11ac? This is the latest version of the 802.11 Wi-Fi standard. It improves on previous versions (including 802.11n) by enabling much faster transmission speeds and better performance on crowded networks. Check out our router reviews, and our reviews of the first 802.11ac wireless routers from Buffalo and Netgear.
Tech jargon explained: A
What is an ADSL filter? A small box that's connected between a telephone wall socket and a DSL modem, a telephone or both. The filter's function is to separate the broadband and voice signals so they don't interfere with each other.
What is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean? Version 4.1 of Google’s Android operating system for smartphones and tablets. It incorporates an enhanced and more responsive user interface than 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
What is Apple Maps? A new Apple-created mapping app that's available in iOS 6.0. Apple designed Maps to replace the rival Google Maps on its mobile devices. Lightning connector: Introduced with the iPhone 5, iPod nano and iPod touch, Lightning is the name given to Apple's new smaller connector that replaces the 30-pin port found on earlier models. An adaptor is available to connect to most, but not all, previously compatible accessories. The initial adaptors available from Apple don't support video output.
Tech jargon explained: B
What is Bluetooth 4.0? The latest Bluetooth standard greatly improves on previous versions by adding two new technologies and using considerably less power.
Tech jargon explained: C
What is a capacitive touchscreen? Most commonly used in premium smartphones and tablets, capacitive touchscreens are able to sense the electrical conductivity of a human fingertip and use it to determine its location on the screen. Insulating materials such as gloves will prevent such touchscreens working but, unlike resistive alternatives, they don't require you to exert physical pressure on the screen.
What is cloud storage? A form of online storage where individuals or companies can store data that can then be remotely accessed from any PC with an active internet connection. The data may be physically stored on multiple servers and separated geographically, but it will appear in a single storage location to the user. Examples include Dropbox and Mozy.
Tech jargon explained: D
What is a DisplayPort? A high-performance digital interface for connecting displays to PCs and laptops. Like HDMI, it can also include audio information, but adds support for other forms of data transmission, such as USB. It is backward-compatible with VGA and DVI via adaptors, and is capable of higher resolutions than HDMI.
Tech jargon explained: E
Tech jargon explained: F
What is FAT32? FAT32 is a file system introduced by Microsoft in 1996 and commonly used to store information on lower capacity disks and memory cards. Its key advantage is that almost all operating systems and devices can read the format, but it is limited in that no single file can exceed 4GB in size.
Tech jargon explained: G
Tech jargon explained: H
What is H.265? This video format offers around twice the compression of H.264, the current standard for compressing high-definition video. It will therefore halve the bandwidth required to transmit TV channels and significantly reduce the burden on mobile networks.
What is Hyper-V? A virtualisation technology created by Microsoft. It allows the creation of virtual PCs, which can concurrently run multiple operating systems on a single PC. It is available as a free download, and a version of the software is also included in Windows 8 Pro. Unlike popular applications such as VMware and VirtualBox, Hyper-V interfaces directly with the hardware rather than the operating system, giving it several performance advantages. However, it cannot be enabled at the same time as running either of those other virtualisation applications.
Tech jargon explained: I
What is IPS? An in-plane switching (IPS) display is a type of LCD panel used in the manufacture of monitors, phones and tablets, among other devices. It differs from less-expensive technologies, such as twisted nematic (TN), in that it offers better colour reproduction across wider viewing angles. However, some TN panels can offer faster response times, which are favoured by gamers who want blur-free high-speed action. Other technologies include PLS, from Samsung, and vertical alignment (VA).
What is Ivy Bridge? The codename for Intel's third generation of CPUs. The line-up includes Core i5 and i7 3xxx chips, which deliver better performance and lower power consumption than their predecessors. Read our Ivy Bridge review.
Tech jargon explained: J
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Tech jargon explained: L
What is an LED TV? In almost every case, an LED TV is a television set with an LCD panel that's illuminated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), just like most flat-panel PC monitors. LEDs have all but replaced the older cold-cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlight, and can allow for reduced power consumption, slimmer design and improved image quality, thanks to better contrast and a greater range of displayable colours.
What is LTE 4G? The fourth-generation mobile communication standard is known as 4G. Currently supported in the UK by service provider EE, it allows for much faster data-transfer speeds, in excess of many home-broadband services. You'll need a compatible phone or 4G mobile hotspot to take advantage. See our feature: What is 4G? A complete guide to 4.
Tech jargon explained: M
What is MHL? Mobile High-Definition Link is a standard for connecting mobile and portable devices to HD displays such as TVs and monitors. Like HDMI, it uses a single cable to transmit 1080p HD video and up to 7.1 surround audio, but it also adds the capability to power and charge the mobile device.
MHL commonly uses a micro USB connection at one end and an HDMI connector at the other, although others can be used as no specific physical connectors are mandated by the standard. This sometimes leads to incompatibility, as is the case with Samsung's Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III phones, which require different MHL cables to work.
What are Modern apps? Windows 8 apps have, until recently, been known as Metro apps. The codename Metro has been discontinued, and such apps will now be referred to as Windows 8 or Modern apps; the Metro interface will be known as the Modern interface. However, there remains some confusion, since Windows 8 also supports older programs that run in Windows 7.
What is multitouch? A touch-input system that supports multitouch is capable of detecting a touch from more than one figure at a time, enabling features such as pinch-to-zoom and gestures that involve swipes.
Tech jargon explained: N
What is Near Field Communication (NFC)? A wireless system that allows suitably equipped devices to transfer data over very short distances – usually of just a few centimetres – or by coming into physical contact with each other. NFC can be used for contactless payments or function as an electronic key. NFC-enabled Android smartphones can use Android Beam to transfer files. This uses an initial NFC connection to set up a Bluetooth file transfer.
Tech jargon explained: O
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Tech jargon explained: R
What is resolution? In terms of displays, the screen resolution is a measure of the amount of detail which can be shown. Either in terms of the absolute number of pixels in an image, such as 1920x1080 or in terms of the number of pixels contained within a certain area – often expressed as pixels per inch (ppi). Apple's Retina displays offer a resolution high enough to exceed the resolution of the human visual system, thereby rending individual pixels invisible and making screen elements appear smooth rather than blocky.
Tech jargon explained: S
What is SATA 6Gbps? Also known as SATA 3, this connection between a motherboard and hard- or solid-state drive offers double the speed of its predecessor. Like USB 3.0, SATA 6Gbps ports tend to be blue.
What is Snapchat (and Facebook Poke)? Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app for iOS and Android devices. It lets you chat via text messages, and send pictures and video clips. The key feature of Snapchat is that content can be set to self-destruct after a pre-determined period of time, at which point they will be deleted from the recipient's device. Facebook Poke is a similar app from the makers of Facebook, currently available only for iOS.
What is SDHC / SDXC? SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) and SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) are designations given to larger-capacity SD memory cards and can apply to full-size, mini and micro SD variations. SDHC cards support capacities up to 32GB and come pre-formatted with the FAT32 file system, while SDXC cards cantheoretically support up to 2TB - although 128GB versions are the largest currently available. These come pre-formatted with the exFAT file system and also enable greater data transfer speeds. You can manually re-format these cards to FAT32 if you need to use them on a system which doesn't support exFAT. It's important to note the distinction between these card formats as not all devices can handle SDHC or SDXC cards. You should therefore check your device for compatibility before purchase.
What is an SSD? A solid-state drive (SSD) is a storage device that appears to your PC as a normal hard disk, but consists of high-speed memory chips that are silent and consume less energy than standard rotating magnetic disks.
Tech jargon explained: U
What is an Ultrabook? A marketing term for a laptop that has been built to a specification set by Intel, in order to ensure a high-quality user experience. The requirements change as new chips are released and, for Ivy Bridge systems, currently include fast startup, a maximum thickness that varies according the screen size, and a battery life of at least 5 hours. See our full piece: What is an Ultrabook?
What is USB 3.0? Version 3.0 is the fastest USB standard to date, and is increasingly becoming available in the latest PCs and laptops. USB 3.0 provides connection speeds around 10 times faster than its predecessor, and offers more power to external devices. USB 3.0 ports tend to be blue, but some are black.
Tech jargon explained: V
What is a Virtual PC? A virtual PC is effectively a software version of a physical PC which is able to run its own operating system and applications. Typically a virtual PC will boot up in its own window and is often used to run a different operating system to the one installed on the host pc on which it runs. You could therefore use it to try out a version of say, Linux, without having to install it on your main system. Microsoft's free Virtual PC software has been available to do this in versions of Windows up to and including Windows 7, but has been superseded in Windows 8 by the faster and more robust Hyper-V system which is incompatible with other virtualisation software.
Tech jargon explained: W
What are Windows 8 Charms? Windows 8 brings with it a raft of new interface features, one of which is the use of Charms. Usually hidden from view, the charms slide into view when you swipe a finger inwards from the right hand side of the screen, place your mouse pointer in the top-right corner or type Windows-C on the keyboard. This column of monochromatic icons consists of a selection of context-sensitive icons which provide quick access to functions and settings relevant to what you're currently doing on your PC.
What is the Windows Registry? Windows stores information about configuration and settings in a centralised database called the Registry. It’s used extensively by the operating system, while most applications also store information here. Some low-level configuration tweaks involve manually editing the Registry using the Windows application Regedit.
What is wireless charging? Also known an ‘inductive charging', wireless charging uses magnetism to charge a battery without a cabled connection between the charger and the device. It works by creating a magnetic field in a coil located in the charger, which them induces a similar field in a coil in the device and is converted into power. A newer technique called ‘resonance charging' also uses a pair of coils, but can operate over a distance of a few centimetres rather than requiring physical contact.
What is a wireless extender? A device that can extend the range of your wireless router by receiving and re-transmitting its Wi-Fi signal.
What is Wireless N150? Wireless N150 is a subset of the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard. It incorporates most of the improvements introduced by previous versions, but omits the channel-bonding feature. This limits it to a maximum theoretical data rate of 150Mbps, rather than the 300Mbps available to dual-channel equipment.
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Tech jargon explained: Z
What is a zero-day bug? A security vulnerability for which no fix or patch is available. Developers of the affected program have zero days to produce a patch before malicious exploitation of the bug can occur. The term could also be used to refer to a zero-day virus, which is a piece of malware that currently cannot be removed by security software.
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