About the acronyms and technologies we use every day

Every day we find new acronyms and names for electronic devices and technologies they use. The number of names can be overwhelming and often do not know what this new system is called NFC or what is that https appears in our computer. Here we review some of the most common acronyms and technologies that we can find today. We tell you what they are and what they do.

Bluetooth

Before there was the Bluetooth, the simple task of sending a photo from one phone to another was quite complicated, like listening to music on a wireless speaker, use a wireless mouse or even hands-free car. This system ended these problems it possible to transfer data wirelessly from one device to another. The Bluetooth is a standard for wireless transmission that was created in the mid-nineties to facilitate communication between multiple gadgets with the intention of ending the use of cables. The Bluetooth for transferring data and voice, and operates radio frequency, so it is not necessary that the two teams are playing, only need to be within range. It is a system specially designed for low-power devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, computers and of course smartphones and tablets. This technology has evolved over the years, allowing for faster transfers and increasing its reach.

GPS

Thanks to GPS is now much easier to find a direction, although some still remains missing. This system is short for Global Positioning System, which translated means “Global Positioning System”. What the GPS is to determine the position in which we find through a satellite. The GPS sends a signal to a network of several satellites that are orbiting the earth in order to cover the entire surface. System positions by triangulation, i.e., up to three satellites are used to find the point at which we find ourselves. The measurement is fairly accurate, but there can always be a few meters apart. The GPS was first used in car navigators, but today is found in any smartphone or tablet. With this technology, we can find directions through programs such as Google Maps, which calculate the route to follow between the points at which we find to destination.

GPRS / EDGE / 2G – HSPA / 3G – LTE / 4G

Sure that once you’ve encountered some of these acronyms to look at the features of a mobile phone. These strange acronyms refer to mobile connections that can integrate a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. These connections are what allow us to upload a photo to Facebook, send an email or watch a YouTube video from your mobile. The main difference between them is the speed. For network GPRS, which is also known as EDGE or 2G, the maximum speed that can sail is 236 Kbps, very slow compared to the other two. It is quite common for a E (EDGE) appears next to the signal indicator of our mobile, that’s because there is no coverage of the other two types of connections. In this case the network is used for calls, SMS messages or instant messages.

For networks HSPA or 3G and talk for greater speed, which in theory can reach 42 Mbps, although in most cases it will be in 21 Mbps. In this connection we can smoothly navigate, as in the case of 2G networks use is much more limited. An H appears in many phones when we are connected to these networks. In addition to smartphones, 3G is also present in other devices such as tablets and wireless modems.

MiniUSB and MicroUSB

We have already told you that the system USB was invented in the mid-nineties to connect gadgets. At that time, computers were computers using this system and other peripherals such as printers or scanners, all major devices. However with the passage of time began to adapt to smaller equipment such as cameras or PDA, and the USB plug is too big for them. The miniUSB connector is the same but reduced so you can go in portable devices that have smaller size. It measures about seven millimeters wide and about three millimeters high. Normally MiniUSB cables have a pin of this type at one end and a standard USB on the other for connecting to a computer.

The miniUSB is much smaller than the normal USB, but also was great when new mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets began to appear. The MicroUSB born in 2007 and is currently the connector found on all Android smartphones and other platforms like Windows Phone. It is also in cameras, tablets and other devices.

WiFi or WLAN

Before the advent of WiFi we could only connect to the Internet using an Ethernet cable, which meant that the computer had to be relatively close to the modem. With the system WiFi can access the Internet without using wires, so we have much more freedom of movement, as long as we are within range of the signal.

The free WiFi can be found on computers, smartphones, tablets, cameras, printers and other devices. When we speak of WLAN we are referring to exactly the same concept, just with another name. WLAN stands for “Wireless Local Area Network” which means “Wireless Local Area Network.” In addition to access to the Internet, WiFi also can transfer information between two computers that are connected to the same network.

iOS

If Mac OS is the operating system of Apple Computer, iOS is the name of the operating system for its range of mobile devices. The iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch operate on the platform iOS, a set of icons that revolutionized mobile systems when it was launched in 2007 with the first iPhone. Mobile phones and tablets from Apple can only work with this operating system also has its own applications.

Android

Maybe it sounds more like the logo of a little green robot, but Android is the name of the operating system of Google for mobile and tablets. This platform was born in 2008 and is currently in the vast majority of devices worldwide. Android can be found on mobile phones, tablets and now smart watches.

Android has had many versions since its launch, and all of them are called a number and a name or nickname, curiously always has the name of a sweet, going in alphabetical order. The first version of Android was the Apple Pie 1.0, followed by 1.1 Banana Bread and many others. The latest installment was a sugary name KitKat Android 4.4, but from that time Google changed strategy with the next version, which was simply called Android L.

Smart TV

If phones have become smart and now call smartphones, the TV would not be less. The term Smart TV refers to the integration of Internet and other web services on TVs. Variety Smart TV platform is as wide as a manufacturer of TVs. And every brand brings its own solution, but they all have one thing in common: access to Internet. The Smart TV allows access to the web to find content, download apps video as YouTube, Netflix and others. Some also integrate games, let us record programs on a hard drive and even access social networks. There are also systems that learn our tastes and recommend us programs of interest, allowing us to create a program schedule to our liking.

LCD

Before the TVs in the living room are made with huge tubes. That is why they occupied both until it became a technology that allows you to make very thin screens. This technology was the LCD, stands for “Liquid Crystal Display”, or what is the same, “LCD.” This system is one of the most popular in all screens. The panel consists of a matrix of pixels that are illuminated from the rear with a light source, typically LEDs. The LCD screens dating from the 70s, and since then the system has been adapted to all sorts of devices, from simple calculators to TVs and now to smartphones and mobile devices.