Protect Your Computer

Do not go online without it!

The Internet is a wonderful tool which allows you do things such as shopping, browsing and search for just about anything you may be looking for. However, in the same way that we use it as a tool to get many things done, so do identity theft thieves, hackers, and spammers. The difference is that these miscreants whose sole purpose is to steal and highjack your computer from you will stop at nothing until they do. The reason for this is simple; they in turn get all your personal credit card and banking information, passwords and even the sites you visit. Many hackers will even use your PC as a gateway to other crimes by hiding themselves within your system and sending out spam, committing credit card fraud and much more.

If you regularly use the Internet to shop or simply just to browse you need to be sure your computer is protected against the many dangers out there in cyberspace. There are hundreds of sites who look legitimate but are actually full of spy-ware and viruses and end up leading you to programs that contain malware. If you use software such as P2P like Ares or Limewire then you are in for a big surprise. About 70% of these programs you download actually contain Trojan horse viruses. A Trojan horse virus is one that comes within a legitimate program and will install itself along with the program. Most of the time you will not even be aware of it until it is too late. If you do not have a Firewall running on your PC or Laptop, then chances are each time you browse the Internet hackers, thieves and spammers are sending 'pings' to your computer in order to know if you have security and then infiltrate it. It is almost impossible to know when this is happening without a program to detect, warn and stop it from happening. There are other countless of programs that you may download which seem innocent enough. Yet most of these programs contain Spy-ware. The sole purpose for this software is to log and record all the information on all of the pages you visit all day. This means that whatever site you visit, they will know and sell that information to others. This is the reason so many of us get so much spam each day. Most of that spam comes via the spy-ware found on many computers. It is sort of a backdoor way for them to know what to advertise to you but obtaining that information while invading your privacy. If you have a PC or laptop you need to protect it as it is the gateway to all your personal information.

Luckily for us there are many programs out there which are good while there are others which are great! A great Internet security program will not only protect your computer from anti-virus and anti-spyware but will also offer you Firewall, email, identity protection and IM security along with parental controls as well. One program I have been using for quite a while offers all of these features plus many more. I highly recommend it for its simple to use interface as well the extra sense of security it provides. If you are surfing, shopping or simply browsing online without your computer protected, then I implore you to look into safeguarding the key to the door of your PC. Not having a Great Internet security program installed on your computer is like sleeping with your front door wide open. We all know no one would ever do that right? Protect yourself by protecting your computer today!

hector mota

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Tablet PC

In general terms, tablet PC refers to a slate- or tablet- shaped mobile computer device, equipped with a touchscreen or stylus. This form factor offers a more mobile computer. Tablet PCs may be used where notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality. The term Tablet PC was made popular in a product announced in 2001 by Microsoft, and defined by Microsoft to be a pen-enabled computer conforming to hardware specifications devised by Microsoft and running "Windows XP Tablet PC Edition" operating system or a derivative thereof.

Booklets

Booklet PCs are dual screen tablet computers that fold open like a book. A typical Booklet PC is equipped with multitouch screens and pen writing recognition capabilities. They are designed to be used as a digital day planner, internet surfing device, project planner, to watch videos, live TV, play music, and for e-reading.

Slates

Slate computers, which resemble writing slates, are tablet PCs without a dedicated keyboard. For text input, users rely on handwriting recognition via active digitizer, touching the screen with a fingertip or stylus or by using an external keyboard which can usually be attached via a wireless or USB connection. These tablet PCs typically incorporate small (8.4–14.1 inches/21–36 centimetres) LCD screens and have been popular for quite some time in vertical markets such as health care, education, and field work. Applications for field work often require a tablet PC that has rugged specifications that ensure long life by resisting heat, humidity, and drop/vibration damage. This added focus on mobility and/or ruggedness often leads to elimination of moving parts that could hinder these qualities.

Convertibles

Convertible notebooks have a base body with an attached keyboard. They more closely resemble modern laptops, and are usually heavier and larger than slates. Typically, the base of a convertible attaches to the display at a single joint called a swivel hinge or rotating hinge. The joint allows the screen to rotate through 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface. This design, although the most common, creates a physical point of weakness on the notebook. Some manufacturers, however, have attempted to overcome these weak points. The Panasonic Toughbook 19, for example, is advertised as a more durable convertible notebook. One model by Acer has a sliding design in which the screen slides up from the slate-like position and locks into place to provide the laptop mode. Convertibles are by far the most popular form factor of tablet PCs, because the convertibles still offer the keyboard and pointing device of older notebooks, for people who are unsure about the practicality of using the pen as the primary method of input.

Hybrids

Hybrids, coined by users of the HP/Compaq TC1000 and TC1100 series, share the features of the slate and convertible by using a detachable keyboard which operates in a similar fashion to a convertible when attached. This is not to be confused with slate models that have a detachable keyboard—detachable keyboards for pure slate models do not rotate to allow the tablet to rest on it like a convertible. With a loyal following, the hybrid form factor has recently received updates after the TC1100. HP has launched an array of tablet pc convertible notebooks over the last few years, the latest being the tx2 which brings multi-touch capabilities to a consumer-aimed notebook.

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iPad Technology

The iPad is a tablet computer developed by Apple Inc. Announced on January 27, 2010, it is similar in functionality to the iPhone and iPod touch, running the same operating system (iPhone OS) and almost all of the same applications.

The iPad has a larger 9.7-inch (25 cm) LED backlit multi-touch display with a pixel resolution of 1024x768, 16 to 64 gigabytes (GB) of flash memory, a 1-gigahertz (GHz) Apple A4 processor, Bluetooth 2.1, and a 30-pin dock connector to sync with iTunes and connect wired accessories. Two models have been announced: one with 802.11n Wi-Fi (available in March 2010 worldwide) and one with Wi-Fi, 3G (which can connect to HSDPA cellular networks), and Assisted GPS (available in April in the U.S. and several other countries). Both models may be purchased with three different memory capacities.[1] As Apple's first device to use its iBookstore service and companion iBooks ebook reading application, the iPad has been compared to Amazon's Kindle.

History

Apple's development of a tablet computer began with the Newton MessagePad 100, first introduced in 1993. This effort led to the creation of the ARM6 processor core with Acorn Computers. Apple also developed a prototype PowerBook Duo-based tablet computer, the PenLite, but did not sell it to avoid hurting MessagePad sales. Apple released several more Newton-based PDAs, and discontinued the last in the line, the MessagePad 2100, in 1998. By late 2009, the iPad's release had been rumored for several months with iSlate and iTablet among speculated names.

The product was announced on January 27, 2010, at an Apple press conference at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Three days later, at the 52nd Grammy Awards, Stephen Colbert used an iPad in announcing the nominees.


Availability
In an e-mail to customers at the time of launch, Apple wrote Application availability and pricing are subject to change. This device has not yet been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained. — Apple , Wired News The iPad is to go on sale at the end of March 2010 (Wi-Fi version, worldwide) and end of April (Wi-Fi + 3G version, in the United States and some other countries[which?]). International 3G prices are to be announced summer 2010. The Wi-Fi + 3G iPad will be unlocked so it can be used on other mobile carriers that support GSM micro-SIMs. 3G will be provided in the U.S. by AT&T and sold with two prepaid contract-free data plan options: one for unlimited data and the other for 250 MB/month at half the price. The plans will be activated on the iPad itself and can be canceled at any time

Input and output

The iPad has a fairly minimalist selection of external ports and it only has a dock connector for general input and output and a 3.5mm headphone jack for plugging in headphones to listen to audio. It also has a speaker and a microphone.


Controls

To control the iPad and the software it runs you mostly use the multi-touch touchscreen display. The iPad also has external buttons for sleep, mute and controlling the volume as well as a button to return to the home screen.[It also has an Accelerometer (for motion sensitivity) and a digital magnetic compass.

Optional accessories

Apple will sell several iPad accessories, including: Keyboard Dock with hardware keyboard, 30-pin connector, and audio jackCase which can be used to stand the iPad in various positionsDock with 30-pin connector and audio jackDock Connector to VGA Adapter for external monitor or projector Camera Connection Kit including a USB Type A connector adapter and an SD card reader, for transferring photos and videosUSB Power Adapter with 2A (10W)


Software

Like the iPhone, with which it shares a development environment (iPhone SDK, or software development kit, version 3.2 beta onwards), the iPad will only run software downloaded from Apple's App Store.[21] The iPad will run almost all third-party iPhone applications unmodified (they can be displayed at iPhone size or enlarged to fill the iPad's larger screen); developers can also create apps specifically for the iPad's features. The iPad will come with the following applications: Safari, Mail, Photos, Video, YouTube, iPod, iTunes Store, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, and Spotlight. The iPad syncs with iTunes on a Mac or Windows PC. Apple ported its iWork suite from the Mac to the iPad; the Pages, Numbers, and Keynote applications will be sold in the App Store. Although the iPad is not designed as a cellphone replacement, a user can pair it with a Bluetooth headset and place phone calls using a VoIP application over WiFi or 3G.

wikipedia.org

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WordPress Goes Real-Time With PubSubHubbub

WordPress.com‘ 10.5 million blogs are about to get a whole lot more real-time, thanks to a new behind-the-scenes development.The WordPress team has announced in a blog post that the company has turned on support for PubSubHubbub (try saying that fast five times), a move that will get blog content to RSS services (such as Google Reader () and Bloglines ()) much more quickly.Essentially it’s a way for hosted WordPress () blogs to “push” content out as it’s published to the services, rather than waiting for the services to check in for new posts. I

t’s live now for WordPress.com blogs, while self-hosted blogs can go real-time with this plugin.PubHubSubbub, or PuSH, is demoed nicely in the “cheesy” video (that’s WordPress’ choice of word, not ours) below. However those of you who want to find out more about the new protocol can do so over at the PuSH project site.

mashable

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Google Wave Opens Up to 1 Million Users

When Google asked what you liked and disliked about their new real-time communication application, you unquestionably said that you wanted more invites to share with friends and family. Problem solved.Today, Google () decided to play Santa with Wave invites. It has just doled out significantly more invites to existing users. In conjunction with the invite rollout, Google is also hinting that they’ll soon reach the one million user mark.

The title of their post suggestively indicates that “a million stamps” have been licked, which we take to mean that they’ve now opened up Google Wave () to a million users.While invites may be more readily available, be forewarned: Google is still not ready to graduate the service from preview phase to beta stage. Still, we’re excited that more of you can get in on the shared experience that is Google Wave.

mashable

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USB 3.0: The new speed limit

Have you spent too much time waiting for large files to crawl between a computer and an external hard drive? Don't fret -- USB 3.0 has arrived. Not only can it move data faster and provide more power, but it's compatible with USB 2.0 devices.

Developed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), USB 3.0's SuperSpeed specification promises a theoretical top speed of 5Gbit/sec. versus USB 2.0's 480Mbit/sec.

The key to blending old and new is NEC's μPD720200 controller chip. It has the circuitry for USB 2.0 and 3.0 transfers inside and can use either, depending on what's plugged in. Right now, it's the only game in town, but look for other companies, including Symwave, Fujitsu and Via, to introduce their own USB 3.0 chips in the coming months.

The first round of USB 3.0 cards and devices works with Windows Vista and Windows 7; Apple hasn't decided whether to support the new standard. The basic software for USB 3.0 has been in the Linux kernel since last fall, and the needed drivers are slowly coming out.

There are already a few USB 3.0 devices available. To test them, I used a Lenovo ThinkPad W510 with USB 3.0 built in. I tried out a variety of new devices, including the Buffalo DriveStation USB 3.0 HD-HXU3 external hard drive; a StarTech SuperSpeed USB 3.0 to SATA Hard Drive Docking Station in combination with my current Western Digital WD Caviar Blue external drive; and a Seagate BlackArmor PS 110 USB 3.0 Performance Kit, a portable hard drive that includes its software on a USB 3.0 ExpressCard.

What's new in USB 3.0?

Unlike the change from USB 1.0 to USB 2.0, USB 3.0 brings actual physical differences to the connectors. The flat USB Type A plug (that goes into the computer) looks the same, but inside is an extra set of connectors; the edge of the plug is colored blue to indicate that it's USB 3.0.

On the other end of the cable, the Type B plug (that goes into the USB device) actually looks different -- it has an extra set of connectors, so it looks a bit like a USB plug that's been crimped a little ways down one end. There's also a new Micro Type B plug that has all its connectors laid out horizontally.

As a result, you won't be able to fit a USB 3.0 cable into a USB 2.0 device. However, you will be able to plug USB 3.0 devices -- and cables -- into your current computer; you just won't get the speed advantage. (Note: To get the most out of USB 3.0, the cable needs to be less than about 9 feet long, down from the USB 2.0 16-foot limit.)

The reason for the new connector is that the USB 3.0 cable contains nine wires (four more than a USB 2.0 cable); eight carry data and one is used as a ground. Despite the increase in wires, however, the cables should be no thicker than those used by USB 2.0. There will be a big difference in performance, however. USB 2.0 is like a single-lane country road that needs to handle the morning-commute traffic in and out of L.A. There are jams and slowdowns when too much data is going back and forth. With nine wires available, USB 3.0 has an additional two lanes of traffic in each direction to smooth the flow between the computer and the device.

Unlike USB 2.0, which requires synchronous transfers, where the data is asked for and then sent, the 3.0 host controller doesn't have to poll the USB device every time it wants to send data. This streamlines the flow with high-speed asynchronous transfers.

While SuperSpeed's peak speed is 5Gbit/sec., it will drop to a slower speed on occasion -- for example, when it moves data into and out of older devices or when it's being used with a too-long cable.

On top of faster data speeds, USB 3.0 provides up to 150 milliamps (mA) of electricity -- 50% more than USB 2.0 -- to an unconfigured device while the computer it's connected to is finding and loading its needed software. Once the device has been configured and accepted by the computer's operating system, USB 3.0 can deliver 900mA to the device, compared with USB 2.0's 500mA. This should be more than enough to power a hard drive or a camcorder -- or even a USB device (such as a monitor or a projector) that needs more power than is available via a USB 2.0 port.

USB 3.0 offers power conservation as well. While USB 2.0 is either on or off and wastes power when it isn't being used, the new spec comes with three levels of power use that draw progressively less power.

But be aware that first-generation USB 3.0 implementations are power-hungry. The Lenovo ThinkPad W510 that I used for testing ran for 2 hours 19 minutes while continuously playing music from a USB 3.0 external drive -- and ran for an additional 34 minutes when it used a USB 2.0 port.

computerworld

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Apple IPhone With Wi-Fi May Soon Enter China

China Unicom, the only mobile network operator selling iPhones in China, is in talks with Apple to sell a version of the popular smartphone with Wi-Fi, something the companies could not do previously due to government regulations.

Wi-Fi is seen as important to the success of the iPhone in China because many people want to use the devices to surf the Web, but don't want to pay higher data rates for using the mobile network. China so far has required mobile phones with Wi-Fi also to support WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure), a homegrown security protocol. Versions of the iPhone on sale now in China do not offer Wi-Fi.

"I know that in the market there is hope we will offer an iPhone with Wi-Fi," said Chang Xiaobing, chairman and CEO of China Unicom, outside an event in Beijing. "We have been holding talks with Apple in this area."

Chang did not give a timetable for any release. When asked if the phone will come with WAPI, he said the phone will satisfy demands in the Chinese market.

Sales of the iPhone in China have disappointed some industry watchers, who blame slow uptake of the smartphones on a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that users who want one can buy an iPhone for a lower price, and with Wi-Fi, in neighboring Hong Kong. The 32GB iPhone 3GS with no service contract costs 6,999 yuan (US$1,024) in China, compared to about US$800 in Hong Kong.

Other people seek out iPhones at electronics bazaars throughout China, where entrepreneurs that have carried them into the country sell them on the gray market.

pcworld

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Intel dangles cash to lure developers to its app store

Company offers cash incentives for mobile software developers to write applications for netbooks with Atom processors inside

Intel is using cash incentives to lure mobile software developers to its AppUp Center application store, hoping to spur the development of new applications for netbooks with Atom microprocessors inside.

On Monday, Intel offered a range of financial incentives to bring mobile developers to the AppUp Center, which currently works only with Windows. Incentives include payments of $500 to 250 developers between April 1 and April 14, and a bonus of $2 per download for 100 applications during the same period, up to $5,000 for free applications and $25,000 for paid applications.

[ Netbooks in the business: Do they make sense? | The InfoWorld Test Center rates netbooks for business. See who came out on top. | Stay ahead of advances in mobile technology with InfoWorld's Mobile Edge blog and Mobilize newsletter. ]

The awards, which Intel is calling the Million Dollar Development Fund, are meant to spur development of mobile applications for netbooks, the term it coined for small, low-cost laptops that run on Atom processors. Additional awards for developers will be announced on March 9, the company said.

While netbooks have become popular among laptop users, there is little to differentiate them from larger laptops apart from their relatively underpowered processors, price, and smaller size. The AppUp Center is meant to change that, spurring the development of applications that will make netbooks more useful. Eventually, Intel wants to see the range of available applications expand to include other Atom-based devices, such as smartphones and handheld computers.

Intel has a lot of catching up to do if the chip maker hopes to rival other application stores.

Both Apple and Google already have well-established application stores, all designed for devices, such as the Apple iPhone and Google's Nexus One, which run on chips designed by Intel rival Arm. But while Apple's App Store and Google's Android Market have thousands of applications on offer, the AppUp Center has only 100 or so -- far from enough to be considered a credible alternative by end users.

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Facebook's $1B revenues: Now keep it up

Facebook may pull in an excess of $1 billion in revenues, according to estimates and poking around on behalf of industry blog Inside Facebook. That's an increase from the same publication's estimate of $700 million last year.

Facebook board member Marc Andreessen said last year that he projected the company would break $500 million revenue in 2009, and that it had the potential to be a billion-dollar company already, but that it was acting conservatively.

(Naturally, Facebook says that as a privately held company it doesn't disclose its financials.)

What can Facebook credit this big jump in revenue to? It's all about the Social Ads program. Facebook ditched banner ads altogether earlier this year when its longstanding ad partnership with Microsoft ran out and has chosen to focus on its edgier "engagement ads" program instead--and often these are sold by encouraging brands to promote their presence on Facebook with ad space.

However accurate these new estimates from Inside Facebook are, Facebook is certainly making money--and it's making money because the Facebook "fan page" and complementary ad space to promote it are the hottest ticket in brand marketing right now. They won't always be, and Facebook will have to maintain that front-runner status in plenty of advertising innovations down the road as the industry evolves faster than ever.

Plus, it's well-known that some of the biggest buyers of Facebook advertisements are social-gaming companies looking to pull in more players: how long can they, in turn, keep up their place in the sun? Critics have long since pointed out the number of third-party companies that are effectively dependent on Facebook for traction and revenue, but the reverse is likely true as well.

Facebook has a potentially lucrative new revenue stream emerging when its virtual currency system, Facebook Credits, launches in full--Facebook takes a 30 percent cut of all proceeds. But the developer world isn't totally sold, and the product has grown far more niche from the days when it was rumored to be a "PayPal killer." As Inside Facebook points out, advertising is still the core of the company's business model. And here, it has to stay ahead of the pack more than ever.

news.cnet.com

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Computer

A computer is a programmable machine that receives input, stores and manipulates data, and provides output in a useful format.

Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century (1940–1945). These were the size of a large room, consuming as much power as several hundred modern personal computers (PCs). Modern computers based on integrated circuits are millions to billions of times more capable than the early machines, and occupy a fraction of the space. Simple computers are small enough to fit into small pocket devices, and can be powered by a small battery. Personal computers in their various forms are icons of the Information Age and are what most people think of as "computers". The embedded computers found in many devices from MP3 players to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are however the most numerous.

The ability to store and execute lists of instructions called programs makes computers extremely versatile, distinguishing them from calculators. The Church–Turing thesis is a mathematical statement of this versatility: any computer with a certain minimum capability is, in principle, capable of performing the same tasks that any other computer can perform. Therefore computers ranging from a netbook to a supercomputer are all able to perform the same computational tasks, given enough time and storage capacity.

History of computing

The first use of the word "computer" was recorded in 1613, referring to a person who carried out calculations, or computations, and the word continued to be used in that sense until the middle of the 20th century. From the end of the 19th century onwards though, the word began to take on its more familiar meaning, describing a machine that carries out computations.

The history of the modern computer begins with two separate technologies—automated calculation and programmability—but no single device can be identified as the earliest computer, partly because of the inconsistent application of that term. Examples of early mechanical calculating devices include the abacus, the slide rule and arguably the astrolabe and the Antikythera mechanism (which dates from about 150–100 BC). Hero of Alexandria (c. 10–70 AD) built a mechanical theater which performed a play lasting 10 minutes and was operated by a complex system of ropes and drums that might be considered to be a means of deciding which parts of the mechanism performed which actions and when. This is the essence of programmability.

The "castle clock", an astronomical clock invented by Al-Jazari in 1206, is considered to be the earliest programmable analog computer. It displayed the zodiac, the solar and lunar orbits, a crescent moon-shaped pointer travelling across a gateway causing automatic doors to open every hour, and five robotic musicians who played music when struck by levers operated by a camshaft attached to a water wheel. The length of day and night could be re-programmed to compensate for the changing lengths of day and night throughout the year.

The Renaissance saw a re-invigoration of European mathematics and engineering. Wilhelm Schickard's 1623 device was the first of a number of mechanical calculators constructed by European engineers, but none fit the modern definition of a computer, because they could not be programmed.

In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard made an improvement to the textile loom by introducing a series of punched paper cards as a template which allowed his loom to weave intricate patterns automatically. The resulting Jacquard loom was an important step in the development of computers because the use of punched cards to define woven patterns can be viewed as an early, albeit limited, form of programmability.

It was the fusion of automatic calculation with programmability that produced the first recognizable computers. In 1837, Charles Babbage was the first to conceptualize and design a fully programmable mechanical computer, his analytical engine. Limited finances and Babbage's inability to resist tinkering with the design meant that the device was never completed.

In the late 1880s, Herman Hollerith invented the recording of data on a machine readable medium. Prior uses of machine readable media, above, had been for control, not data. "After some initial trials with paper tape, he settled on punched cards ..." To process these punched cards he invented the tabulator, and the keypunch machines. These three inventions were the foundation of the modern information processing industry. Large-scale automated data processing of punched cards was performed for the 1890 United States Census by Hollerith's company, which later became the core of IBM. By the end of the 19th century a number of technologies that would later prove useful in the realization of practical computers had begun to appear: the punched card, Boolean algebra, the vacuum tube (thermionic valve) and the teleprinter.

During the first half of the 20th century, many scientific computing needs were met by increasingly sophisticated analog computers, which used a direct mechanical or electrical model of the problem as a basis for computation. However, these were not programmable and generally lacked the versatility and accuracy of modern digital computers.

Alan Turing is widely regarded to be the father of modern computer science. In 1936 Turing provided an influential formalisation of the concept of the algorithm and computation with the Turing machine. Of his role in the modern computer, Time magazine in naming Turing one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, states: "The fact remains that everyone who taps at a keyboard, opening a spreadsheet or a word-processing program, is working on an incarnation of a Turing machine".

The inventor of the program-controlled computer was Konrad Zuse, who built the first working computer in 1941 and later in 1955 the first computer based on magnetic storage.

George Stibitz is internationally recognized as a father of the modern digital computer. While working at Bell Labs in November 1937, Stibitz invented and built a relay-based calculator he dubbed the "Model K" (for "kitchen table", on which he had assembled it), which was the first to use binary circuits to perform an arithmetic operation. Later models added greater sophistication including complex arithmetic and programmability.

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