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Mainframe computers are generally used in big organisations where a large amount of data is
used, such as banks. Examples of mainframe computers are IBM zSeries, IBM 4381, ICL 39, etc.
Supercomputers
Supercomputers are the largest and fastest of all
types of computers. It consists of a large number
of processors and also occupies a huge amount of
space. The cost of a supercomputer is very high. It
can process a very large amount of data quickly. It
is a very powerful machine for performing complex
scientific calculations. Calculations that a personal
computer performs in three weeks can be performed
by a supercomputer within a minute.
Supercomputers
They are used in very big organisations and government departments to do tasks such as weather
forecasting and rocket launching. PARAM was India’s first supercomputer, developed in 1991.
Some other examples of supercomputers are PACE, Titan, Sunway TaihuLight, Pratyush, Mihir, etc.
i + SOME OTHER SPECIAL COMPUTERS
Apart from the types of computers that we have discussed in the previous sections, some other
types of computers are embedded computers and handheld computers. Let us learn about these
computers in detail.
Embedded Computers
An embedded computer is a special type of microprocessor-based system that is developed
for performing a specific task. It is different from a general-purpose computer like a PC. Today,
embedded computers are used in various applications. Some commonly used examples of the
embedded computers are the digital camera, microwave, ATM, etc. Let us learn about some of
these embedded computers in detail.
Digital Camera
A digital camera captures image or picture momentarily and
converts the image directly into digital form and stores in memory.
It can then be viewed on the computer or compatible devices.
It is available in various models with different specifications that
include pixels, sizes and memory. The quality of image captured
by digital camera is measured in pixels. Digital Camera
ATM
An Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is another example of
an embedded computer that allows us to withdraw money
from our bank account anywhere and anytime. This machine
is connected to the bank’s server. When we withdraw some
money from an ATM an equal amount is debited from our
ATM bank account.
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