What are some popular computer peripherals? The most famous of all popular computer peripherals are surely the mouse and keyboard. It could be a while before these input devices go out of style.
There are many alternatives to the classic keyboard - keyboards with hotkeys that perform specific functions, curved ergonomic keyboards, keyboards with rearranged keys, and so on. There is even a "virtual keyboard" that is merely a light projection watched by infrared sensors. There are also many kinds of mice to be found - optical mice, wireless mice, tiny travel mice with single buttons, and large gaming mice with five buttons or more.
Some popular computer peripherals besides the keyboard and mouse are the printer, the flatbed scanner, the external hard drive, the speaker, and the Bluetooth® receiver. Except for the last, these peripherals have pretty much been around for as long as the affordable personal computer has. This article will summarize these popular computer peripherals and what type of person may want to buy them.
The printer allows you to take text or images from a computer and print them on a sheet of paper. Like the keyboard and mouse, the printer is almost universally familiar. A drawback worth mentioning applies to color printers - they often require two or more relatively expensive ink cartridges. While text can often be printed cheaply, photos or large images consume significant amounts of ink.
Another juggernaut in the world of popular computer peripherals is the flatbed scanner. These can now be found for under 50 US dollars (USD) on eBay. The flatbed scanner can be used to 'scan' a paper image or text and convert it into a computer data file. This is like the opposite of a printer. Instead of transferring data from a file to a page, it does the reverse.
Perhaps the most popular computer peripheral for hardcore users is the external hard drive. The external hard drive is used to store data securely on an independent drive. Many external hard drives are armored and can withstand falls and impacts. An external hard drive allows you to store and backup large data chunks like CAD or video files. The cost of these drives is dropping below 1 USD per two gigabytes, while the max size for a single drive surpasses one terabyte.
Speakers are a must-have computer peripheral for the music aficionado. For 100 USD, you can get a set of speakers with basic surround-sound capabilities and a good-sized subwoofer. With the popularity of MP3s, many people use their computer to play songs on their stereo system in lieu of a CD player.
The last of the popular computer peripherals to be discussed here is the Bluetooth® receiver. A small adapter that plugs into your USB port allows your computer to communicate with various Bluetooth®-enabled devices, including cell phones, certain cameras, and other electronics. Bluetooth® is a wireless standard that allows you to quickly transfer data between mobile devices.