Hardware refers to the physical devices you can touch—phones, tablets, computers, and
the like. On their own, these devices can barely do anything beyond turning on. You will
need software, a general term for any code that can run on devices to make them do
things, like tell you the weather, make phone calls and more. Software can be divided into
two categories: operating systems and apps. The operating system makes the device
work, but you will need apps to do specific things.
Apple, Microsoft, and Google are the ‘big three’ in the digital world. They are large
companies that produce both devices and the apps that come with them.
Microsoft is the creator of the Windows operating system, currently Windows 11, which is
available on its own Surface range of laptops. But it also has agreements with other
manufacturers like HP, Dell, Lenovo to ship their computers with Windows. Microsoft also
produces Microsoft Office, Edge browser, and other apps, as well as offering OneDrive for
cloud storage and Co-Pilot for AI assistance. These services work well together and
generally require a subscription (except for Edge).
Apple, the creator of iPads, iPhones, and Mac computers produces their own devices that
ship with iOS and a range of apps. Apple includes iWork apps like Pages and Sheets
(alternatives to Microsoft Office), plus Safari, Notes, and more. Their cloud storage is iCloud,
and the AI assistant is Siri. A subscription is only needed if you exceed the free iCloud
storage limit.
Google, behind Android, produces its own Pixel range, but also partners with
manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung to run Android on phones, tablets, and
laptops. Each manufacturer has its own Android with custom settings and looks. A laptop
running Chrome OS, which is based on Android, is called a Chromebook and is available
from various manufacturers. Google’s apps are generally free, but users often pay with
their privacy—a trade-off Google isn’t unique in making. As the saying goes, ‘If it’s free,
you’re not the customer—you’re the product.’
Apart from these major players, there are also a number of other operating systems,
notably Linux, which can be a very good replacement for Windows, especially on older
hardware that has problems coping with the latest requirements of Microsoft. It comes in a
multitude of flavours (called distros), and can be customised by the user. Linux is generally
free, together with most software that works with it. The downside is that proprietary
programs like Photoshop and others will not work well or not at all in Linux. However, there
are Linux-friendly programs that can do the same job.
Please be aware that this is a very simplified explanation and there is much more to each
device and other options outside the ‘big three’.
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