Today's personal computers are as powerful as mainframes were before. Now PC's are everyday tools in offices, factories, homes and schools. Powerful desktop workstations do many of the jobs formerly done by minicomputer and mainframes. High-end personal computers are approaching the power of many workstations. Portable computers are not tied the desktop.
Laptop computers are the size of a briefcase or smaller.
Notebook computers can easily be carried in a briefcase. Embedded computers are found in consumer goods like cars, industrial machinery, weapons, and other machines. Most embedded computers have their programs permanently stored in firmware. How Computers Affect Our Lives Computers offer countless opportunities for growth, communications and prosperity. Computers pose serious risks, including threats to privacy, hazards of computer crime, system failure, and the dehumanization of the workplace.