Modems enable you to connect to computers at work, at your bank, or the Internet and the World Wide Web. They provide enough amplification so that a CD drive played through the sound card will provide enough power to drive the speakers. The current standard has been set by Creative Labs with their line of Sound Blaster cards. Network Cards allow the computer to connect to a network so that information can be passed from computer to computer about 1000 times faster than by a modem connection. Keyboards are connected to the back of the computer and receive power from the system board, the keyboard then sends typed information to the system board.
Monitors come in a many sizes, capabilities, and prices.
Monitors, like television sets, are measured diagonally, from two opposing corners of the picture tube. They also vary in how many colors they can display at once, power-saving features, and resolution. Mice are used on computing as a pointing device. Feel is probably the most important feature. Dot matrix printers have been around for over 25 years, and are not used much anymore.