In this assignment, you will meet two students who are planning to purchase new computer systems.

It is your job to act as their technical advisor and help them to decide what computer and peripherals they should purchase that will satisfy their computing needs.

Watch or listen to video interviews with two students. You will meet Adam and Brittany and hear how they use computers in their daily lives.

Read the transcript of the interviews with these two students.

Let's go Shopping!

Use the web links shown below in the Resources to visit online stores that sell computer hardware. Compare the different computers that are available while looking carefully at specifications and prices.

As you are shopping, keep in mind the person who you are trying to find a computer for and their particular computing needs. When you find a computer that satisfies the requirements of one of the students, prepare a report for that student so that s/he can make his/her purchase. Repeat this process for the second student.

What to include in your Report

• The name of the business where the computer can be purchased along with the web address where you found your information.

  Hint: To copy the web address, highlight the address, right-click, select "copy", and then "paste".

• A picture of the computer system (if available).

  Hint: Right mouse and select Save Picture As then insert it into your document.

• The manufacturer, the make, and model.
• The cost of the computer system including taxes and shipping.
• A list of specifications (features) given about the computer and, in your own words, explain the specification and why it would be useful.

   

  Specifications to consider: 

• CPU ( manufacturer, type, speed)
• computer memory (RAM)
• storage (hard drives, CD/DVD drives)
• cards (network, sound and video)
• software (operating system, application packages included)
• printer (type, speed, print quality)
• monitor (type, size)
• scanner
• etc.

   

   

• At least two paragraphs explaining why you selected this computer system.