Computer Hardware

You'd like to learn how to change your iPad's wallpaper, perhaps to an image you grab off the Web. Read here to find out how to change your iPad wallpaper and grab images from the Web.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The iPad can store pictures, videos and music files. Learn how you can transfer pictures to your iPad in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Laptop batteries are expensive, and they usually last 2 to 3 years if they are cared for properly. Learn if your laptop battery can be overcharged in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

More people are using virtual private networks to establish secure communication over the internet, protecting their private information and allowing remote employees to connect to the private corporate networks.

By Jeff Tyson, Chris Pollette & Stephanie Crawford

Without heat sinks, today's high-tech computers couldn't run at the speeds they do. But what is a heat sink and how do they prevent costly damage?

By Robert Hartle

When people speak of supercomputers, they often talk about how powerful the machines are. But just what is computing power, and what makes one type of machine more powerful than another?

By Jonathan Strickland

The world's most basic computers used to fill entire rooms. But today, computers are so compact you can carry them wherever you go. So how will our computing devices change in the next century?

By Jonathan Strickland

IP convergence brings your telephone, Internet, television and other services together in one place. It could save you time, money and the headache of system administration. What drawbacks might you have to face?

By Jonathan Strickland

It's been a rumor for years -- the desktop computer will soon be extinct. But with netbooks, smartphones, tablets and cloud computing, is the rumor finally going to come true?

By Josh Briggs

The Internet is in a constant state of evolution, and the components involved in that state of perpetual progress are always evolving as well. See all the pieces that have worked together to form computer networks through the years.

Netbooks are ultra-portable computers that are even smaller than traditional laptops. They're all the rage right now, but can they overcome their shortcomings to become a mainstay of the portable computer market?

By Nathan Chandler

According to Moore's Law, computer processors double in complexity every two years. Is this really a law, and who is Gordon Moore, anyway?

By Jonathan Strickland

Portable computers are so popular that they now come in a variety of sizes. Is there any real difference in notebooks, netbooks and UMPCs? What are manufacturers going to come up with next?

By Jonathan Strickland

Like clockwork, microprocessor manufacturers develop new and better chips to power our computers. What makes Intel's Nehalem chip so different?

By Jonathan Strickland

Advances in technology have allowed microprocessor manufacturers to double the number of transistors on a CPU chip every two years. How long can they keep this up?

By Jonathan Strickland

It may sound silly, but there really are different types of computers. There are super, wearable and, of course, personal computers. And that's just three to start.

By Nathan Chandler

The different types of computer memory can be confusing. Take a look at these pictures of RAM, ROM, flash memory and more to learn about what the various types of memory are up to in your computer.

Computers have come a long way in the past few decades -- from filling up a room to slim and sleek designs that can nearly fit in your pocket. Take a look at some of the old and new models and learn about all the different features and types of these amazing machines.

Ever wonder why your computer works the way it does? We did, too. So we took one apart to see what all of it does. So what's inside a computer?

By Jonathan Strickland

Are you curious about what's inside your computer? Browse through these computer hardware pictures and take a tour of your PC, from RAM to hard drives and everything in between.

Whether you are shopping for a new laptop or just curious about the latest technologies on the market, take a look at our image gallery.

When information travels through a network, it follows certain guidelines to ensure compatibility. Find out about OSI and the protocol stacks that prepare your data for transfer.

By Jeff Tyson

Fabric PCs weigh less than a pound (0.45 kilograms) and have a display so flexible that it can be rolled and folded. Will this concept become a reality?

By Isaac Perry Clements

Large corporations need many computer servers, which take up space and use a lot of electricity to run and to keep cool. What if you could put multiple servers on a single machine?

By Jonathan Strickland

After years of hard work and loyalty, some computers must finally retire. But since they can't take a pension and move to Florida, where do old computers end up?

By Jessika Toothman & Desiree Bowie