Codec Definition
Codec is short for "coder-decoder." It is an algorithm used to encode data, such as an audio or video clip. The encoded data must be decoded when played back.
A media codec is not equivalent to media compression, since it is possible to encode a file without compressing it. However, most codecs do compress the original data, reducing the size of the original file. This is important for multimedia files, since they often have large file sizes. Compressed files take up les...
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Virtual Reality Definition
Virtual Reality Definition
While the word "virtual" is typically overused in the computer world, it is aptly placed in the phrase "virtual reality." According to the American Heritage Dictionary, virtual means "existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form, or name." It can also mean "created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or computer network." Therefore, virtual reality is best described as an illusion of reality created by a computer system.
A...
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iCloud Definition
iCloud Definition
iCloud is an online service provided by Apple. It provides an email account, online storage, and backup services. It also allows you to share data between devices, such as Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
Below is a list of features included with iCloud:
Mail – an email account that can be automatically configured on Apple devices and accessed via Apple's webmail interface; iCloud email addresses end with mac.com, me.com, or icloud.com.
Contacts – your address book is stor...
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Yosemite Definition
Yosemite Definition
Yosemite is the name of Apple's eleventh version of OS X, released on October 16, 2014. It follows Mavericks (OS X 10.9) and is also called OS X 10.10.
While it is normal for each new version of OS X to include slight modifications to the user interface, Yosemite presented the most drastic change in several years. The interface includes many translucent elements, in which objects are semi-transparent. It includes a more "flat" design than earlier versions of OS X with new...
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Lion Definition
Lion Definition
Lion is another name for Mac OS X 10.7, the eighth version of Apple's desktop operating system. It was released on July 20, 2011, almost two years after Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and preceded the release of Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Lion was the first version of Mac OS X to be released on the Mac App Store and was not sold on a DVD like previous versions of the operating system.
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion was one of the most substantial updates to Mac OS X and included more than ...
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Snow Leopard Definition
Snow Leopard Definition
Snow Leopard is another name for Mac OS X 10.6, which was released on August 26, 2009. It followed Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and preceded the release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
Unlike Leopard, Mac OS X Snow Leopard did not include hundreds of new features. Instead, the update was primarily designed to improve the performance and efficiency of Mac OS X. Snow Leopard was the first Mac operating system to require an Intel-based Mac, which means it cannot be used on older Macinto...
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El Capitan Definition
El Capitan Definition
El Capitan is the 12th version of Apple OS X, also known as OS X 10.11. It was released on September 30, 2015 and succeeded OS X 10.10 Yosemite. It was followed by OS X 10.12 Sierra.
OS X 10.11 was not a significant update to Apple's operating system, but it included a number of performance updates. It was the first version to include "Metal," a graphics technology developed by Apple that accelerates Core Animation and Core Graphics processing. Metal makes full use of t...
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Mountain Lion Definition
Mountain Lion Definition
Mountain Lion is another name for Mac OS X 10.8, the ninth version of Apple's desktop operating system. It was released on July 25, 2012, almost exactly one year after Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. Like Snow Leopard, Mountain Lion was not a major update to the Mac OS. Instead, it was primarily a performance update and included a small number of enhancements to further integrate Mac OS X with iOS, Apple's mobile operating system.
Unlike previous versions of Mac OS X, Apple offi...
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Leopard Definition
Leopard Definition
Leopard is another name for Mac OS X 10.5, which was released on October 26, 2007. It followed Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and preceded the release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Mac OS X Leopard was one of the most significant updates to Mac OS X, with over 300 new features. Some of the most notable additions include Time Machine (an automated backup solution), Spaces (a virtual desktop environment), and Quick Look (a feature that allows many file types to be viewed directly in t...
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Sierra Definition
Sierra Definition
Sierra, also known as macOS 10.12, is the 13th version of OS X, released on September 20, 2016. It followed El Capitan (OS X 10.11) and is preceded by macOS High Sierra. Sierra was the first version of OS X that Apple officially labeled "macOS" instead of OS X.
Like other incremental releases of Apple's desktop operating system, Sierra built on previous versions, incorporating the same user interface and adding several new features. Notably, Sierra was designed to work more...
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