In the past few decades, computers have transitioned from a research-institution resource to a living-room luxury to an essential commodity found in most people’s pockets. And as computers progress alongside emerging tech, like artificial intelligence, they continue to shape the world around us and how we interact with it.

Below, we rounded up the main types of computers and their defining traits.

 

6 Types of Computers to Know

1. Personal Computer (Microcomputer)

Personal computers, or PCs, are general-purpose microcomputers made for individual use. These setups typically feature one central…

Cloud gaming opens doors to playing games on non-native hardware. You do not have to purchase specific hardware or a powerful gaming phone to access a cloud service’s catalog. However, cloud gaming is expensive. Most well-established server hosts implement heavier restrictions or require payment upfront. As a cheaper alternative, many turned to emulators. It is easier to emulate old classics. Still, emulating games is a gray area, as it is often a form of piracy.

Now.gg is the middle ground. It is a cloud gaming service created by the same organization that owns BlueStacks. Now.gg hosts various mobile games using dedicated servers, and it’s free. Our guide teaches you everything you need to know about now.gg.

The drawbacks of cloud gaming

Cloud gaming seems like a…

Former Athenaeum librarian Christine Powley retired in April, drawing to a close the Wireless Books co-hosting role she shared with Beth Sizemore.

New librarian Holly Fletcher picked up the opportunity to promote the library’s collection, calling upon friend and Port Chalmers librarian Bella King to join her on new show Books Uncovered.

Ms Fletcher said each episode would explore a different theme or genre, with the presenters debating perspectives on a range of books.

Local literary events would also be promoted.

“I would also like to talk more about poetry, because I’m a poet myself. And because I spent a long time out of New Zealand, I’m enjoying catching up on a range of New Zealand works.”

The Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute’s lending library was…

A post shared more than 14,000 times on Facebook features an image of swimmers spelling out ‘Bring them home now!’ in a swimming pool. The caption claims: “The Israeli Olympic team was not allowed to wear their yellow ‘Bring Them Home’ pins at the Olympic games.

“So they decided to spell it out (during practice) for the entire world to see it!”

But this picture isn’t from the Paris Olympics as the post implies—it was actually shared on 19 November 2023 by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and described in the post as “a beautiful tribute by Israel’s national artistic swimming team”. 

The Instagram account for the Israeli artistic swimming team also shared the image on the same day, detailing how 10 female athletes had taken part in the…

Several posts on social media claim that the total percentage of votes in the recent Venezuelan election, in which results have been disputed, added up to 109%.

But the graph shown alongside these claims shows several candidates had a combined vote share of 4.6% (adding up to 100%), not 4.6% each. 

Where does the 109% figure come from?

The posts making this claim feature a screenshot of a graph broadcast by Telesur, a state-funded TV network headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela. The graph features five candidates, and adding up the percentages next to their names equals 109%.

However, this calculation assumes the three candidates with 4.6% got a 4.6% vote share each. That…