Scientists Say: Hardware and Software
The difference between these two parts of technology is whether you can hold it in your hand
Hardware, such as keyboards and screens, allows you to use software that runs emails, websites and other aspects of life online.
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Hardware (noun, “HARD-ware”) and Software (noun, “SOFT-ware”)
Hardware and software are two aspects of computing technology. Hardware refers to all the physical pieces of a computing device. A screen. A keyboard. A game controller. A printer. Speakers. Plus, all the microchips and memory devices hidden inside. Basically, if you can touch it, it’s hardware.
Software, meanwhile, refers to all the computer programs, or code, running on the machine. That code tells the hardware what to do and how to do it. Examples of software include phone apps, video games and web browsers. You can’t physically hold these things, but hardware can’t do useful tasks without them.
In a sentence
Both hardware and software are continually updated, making devices better — but risking the loss of digital creations built on old technology.
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