Mini Tech Glossary

Plain-English explanations for everyday tech terms

  • App (Application)

    A program you use on your phone, tablet, or computer. For example, Messages, Facebook, or Photos are all apps.

  • Backup

    A copy of your important stuff (like photos or documents) saved somewhere safe—just in case your device breaks or gets lost.

  • Bluetooth

    A wireless way to connect things like speakers, keyboards, or hearing aids to your device without using cables.

  • Cloud

    A fancy way of saying your files are stored on the internet, not just on your device. Common clouds include iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox.

  • Download

    Saving something from the internet onto your device. For example, getting a song, photo, or app.

  • Email

    Like sending a letter—but online. You can write, send, and receive messages through services like Gmail or Outlook.

  • Internet Browser

    The program you use to look at websites. Examples are Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

  • Link (or Hyperlink)

    A bit of text or a button you can click to open a website or page. It usually looks blue or underlined.

  • Malware / Virus

    Bad software that can sneak onto your device and cause problems. Like germs for your computer.

  • Password Manager

    A tool that remembers all your passwords so you don’t have to. It keeps them safe and fills them in for you.

  • Pop-up

    A small window that appears suddenly on your screen—often an ad or a message. Some are helpful, some are just annoying.

  • Router / Modem

    The little box in your home that gives you Wi-Fi. If the internet is down, this is often where the problem starts.

  • Screenshot

    A photo of whatever’s on your screen. Like taking a snapshot of your phone or computer display.

  • Software Update

    Improvements made to apps or your system. These updates fix bugs and help keep things secure and running well.

  • Spam / Junk Mail

    Unwanted messages or ads in your email. Like junk mail in your letterbox—but digital.

  • Streaming

    Watching or listening to something on the internet without downloading it. Think Netflix, Spotify, or YouTube.

  • Tab (in a browser)

    Like having multiple pages open at once in a notebook. You can click between them at the top of your screen.

  • Wi-Fi

    Wireless internet that lets your devices go online without plugging them in.

✨ Tip from Tony - Don’t be afraid to ask what something means—we’ve all been there. Learning tech is like learning a new language, and it’s okay to take it slow.

Want a little tech fun?

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xFFFFF880009A97E8, 0xFFFFFFFFC0000034, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000)

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer.

Technical info: *** STOP 0x0000007B (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE)

Just kidding! But seriously, if you ever see this for real, give me a call.

Your computer restarted because of a problem. Just wait a few seconds to continue starting up.

Votre ordinateur a redémarré en raison d’un problème.
Appuyez sur une touche ou patientez quelques secondes pour continuer le démarrage.

Ihr Computer wurde aufgrund eines Problems neu gestartet.
Drücken Sie eine Taste oder warten Sie einige Sekunden, um den Startvorgang fortzusetzen.

Su computadora se reinició debido a un problema.
Presione una tecla o espere unos segundos para continuar con el arranque.

#6 Just kidding! If this was real, you know who to call. 😉