Any electronic equipment controlled by a CPU, including desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets. It usually refers to a general-purpose device that can accept software for many purposes in contrast with a dedicated unit of equipment such as a network switch or router. See
computer and
CPU.
Before Computers, There Was Computing
The term computing was used as early as the 1600s to refer to people doing hand calculations. In this office circa 1930, computing was performed by employees working with calculators.