Those slots are for memory cards. There are all kinds...some go with the
complex games people play... for example Memory stickpro is a Sony type.
The others are for other size cards, used for video and digital cameras.
HP has been very aggressive for home media/entertainment computers.
Our Dell does not have those slots, for example. And it is about the same age.
But the new printers DO have those slots so that people can print their photos
directly out of the printer more easily. We bought an external card reader for
about $20 bucks and it does the same thing.


The USB ports are for attaching peripherals. For example the light green one
is for exterior speakers. (like I just got).

You can plug headphones into either tower or monitor.
The fancy computers today can plug into your TV so some of the ports are
for that. We have a clone backup..and it uses one of the ports for example.