Which of the following is an example of a client in a computing context?

In a computing context, a client refers to a device or application that requests information or services from another device, typically a server. In this sense, a laptop connecting to the internet qualifies as a client because it is often utilized to access resources hosted on servers, such as webpages, cloud services, or databases.

The laptop acts as an endpoint in a client-server architecture, initiating a connection to the server to request data or services. This interaction exemplifies the core functionality of a client in computing.

While other options describe various types of computing devices, they do not fit the definition of a "client" as precisely. A smartphone sending a message could be seen as a client in certain contexts, but the laptop scenario more clearly illustrates a typical client-server relationship. Additionally, a server in a data center and a mainframe processing data act as servers rather than clients, providing resources rather than requesting them.