An Abacus
prayer beads are used for counting when your praying
Abacus, also known as a counting frame, is used (mainly) in Asia. Beads on wires, wooden dowels, etc, are representative of numbers.
The Chinese abacus.
it is a counting frame with beads. go here to see it http://www.kidestore.co.uk/images/images_big/melissa_and_doug_abacus.jpg
A counting frame is the common name for an abacus. An abacus is a centuries old counting and calculating tool that is still widely used by merchants in Asia and Africa.
an abacus
Rosary beads are meant for counting purpose in the devotions
To tell the beads is to pray with a rosary ( a string of beads used in praying).Dictionary.com definition:bead  [beed]count / say / tell one's beads, to say one's prayers, using rosary beads: There were a few old women counting their beads in the hushed silence of the chapel.
Abacus- a frame that holds rods with beads attached and was used for arithmetic
The abacus is the original mechanical counting device. It was likely first used over five thousand years ago, and used beads to keep track of numbers.
The number 9 is the maximum number of beads on an abacus because it is the last number in the ones place before the tens place is reached.. The abacus is a tool that was used for arithmetic in ancient times. It is composed of a frame with a series of rods or wires on which beads are strung. The beads are used to represent numbers.
They don't mean anything except that they are used for counting the number of times a word has been repeated during their remembrance of god.