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
an abacus
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.
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
A counting frame is commonly referred to as an abacus. It is a calculation tool used for performing arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
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.
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.