Back to School: Fun and Helpful Gadgets
by Jennifer Thayer
Back to school shopping time is here and in addition to the No. 2 pencils and college ruled notebooks you’ll still find in the classroom smartpens and netbooks that have become a must-have part of every student’s toolkit. In fact a whopping 27.5 percent of back to school shopping will happen at electronics stores in 2014, according to a National Retail Federation survey.
The great news is you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot – though if money is no issue there are plenty of amazing ways to upgrade! Whether that back to school list is for your favorite pupil or you’re a mom and an adult learner, here are some must-have gadgets for students of all ages:
A Quiet Study Solution
Believe it or not but libraries can be surprisingly loud. Dorm rooms can be louder. Even home, with all its comforts, can be less than conducive to studying. QuietComfort Noise Cancelling headphones from BOSE make finishing homework amid the chaos that much easier. On the other end of the spectrum, Creative HN-900 noise cancellation headphones will only set you back about $60.
A Smarter Pen
Recording lectures is smart. Automatically recording lectures while taking notes is even smarter. Livescribe’s Echo smartpen records when students write on the company’s paper, lets them replay the audio with a tap and sends notes to mobile devices (and social profiles and apps, too). Never worry about your student missing info!
A Do-It-All Tablet
Once, laptops transformed the student experience. Now tablets are doing the same thing – they’re a place to take notes, run through homework problems, read, do research and unwind after a long day of hitting the books. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is a great option (hint: grab it from T-Mobile to get solid rate plans for students) and may even pay for itself considering the vast price difference between traditional textbooks and e-book editions.
A Way to Recharge
All those gadgets will need plenty of juice and there won’t always be an outlet nearby. The Bellino G- Tech Solar Backpack is not only a place to stash books, but it also features a solar powered charging station that’s light, water resistant, built tough to stand up to student life and capable of bringing back dead phones, tablets, cameras and other devices.
A Cooler Flash Drive
Your student’s USB drive is (we hope) going to be with him or her at all times, so choose a friendly one. For cuteness alone you can’t beat MIMOCO with its character inspired lines – finally a flash drive for bronies, trekkies and other niche-ies – plus amazing original designs. If you see something you love grab it quick, though, because cool designs sell out fast.
And a Backup Plan
Gadgets die but data never has to. Remember that when the Toshiba Canvio Connect 1TB portable external hard drive or something like it is the only thing standing between your student and an average-decimating failing grade. A backup for notes, homework and projects can mean the difference between an annoying day and the worst day ever.
Families who are gearing up for the back-to-school season should consider loading up their students’ backpacks with these fun and helpful gadgets.
About the Author: Jennifer Thayer is a technology writer from Southern California. She is passionate about exploring new ways technology can be used to make day-to-day tasks easier. Follow her on Twitter.
