Sunday, August 26, 2007
By EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITER
[Photo left courtesy of educationuk.org]
Still, this is the time to buy: Any earlier, and the products in question will be out of date by midterms. Any later, and the kids are stranded in a tech desert until Thanksgiving break. In other words, things are coming to a head.
But don't let that stress you out: With some smart shopping and a bit of research, you can make sure you're getting your money's worth.
Here are some suggestions for back-to-school tech items to get you started. For each category, we've included a top-of-the-line and a budget-conscious choice. Listings feature the retail price and, occasionally, some lower prices found online.
Cellphone
They've had one since middle school, but the first year of the college is the time to start a new plan and cash in on a discounted phone. You might need to discuss the details of that plan with your teenager -- but hey, first things first. Pick the shiny new toy, and impress upon them the importance of using it to call home occasionally.
• Top of the line: iPhone ($499 or $599). Earn major cool points by snagging Apple's latest must-have gadget -- a combination phone, media player, camera and personal data assistant -- for your image-conscious teen.
• Budget: Virgin Mobile MARBL ($19.99). Virgin's new basic flip phone lets you pay as you go without the fuss of a calling plan. "Basic" in this day and age, of course, means texting, video and Internet capability.
Desktop computer
Although laptops are convenient for taking notes in class or doing work in the library, it's worth considering a desktop computer. The price point is lower, and they come packed with features that would be more expensive -- and heavier -- in a laptop. Plus, with cheap flash drives flooding the market, who needs a portable computer?
• Top of the line: 24-inch iMac from Apple ($1,999). In the cramped space of a dorm room, the iMac takes minimal desk space and doubles as an entertainment center. Luckily, Mac-PC compatibility is only getting better with time. Staunch PC users may turn up their noses, but this Apple is a sleek machine that's easy to use right out of the box.
• Budget: Dell Inspiron 530 or 531s (starts at $349; $499 with monitor). The slim design of this computer is perfect for that small dorm desk. Dell sweetens the deal with plenty of upgrade options and a rebate on several models.
External storage
Whether your child will be working on graphics-heavy projects, transferring essays between computers, or downloading -- ahem -- free files, hard-drive space is at a premium. Desktop computers may have space for upgrades, but laptop users will definitely be able to use some external help. Even those with minimal storage needs should back up important files on a regular basis: Who needs to lose a 20-page paper days before it's due?
• Top of the line: Toshiba 200GB USB 2.0 portable external hard drive ($230; found for $159.99). With an on-the-move lifestyle of a college student, this pocket-sized drive might be the best option for a large-capacity device. That's 40 movies -- er, multimedia projects -- at 5 gigabytes each, fitting snuggly in a laptop bag compartment.
• Budget: SanDisk Cruzer Micro 4GB USB 2.0 flash drive ($69.99; found for $29.99). Good for all types of files -- papers, PowerPoint presentations or even music -- these thumb-sized flash drives get cheaper by the year. Fortunately, they also seem to be gaining capacity exponentially: Last year's similarly priced item from SanDisk was at 2GB.
Noise-canceling headphones
Not everyone's an audiophile, but when your teen's roommate decides that the weekend starts on the Tuesday night before a midterm, this purchase will be a lifesaver.
• Top of the line: Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard ($499.95; found for $349.99). You pay through the nose for this pair of cans, but they'll have your teen gliding through any noisy courtyard on a sonic cloud. Comes with a handy travel case.
• Budget: Creative HN505 ($39.99). Their sound isn't quite transcendent, but the price is right and they get the job done.
Wearable tech
What will your child do with all of this new back-to-school gear? With these accessories in your arsenal, you won't be leaving them in the dorm room -- that's for sure.
• Top of the line: iPod Backpack from Think Geek ($99). There'll be no digging around for the controls with this little number slung across your back. Buttons control the music player from the pack's strap.
• Budget: Kangaroo pouches from Hyper Gear ($19.95). Who said chic had to be expensive? This one-size-fits-all pouch carries cellphones and MP3 players and comes in more than 100 fabric designs.
Just because
Because it takes some technological verve to have fun in the nerdiest way possible.
• Top of the line: Lava Lamp (up to about $1,000). These kitschy stand-alone lamps from Lava World can come with a glass table attached to the midsection or smolder classic and sleek in a corner.
• Budget: iPod alarm clock from Accurian ($50; found for $19.97). This alarm doubles as a speaker system and wakes your teen for "early" classes by playing selected tunes from his iPod. It features a nine-minute snooze feature that is sure to get plenty of use.
E-mail: shih@northjersey.com
Copyright © 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
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