Orange County Register

Michael Gil, a 16 now 17-year-old from Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School joined our staff for the summer. I was ready to dump a bunch of menial tasks his way but then I realized, he’s 16! He should know more about what students really need for school much better than me or the hundreds of back-to-school press releases in my inbox.

With September rapidly approaching, I am getting ready for my Junior year of high school. I have all my books, pens and paper but after a month working beside the ‘Gadgetress‘ in the Register’s Marketplace section, I’m becoming curious about what sorts of gadgets I could take back to school this year.

Computers

The first thing that comes to mind is a computer. I am an Apple person, but while searching Dell’s website, I happened upon a “green” desktop computer. The Dell Studio Hybrid is advertised as 80 percent smaller than the average desktop computer. That makes it a great space saver for my small desk. Dell says it uses 70 percent less power. For people who want to be even greener, the computer is available with an outer cover made from bamboo instead of the usual plastic. It is available with up to 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive and an optional built in TV tuner that lets you watch TV right on your computer. The Dell Studio Hybrid starts at $499.

The main drawback of a desktop computer is that, as its name implies, it is designed to be used on a desktop. For students who want a computer in class everyday, a laptop is the way to go. For school, the Apple MacBook is my number one pick. It has a 13-inch screen, which is convenient for carrying in a backpack – with a specially designed laptop compartment, of course. Built in Wi-Fi makes connecting to the Internet for “research” quick and simple. You can even download Schoolhouse 2, a program that helps keep track of assignments, organize notes and follow grades. 2 GB of RAM, a 250 GB hard drive and a built-in camera makes this a great computer. The MacBook starts at $1099.

Digital Pens

For students who want digital notes but don’t want to lug around a computer, digital pens offer a solution. Livescribe has a product called the Pulse Smartpen, which creates a digital copy of everything you write. It also makes audio recordings that can link to what you write. Transfer the notes to your computer and review them later, along with the linked recordings, to find out exactly what the teacher said. The Pulse has two major drawbacks: it only works with special paper and it is not compatible with Apple computers. The Pulse Smartpen costs $150 for a 1 GB model, and $200 for the 2 GB model at livescribe.com. Each gigabyte records up to 100 hours.

Another Digital pen option is the Dane-Elec Zpen. It works with any paper but does not record sound. While the Smartpen stored the notes internally, Dane-Elec’s pen saves notes on a special USB drive that clips to the top of your page. Plug the drive into your computer (Macs work just fine) and you can convert the notes into digital text. The Zpen has a 1 GB capacity and costs $90.

Portable storage

Any student who has completed an assignment on one computer only to be faced with the problem of getting it to another knows the importance of flash drives. I would recommend the Kingmax Super Stick. It is incredibly small, barely bigger than a paper clip, but it is available with as much as 8 GB of storage space. Despite its small size, this drive is also very solidly built. A friend of mine has one and even after years of her abusing it, the Super Stick still works. The 4-GB Super Stick is $9.75 at Amazon.com, plus $7 shipping.

Beyond books

That covers the academic side of things but what about the fun parts of school? Dances, school events and time with friends are as important as classes. My pick is the Flip Mino, a simple video camera that fits in your pocket. It does not have many bells and whistles. Basically, you press a button and it starts recording. It can store 60-minutes of video and it has a 4-hour rechargeable battery. Once the camera is filled, pop out the built-in USB arm and attach the camera up to your computer’s USB port. Transfer your video to an editing application or upload it directly to YouTube or other video-sharing site. The Flip Mino is around $150.

A quick word about what you do not need. While researching for this article, I went through several emails from PR people advertising items for back to school articles. I was very surprised by some of the items advertised such as a huge LCD monitor with a $500 price tag. As a student you do not need a giant monitor; you just need to be able to write in Word, read online and play some games when you take a break.

Another recommendation was a 160 GB portable hard drive. Spending $100 dollars on a hard drive you will never be able to fill as a student is pointless.

My personal favorite recommendation was for the iCarta iPod Stereo Dock and Bath Tissue Holder. It is an iPod dock for the bathroom that also functions as a toilet paper holder. I have no idea how this will help you as a student but if you want to get one just to have a good conversation starter when you get back to class and are asked about your summer, they are available here.

With these gadgets, any student will be ready for anything school can throw at them. So Mom, can I borrow your credit card?

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