Back when I was young and laughably easy to impress, I got an abacus as a present and thought it was the coolest thing in the world. And no, I wasn’t born in the Han Dynasty.
My how times have changed.
With more high-tech devices ruling the roost these days, we’ve decided to pull together a list of helpful gadgets and gear for those who are “too school for cool.” So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways and partake in our Back-to-School Gadget List. Note that items are arranged in no particular order.
Amazon Kindle DX
Image © Amazon
Barnes & Noble and Sony certainly offer their share of exceptional e-readers. But when it comes to school use, a large display combined with Amazon’s Kindle Textbooks service makes the Amazon Kindle DX — not to be confused with the regular Kindle — our top e-reader pick for academia. It doesn’t hurt that Amazon has a nice selection for textbooks available for rent, which helps offset the device’s high upfront cost vs. other dedicated e-readers.
Apple iPad
Image © Apple
As a geek who likes open software and the ability to tinker around with my gadgets, I usually prefer Android devices such as the Motorola Xoom or even the sort-of-open Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
But as a former iPad owner who had to give my iPad 2 to my super excited niece after a completely one-sided deal I made with the devil (i.e. my sister), I also understand the infatuation people have with Apple’s popular tablet.
With its ease of use and a wide selection of apps, Apple’s iPad is still the tablet of choice for kids and the average consumer. The fact that many schools are starting to support or adopt the iPad for academic use also makes it more school-friendly.
Verbatim Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard
Image © Verbatim
Look, ma, no wires. Touchscreen typing has gone a long way in recent years. But sometimes, it’s nice to have a good, old physical keyboard. Verbatim folds out into a nicely sized keyboard but can also be folded in half for increased portability. It also has multimedia hot keys for Apple’s “i” devices and a pull out smartphone stand.
The box might say that it’s for iPhone and iPad. But you can actually use this with any device that has HID keyboard compatibility. It even worked with an Android 3.0 smartphone that I tested it with, though it sadly did not work with an Android 2.0 phone. Verbatim says it also works with BlackBerry and Hewlett-Packard’s webOS.
Toddy Gear Smart Cloth Microfiber Cleaner
Image © Toddy Gear
Just because you aren’t the smartest dude in school doesn’t mean your cleaning cloth has to be as sharp as a marble as well.
As someone who owns a buttload of portable gaming devices, media players and other gadgets with electronic displays, dealing with dust and grime is a constant battle. And having something like the Toddy Smart Cloth on your side can help turn the tide.
The Toddy features two microfiber surfaces: a towel-like side for cleaning and buffing and silky side for polishing. It works remarkably well on “naked” displays without the need for using a liquid cleaner. But the results become somewhat mixed when used on displays covered with a screen protector.
Swann PenCam Pen Camera
Image © Swann
You may be more Gold Bond than James Bond. But you know what? That doesn't mean you can't have some secret agent fun.
Take the Swann PenCam for instance. With this device, you can discreetly record all sorts of neat stuff. Correction: All sorts of neat legal stuff, OK? My imaginary team of lawyers can not stress that point strongly enough. Students are our future after all and we'd like to keep that future — along with your job prospects — so bright that you gotta wear shades.
Photos taken with the PenCam are a bit too grainy for my tastes but the video is good enough for use on the Web. And, yes, you can actually use it to write. For more info, read our full review.
Cell Drive USB Drive & Portable Battery
Image © Cell Drive
Remember when portable memory meant bringing floppy disks? These days, it’s all about USB thumb drives and the Cell Drive happens to be one with a twist.
Besides housing either 4GB or 8GB of internal memory, the Cell Drive also contains a portable battery that lets you squeeze in an extra hour of talk time from your phone. It even comes with a Mini USB connector that can be used to charge compatible devices and sync said devices with your computer. On top of that, it comes with charging connectors for the iPhone and Micro USB devices.
It’s a bit on the chubby side, though, so it tends to make surrounding USB slots unusable when plugged to a laptop.
Smartfish Whirl Ergonomic Mouse
Image © Smartfish
No offense but using a regular mouse is literally a drag (Get it? Drag? Because you have to drag the mouse and, um, never mind).
Smartfish’s line of laser mice, however, use an interesting pivot-based design to move your computer cursor. It can take a while to get used to. But once you get the knack of it, it actually works quite well. Plus it looks cool which is really what mostly matters in school, right? Just kidding. It’s the only thing that matters. I swear, if I could only go back in time, I’d burn all those billowy pantaloons that I … oh, where were we now?
Oh yeah, the Smartfish mouse also comes in a regular and mini size. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a DeLorean to rig.
Aluratek Mini Surge Dual USB Charging Station
Image © Aluratek
Whether you’re sharing limited dorm space with a room mate or staying in your own room, it’s easy to run out of wall outlet space when you’ve got a ton of electronic devices.
Aluratek’s Mini Surge Dual USB Charging Station helps address this by providing three outlets for three-prong devices such as laptops. It also comes with two USB slots for charging smartphones and MP3 players, further freeing up wall outlet space. Surge protection is even included.
It feels a bit plasticky and is also a bit top heavy due to the way it plugs in. But for folks who need extra wall outlets for their their devices, this charging station is a convenient and compact way to address the problem.
AViiQ Portable Charging Station
Image © AviiQ
For folks who put more emphasis on extra USB slots and syncing ability, the AViiQ Portable Charging Station is a good alternative to the Aluratek charging station.
This booklet-style charger comes with three USB slots for charging plus a fourth USB slot that allows you to sync a device with your computer as well. It's powerful enough to charge larger devices such as an iPad. It's also quite travel friendly since it folds up.
The main downside is its relatively high price tag. And yes, that’s the former broke college student in me talking.
Bracketron All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount
Image © Bracketron
Speaking of being a broke college student, I used to ride a bicycle to school. As such, I have soft spot for bicycle peripherals.
Which brings is to the Bracketron All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount. Given how smartphones are all the rage these days, this case allows you to fit in an iPhone or other similarly sized device so you can attach it to, say, your handlebars. No, not those handlebars.
Pros include a waterproof case and easy-to-use latching system. Visibility in direct sunlight pretty much depends on your phone. Just make sure you don’t run into a telephone pole while eyeing your bike apps, ‘kay? Not even this case can protect you from that.
