Since we have been in the back to school spirit on the blog this week, I though I would dedicate my TopTech 5 Friday selection to the cause. Today I will give you my 5 best back-2-school gadget picks for all you returning students. With only 5 selections to make, there is a ton of gear to choose from. Some of you may think these gadgets are essential, while others extravagant…but the decision is up to you. So pull up a chair and kick up your feet, because the TopTech 5 Friday back-2-school edition is below. Enjoy!
Alarm Clock: If you plan on even making it on time to your first day, you better make sure you don’t miss the bus. Go out and grab yourself a cool alarm clock to make sure you make that 8AM class everyday. With alarm clocks evolving over the years gone are the 80′s style LCD buzzers, now it’s all about media and style. Below is my pick for the best full featured alarm clock.
iHome iP90-Dual Alarm Clock Radio with AM/FM Presets and Dock for iPod and iPhone. This can also be used as your in room stereo as well! $80 @AMAZON (for all those looking to dock their iPads, there is an iPad rumored version too!)
Calculator: Most likely you are going to run into some quadratic equations and slopes/curves in your educational lifetime. If you want to tackle these problems like Einstein I suggest a good calculator at your side. One of these babies is considered an investment and should last you long after school is over (and if decide you don’t need it anymore trade it in here at gazelle). Below is my top Calculator pick (a true classic!)
Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus- Graphical analysis, financial functions, 8-line x 16-character display, statistics and regression analysis, a must-have for classes ranging from Algebra to Pre-Calculus and Biology to Physics. $105 @BESTBUY
Laptop: No matter what level of school you are in you are going to find yourself on a computer. Whether a MAC or PC a laptop is going to be your right hand man in class, at the dorm, and when traveling. I broke down the best back-2-school laptops in my previous post here. Below you will find my top MAC and PC choices from that post.
MAC: Apple MacBook- 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, SuperDrive, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, Glass Multi-Touch TrackPad, Mac OS X $999 @Apple
PC: Sony VAIO VPCF127- Intel Core i7-740QM 1.73GHz, 6GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, Blu-Ray Player/DVDRW, 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 330M, 16.4″ Full HD, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit $1500 @TigerDirect
Smartphone: If you want to be connected at all times a smartphone is your best choice. These power-packed devices are not only for calls these days. Both Android and iPhone feature thousands of apps that can be useful in the classroom and on the road. No matter which carrier your are on, I breakdown your best option available below.
Verizon: Motorola Droid X- The new Droid X is one hot device, it sold out pretty quick on Verizon and won’t be back in stock until the months end. This Android monster is huge and sports some great features, a true flagship device for Motorola. Features: 4.3″ Touchscreen, Android OS, 8MP Camera, TI 1GHz processor, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS. $199 @Verizon
Sprint: HTC Evo 4G- When Sprint launched the EVO as the worlds first 4G phone units were flying off the shelf. This massive (4.3″ screen) Android device is fully loaded in every department. Features: 4.3″ Touchscreen, 8MP Camera, Android OS, 4G/3G, Froyo, 1GHz processor, Front facing camera, kickstand, Mobile HotSpot. $199 @Sprint
T-Mobile: Samsung T959 Vibrant- T-Mobile picks up their version of the Galaxy S phone with the new Vibrant. Considered the best phone for T-Mobile which utilizes a brilliant SuperAMOLED display and the Android OS. Features: 4″ Touchscreen, 1GHz Processor, 5MP Camera, Android OS, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth. $199 @T-Mobile
AT&T: Apple iPhone 4 16GB- Despite all the problems this little fellow has had it is still one of the top phones on the planet. With Apple leading the way in Apps and touchscreen technology, the iPhone promises to deliver. Features: 3.5″ Touchscreen w/Retina display, 5MP Camera, FaceTime chat, Front camera, Gyroscope, iBooks. $199 @Apple
Unlocked: HTC Desire- This badboy is HTC’s flagship device around the globe and is packed with Android goodness. It can be purchased in the U.S. as the Google Nexus One (Desire features optical trackpad & sexier hardware IMHO). Features: 3.7″ Touchscreen, 1GHz Processor, 5MP Camera, Android OS, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth. $650 @MobileCityOnline
Apple iPad: Yes, the iPad get’s is own gadget category (at least until the competition kicks up). From my personal experience I was the last one who wanted one of these. Once I got my hands on it putting it down became difficult. I could only imagine going back to school with this at my side. With iBooks, Apps, Media, Calculator,Internet, and Music…it is like the offspring of your laptop and your smartphone. Agree or disagree, the Apple iPad gets my vote for most essential back to school device out there.
Apple iPad- 9.7″ Touchscreen Display, App store, iBooks, 1GHz Apple A4 processor, WiFi, Bluetooth.$499 @APPLE (also available in others sizes 32gb, 64gb and w/3g connectivity)
So there it is once again, my back-to-school Gadget Guide is complete. Let’s round-up what you need in your arsenal heading back to school this year.
- Alarm Clock
- Calculator
- Laptop
- Smartphoe
- iPad
So make sure to bug, wine, and cry to your parents to get some of these hot devices before school kicks back off. I sure hope all my back-2-school guides have helped lead you in the proper direction on your next big purchase. For any questions on any of these guides you can hit me up on twitter @gazellelab. Enjoy the rest of the summer…while it’s still around!
