Back to school? Depending on what college year you’re headed into, prepare yourself for either a heady few months of parties and lack of real responsibilities, or intense studying and staying up to the late hours pumped up on caffeine.
While there are superficial gadgets that can make college life more enjoyable, the following gallery contains the essential tech you’ll need to take with you if you want to survive.
Here are the gadgets every college student needs.
Tech'd Out: College Student Gadgets
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Kindle Fire HD
You don't need a tablet for college, but it's in your best interests to get an e-reader, and the Kindle Fire is kind of the same thing. With great screen quality and many of the features you'd find on an iPad, the Kindle Fire will ensure that you don't need to carry a bag of books with you wherever you go, and will also give you access to a selection of apps and games to keep you occupied in your spare time. Buy it here -
Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE
You're going to be dealing with some poor Internet connections at college, so a MiFi dongle is a must-buy. Offering 3G and 4G availability, the Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE is free on a 2-year contract, and will give you (and your friends) a steady Wi-Fi connection in coffee houses and libraries alike. Buy it here -
Kodak Hero 7.1 Printer
The award-winning Kodak Hero 7.1 is a great multi-tasking printed that has a variety of uses. Along with allowing you to print off your work, the Kodak Hero 7.1 also does a great job of printing off photographs, ensuring that you can adorn your dorm with photos of you enjoying college life with your newly found friends. Find your nearest retailer here -
Apple MacBook Air 11-inch
Apple products are notoriously pricey, so as a college student, the 11-inch MacBook Air may be a little out your price range. Far be it for us to tell you what to do, but you might want to convince your parents to lend you the money for a MacBook, as it's your best option if you're looking for a portable, well-equipped laptop. The MacBook Air is stacked with features you'll soon come to regard as essentials in your college life, and it boasts the same portability as a Chromebook, albeit without the need to constantly be online and the minimalist program/app selections. It's a big investment, sure, but your laptop will be your best friend in college, and the MacBook Air comes with everything you need. Buy it here -
Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631
You're not going to want to spend all of your time using your laptop's touchpad due to how uncomfortable they are; an external mouse is an essential purchase. If you're going to invest in a MacBook, then Logitech's Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631 for Mac is your best option. It's stylish, sleek and portable, and will ensure that you won't suffer the wrist cramp that comes with extended use of a touchpad. If you don't own a Mac, then the T630 model of the Ultrathin Touch Mouse can be used with Windows laptops and desktops. Buy it here -
Spotify
Spotify isn't exactly a gadget, but it is an essential for student life, so we're including it on here anyway. While using Spotify for free will still allow you to listen to music, getting a subscription will get rid of all the commercials, give you unlimited hours of usage and, crucially, allow you to build offline playlists. Offline playlists will allow you to create as many playlists as you want and listen to them with no Internet connection necessary. This makes it even more essential for your college life than your iTunes library. Subscribe to Spotify here -
SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive
You're going to be using a flash drive a lot in college in order to transport your work around. The SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive is a nifty way to do that, allowing you to access your SD storage card without searching around for a USB port on the device you're using. Buy it here
