Gadgets to seek as school begins
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By staff and wire reports
It’s time to get your back-to-school gear in order. And that means shopping for technology. Here are some gadgets to consider.
Computer: Probably the most important tech tool around. These days, you have a wide range of prices and features.
Laptops are a good choice because they can be taken to class, the library or the local cafe. Apple’s Macbooks — the company’s entry-level notebooks — have been especially popular among the student crowd, and for good reason: They’re easy to use, stable and much more resistant to viruses than Windows machines. They start at about $1,000 with an educational discount. The UNL Computer Store has several models for around $999; visit sales.unl.edu/catalog.
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There are so many good, inexpensive computers out there for going back to school, computer shopping can be simple. But it can be frustrating, too — because there are so many good, inexpensive machines out there.
The best way is to look at the "sticker," or list of components, on each machine to see how it stacks up with the kind of work you'l be doing. You should be able to bring home a solid laptop for $750 or less and a desktop machine for $100 to $200 less.
Here's a component checklist:
- Microprocessor: Also known as the CPU, this is the computer's key component — the part that does the real computing. The vast majority are manufactured by Intel. From a compatibility standpoint, it doesn't matter — they'll all run Windows software. Although it uses Intel-based hardware, Apple is the only authorized producer of machines using its current operating systems.
Most PCs today employ a dual-core processor — a design that puts two processor cores on a single chip, providing better performance with less power consumption and heat generation than traditional designs.
Unfortunately, Intel's processor numbering system is so complex that almost no one outside the company's marketing department understands it. Names start with a letter and four numbers, followed by a string of gobbledygook involving processor speed, the front side bus and L2 cache.
You can find a full explanation at www.intel.com/products/processor number. But for starters, remember that entry-level machines will have a sticker that lists a "Dual Core" or "Core Duo" processor, which is actually the end of the old (but still capable) Pentium chip line.
Newer, more powerful dual-core processors, which I recommend, are called "Core 2 Duo," along with model numbers starting with "E" or "T" and numerals of 4 or higher. Generally the higher the number within a particular line, the more powerful the processor.
Processors whose designators start with "X" are part of Intel's "Extreme" line (mainly for gamers), while "Q" or "QX" (for Quad Core) have four cores for really hard-core users.
AMD uses a scheme that's a bit simpler. Look for an Athlon 64 X2 (dual core) designator, followed by a number signifying the processor's relative speed, as in "3600+." In laptops, the most modern AMD designs have Turion processors.
- Memory: Also known as RAM, these chips store programs and data while the computer is running; when you turn off the power, everything in RAM disappears. A computer with more memory is generally faster and more reliable than a machine with less — particularly when you try to play music while you browse the Web, check your e-mail and edit photos, all at the same time.
To run Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple's Leopard operating system, get at least 2 gigs. Manufacturers often shave the price of a system by including only one gig. Upgrade before you leave the store — many retailers will install memory on the spot. Another gig should add less than $100 to the cost (maybe a bit more for laptops).
- Hard drive storage: Often confused with memory, the hard disk is where your computer stores programs and data permanently when it's turned off. Your PC also reads from and writes to the drive constantly when it's running. It serves as an overflow area for internal memory.
Hard drive capacity is measured in hundreds of gigabytes. For average applications, 160 to 200 GB is plenty. But if you want to use your PC as a video recorder, get 250 GB or more. On a laptop, a drive that turns at 7,200 RPM will provide faster performance than a cheaper 5,200 RPM model.
- Monitor: Flat-panel screens have become incredibly cheap — about $200 for a 19-inch model, so give your eyes a treat with a big one. Traditional monitors with a 4:3 aspect ratio are better for work applications, but a widescreen monitor will double as an entertainment center for playing DVD movies.
If you buying a laptop, beware of the shiny, mirror-like screens that look great when you're watching a movie from exactly the right angle — but drive you crazy with glare when it's time to get to work.
Remember, you can hook up a large monitor to a small laptop and add a full-size keyboard and mouse for the advantages of a desktop machine.
- USB ports: Printers, scanners, cameras, digital music players, wireless mice, Bluetooth adapters, external hard drives and lots of other gadgets hook up to your computer through these ports. The more yours has, the better, particularly on a laptop. Front-mounted USB ports make it easier to hook up an iPod or camera to a desktop machine.
- Audio: The audio circuits built into most entry-level PCs are fine for casual music listening. But if you're using a PC as a dorm room or home entertainment center, look for one with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound output for movies. Front-mounted ports for headphones and a microphone are convenient. On a laptop, an external volume control is helpful, too.
- TV tuner: These are particularly good bets for PCs in dorm rooms, apartments or offices with cable TV. They can save space and money by turning your computer into a real entertainment center. Tuners are built into some higher-end PCs, but you can pick up an external tuner such as Pinnacle's PCTV HD Stick for $100 or less.
- The Baltimore Sun
If that’s too costly, many Windows-based notebooks are available for less than $1,000.
Software: You’re going to want at least an office suite and a security program.
Microsoft’s Office is still the standard for writing papers and putting together spreadsheets. But it’s expensive, starting at $400 if you buy it off-the-shelf. College students can get a slightly slimmed-down version for about $150 for Windows or Macs.
With all the viruses, spyware and spam on the Internet, a security program is important. Macs are less vulnerable but could get more so as they become more popular — giving hackers more reason to write Mac-only viruses.
Symantec’s Norton (about $45) and McAfee (about $35) have been the traditional standard-bearers in security suites for PCs, though Kaspersky’s Anti-Virus package (about $60) is starting to gain recognition. For Macs, Norton offers an anti-virus program for about $20 and Intego has an entire line of security programs starting at about $50.
Computer backpack or sleeve: If you get that laptop, you’ll need something to carry it in. Accessory makers have come out with backpacks specifically designed for laptops. They have extra padding and come in a range of sizes and styles. Best Buy offers more than a dozen types starting at about $32.
Or, you can get a padded sleeve for a laptop that can be carried inside a regular backpack. UNL’s Computer Store also carries a variety of these.
External hard drive: Laptop hard drives tend to quickly fill up with music, movies — and papers, of course. With an external hard drive, you can offload some of that data to save space on the main drive.
Another, more important reason to have an external drive is for backup. The last thing you want is to lose the paper you’ve been working on because of a hard-drive failure.
In recent years, drive makers have come out with slimmer, lighter models designed specifically for laptops. Western Digital, for instance, offers the My Passport line of drives, which range in size from 160 to 320 gigabytes and cost $70 to $120 online.
USB flash drive: E-mail servers often block large files, and even when they don’t, such files can take a long time to download over the Internet. That’s where flash drives come in, helping students who need to share a file with a project partner or who want to print a document from a computer center without lugging along a laptop. And they’re cheap: You can find a 2-gigabyte drive, such as the SanDisk Cruzer Micro, for $15 or less online.
All-in-one printer: Some teachers accept class reports via e-mail, but much class work is still submitted on paper, meaning students need a printer.
Look for an all-in-one model that also makes photocopies and scans documents or photos, and costs about the same as a stand-alone printer.
Canon and Hewlett-Packard each offer several models of all-in-ones for $100 or less, among them the Canon Pixma MP210, which can be found for as little as $55.
iPod: Seriously, these can have real educational value.
Students can find 50,000 lectures, lessons and speeches from university professors around the nation for free on Apple’s iTunes music store. UNL was the 38th university added to the iTunes U list and offers feeds of lectures, classroom activities, performances, promotional video features, news and other information and entertainment on the site.
Apple’s iPods run from as little as about $50 for the low-end, screenless iPod shuffle to $500 for the top-of-the-line iPod Touch.
iPod speakers: These can range from basic, more mobile models, such as Altec Lansing’s inMotion iM600 ($112 and up) to higher-end speakers, such as Bose’s SoundDock Portable Digital Music System (about $400). Regardless of price, you can find features such as a built-in FM tuner or an alarm clock. Look for speaker systems that will work with a variety of iPod models, including the iPhone and iPod Touch; otherwise, newer devices may not work well with the speakers.
Digital camera: You want to record the moments of your college days, and the camera on your cell phone can’t take pictures to match those from a stand-alone camera.
With all the competition from cell phones, point-and-shoot cameras have been coming down in price. You can find a lightweight 7-megapixel camera, such as Canon’s PowerShot SD750, which has plenty of shooting modes and takes good pictures, for less than $200.
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Tom wrote on August 19, 2008 3:01 am:
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