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Take a deep breath — smell that? That’s the smell of higher education. Yes, it is a little moldy. Most colleges have been around for awhile.

Regardless of what school you’re going to, there is a certain essential set of tools that every college student needs in order to survive. These are the “college gadgets,” and nobody who’s anybody should be without them. These gadgets are:

• The Laptop
• The Printer
• The Flash Drive
• The Router (if your college doesn’t have WiFi)
• The External Hard Drive
• The Portable Media Player (aka, iPod )
• The Speakers
• The Headphones
• The Phone

Ready to go? Let’s get started!

The Laptop

If you can bring no other gadget with you, the laptop is the ultimate must-have as a college student. Most colleges require that you have one, or else provide you with one themselves. If you have an option, don’t take the college laptop — get your own, you’ll prefer it, I promise.

What kind of laptop you purchase depends on what you plan to use it for — not all laptops are created equal, don’t just assume they are. Generally, there are three types of computing students, and as such I’ve provided three laptop recommendations, all from Apple (I’ll deal with you Windows folks in a sec’.

The casual computing user uses his or her laptop for web browsing, email, staying in touch with his or her friends, organizing photos, storing their tunes, and other simple, consumer-oriented uses. This user needs a peppy computer, but it would be stupid to overdo it — not a lot of processing power is needed for this user. For this person, I hands-down recommend the 2.4GHz MacBook. While the 2.1GHz model (the cheapest base model) is a little underpowered, both the second-tier white model and the top-tier black model should be sufficient for this class of user’s needs. If you choose the white model, you might consider upgrading the hard drive to something in a slightly larger variety — this thing needs to last four years, better give it plenty of room for photos and such. You can buy a MacBook at any Apple store, or online at store.apple.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The science or arts student will want something a little more powerful. This class of user frequently uses power-hungry applications, like Mathematica or other scientific research tools, or any member of the Adobe Creative Suite (perhaps multiple simultaneously). This user not only needs a powerful Mac, but may also need to be able to quickly and efficiently boot into Windows on occasion, so a faster processor will help. Whether developing a complex algorithm, or juggling 15 RAW files for your photography class, your computer needs to perform when you need it. For this, I recommend my own laptop of choice: the 2.4GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro. Complete with backlit keyboard, powerful graphics card, and a decent portion of RAM by default, this laptop can handle anything you can throw at it without blinking — trust me, I know, I use one every day. Like the MacBook, the MacBook Pro can be purchased at any Apple store, or online at store.apple.com. I highly recommend it.

The third type of user is a tricky person to fit — he or she is the student-on-the-go, or the commuter. This person needs a laptop that they can toss in a bag and take with them everywhere, that will neither be wimpy, nor slow them down due to its sheer weight. For this unique class of user, I recommend the 1.6GHz MacBook Air. Thin as a pencil at its thickest point, and weighing a mere three pounds, this is perfect for anyone who needs a decent dollop of power, without the costly baggage. Hit up the Apple store, or once again, the online store at store.apple.com. Keep in mind, though, that while this is an excellent laptop, it doesn’t have all of the power of the MacBook or the MacBook Pro. If you don’t need the portability, go with something a little more powerful.

Now for you darn Windows users. Some colleges absolutely require that you have a laptop that runs Windows. In this situation, my solution is simple: my recommendations don’t change. All three of my Mac selections are capable of running Windows next to OS X — just pick up a full copy of Windows XP Pro (w/SP2) from your favorite online retailer and you’ll be good to go, Apple’s Boot Camp utility can walk you through getting it installed and operational.

Unfortunately, some colleges require you to use their laptop. If you are given a choice of laptops by your college, and one of them is an IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad, take that one — the ThinkPad is one of the most rugged and durable laptops on the market, and will be sure to serve you well, at the slight expense of a less-than-wonderful operating system.

The Printer

You’re going to need to print stuff. Most likely often. You want your own printer.

Before you go out and invest, though, talk to your roommate(s): while you definitely will want a printer in your dorm room (don’t rely on campus printing, you should always have a device under your control that you know you can print to), they can get pricey if you get a good one, so you may be able to share the cost.

Many people are tempted to get a laser printer, thanks to the declining cost of color phasers — some black and white lasers are now dirt cheap. My advice: if you want to get a laser for black and white assignments, go for it, but do not make it your primary printer, you’ll also want a small color printer for photos and those assignments that need to “pop.” As appealing as the thought of the color laser can be, the quality is sub-that of a good inkjet, and you don’t want to know how much it costs to replace the toner. If you still want to do a laser and a small color, go for the Dell Laser Printer 1720: it’s cheap, fast, and is incredibly sharp when it comes to text, along with being very reliable. To supplement this printer with a small color inkjet, I recommend the HP Deskjet D1455, for the same reasons: it’s cheap, does a good job with color documents, and (being an HP) is very reliable.

For everybody else in the room, I would like to recommend the HP Photosmart C7180 All-in-One, the printer that I use: it’s an excellent device, and so far has served me well. Of course, HP is quick to phase out products, and my model has already been replaced by the comparable HP Photosmart C8180 All-in-One. Unfortunately, it’s a little pricey, so you may find yourself at home with its somewhat less expensive sibling: the HP Photosmart C7280 All-in-One. This printer supports scanning, faxing, color/black copying — oh, and printing too. The print quality is excellent, and it uses six dye-based Vivera inks, so you can replace individual colors (about $9 each) as they run out, rather than shelling out big bucks for a whole tri-color cartridge. Most importantly, it’s both wired and wireless network capable, so it’s easy to share with everyone in your dorm room — just be careful you don’t accidentally share it with everyone on campus.

The Flash Drive

Your flash drive will likely become your best friend in college: it’s the quickest and easiest way to get a file from one on-campus computer to another without emailing. As such, many of the times you interact with your flash drive, you’ll be in a rush: you need something a) fast, that b) won’t get in your way, and c) is big enough so you don’t have to remember to remove files you put on it in a frantic frenzy.

For these reasons, I highly recommend my personal choice of flash drive, the OCZ 4GB Rally 2. I’ve purchased two of them (one for me, one for my dad), and both of them have performed absolutely superbly even under the most extreme conditions. Plus, it’s incredibly cheap! Generally, NewEgg reviews are the best indicator of device quality — in this case, they were, and now are not. This flash drive won multiple consecutive Users’ Choice Awards (very prestigious among NewEgg users), but recently the reviews have taken a bit of a decline. Trust me, they’re just whiners that don’t know not to remove a flash drive when the light is blinking — this drive is exceptional.

The Router

Chances are your college will be wireless. If it is, this isn’t something you need to worry about — you may want to pick up an inexpensive switch so you can share the ethernet jack in your dorm room with multiple computers, but a wireless router will be unnecessary, and perhaps even forbidden. Check with your college’s acceptable use policy before you install one of these in your room, and then try to get off by blaming me.

If your college or dorms are not wireless, however, and you are permitted to use a wireless router (which enables you to share the Internet signal in your dorm with wireless laptops and devices), I recommend the Apple AirPort Extreme. It’s fast, powerful, and stylish, too. That is of course, unless you did end up getting a Mac as a laptop like I recommended. Then you might want to wait to click the order button on your AirPort Extreme until you read the section on external hard drives. You’ll see why in a minute.

The External Hard Drive

Few people overlook this simple, yet incredibly useful, piece of technology: the external hard drive. For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, an external hard drive is like the hard drive inside your computer, except it sits on your desk and generally doesn’t have an operating system in it: think of it as a small virtual filing cabinet — portable, detachable additional storage for your system. An external hard drive is not only good for backups, but it’s great for storing photos and tunes without clogging up the precious space on your laptop’s internal hard drive.

If you’re using a Windows laptop, or a Mac on a college network that does not allow you to bring your own wireless router, you’ll want to take a look at this Toshiba 320GB external hard drive. This sexy drive is decently large (in terms of storage capacity), small (in terms of desktop footprint), quiet, and draws all of its power from a USB port — no chunky wall adapter required. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve never actually tried this drive myself, but Toshiba is among the technology companies for which I have the most respect: they almost always make a good product, and the few reviews I’ve read on this drive seem to support that. It should definitely serve you well.

If, however, you’re using a Mac with your own wireless router (see previous section), you really ought to take a look at the Apple Time Capsule. The Time Capsule comes with a built-in AirPort Extreme (as mentioned above), but is also a 500GB or 1TB (1000GB) network-ready external hard drive that can automatically receive instant back-ups from Time Machine (the automatic back-up feature of Mac OS X). If you’re using a Mac, and are allowed to use this product by your college, Time Capsule will absolutely make your life easier — and less prone to accidental data loss.

The Portable Media Player

Music is an important part of the life of any college student; if you disagree, you really shouldn’t be going to college yet.

It should come as no surprise to you that I recommend the iPod as the best media player for the college student — if you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of an Apple fan. Which iPod is right for you, though, is perhaps a more difficult question.

It is for this reason that Apple created its Which iPod Are You? website. I recommend you start with this, which puts all of Apple’s iPod line side-by-side, so you can choose which features you most value. Keep in mind that all of the iPods (except the Shuffle, which I recommend you stay away from) now play video, so don’t let that be a pseudo-factor in your decision.

For the sake of simplicity, I recommend the new iPod Nano for the majority of college students who just want a no-frills media player that’ll get the job done, and is easy to throw in a pocket or purse when you’re on the go. For students who appreciate a little advanced technology, however, I say, be daring: get the iPod Touch. You’ll be rewarded with the possibility of adding new applications and getting new features in the very near future. And please, don’t call it the iTouch. Apple didn’t name it the iTouch for a reason. It sounds stupid.

Of course, if you plan on going for an iPhone (cell phone section later on), the iPod point is in a way moot, unless you want a device that can hold all of your tunes (an iPhone may not be able to) simultaneously.

The only exception to this general iPod guide is if you have a large library, and want to carry it all with you at once: for you, my friend, there is nothing better but the iPod Classic, the original. Before you go for the Classic, though, check and see if the 32GB iPod Touch will be enough for you (use the comparison chart on the Which iPod Are You? page). Nice as the Classic is, the Touch is definitely sexier.

The Speakers

Now that you’ve got all of your wonderful music, you need something to play it over. Apple’s notebooks’ speakers aren’t horrible — but seriously, we can do better than that.

I recommend you go the route I did, and be a little adventurous: get yourself a relatively inexpensive mini-hifi system, and rig it to your laptop with a mini-RCA to RCA cable. The sound quality is phenomenal, and you get a CD player and AM/FM radio out of the deal as well. Just be aware you may need to turn up the volume on the stereo pretty loud to hear your laptop — it isn’t broken!

If you’re not of a mind to be so adventurous, however, and just want a normal set of computer speakers, I cannot more highly recommend the JBL Creature II Speakers. Not only do they look awesome next to a Mac, but the sound quality is surprisingly awesome for such tiny drivers. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

The Headphones

For those times when your roommate is attempting to study, you’re going to need some good, noise-canceling headphones. Nice as the Apple earbuds are, they just don’t quite cut it for real high-quality audio.

If you’re willing to spend the big bucks, I highly recommend the Bose QuietComfort 2 or QuietComfort 3 (depending on your preferred style) headphones for the ultimate in audio quality. They’re expensive, but they last, and you will be blown away by the musical party that begins inside your head when you use them.

If you’re in the mood for something a touch cheaper, I recommend anything by SENNHEISER, particularly the SENNHEISER PX100’s: great tonal clarity, and an excellent range for such an inexpensive pair of headphones. Read the NewEgg reviews — they speak the truth. They aren’t noise-canceling, unfortunately, but they should serve well for most casual use.

The Phone

If you’re getting a new phone for college, I really only have one piece of advice: stay away from the RAZR. The incredible craze that became the RAZR ultimately led to its demise as an excellent cell phone. It’s now almost an utter piece of crap. Trust me, if you get a RAZR, you will eventually end up suffering for it.

In terms of carriers, all I can say is that AT&T is my carrier of choice: generally better customer service than Verizon, their phones don’t come with an annoying proprietary operating system (*cough* Verizon), and the network is GSM, which means your phone will be more likely to work internationally should you choose to study abroad (GSM networks are more prevalent in Europe than CDMA networks).

In terms of phones, Research in Motion offers a wide variety of products that are great for college students — that would be the BlackBerry line, especially the BlackBerry Pearl. However, if I were to make a true recommendation, it should be obvious what I would say: go for the iPhone 3G. The data plan may run a little pricey, but you most likely won’t also need to buy an iPod, and you’ll be amazed at the convenience such a small device (now with a built-in GPS) can bring to your life. If you haven’t looked at the iPhone since its birth last year, look again, the price has come down considerably and it’s got some great new features.

Closing Thoughts

In the end, what you get isn’t as important as what you do with it. Take good care of whatever technology you get: be sure to get your laptop a quality case, like one from Incase if you end up getting a Mac, I cannot more highly recommend their products. Remember to keep things clean (check out iKlear for all of your Apple electronics), and make sure you get a quality surge protector connected to a grounded outlet (don’t just use an adapter, make sure you screw the little green tab to your outlet box if your outlets for some reason aren’t three-prong).

Oh, and you will need cables, don’t forget that. I highly recommend NewEgg for all of your USB and Ethernet cable needs, their prices are usually the cheapest, and their user reviews are reliable.

Good luck next year, and happy shopping!

This entry was posted on Monday, June 16th, 2008 at 4:08am by Matt Pat and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the Atom feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.