It’s time to outfit your college-bound youngster with all the things he or she will need to have a productive, connected, and fun year. This year our suggestions run the gamut from entertaining to sustaining and more.
Tablet Computer – RCA 11 Maven Pro – You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a solid tablet for your student. The RCA Maven Pro 11.6” 2-in-1 32 GB Tablet with detachable keyboard is available at Walmart for just under $139. Several reviewers have called this the best inexpensive tablet on the market.
Chromebook Computer – Acer Chromebook 15 – The prevalence of wireless connectivity on most campuses makes the Chromebook a practical alternative to more expensive laptops. This Acer has a big 15.6″ screen so it has plenty of working real estate on a desktop. It comes with a speedy Intel processor and a base of 32GB of memory. It’s available at Amazon.com for $249.
Convertible Laptop – Lenovo Yoga 710 14-Inch – This is a powerhouse machine with the four standard Yoga modes: laptop, tablet, tent, and stand. It comes with Intel’s Core i5 Processor and a 256GB solid state drive. It has a bright edge to edge 14″ touchscreen and premium surround sound. The Yoga 710 weighs in at 3.5 pounds. It’s available from Amazon.com for $780.
Wireless Mouse – Lenovo Yoga Mouse – While many people are happy to use the touchpads and touch screens on today’s laptops, there are still time when using a mouse makes navigation and clicking easier. The Lenovo Yoga Mouse functions as both a wireless mouse, with a built in dongle, and then with a twist it folds flat to become a presentation remote control with both a touchpad and a volume control. Price is $59.50 from Lenovo.
Smartphone – RCA M1 4″ – Who says a full-sized, full featured smartphone has to cost a fortune? The RCA 4″ Unlocked 4G HSPA + GSM Dual SIM Smartphone is available from Amazon.com for $68.75 and from Walmart. With its dual SIM card capability your youngster can use it on just about any GSM network in the world. In the US, that’s almost everyone except Verizon.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Vava Voom 20 – There’s a time for studying and a time for fun. That’s where the Vava Voom portable speaker comes in. This unit provides a booming bass and room filling sound in a water bottle sized package. We’ve been impressed both with the sound quality and the ease of setup. It’s available at Amazon.com for just under $80.
Headphones – Focal Listen – And for those times when blasting music might not be appropriate or appreciated, we suggest these premium over-the-ear headphones. These phones offer terrific fidelity across the entire sound spectrum. And they fold up and slide into a case that makes them easy to drop into your student’s backpack to take to the library. ‘Cuz we know that’s where the best listening is done. Price is $249 at Amazon.com.
Portable Projector – Lenovo Pocket Projector – For most dorm rooms, hauling in a big screen television just isn’t an option. But this Lenovo wireless portable projector can throw a 110″ image on a wall. The images can be streamed wireless from a computer or iOS or Android smartphone. Or it can take a micro SD card. It has a built-in speaker, although you can connect it to external speakers or headphones. Available for $250 from Amazon.com.
Media Player – Roku Streaming Stick – No cable? No space? No problem. Your student can get a world of entertainment from the Internet using this small device that plugs into the HDMI port on a television or computer. Roku offers scores of channels including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, and many, many more. It’s available from Amazon.com for $49.
Wi-Fi Router System – AmpliFi Home Wi-Fi System – If your youngster is moving into an off-campus apartment, we have a great WiFi solution. Amplifi, from network gear maker Ubiquiti, has three different systems, with various strength levels ranging in price from $199 to $349. Each of the systems comes with three units, a stylish cube that’s the router itself, then there are two innovative extenders that Amplifi calls “mesh points” that have magnetic attachments. The system is quick to setup using an LED screen on the base unit. There are also mobile apps for both Android and iOS.
Extra Storage – Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim – Just the thing needed for saving important school documents, photos & videos, as well as social media photos, this is one of the thinnest portable drives around, with up to 2 terabytes of storage, plus 200 GB of free cloud storage for 2 years. $99 at Amazon.com
Portable Solid State Drive – SanDisk Extreme 500 – Another way for your student to store photos, music, videos, and yes, documents, is on a portable SSD. While these drives are still pricier than comparable traditional portable drives like those from Seagate and Western Digital, SSD’s offer the advantage of having no moving parts and a slim form that will fit into a pocket. The SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD comes with several memory capacities from 120GB to 480GB. All offer high speed transfer rates. Prices at Amazon.com run from $79.20 to $150.
Multi-Tasking Device – Kingston Powerbank and Wireless Media Player – This device is a multi-tasking powerhouse that will be great for any student’s tech collection. It has a 5400 mAh battery so to charge a smartphone or USB device. It has 64GB of internal storage to backup photos or documents. You can wirelessly stream movies, music, and photos from SD Cards or USB flash drives. Available from Amazon.com for $40.
Dash Cam – Thinkware Dash Cam F750 – Make your college student’s driving safer with a dashcam that not only records where and how fast the car is moving, it also has built in lane departure and front collision warnings, plus alerts for red light and speed cameras used by law enforcement. Under $250 on Amazon.com.
Computer Backpacks – Yes, your student is absolutely going to need a backpack to haul that computer, tablet, and other goodies around on campus. E-bags offers a number of backpacks that fit he bill. The TLS Professional Weekender Convertible offers all the pockets almost anyone can use, including places for all those small gadgets like music players, earbuds, etc. In addition there’s room for
clothing for an overnight getaway. Price $150.
The TLS Motherlode Weekender Convertible has a huge pocket for enough clothing for a weekend trip or more as well as compartments for a computer and other necessities. It’s available in a range of bright colors. Price is $100.
Food Warmer – Hot Logic Mini – Not every dorm room has enough room for a microwave oven – but this clever electric powered mini oven is a great way to reheat leftovers or warm fast food. The Hot Logic Mini is a personal portable oven that is a lightweight portable solution. It’s available at Amazon.com for $39.95.
Mini Fridge – RCA RFR 160 – For many students, having a small dorm sized fridge has become a necessity – a place to keep drinks, snacks, and milk for the endless cups of coffee. The RCA 1.6 cubic foot refrigerator is just the right size and comes in a choice of bright or traditional colors. Available at Amazon.com for $95.
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