Best Tech Gifts and Gadgets for Students | A Top10Tech Gift Guide for Students
- Rebecca MacLary
- Oct 14, 2016
- 4 min read
The school year has been back for a blink, and the next generation of college students is settling in at college. There are plenty of tech gadgets out there that can help students with studying, productivity, security, and even fun. Check them out and if you see something that catches your eye, maybe you can ask for it next time you’re home for the weekend.
Laptop Lock Don’t risk having your laptop stolen. Tether it to your desk in your dorm room or library, or to the table at your favorite coffeeshop with a laptop lock. There are three types of security slots on laptops, but it’s likely yours is a Kensington Security Slot. If you have a MacBook, there are companies that have designed locks that attach to the feet or clamp to the lid, since Apple doesn’t put lock slots in its laptops. Price depends on which one you buy; Kensington models start around $34.99.
If you’re lucky enough to have a respectful and quiet roommate or neighbor, count your blessings. Otherwise, get a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Bose is the gold standard but you can get more affordable ones that will fit your starving student budget a bit better. Some can eliminate up to 85 percent of ambient noise.
Use them to study or sleep. Prices range from around $80 to over $500.
For iOS and Android, the Livescribe 3 is the latest version of the smartpen that uses Bluetooth Smart to sync everything you draw or write to the free Livescribe+ app. It also uses the mic in your tablet or phone to record audio that is synchronized to everything you write on paper.
Retails for around $199.
Your mom isn’t around anymore to make sure you actually get out of bed on time, so you better have a good alarm clock! The Sonic Alert Loud Dual Alarm Clock will help you keep the peace with your roommate and get you to class on time, too. On days you don’t want wake up your roomie, set the clock to the powerful bed-shaking mode. Otherwise, its adjustable alarm goes as high as 113 decibels.
Retails for $32.97 on Amazon.
If you’re more likely to work at your laptop with it on your bed or a pillow, or on your legs instead of a desk, the chances are high it will overheat. A laptop cooler is the best way to keep it cool and functioning properly while keeping your legs from boiling off at the same time. The Targus Lap Chill Mat has a ventilated design and two fans.
Retails at $39.99.
We’ve all done it: left our charger somewhere and our phone or table died. Don’t let it happen to you with a portable battery charger. The Petalite Flux Portable Charger will hold at least one charge and weighs less than four ounces. It has a Micro USB cable as well as a Lightning cable. It charges with a Micro-USB port that comes with a short Micro-USB-to-USB cable you can plug into your computer or power hub.
Retails for $30.
Keep those freshman pounds off while you keep track of your steps, nutrition, sleep, and more. The Fitbit Alta is a great tracking device and is compatible with Android or iOS. It also has a silent alarm option that your roommate will appreciate.
Retails for $129.95.
Get more storage for files, photos, videos, and more. The Seagate Backup Plus is a portable 4TB external hard drive and you get 200GB of OneDrive cloud storage for two years.
It’s formatted for use straight out of the box for PC users; if you have a Mac you will need to install the included NTFS driver onto your OSX device(s) in order to use it, or reformat the drive for HFS+ to use it exclusively with your Mac.
Retails for $119.99 on Amazon.
Everyone likes a hot drink, right? With a heated travel mug you can make sure your coffee, tea, or latte stays hot down to the last drop. The Auto Heated Travel Coffee Tea Mug plugs into your USB port or car’s 12V adapter to keep your drink hot while you drive or work. It’s double insulated stainless steel, so it will stay hot for a long time after you unplug it, and it offers a spill-proof lid, a soft grip rugged handle, and a soft rubberized finish in red or blue. It holds 16 oz of java.
Retails for $15.50 on Amazon.
Have you ever been at an all-night studying session and wanted a coffee so badly but didn’t want to wait for it to brew once you took a break? Now you can use your smartphone to tell your Mr. Coffee® Smart Optimal Brew™ 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Wemo® to brew a pot of coffee from wherever you are, and it will be ready in just eight minutes.
That means you can tell it to make you coffee while you’re still at the library, and when you get home it will be hot and fresh, waiting for you to pour into your handy heated travel mug so you can keep it hot while you continue writing that paper.
Technology is always evolving and changing our lives. Most of these devices aim to make life just a little easier. But, more importantly, they all just might make you a little bit cooler.
Comments