Did you join Marcia MacMillan and I during our chat on CTV News Channel on essential school gear? Here's all the info and notes including my tips on buying a student laptop, using Gmail to place free phone calls, Wi-Fi Routers that are very easy to set up, flash drives shaped like keys so you never leave home without them, and why I think the iPod Touch is the ultimate portable device for study.
Tips On Buying A Student Laptop
As much as iPads and netbooks are currently all the rage, there's no replacement for a proper notebook computer when it comes to sitting down at a desk and typing out an essay or book report. Here's three
Personal Comfort – The first thing to look for in a laptop is comfort. Try out the laptop before you buy it. Is it too heavy? Can you type reliably with the keyboard? Does it have a numerical keypad? How is the glare on the screen? Can you use the trackpad?
Screen Size – Screen size is a personal choice. Some people love a 17” or 19” screen because it gives them room to better organize documents and programs or watch movies. Others are fine with a 15” screen because they only perform basic tasks. The bigger the screen, the heavier and more expensive the laptop.
Processors And Ram – These are the two features that greatly determine speed and performance. You want high values in both. A 2.4 GHz processor is better than a 1 GHz processor. 4 GB of RAM is better than 2GB. The name of a processor will tell you what generation it’s from. Intel’s iCore processors are the latest and preferred. With AMD look for “duo-core”, “triple-core” or even “quad-core” in the name.
Hard Drive – As you fill your laptop with programs and content, it will start to slow down. To avoid this issue, it helps to start out with a large hard drive in the first place. A 400 GB hard drive is better than a 200 GB hard drive.
Windows 7 – The different in performance speed and ease-of-use of Microsoft’s current version of Windows is so great, that I highly recommend that you only consider laptops running Windows 7 and avoid even the best deals that include Windows Vista.
Other Considerations – Make sure there’s at least two USB ports to allow for connections with a mouse and other accessories. If you’re planning to play video games look for an NVIDIA or Radeon graphics card and check to see what connections it might have for using your laptop with a projector (S-Video), external monitor (VGA), or even a television (HDMI).
For more information on how to selection a student laptop, including tips on netbooks and companion devices, visit my detailed guide here.
If you've just bought a new laptop and want to take steps to protect it and extend it's health, follow my additional tips here.
Free Calling Through Gmail
A must for campus students operating under a tight budget, Google's popular webmail service Gmail now includes an added feature that allows any laptop equipped with a built-in microphone, speakers, and internet access to place a phone call for free to any phone number within the United States or Canada for free. Simply refer to the contacts section of Gmail Chat, located at the bottom left-hand corner of the Gmail menu screen and select the "Call Phone" option from any of your listed contacts (those with phone numbers recorded). A virtual keypad will appear on your screen and you simply make the call as normal, your speaking into your laptop's microphone and listen with your speakers. Visit here for more information and to install the needed Voice And Chat Plugin
Belkin Play Router With Very Simple Installation Options
Hard to believe, but Belkin has come up with an even easier set-up system for their new routers. Every cable and component in the box comes with its own paper tag and IKEA-like images showing you what to connect and where. Cables and connections are colour-coded and simple pictures show you the steps involved.
You plug the router into an outlet, connect it to your modem, and then insert the included CD into your main computer. It auto runs, finds the router, updates its firmware for you if needed, and saves the settings.
All of the security settings are already set, in fact the router comes with a name and password built-in and includes a handy card with this information printed on it and tucked away into the bottom of the router itself. If you want to connect another computer or mobile device, just simply pull out the card and use the information printed there.
The software is a breeze to install, but with the rising popularity of netbooks and devices that lack a disc drive, especially amongst students, a USB drive system would be more appropriate. As with the Valet above, Belkin also offers a free 24 hour tech support line if needed.
For more information see my detailed comparison between the Belkin Play and the Cisco Valet easy installation routers.
LaCie Flash Drive Keys
$20 - $100
One of these keys is not like the other. One of them is actually a flash drive. USB flash drives are now available in all shapes and sizes, from necklaces and keychains to vinyl characters and even skateboards, but the handiest I've found by far is LaCie's key-shaped drives. Made with metal casing and designed to fit on a standard keyring, these durable drives seamless blend in with your household keys and go unnoticed. With storage sizes ranging from 4GB to 32 GB they can carry all your essential files and unlike the other thumb drive designs, you'll never leave home without these.
Apple iPod Touch
$250+
My pick for the ultimate portable study device is Apple's iPod Touch. The new model launching later this week updates the features of the ultra-thin iPod to become a near-perfect match for the iPhone. There's no GPS, no phone, and no flash, but everything else including e-mail, internet access, scientific calculator, a universe of apps, and two built-in cameras. What may seem expensive at first delivers a lot of value when you consider it's a music player, digital camera, camcorder, video game system, organizer, e-book reader, and voice recorder in one. Yes, each works well enough that you can skip buying those other devices.
RSS Feed