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24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Having new technology can make back to school a whole lot easier.
- Smart pens and smart clocks can help you stay organized and on time.
- If you have multiple devices, a new keyboard can be very helpful.
- Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever
For better or worse, summer is just about over, which means it’s back-to-school time. Parents love this time of year, while children and young adults of all ages look at the calendar with dread. The good news is that this time of year is the ideal opportunity to grab some new gadgets you didn’t know you ever needed. While some purchases, like a new computer, might be a no-brainer, other gadget needs will be a complete surprise.
Many gadget brands run deep sales this time of year, making a purchase feel even more necessary. No matter what grade level you’re going into, gadgets can be an opportunity to get more done, be more organized, or feel like you’ve got a whole new setup. To identify the back-to-school tech you didn’t know you needed, we looked at data from websites like Reddit and PC World to gather our list presented in no particular order.
Why Does This Matter?
Back-to-school tech can be critical to having a great year.
Across the gadget spectrum, there are brands involved that we regularly cover on 24/7 Wall St. Whether it’s a product from Apple, Beats, Bose, Sony, Google, or Microsoft, these are brands that are staples of the tech world and also are among some of the most covered stocks in the finance world. On top of that, tech products are a great thing to be familiar with, even if you are not a student, as there might be something here that can benefit your home or office setup.
12. White Noise Machine
White Noise machines are a great way to get some sleep before a test.
- Manufactured by: Yogasleep
- Price: $30
It’s not a high-tech addition to your back-to-school lineup, but a White Noise Machine is something you will quickly love. Capable of playing different nature-based sounds, this is exactly what students of all ages need to help get a good night's sleep. You can generally set a timer so the machine automatically turns off, even though it’s the best way to ensure a good night’s sleep before a big test the next day.
11. Echo Spot
The Echo Spot doubles as a great alarm clock and speaker.
- Manufactured by: Amazon
- Price: $80
In a world where smart everything is becoming increasingly familiar, adding an Amazon Echo Spot to your back-to-school tech collection can be helpful. Not only can you use it to ask Alexa for homework help, but it also doubles as an alarm clock and speaker. You can get everything from the weather so you know what to wear for the school day or play soothing music while powering through the paper you waited all week to write.
10. External Hard Drive
An external hard drive is a great way to back up schoolwork.
- Manufactured by: Western Digital
- Price: $70
You might think that backing everything up to the cloud is the easiest way to save your work. However, having a local backup, like the My Passport from Western Digital, can be a lifesaver. There is no telling how often you have been somewhere with poor Wi-Fi and can’t download a large presentation to share with your group in class. A portable hard drive can be synced to a laptop or tablet to easily share or back up everything important.
9. Logitech Keyboard
A Logitech keyboard can be used with multiple devices.
- Manufactured by: Logitech
- Price: $40
While you might already own a keyboard, you likely don’t own one that can control three devices. A multi-device Bluetooth keyboard from Logitech, like the Pebble Keys 2 K380s, lets you control devices from Windows, iPad OS, Android, iOS, Android, and more. All you have to do is click one button on the keyboard, and you can instantly switch from controlling your laptop to your tablet and then back again.
8. SmartSleep Wake-Up Light
A wake-up light is a great way to ease yourself into the morning.
- Manufactured by: Philips
- Price: $100
Many alarm clocks are on the market, but none quite like the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light. Simulating both sunrise and sunset, this clock and its 20 brightness settings help you more naturally wake up from your slumber. What stands out is that science supports the idea an alarm clock like this will help you wake up feeling more rested than just slapping the snooze button 12 times on a digital clock.
7. Electric Mug Warmer
An electric mug warmer is a lifesaver for hot tea and coffee.
- Manufactured by: Ember
- Price: $150
An electric mug warmer can be a lifesaver for those a little older in the student world, as heat can quickly disappear for tea, coffee, and other hot drinks. At least, this was an issue before you purchased the Ember Smart Mug, which offers 80 minutes of battery life to keep your drinks warm. You can use the downloadable smartphone app to help set the right temperature and drink from the 14-oz cup repeatedly.
6. Bluetooth Tracker
Apple's Airtag is a great way to avoid losing a bag and your keys.
- Manufactured by: Apple or Tile
- Price: $30
This won’t surprise parents of all ages, but students tend to lose things. Big things and little things will undoubtedly get lost as the school year progresses. The good news is that you can look at products like the Apple AirTag or Tile Pro. Both of these products are small enough to fit in any size backpack, bicycle, or anything else of value that you want to keep a close eye on, and they cost less than $30 each.
5. Smart Notebook
A smart notebook can help you easily save your notes after every class.
- Manufactured by: Rocketbook
- Price: $35
Say goodbye to the days of the boring old “classic” pen and paper notebook. Instead, grab a Rocketbook Planner & Notebook and find the best of the classic and digital worlds. You can make the most of the included and reusable 42 pages by taking anything you’ve written down in the notebook and upload it to the cloud. This means taking notes the old-fashioned way but reviewing them digitally.
4. Smart Water Bottle
Smart water bottles will help students remember to stay hydrated.
- Manufactured by: ICEWATER
- Price: $20
If you have a student or are a student who forgets to stay hydrated, grab the ICEWATER 3-in-1 Smart Water Bottle. This is a personal favorite, as it connects to a downloadable smartphone app and reminds you to drink every hour. As the bottle will slightly “glow” when it’s time to drink, you’re hard-pressed to ignore it until you take another sip and allow the reminder to return to work for the next hour. Plus, a Bluetooth speaker is built into the bottom so you can dance and drink between classes.
3. Smart Pen
Using a smart pen is a fantastic addition to any pencil kit.
- Manufactured by: Livescribe
- Price: $120
If you’re a student who regularly sits in lecture halls, a smart pen like the one made by Livescribe, the Echo 2, is a must-own. With the ability to record everything that is said and written, it’s an ideal way to stay organized. You can replay everything you’ve recorded by saving notes on both the Mac and Windows PC platforms or through the Android or iOS smartphone apps. Notes can even be organized as images or PDF files, whichever works best for you to sort through and study.
2. Noise Canceling Headphones
A pair of noise-canceling headphones will help students focus better.
- Manufactured by: Sony
- Price: $300+
While you might not think a set of pricey noise-canceling headphones is worth the cost, you’ll quickly learn they are worth every penny. Among the best noise-canceling headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones will help you block out the world to study without interruption. These headphones can be worn on public transportation, when studying at the library or home, and even when walking to different classes. For the price, you get 30 hours of battery life with active noise canceling, which is good enough for three days of school.
1. Portable Monitor
Adding an extra monitor can mean lots of extra space to work.
- Manufactured by: ARZOPA
- Price: ~$100
There is something great about having lots of extra screen space to help you multitask between homework assignments online. Whether you have a laptop or desktop, having a portable monitor can be a big benefit. Companies like ARZOPA produce some of the best monitor products worldwide, and you can almost always find them with some type of deal or coupon on Amazon.
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