Back to School Tech

Standard backpacks and Trapper Keepers are old school...

Back to school shopping is getting a lot more technical – especially for high school and college students. Along with the #2 pencils and page protectors, you might need:

• Flash drives. These are quickly becoming a back-to-school essential – even for younger students.

• An e-reader. It might sound fancy – but it could actually save you a lot of money on college text books.

• The laptop. Contrary to what your student might think – the MacBook Air is not required – but it’s a favorite this year. It’s ultra-thin and light – and ultra-pricey at about $1,000.

• Smartpen. It records audio to fill in everything you forgot to write down in your notes. It even has language translation and game apps. It costs a little more than the standard Bic – $179-$199 – per pen.

• Webcam. If your college kid already has one – you’ll need one too if you’d like to inspect that dorm room once in a while.

• College kids don’t need stereos anymore – but they’ll need some decent speakers to crank up the iPod.

Forget the standard backpack – students are better off with tech bags now that are designed to hold and protect all those back-to-school valuables. And, you might want to invest in a low-tech tether if your kid is forgetful.