Cool Accessories Add to Electronic Experience

By Etan Horowitz

When I set off for college seven years ago, I thought I was cool because my desktop computer had a CD burner and a DVD player.

But as thousands of students head off to college in the next few weeks, they’ll be packing a bunch of gadgets that are smaller, faster and more advanced than anything in my dorm room.

Today’s students typically arrive on campus equipped with at least four key devices: a laptop, an iPod, a cell phone and a digital camera.

Since many students have probably already purchased these items, I’m not going to suggest any specific models.

Instead, here are five products that can help college students get more out of those essential items.

Docking station

In my day, there was still a hot debate about bringing a laptop or a desktop. But now that most schools have wireless Internet throughout campus, laptops are king.

If you have a laptop but still pine for the stability and comfort of a desktop, you might buy a docking station or expansion base.

Hewlett-Packard’s xb3000 Notebook Expansion Base comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse, built-in speakers, and an adjustable mount so the screen is at eye level.

This model costs $250 and works only with HP computers, but other manufacturers including Dell produce similar products.

An expansion base gives you the best of both worlds. You can dock your computer to watch a movie and easily unplug it and put it in your bag when you head to class.

iPod alarm

If you’re cursed with an 8 a.m. class, what better way to wake up than listening to some of your favorite tunes.

The iLuv i277 is one of the many iPod alarm clocks on the market. It costs $150 and comes with a remote and a TV jack to play iPod videos. It also uses Bluetooth technology so you can wirelessly stream music from other devices that use Bluetooth, such as cell phones and computers.

All-in-one printer

In college, you’ll have to print reports for class, make copies of your resume and scan in photos.

You could skip a printer and mooch off your friends or use the campus computer lab, but that takes time – a rare commodity for most college students.

One item to consider is an all-in-one printer, which lets you copy, scan and fax documents all from one place. It also prints pictures directly from your camera’s digital memory card.

Kodak’s EasyShare 5300, at $200, has a color screen that lets you view and print pictures without a computer.

Another nice feature is that the printer uses cheaper ink than that used by many other printers: $10 for a black cartridge and $15 for a color cartridge.

Chargepod

Using iPods, cell phones and other devices to entertain yourself and communicate with friends is fun, but finding room to charge them all isn’t.

You might want to get a Chargepod, an octopuslike device that powers up to six items at once from only one wall outlet.

At callpod.com, you can design a customized Chargepod with adapters for your specific devices. Alternatively, you can also buy a “starter pack,” with the 10 most common adapters, for $80.

Flip Video camera

A lot of crazy stuff happens in college that you’ll want to get on video. You may even want to share it with the world.

The Flip Video camera does both of these things and doesn’t cost a fortune: $120 for the 30-minute model and $150 for the 60-minute version.

The camera comes with a USB connection, so moving videos to your computer is a snap. It also has a built in uploader for YouTube.

Etan Horowitz shows how technology can get you to class on time, then make your day a fun, multimedia experience, at OrlandoSentinel.com/business. He can be reached at ehorowitz@ orlandosentinel.com.

Originally published by The Orlando Sentinel, Fla..

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