CCS Tek Show Notes - 8/18/14

Back to School Tech Guide

http://www.engadget.com/buyers-guide/engadget-back-to-school-guide-2014#!view=collage
So Im going to say that dreaded word - school

with people heading back to school in the next few weeks, Im going to give you a list of top tech things you need for this school year

A laptop.

Now what should buy is going to vary from person to person

If you just need something to take notes, surf the web, and do papers on, then an Ultrabook would be great for you. They are light weight, have great battery life, and typically have a smaller screen 13”avg, and can do everything a normal laptop does. It just sacrifies some raw POWER for battery life. Dell, Asus, and HP all make some great ultrabooks. But ultrabooks can be a bit more expensive in the 500+ range.

If you arent worried about weight and are just looking to save a few pennies, you can get a lower end notebook. These things are going to be full size but also can be a bit more bulky and heavy. Again Dell, HP, as well as ASUS and Toshiba all make great lowend machines. Just make sure you have at least a DUAL CORE processor and at least 4GB of RAM.

IF you are looking to spend a bit more for raw power or sexy appeal, then you cant go wrong with a Macbook Pro. These machines are amazing - the run nice, easy to use, very powerful, and hold their value for a long time. But they do cost a fair amount starting at 1000.

If you want something Windows based, then ASUS ROG notebooks are great for gaming or other performance work

Phone.

Next you are going to need a new Smartphone.

Now personally, I am a big Apple fan and definitely recommend an iPhone.

They are easy to use, have the most Apps, and if you already have an iPod, all your music and apps will transfer over seamlessly. Now apple is releasing new Phones September 9th 2014 so it would pay to wait a couple more weeks.

But if you cant, you are going to be able to get some great deals on the iPhone 5s, the flagship model and a great piece of hardware

If you want to go android there are plenty of options.

My top three picks are the HTC One M8, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Nexus 5. These are all great flagship models which will serve you well. Each has their own pros/cons but are still good.

If you are looking to save a bit of money, the Motorola E and Moto X are both great phones for less.

Accessories

Of course you will need some tech accessories

Storage

First you will need portable storage - so a flash drive that is 16GB at least.

The brands I recommend are Corsair and Sandisk - I have had great luck with companies - they make great products with good warranties.

Secondly - an alarm clock/phone dock.

This way you can charge your phone, play music, and (hopefully) wake up on time all from one device.

I am going to include links in  the description below for where you can find iPhone and android models

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICFCS15IPN-Lightning-iPhone-Speaker/dp/B00BQ4HRG4/
http://www.amazon.com/iHome-iC50BY-Android-Alarm-Speaker/dp/B007NWULIY

Backpack

Now your school may provide a backpack for you, but if not, here are some suggestions.

MAKE sure that your laptop will fit in your backpack. Preferably with an inch to spare. If you have a 15” screen make sure the backpack fits 15”+ screens.

Brands I recommend are Targus and Swissgear. Swissgear is a bit more expensive but lasts forever.

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Gaming

Part of school is relaxing when its over and gaming is a great way to do that.

Of course you have the Xbox one and PS4, but what are some other options.

Well there is the Wii U which is receiving a lot of modern titles as well as Super mario smash bro and zelda games

There is the Shield Tablet and Portable (see video here)

Or you can game on a PC or laptop.

If you want to do it on a laptop there are several options from vendors like Razer, Alienware, Asus ROG, and MSI