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Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today we're getting down to the very important business of helping you sift through laptops -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here! Given their roots -- luxury machines like the original MacBook Air ($1,800) and last year's Samsung Series 9 ($1,649) -- you'd be forgiven if you initially dismissed Ultrabooks as being too extravagant for a college-bound student. Thankfully, though, prices have sunk so low that you can now find a thin, fast, ultraportable laptop for as little as $700. The only problem, perhaps, is a paradox of choice: the selection is already crowded with dozens of contenders, and there are 100-some-odd more models in the pipeline, according to Intel. Fortunately for you, dear readers, we've had the chance to handle or even review many of them, and were able to whittle down the offerings to a handful of promising contenders. Whether you're prepared to spend $750 or $1,400, we have something that'll fit the bill.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're leaning back with our tablets -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here! Your back may be straining from the textbooks, laptop, gym gear and lunch in that dangling overstuffed messenger, but you're still gonna want to save room for one more item -- a tablet. After all, while you can surf, tweet, play games and watch video from your other devices, there's nothing like doing it from a simple glass window that sits in the palm of your hand. As the hardware gets more powerful, these devices are rapidly becoming versatile enough to let you justify leaving the laptop at home on less-intensive days, so why not check out our picks of the finest devices you should be using and abusing before, during and after class.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012
<div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/backtoschool2012"><img alt="Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/08/eng-bts-logo.jpeg"/> </a></div><p>Welcome to Engadget's back to school hub for 2012! With the payment plan locked in for tuition and fees, you're now free to spend on the fun stuff, and we're here to help! Throughout August, we'll be posting three guides each week, covering all of the categories you see represented below. Whether you're dropping a few grand or pinching pennies when it comes to tech, we've got the gear for you. Each guide includes three sections, organized by price, letting you make the best picks while staying within budget. Then, after after you see the very last guide go live at the end of the month, we'll be drawing the names of 15 lucky readers -- each will head back to campus this fall with a <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/06/back-to-school-giveaway/">bag of gadgets</a> stuffed to the brim! For now, click on over to our available category pages, and stay tuned for those to come -- identified by a faded graphic for now.</p><center> <table border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/22/back-to-school-guide-accessories/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/accessories-1343166374.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/27/back-to-school-guide-bags-and-cases/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/timbuk2-1343159092.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/17/back-to-school-guide-digital-cameras/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/dsc-rx100.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/24/back-to-school-guide-speaker-docks/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/dock.jpg"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/22/back-to-school-guide-accessories/">Accessories</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/27/back-to-school-guide-bags-and-cases/">Bags and Cases</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/17/back-to-school-guide-digital-cameras/">Cameras</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/24/back-to-school-guide-speaker-docks/">Docks</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/09/back-to-school-guide-e-readers/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011nook.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/31/back-to-school-guide-fun-stuff/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/flyingalarmclock.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/13/back-to-school-guide-gaming/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011sony-playstation-vita.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/15/back-to-school-guide-hdtv/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011tv.jpg"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/09/back-to-school-guide-e-readers/">E-readers</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/31/back-to-school-guide-fun-stuff/">Fun Stuff!</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/13/back-to-school-guide-gaming/">Gaming</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/15/back-to-school-guide-hdtv/">HDTV</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/10/back-to-school-guide-laptops/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/hp-envy.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/20/back-to-school-guide-portable-audio/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/aiaiai-capital-concrete-grey.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/back-to-school-guide-printers/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011printer.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/06/back-to-school-guide-smartphones/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-1.jpg"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/10/back-to-school-guide-laptops/">Laptops</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/20/back-to-school-guide-portable-audio/">Portable Audio</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/back-to-school-guide-printers/">Printers</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/06/back-to-school-guide-smartphones/">Smartphones</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/07/back-to-school-guide-tablets/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011tablet.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/08/back-to-school-guide-ultraportables/"><img alt="DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/07/acer-aspire-s5-ultrabook-1.jpg"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> </h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/07/back-to-school-guide-tablets/">Tablets</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/08/back-to-school-guide-ultraportables/">Ultraportables</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;"> <h5> </h5> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table></center>
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're tapping away on our brand-new smartphones -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here! It's a good time to be a student. Last year, there were some solid picks, but it was still very clear that those willing to scrimp and save a little longer had a much better experience. This year, it's a people's revolution. Thanks to cutthroat competition, there are some exceptional phones out there, even for those of you hoping to avoid eating ramen noodles for a month. Software has taken a leap forward too, with many phones now offering a vital way to remember when that term paper is due... or to procrastinate at the pub. We have nine choices of phones in our shortlist, spread out across three categories to serve everyone from the I-just-need-a-phone freshman to the overloaded doctoral candidate. While you're eying the selection, don't forget to enter our giveaway and potentially ease the burden -- who knows, you may get a phone you want rather than the one dictated by your student loan.
Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags!
Ready to pack away the swim trunks and sunscreen and head back to school? If you're a lucky winner of our annual back to school sweepstakes, you'll surely be itching to make the return to campus. With last year's contest deemed an incredible success, we're stepping up the offering for 2012, adding higher-end devices in almost every category. There's an Ultrabook from HP, Sony's new mirrorless camera and a Samsung Galaxy S III, just to name a few. If your name is drawn, we'll be shipping you an overstuffed Engadget-branded Timbuk2 messenger bag, filled with prizes worth more than $3,000 in all. And to increase your chances of winning, we'll be giving away a total of 15 identical bags! That means 15 laptops, 15 cameras, 15 smartphones and 15 very happy Engadget readers. So what are you waiting for? Jump past the break to see the prizes, and be sure to enter in the comments below, and another 14 times on each of our back to school category pages, launching throughout the month.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: tablets
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we're leaning back with our tablets -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! There are certain back to school purchases we could never talk you out of. A laptop? Vital. A smartphone? Highly recommended. A printer? Necessary -- if you're the kind of person who finishes papers minutes with minutes to spare, leaving no time to swing by the computer lab on the way to class. But a tablet? We'll be honest: we can't think of a good reason why you need one, but we can more than sympathize if you're dead-set. We've picked a few noteworthy choices for each budget, though if you're really lucky you'll win one of 15 Samsung Galaxy Tabs and won't have to pay a dime. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for this year's tablet picks for back to school.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: televisions
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we're settling down in front of a few of our favorite HDTVs, but you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the series we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! The bad news is that unless you chose your major very carefully, your assignments will not often include a directive to plop down in front of the TV for any large amount of time. The good news, however, is that you'll probably end up doing plenty of that anyway, so whether you're zoning out to some reality TV drama, enjoying an enlightening documentary, or playing video games in the dorm, you'll want a nice set to watch on. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: printers
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have printers on our minds and on our desks -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Sadly, most of your professors probably still expect assignments to be turned in on dried-up wood pulp. And, while that doesn't mean you'll have to remaster the fine art of writing in cursive, you will need a printer to put your (carefully proofread and thoroughly researched, of course) prose on paper. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: e-readers
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got our optical viewfinders set firmly on digital cameras -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Most of us are still walking around hunchbacked from years of carrying heavy textbooks in our overstuffed backpacks. Thankfully, an e-reader can significantly lighten the loads for students everywhere. Sure, we've still got a ways to go before electronic devices can replace textbooks altogether, but in the long run, it's a purpose that could significantly impact the postures of backpack wearers all over. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011
<div style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/backtoschool2011/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/engadget-bts2011-1.jpeg" style="margin:4px 0px;"/></a></div> Welcome to Engadget's Back to School hub! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. You've stumbled upon our main hub page, and we're glad you're here. Each week in August we'll be adding three new product guides to our home page, and we'll collect them all here as well. And after the final guide hits the web on September 2nd, we'll be drawing names for Engadget's <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/engadgets-back-to-school-2011-sweepstakes-were-giving-away-3/">biggest giveaway to date</a>. You'll hear more about that very soon, but for now, click on over to our available category pages, and stay tuned for those to come -- identified by a faded graphic for now.<br /> <br /> <center> <table border="0" style="width:630px;height:281px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-accessories/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/2011btscanonmouse2.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-bags-and-cases/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011-timbuk2.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-desktops/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011-hp-touchsmart-610.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/01/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-digital-cameras/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011-nexc3-land.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px;"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-accessories/">Accessories</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-bags-and-cases/">Bags and Cases</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-desktops/">Desktops</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/01/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-digital-cameras/">Cameras</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-speaker-docks/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011-octiv-650.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/03/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-e-readers/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011nook.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/19/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-fun-stuff"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011funstuff-1311893940.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-gaming/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011sony-playstation-vita.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-speaker-docks/">Docks</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/03/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-e-readers/">E-readers</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/19/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-fun-stuff">Fun Stuff!</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-gaming/">Gaming</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/12/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-headphones/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011headphones-1311894413.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/26/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-laptops"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011laptop.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-printers/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011printer.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/22/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-smartphones"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011phone.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/12/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-headphones/">Headphones</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/26/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-laptops">Laptops</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-printers/">Printers</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/22/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-smartphones">Smartphones</a></h5> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> <td> <font color="white">.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/15/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-tablets/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011tablet.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-televisions/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/07/bts2011tv.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:0px 4px;"/></a></td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> </h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/15/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-tablets/">Tablets</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/engadgets-back-to-school-guide-2011-televisions/">TVs / Displays</a></h5> </td> <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <h5> </h5> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </center>
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: digital cameras
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got our optical viewfinders set firmly on digital cameras -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Welcome to Digital Cameras 101. This single-lecture class will feature a handful of top cams for every budget, and since you're just getting back from a summer of wild shooting, we'll try to keep things brief this time around, giving you one last chance to enjoy that crisp natural light. There won't be a pop quiz, but if you're feeling lucky and don't mind following our simple instructions, we may just be able to send you home with your very own Sony NEX-C3. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for a top-level overview of this year's picks for back to school.
Engadget's back to school guide: Laptop bags
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have laptop bags in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. By now you should have had enough time to decide what on our laptop buying guide takes your fancy, but, as Apple will tell you, the protective case is sometimes as important as the precious hardware itself. You'll notice that this year we have a good number of bags that include padded camera sections as well -- to the point of perhaps being described as camera bags with laptop compartments -- but we feel that's justified by the massive proliferation of DSLRs into the mainstream market. Entry-level interchangeable lens shooters have grown cheap enough even for non-photography students to consider owning one, but we can think of no good reason why they should require a separate bag of their own. So, on with the recommendations.
Engadget's back to school guide: E-readers
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have e-readers in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Yes, it's the next round of buying advice for those of you condemned to start hitting the books at the end of the summer. But, with one of these e-readers, you might just have fewer books to hit -- or at least lighter ones. Sadly most schools are still dependent on texts of the pulpy variety, but that doesn't mean an e-reader can't make your life a lot easier at school, and possibly even save you some money if you're reading the classics.
Engadget's back to school guide: Digital cameras
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got our optical viewfinders set firmly on digital cameras -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Time for us to open up chapter two of this year's Back to School advice compendium. Up for discussion today are digital cameras, which have been in the gym all year working on their processing prowess and return today with 720p HD video as an almost standard feature. We've got a good cross-section of young pretenders and finely aged veterans for your perusal, so why not give your mouse a little exercise as well and click past the break?
Engadget's back to school guide: Netbooks and laptops
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got laptops and netbooks in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. You didn't think we'd let back to school season roll around without rounding up the latest gear, did you? Good, because here at Engadget we understand that not only is heading off to college nerve wracking, but picking out the best gadgets can as equally scary. We couldn't think of kicking off our back to school guide with anything but our top netbook / laptop choices since, you know, a good performing and well-rounded machine is absolutely essential for those hours of Facebook stalking, err of homework and studying. No matter what your budget, we've got you covered with recommendations and loads of mobile computing options. Now, on to the laptops...
Engadget's back to school giveaway, part one!
We told you when we unveiled our back to school guide that we'd be giving away a bunch of gear, remember that? Well, here we are, ready to deliver. So what do we have in our bag of goodies this time? Let's just say our winner is going to be one happy camper. A bunch of the companies we featured in the guide have graciously handed over some gear for one lucky reader. The list of gear that will be in your bag is below -- so read the rules (seriously, they've changed -- read them!) and submit a comment to be entered! Good luck. One randomly chosen winner will receive: One (1) Acer Aspire Timeline 8000 laptop One (1) Acer Aspire One D250 One (1) Nokia Surge One (1) Astak EZ-Reader Pro* One (1) iLuv iMM153 dock One (1) Canon Pixma MP490 all-in-one printer One (1) Timbuk2 customizable Swig bag One (1) Cocoon Innovations CPS 400 laptop case One (1) Roku Digital Video Player Big thanks to the following companies for providing us with gear to give away: Acer, Nokia, Astak, iLuv, Canon, Timbuk2, Cocoon Innovations, and Roku. * The Astak EZ-Reader Pro will be released during the month of September, and will ship to the winner at that time.
Engadget's back to school guide
It's that time of year again -- back to school has arrived. Plenty of you will be shoving off to college for the very first time, and Engadget's here to help you out. In the emotionally uproarious time that is now, you've probably realized there's truly an upside to higher education: it's a great excuse to get some new gear. And that's where we come in. No matter what your budget, we've got you covered, with recommendations and options galore. Whether you're going to be a new student in the brilliant world that is academia, or you're the proud parent / guardian of one, we've done some leg work to make the transition a little bit easier. We decided that choosing gadgets in three "budget" ranges would be most helpful to you, the reader, and we've chosen a kit of gear we think any student would do well to grab up for each -- covering laptops, netbooks, mobile phones, e-readers, laptop bags, and so on. Knowing that our readers re not one-size-fits-all, however, we've also chosen some alternate options in the categories where choice makes sense -- choice is, after all, part of what we love about gadgets -- without providing an overwhelming list. Of course, our choices aren't meant to be all-encompassing, but we think they'll provide a pretty good place to start your shopping! Read on for our recommendations -- we promise, they're very very, helpful. Oh -- did we mention we're going to be giving away a bunch of this gear, too? Keep your eyes on the site in the coming days for more on that, and hit the links below for our guide. Back to school guide: on the cheap Back to school guide: mid-range Back to school guide: money's no object
