Hasta La Gadget!

Once school kicks into high gear it may seem like there’s no end to all the work that needs to be done, but rest assured — there will come a time when you won’t find yourself buried in a textbook or furiously writing papers. The question then is, well, what do you do with yourself?

Sure, you could go out, meet new people, and generally expand your horizons, but there’s something to be said for the simple pleasure of vegging out with video games. That said, here are a few gadgets that should help fill those brief, wondrous moments between exams and assignments.

Nintendo 3DS XL

Before anyone gets the urge to cry “fanboy!”, allow me to explain why I chose this over the Vita. Price is at least part of the equation (the 3DS XL costs $50 less than its Sony-sourced rival), but the kicker for me comes down to content — as pretty and powerful as the Vita is, its software catalog leaves a bit to be desired.

The 3DS XL doesn’t suffer from that problem quite as badly (compatibility with DS games comes in handy), and the 3D functionality opens up the door for some really novel gameplay experiences. Plus, thanks to its thoughtfully redesigned frame, it’s a much more comfortable way to indulge your long-running Pokemon addiction whenever the urge strikes (not, uh, that I would know anything about that).

Nintendo.com, $199.99

Xbox 360 Controller

What’s that? You don’t own an Xbox 360? Well, fortunately for you, Microsoft’s bog-standard wired 360 controller is an utter joy to use when its connected to that computer of yours. Sure, there’s a strong argument to be made for the superiority of the keyboard/mouse combo, but some PC games just feel better with a controller in hand (I’m looking at you, Just Cause 2).

Perhaps more importantly, Microsoft’s controller makes for a great companion into the wild and woolly world of old-school console emulation, but that’s a super-nerdy rant that’s best saved for another time. The retro aficionados among you may prefer ThinkGeek’s NES-inspired USB controller, but an extra $10 ultimately nets you a more versatile (and comfortable) way to play.

Microsoft.com, $39.99

Retro Duo NES/SNES Game System

Emulation is a wonderful thing, but sometimes there’s nothing like blowing in the business end of a cartridge and preparing to spend the next few hours wallowing in nostalgia. Enter ThinkGeek’s RetroDuo game console, a tiny, glossy black hunk of plastic that plays both SNES and NES (and Famicom/Super Famicom) games with aplomb.

Of course, its usefulness is hampered if you’re not sitting on top of a huge stash of old-school Nintendo games, but there’s an easy fix for that — take $60 (the price of an average, big-name title for the 360 or PS3), cruise around eBay, and see what treasures you can dig up.

ThinkGeek.com, $49.99

Some Kind of Cable Lock

Enter the slightly boring, practical option — unless you’re absolutely sure your new friends are above reproach, it may be worth looking into a way to lock down those pricy game consoles. The slim new Xbox 360 has a standard Kensington lock connection point on its rear end, but PS3 and Wii owners aren’t quite as lucky.

Ah, but there’s still hope. A quick look around the web reveals that there are a handful of aftermarket options that should do the trick — the padlock-secured offerings on NewPCGadgets are worth a look if you plan to take the cautious approach.

NewPCGadgets.com, $27.95

Gaems G155 Portable Gaming Rig

Growing up as a gamer teaches you to always be prepared, whether it means carrying around some extra AA batteries for the ol’ Game Boy or keeping your eyes peeled in Rehashed First Person Shooter 5.

The self-contained Gaems system takes that a few steps further — it allows gamers to lug around their 360 or PS3 in a secure case that also includes a 15-inch LCD screen and stereo speaker system for gaming in different locales. Just plug in the included HDMI cable and connect the package to a power source, and voila: now it’s a snap to venture outside your room and still grind in Final Fantasy XIII-2. The only real downside to this portable preparedness package is its hefty price tag, but I have a feeling some die-hard gamers will bite the bullet anyway.

Newegg.com, $249

And, because I’m really bad at following instructions, here’a bonus!

Cards Against Humanity

Right, it’s not a video game, but you can download a PDF of all the (generally offensive) cards and print them out at the computer lab. The end result is a rip-roaring good time that makes for an awesome icebreaker, especially during those first few awkward days.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the game, think of it as Apples To Apples for utter jerks. Seriously, unless your moral compass is set to “downright Puritan,” you’re going to have a blast.

Free to print, $25 on Amazon.com

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 always 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!

Freshman year of college may no longer be the gateway to the magical world of laptop ownership, but even if you already have a notebook, who can resist a new machine in the spirit of starting fresh when September rolls around? Whether you’re looking for a Core i5 companion to get you through semesters of paper-writing, Facebooking and WoWing, or a super-sleek centerpiece to your bare-bones dorm, there’s a vast playing field of machines to choose from. While sifting through the countless options would surely get you back in the academic research frame of mind, it’s a daunting task. We’re here to take some of the work off your plate with nine solid mainstream laptops that should satisfy every budget.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops

Filed under: Laptops

Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: ultraportables

Filed under: Laptops

Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: ultraportables originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: tablets

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every year we have a little tradition around TC: a “back to school” series for folks who are either entering college or just leaving the confines of academia for their first job. Our goal in this series is to talk about all the gadgetry, great and small, that would help make that transition a little smoother and, more important, offer some advice from entrepreneurs and business folks who have been through it all.

You can read all of our coverage right here.

These next few days we’re going to feature top 5 lists of some of our favorite gear as well as advice and videos from some of the biggest names in tech. We also welcome your tips and tricks and we’d love to publish them on Friday in a compendium of college knowledge. Please submit stories, ideas, and tips to tips@techcrunch.com with the subject “COLLEGE.”

Until then, look for our top five lists this week and remember: Mark Zuckerberg never graduated, and look how he turned out.