12 The Voice, For Students, By Students □ September 7, 2011 □ www.fsuvoice.com □ send news tips to the editor; thevolce.fsu@gmail.com
ELECTRONICS
Omg! U gotta get with the program! DonJ break the bank trying to ‘floss’
by Chamell Harris
Features Editor
Smartphones, iPods, laptops, oh my!
These items are no longer the electronics
associated exclusively with the science club
or the super-rich. Students and working-
class folks now own them too.
This is the information age, meaning
our society is growing more and more ob
sessed with how we share information and
how efficient the process is. What’s wrong
with trying to be as efficient as possible
when it comes to the way we deliver and
receive information? We choose to attend
college knowing that we’re not only com
peting with our peers, but everyone else in
the world. Knowing how to use new techno
logical devices gives us the edge we need in
the worldwide job market.
One of the main reasons people are quick
to go against technological advancement is
due to cost. The mantra that “better” equals
“more expensive” is a thing of the past.
Web sites such as Overstock, Amazon.com,
and eBay sell updated electronic gadgets at
reasonable rates. Best Buy and Target of
fer mail-in rebates that take hundreds off
the sticker price for select items. When it
comes down to it, students who can afford
a pair of $200 sneakers can definitely afford
to purchase a laptop. If it helps with school
and work, students and parents need to be
willing to make these kinds of investments.
While some professors tell students that
advanced gadgets are not needed to get
through college, others would disagree. Ac
cording to a study done by etextbook seller
CourseSmart and Wakefield Research, 91
percent of college students feel that using
some sort of technology is the best way to
get in contact with professors. The study
showed that students use elec
tronics to do most college as
signments. Depending on the
student’s major, it would be
wise to spend money on some
of the latest items. Some of
these devices aid the stu
dent’s learning. Also, hav
ing their own tech tools
can help students be more
proficient with the tech
nology they’ll use in
their careers. Students
majoring in fields
like graphic design,
computer science,
or business should
have a laptop with
the most current software for the student to
practice with. At the very least, students’
personal computers should have the ca
pability to perform the same tasks as the
school’s computers.
Smartphones are also a good invest
ment for college students. Though usually
pegged as the phones for those addicted to
Facebook and Twitter, smartphones have
virtually the same capabilities as a laptop
without the bulk. They can serve business
and communication majors well, due to its
24/7 access to e-mail.
So, which piece of technology tops the
list as the must-have gadget for college
students? It’s simple. Every student should
have an external hard drive. External hard
drives allow students to hold a lot of infor
mation on their laptops, and are a safety
net for important files should the computer
crash. Once students save assignments to
their external hard drives, they are un
plugged from the laptop. Thus, if your com
puter gets a virus, none of your files would
be compromised. External hard drives are
affordable and convenient.
IPods and mp3 players will always be on
the list of most-wanted gadgets because of
their portability. Students can listen to mu
sic without disturbing their roommates. Not
only are they affordable, but some can be
used as external hard drives and phones as
well.
by Nike Pascal
Web Editor
Anything outside of a regular cell phone
and unlimited texting plan, for most, is just
for leisure and entertainment. Most college
students are strapped for cash until their col
lege years are over, and sometimes well after.
The latest iPhone, whether it’s new or re
furbished, can range anywhere from $100 to
$600. Do you really need such high-tech gear
for school? What classes are you taking that
require this type of expensive technology?
Is a student being financially responsible by
making these hefty purchases?
Most wireless companies, including Ve
rizon and AT&T, along with retailers like
Walmart and Best Buy, offer inexpensive
phones and other gadgets that have the same
capabilities as name-brand and luxury gad
gets. Students need to consider their purchas
es, whether or not they need and can afford
certain electronics. Wanting a pricey phone
versus needing it can make the difference
between whether or not you have emergency
fimds for sticky last minute situations.
Be smart with your money. Students have
been known to drop out of school so they can
work full time, not because they cannot afford
the cost of getting an education, but in order
to keep up with the new fashion, gadget, and
electronic trends.
In the long run you’re just hurting your
self, not the folks you think you may be im
pressing with state-of-the-art technology.
How silly is it to drop out of college so you
can work to pay an outrageous cell phone
bill? We aren’t so advanced that it’ll be an ab
solute requirement for
work and/or school.
Most students who
are employed don’t
even have jobs that al
low them to comfort
ably pay for the new
gadgets, and cover
everyday college life
expenses. They spend
their small checks on
splurges, instead of
savings. Then, when
they receive large
refund checks, in
many instances,
much of it goes
towards backed-
up bills and debt that
could’ve been paid
off with the same funds used on those over
priced phones, music-players, tablets, and
computers.
You’re in college and an adult. And as an
adult, sometimes you must forgo a desire in
order to pursue something that will benefit
your future.
It looks senseless when a student tells a
professor he or she was unable to purchase
a $35 book due to a lack of money, but then
pulls out an electronic device that costs over
$100. Take advantage of free computer labs,
and save the extra cash for something you re
ally need. The school’s book rental plan only
covers books that cost over $50. Let’s be seri
ous, your friends and family will most likely
send you a text rather than an email or a video
that needs to be dovmloaded.
Also, more often than not, students using
the pricier electronics are the culprits of inter
rupting instruction time. It’s disrespectful to
the professor and annoying to students when
lessons are interrupted in order to tell students
to put away their cell phones and iPods.
Between education and modem technol
ogy, education wins. No matter how much of
a “techie” you are, it’s not worth the money at
this time if you have to buy books, food, and
pay for shelter.
Every day, a new cell phone, laptop, or
other gadget appears on the market. It is usu
ally more expensive then it predecessor. Your
education should be your number one prior
ity. Skip out on the uimecessary spending and
keep your head in the books. Save the high
tech electronics for when you’re truly able to
afford and enjoy them.