Tech Homework Helpers

Sometimes, a little tech help can make homework go faster. Start with the obvious: A good computer. I went with the HP Pavilion Slimline, an excellent, affordable desktop PC. Throw in some other homework helpers to help kids get through the rough patches, and (hopefully) homework will get finished before dinner.

HP Pavilion Slimline s3100Y Series Desktop PC

Powerful, affordable family computing

A desktop computer that packs all the power kids and their families need into a compact, affordable, reliable desktop PC. It’s not a great gaming PC, but this desktop will be used for homework, photos, and messaging only, right

Franklin Children’s Speller & Dictionary

Look it up!

I’m a big fan of looking up words in a dictionary, but if an electronic version will inspire kids to learn how to spell a word or understand another’s meaning, I’m all for it. This one is designed for kids ages 6 and up, and includes spell correction, animations, personalized greetings, and games including “Fun with Spanish” and “Fun with French.”

Leapfrog Fusion FLY

A pen full of knowledge

LeapFrog has powered up its ‘Pentop Computer,’ infusing it with enough knowledge to help middle school students with their homework. This new generation FLY pen allows students to take notes (on special FLY paper) and upload them onto a PC via Microsoft Word or email, while giving kids some grammar and sentence structure help as they write. The pen also helps complete math equations and translate French and Spanish phrases.

Texas Instruments Plus TI-83 Graphing Calculator

Standard issue gear for older students

Students can use this calculator for classes ranging from Algebra and Pre-Calculus to Biology and Physics. The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator can do everything from basic math to advanced regression analysis.

Petzl Zipka Headlamp

For nighttime reading

My family has been repeatedly disappointed by standard reading lights that seem to break soon after we get them. So why not use a light tough enough to use backpacking and reading while camping at home? This $24 LED light works with 3 AAA batteries, has a retractable wire strap, and is lightweight.

Crayola Twistables

Endless color fun

Okay, so this is a really low tech twist on a staple in every school-age kids’ back-to-school backpack. No peeling or sharpening necessary with these Crayola crayons—just twist and keep coloring. A clear plastic barrel keeps them from breaking and makes it easy to see how much color is left. Necessary? No. But this is a wish list, after all.

Top Texting Phones for Students

Today’s students text more than they email, so they’ll need a messaging phone to keep up with their lightning-fast thumbs. These handsets all boast full (or at least hybrid) QWERTY keypads, along with plenty of style and multimedia features to spare.

Helio Ocean

A QWERTY keypad, great Web browsing and downloadable music

Everyone’s raving about the iPhone, but don’t forget this feature-packed sleeper waiting in the wings. The Ocean is a two-way slider—slide one way for a standard number keypad, the other for QWERTY action—that’s a messaging machine, including a full-fledged email client and IM (AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger). Add in streaming multimedia and GPS-aided Buddy Beacon, and you’ve got a power mobile package.

LG enV

A clamshell packed with a QWERTY keypad and multimedia.

This popular clamshell may lack the Ocean’s strong e-mail capabilities, but it’s a perfect fit for students who love to text their buddies—either via SMS or instant message. The enV is relatively compact for a QWERTY phone, and it also packs in 3G data support for streaming video clips and downloading music over Verizon’s V Cast multimedia service. Best of all—you can snag it for $30 or less.

Sidekick iD

A pared-down Sidekick that’s aces with messaging

The iD is a stripped-down version of the pricey Sidekick 3; it lacks the music and Bluetooth capabilities of its pricier big brother. That said, the Sidekick has always been all about messaging, and the iD doesn’t disappoint. Armed with AIM, Yahoo and MSN IM clients, the iD also has push e-mail—a rarity for a handset this cheap—along with an easy-to-use QWERTY keypad and signature flip-up display.

Samsung BlackJack

Compact Windows smartphone with impressive features

Definitely not a toy, Samsung’s slim Blackjack is a great fit for older students who want some serious mobile power along with multimedia fun. Armed with Windows Mobile, a suite of Office applications, and full corporate e-mail support, the BlackJack also streams video clips over AT&T’s Cellular Video service, and you can sync your Napster and Yahoo! Music subscription tunes to the phone. And at 3.5 ounces and just a half-inch thick, the BlackJack fits nicely in a jeans pocket.

BlackBerry Pearl

BlackBerry power in a small, sleek package.

For years, BlackBerrys were just dull, dutiful, business-minded handsets—until the Pearl came around. With its stylish design, trackball (a first for a BlackBerry) and hybrid-QWERTY keypad, the Pearl manages to look the part while still packing in plenty of hardcore e-mail capabilities. You also get a 1.3-megapixel camera (another rarity in the BlackBerry world) and a full-on media player.