Can you believe that back-to-school season is already here? It seems like summer just began, but the two months went by in the snap of fingers. Now, kids and their parents are thinking about what they’ll need for a new school year. We have you covered with some great back-to-school tech options worth considering, and we’re running a few contests affording the opportunity to win some of these items, too.

Kensington At-Home Desk Gear

Homework is par for the course for kids from middle school up, so having the right set-up in the residence can make this easier. Once you have a desk, you’ll need the right gear to help them work as comfortably as possible. Kensington has plenty of computing accessories, and there are four included in a prize pack you can win from WhatsYourTech.ca, that will appeal to students.

The first is a collapsible laptop riser ($40), ideal for keeping the laptop propped up at the optimal eye level for writing reports or participating in online classes. This pairs nicely with the Pro Fit washable keyboard and mouse set ($60) that can withstand the rigors of everyday student use along with everything from water bottle spills from young kids to coffee spills with older students. Add the 5-inch ring light video conferencing kit ($30) to the mix for improving their look when video chatting with study groups or recording content. Finally, there’s the H3000 Bluetooth over-ear headset ($140) that has a built-in boom mic, making it perfect for online courses, group meetings, and more. It’s ultra-comfortable and easy to use, I found in my testing of this headset. Altogether, the prize pack is valued at $270: enter for your chance to win.

Puro Sound Labs JuniorJams Plus Kids Headphones

Kids use headphones in middle school for private computer work or even just to block out distracting class noises so they can focus on a project or enjoy quiet reading time. Rather than have them use the school’s headphones, equip them with a pair of their own they can keep in their backpacks to ensure a germ-free experience. Puro Sound Labs is one of the top brands when it comes to volume-limiting headphones for kids, and the Puro Sound Labs JuniorJams Plus kids headphones are one of the latest in the line. These ‘phones only go as loud as 85dB, the volume level deemed appropriate for young kids, but also feature noise isolation to help them focus. Once charged, the headphones can run for up to 22 hours, so kids can wear them an hour a day for weeks before they need a battery boost. Use the included limiter cable as a back-up if the battery dies (without noise isolation). They fold up nicely and at $111, they’re affordable, too. Plus, the JuniorJams support audio sharing so two kids can listen to the same source with two pairs.

Pinwheel Plus 3 Smartphone for Kids

Like many parents of middle schoolers, you are probably struggling with the constant ask for a cell phone because “everyone else in their class has one.” But you’re understandably reluctant to oblige. Pinwheel offers an interesting solution. We first became familiar with Pinwheel when the company introduced its chatbot for kids. But the company also has smartphones designed for kids, and four models have just arrived in Canada.

Specifically developed for kids aged 8-14, these include the Pinwheel Plus 3. This model, designed in collaboration with Samsung, is just $469 and comes with enhanced parental controls beyond what you would get with a standard smartphone. Kids can’t access to social media nor even an Internet browser from the device. Instead, they can choose from more than 1,200 age-appropriate apps, communicate with approved contacts, and learn healthy habits when it comes to tech usage. It’s still an impressive phone when it comes to specs (effectively a re-badged Samsung Galaxy device), equipped with a 6.6-inch Infinity-V display, 50MP triple lens camera system, 64GB storage and 4GB RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery. It even has fingerprint and face unlock. With the Caregiver Portal and a monthly $20 subscription ($220/yr.), parents can monitor usage, set limits, and more from their own phones or a desktop computer.

It’s not an ideal solution, but for a tween or teen who promises they will use a phone responsibly, this is a good compromise to test the waters. We’re giving one away along with a one-year subscription: enter our contest and you might be the lucky winner.

Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ Laptop

The Asus Vivobook S 15 isn’t the cheapest laptop you’ll find for students, but with AI features like Copilot becoming integral to their educational experience, older kids, in particular, will need to look into spending a bit more. Starting at $1,599, this laptop is reasonable in price for what you get. This includes a Snapdragon X Elite AI engine, 15-inch 3K 120Hz Asus Lumina OLED screen, Harman-Kardon certified audio, and, of course, plenty of AI features including a built-in Microsoft Copilot+ button to instantly launch the AI assistant. At just 14.7mm thin and ultra-lightweight, it’s easy to carry around all day. Plus, it can run for up to 18 hours per charge, enough to last a day or two or school. If you want to spend more, get it with up to 1TB storage and memory up to 32GB RAM, ideal for students in demanding post-secondary fields, like photography or video production. Considering that high-end variant is still just $1,799, it’s a steal for a student.

Cartridge-Free Printer

Students still have printing needs, whether it’s to go over a report or print hand-outs for a presentation. And refillable ink printers offer tremendous advantages. You typically only need to refill the ink every two years and most models come with a two-year supply in the box. They work quickly, efficiently for colour and black and white prints, and can usually make scans and copies, too. The latest models also incorporate Wi-Fi for remote printing.

There are a few models you can consider. The HP Smart Tank 6001 All-in-One is $400 but as with any cartridge-free printer, this works out in the long run when you factor in how much you save on ink (not to mention trips to the story monthly for a new cartridge). Print in both colour and black and white as well as scan and copy. With wireless connectivity, kids can get their homework done in their bedroom or the kitchen then send things to print in the basement or computer room and grab them as needed. Prints output at a speedy 12 pages-per-minute (ppm) in black and seven ppm in colour, with automatic two-sides printing for things like rough drafts. It’s the perfect family printer that households with students will love. We’re giving one away in our contest, so check out the details and enter.

Another option to consider in this category is the Epson ET-4850, which is listed at $600 but you can often find it on sale for less. With reliable Wi-Fi, you can print from anywhere. Thanks to the 250-sheet paper tray combined with Wi-Fi, I’ll often work from upstairs, sending items to print, from invoices to multi-page spec sheets and reports, then pick them all up from the printer to organize when I head downstairs. It even prints pretty great-looking photos on glossy or matte photo paper that you can edit and send to the printer right from your phone and the companion app. It boasts auto two-sided printing, and yields about 5,000 pages before you’ll need to get new ink bottles. Refilling is ultra-simple with the front-positioned reservoirs that even have sensors so you simply upturn the bottle, leave it, and it will stop flowing once full.

Austere VII Series 4-Outlet Wall Charger and Surge Protector

Students have tons of devices, and they need somewhere neat and tidy to plug them all in to power them up and recharge. Austere makes elegant and functional power products that take practical design into consideration. The Austere VII Series 4-Outlet Wall Charger and Surge Protector (US$130) might sound expensive, but it will be all your student needs to plug in their tech. It has one USB-C PD 45W port, one USB-C PD 20W port, a USB-A port with 2.4 Amps charging power, and two three-pronged outlets. It supports both fast charging as well as protection for low-voltage devices, so charge everything from a laptop to smartphone, tablet, and even earbuds or a fitness tracker. The SmartFit outlets make a difference with extra room between them to accommodate larger adapters.

Happy shopping for the 2024/2025 school year!

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