In the last ten to fifteen years, technology has truly transformed the lives of people in several ways. The Internet and smartphones are of course the biggest innovations in the field of technology. In fact, these technologies have greatly transformed the educational sector too.

In today’s digital era, phones and gadgets have become an important part of students’ life, and due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, technology has gained momentum among educational institutions and students. It is helping them to augment their productivity level, besides assisting them in studies.

The benefits of utilising technology in the education sector are immense as it helps increase learning experience for both students and teachers via the use of electronic devices such as computers. Apart from their regular syllabus, technology also helps students to explore the world outside their educational institutions. Hence, a lot of companies are now introducing new and innovative gadgets to help students and teachers improve their skills and gain better knowledge.

Before we move to the variety of gadgets available for students, let us first take a look at the important factors you should consider before buying electronic gadgets.

What to look for
Before buying an electronic product, one must check the basic details of the product carefully. When you select a gadget, go through its reviews carefully, especially while buying online. And if you are buying from a store, make sure to do some research on the Internet because salesmen are not always reliable. The reviews and opinions available on the Internet will help you choose the right product.

Availability is another important point to consider because most of the gadgets that are in high demand get sold instantly, both online and offline. Therefore when you need such a product, make sure you buy it as soon as possible before it gets sold out. If you mostly prefer online shopping, keep checking the product’s availability every now and then.

With the advent of sophisticated technologies, security has become a major concern for people. For the past few years, online fraudulence and hacking have increased a lot. Every Internet-connected device is prone to hacking. As the demand for such devices has increased, experts claim that a majority of manufacturers are not keeping security as a major criterion while making these. Hence, it becomes important for consumers to check the security features of the device they wish to buy. Go through the product reviews carefully, contact the manufacturer, and determine what will happen if there is a security breach.

Online shopping versus offline shopping
According to several e-commerce experts, online shopping has completely taken over traditional shopping because of the availability of huge discounts and convenience. When it comes to gadgets and electronic devices, these can be easily bought from online stores from the comfort of your homes. Apart from this, online shopping also tells you the expected delivery date of new products along with their discounted price. Most importantly, many companies are now selling their products more online than offline.

Now, let’s have a look at some of the cutting-edge gadgets available for students and educational institutions.

Kindle Paperwhite. It features a signature 300ppi, glare-free paperwhite display, laser-quality text, and twice the storage of the previous generation. In addition, a single battery charge lasts for weeks. With the all-new waterproof Kindle Paperwhite, you’re free to read and relax in places such as beaches, pools, or bathtubs. Paperwhite is IPX8 rated to protect against accidental immersion in up to two metres of fresh water for up to sixty minutes.

Price: ₹12,999 (10th Gen)

HP Sprocket. It is a compact photo printer that is easy to carry and easily fits in your pocket or a small bag. With the help of this mini printer, you can create 5cm×7.6cm (2×3 inches) photos whenever you want. You can print your photos in a trouble-free way by simply loading HP Zink paper into your HP Sprocket photo printer. You can also print your social media photos by connecting your social media accounts to the HP Sprocket app. You can customise your photos by adding emojis, fun texts, borders, and more.
Price: ₹2,799

Google Nest Hub Max. It is a smart display launched by Google, initially unveiled under Home Hub. It has gained immense popularity among students and educational institutions as well. It features a 25.4cm (10-inch) HD screen with stereo speakers. The device can be used for checking the weather, traffic, news, recipes, jokes, games, riddles, and more. It features a wide-angle camera coupled with 127 degrees field-of-view that can be used for video calls via Google’s duo service. It is backed by nifty video processing smarts, allowing the display to automatically focus and zoom in on an individual while he/she is moving in the room.
Price: ₹8,999

Nebula Capsule II. It is a smart mini projector launched by Anker, which most of the schools and colleges are now using. It has a built-in Android TV for your entertainment. You can also download your favourite apps such as Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Twitch, and more. Backed by Google Assistant, the projector also features a one-second auto-focus to deliver a razor-sharp, high-definition image. Users can watch their content via physical connections like HDMI and USB, or wirelessly over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Chromecast. Capsule II’s USB-C port with Power Delivery technology enables rapid charging. Another USP is that it offers three hours of constant HD projection.
Price: ₹43,603

Rocketbook Everlast (Core) smart notebook. It is a very unique gadget for students in this digital era that offers a classic pen and paper experience. The Core is endlessly reusable and can be connected to all of your favourite cloud services. While writing using any pen, it appears like normal writing and sticks to the notebook’s pages like regular paper. But if we add a drop of water, the writing gets erased instantly.
Price: ₹2,558

—Nijhum Rudra