If you’re starting Uni, or perhaps entering into further education. You might be looking to buy IT kit for the new term. So this month we are going to make a few recommendations that might make your life a little easier.
A stylus and ePaper tablet
Although we do love using an Apple iPad. For some reason I have never liked using one to make notes, do research or read long academic texts. So while there is a good chance that this is just a “me problem”. I think the issue might be related to looking at an iPads bright LCD screen for long periods. Something that ultimately strains and dries out my eyes.
Instead for note taking, general reading and research, I prefer to use my Boox Note Air4 C. Which is an ePaper tablet with a stylus for note taking. Something that is easier on the eye, while also having an excellent battery life. However what makes us recommend the Air4 C is its colour 10.3 inch ePaper screen. Something that while a little washed out. Is very handy when drawing diagrams, creating memory maps, or marking up and highlighting text.
However for those on a budget, Boox do offer alternative and cheaper ePaper tablets, for example the Note Air3 C. Just make sure the alternative tablet you choose is running on Android and comes with a stylus. That way you will have a full web browser, an easy way to make notes, and the ability to install Android applications. Which is important if you want to access digital textbooks through apps like Amazon Kindle.
Recommended computers for Uni or college
Computers are computers, but as a general rule the more expensive the brand the more likely the computer will last the whole three years of your degree. So if you choose either a Dell XPS or an Apple MacBook Air, you will be choosing a very safe option.
The only thing to be careful about, is carrying a high end laptop around town or campus. As it can make you a target for thieves. So get a good quality backpack, and avoid carrying your laptop in your hand. Particularly as you move from class to class.
If you’re on a tight budget, then perhaps buying a Chromebook is the way to go. However you need to be aware that while you can run Linux software from within ChromeOS. If a course requires that you use a specific piece of software, that software may not be compatible with your Chromebook.
A Chromebook that has been getting excellent reviews (please see Chrome Unboxed review), and will be available soon. Is the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14″ MediaTek. Yes it probably will be a little bit more expensive than other Chromebooks, but its general design, screen and excellent battery life may make it worth the wait.
Failing that, a cheaper Chromebook that might be worth considering. Is the Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet. Which is a tablet that has a stylus, but it can also double as a laptop. The only problem with the Duet is the 11 inch screen which I personally found difficult to use, particularly when I was typing on its small keyboard.
For those doing an IT course, we recommend looking at getting a “build it yourself” FrameWork laptop. Which while initially does not involve all that much building, is fantastic when you need to upgrade. As you can simply swap in a new screen or motherboard and have a whole new machine.
It will also be at this point that you can really admire Frameworks design and engineering. While also using the process of upgrading as a learning tool. Particularly if you intend to enter into a tech support role or if you just like to tinker.
Don’t buy Microsoft Office!
When schools and University’s purchase Microsoft software license’s for their computer labs. A second copy of the license can be issued to students so that they can also use that Microsoft product on their computer. So the second thing to do when starting at school, college or university is find out how you get access to your free copy of Microsoft Office!
A BeeStation for personal cloud storage
Cloud storage is fantastic not only for backups, but also to share files or access work if you forget your computer. However, cloud storage services can be very expensive, as they usually require a monthly subscription.
To get around this we are going to recommend a Synology BeeStation. A physical piece of hardware, that when you plug it into a network with an internet connection. Will after a couple of mouse clicks, give you your own personal storage cloud.
While the upfront cost of a BeeStation will be a couple of hundred pounds, and you will have to configure it yourself. The advantage is you will have better control over your data, and access to either 4TB or 8TB of storage. With the 8TB version also able to act as a Plex server.
If you would like to know more, why not take a look at our series on how you setup a Synology BeeStation. As It’s relatively quick to setup and easy to use.
Future content ideas we are working on
As we start to windup our series on setting up a Synology BeeStation. In the background we have begun experimenting with creating new content. So we have made a handful of videos relating to Microsoft Word, with our intention being to build up a full series of videos ready for 2026.
We are also producing a new series of videos called “What’s in my tech toolkit”. Something that will consist of videos that are one or two minutes in length and will focus purely on IT related tools we use. So if you are interested and have a site membership, then please take a look in the members area. As always any feedback will be immensely useful.
Content to be released in September
For September we will be posting some of the older videos that were exclusive to the members area of our website. So before the new version of macOS is released we are going to post a video on how you paste text without formatting. Then a method for hiding the date and time from the menu bar, and a video on how to display network shares on the macOS desktop.
Finally as we close out the month, we will be looking at a Windows terminal command that allows you to check your user account’s administrative rights, along with a video on how you can use a terminal command to check the network settings of your computer.
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