by Raquel Arnold

Created on: August 02, 2010

The newest generation of high school and college students are pretty much required to have at least one electronic gizmo in their backpacks by the time school starts. But how do you know what's needed and what isn't? The following list shows the must-have gadgets for the back-to-school season of 2010.

USB Flash Drive - In lieu of the large floppy disks of yesteryear, most institutions require that students own at least one USB flash drive. Like the floppy disk, flash drives store important information that students will need throughout the school year. The days of "I forgot my homework" excuses are all but virtually gone with these thrifty drives, as students can pop the drive into any USB port of a computer and, voila! That paper you accidentally spilled orange juice on this morning is safe, sound and ready to be handed in on time. Perhaps the best thing about USB flash drives are the convenient cost: they start as low as $9.99 and go up to $30.00, depending on the size of the drive you want.

Netbooks - A netbook is essential to the on-the-go college student who doesn't have the time to use a stationary PC. netbooks (which are lighter and more practical to carry around that its larger counterpart, the laptop) offer students the ability to check e-mail, write papers and take notes at a moment's notice. Most, if not all netbooks have wireless capabilities, which means that you can open your netbook and surf the web at any school or institution that offers wi-fi access for students. Netbooks are available at almost every electronic store and are much more affordable than a PC or laptop, ranging from $199 to $399.

Digital Dictionary and Thesaurus - Don't want to lug around a couple of traditional (and rather heavy) necessities? Then try buying a digital dictionary and thesaurus. This brilliant invention allows students to look up virtually any word just by typing it in. Students who prefer not to carry netbooks to school but still want to look up definitions and synonyms can do so. Digital dictionaries/thesauruses come in a variety of designs and prices: the lowest price starts at $10 and can go as high as $400.

There are many more items that can be added to the list, but the USB flash drive, portable netbook and digital dictionary/thesaurus are absolute must haves of back-to-school 2010. 

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