You sit down to study. Then you get distracted by your phone. You try to take notes. You miss what the professor is saying. This happens to a lot of students.
The truth is, you cannot just use willpower to study. You need the tools to help you.
Today's students have to deal with a lot of things that make it hard to study. They have to fight distractions, disorganization and much information. To help with this we tested a lot of tools. Found the 7 best educational gadgets that can actually help you remember things take notes and turn any place into a classroom.
Lets make your backpack better.
1. The Digital Notebook: Apple iPad ( Gen) + Apple Pencil (USB-C)
This is best for students who lose their paper notes or do not like carrying a lot of books.
Forget about whether a tablet or laptop's better for studying. The iPad is the tool for studying. When you use it with the Apple Pencil it becomes like a notebook.
You can use apps like GoodNotes or Notability to write math problems draw pictures for biology and then search for your notes later. If you need space you can zoom in. If you make a mistake you can tap to erase. The best feature is that it can record the lecture while you take notes. Then you can tap on a word to hear what the professor said at that moment.
If you do not have a lot of money you can get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, which comes with an S Pen and costs than $300.
2. The Memory Booster: Anki (Spaced Repetition Flashcard App)
This is best for law and language students who have to remember a lot of things.
Anki is not a physical tool but it is one of the most important tools you will use. It uses an algorithm that shows you a flashcard right before you forget it.
While your friends might forget 80% of what they learned in a week you can remember 90% for a time. You can download decks for the MCAT, LSAT or Spanish. You can make your own. You can use it on your phone or laptop.
It wins because it helps you remember things actively not by reading them.
3. The Reusable Notebook: Rocketbook Core
This is best for students who care about the environment and like writing with a pen.
Do you like writing with a pen. You do not like having a lot of old notebooks? The Rocketbook is like a notebook but you write with a special pen. When you finish a page you can scan it with your phone. Send it to Google Drive, Evernote or email. Then you can microwave the notebook. Wipe it with a damp cloth and the pages will be blank.
4. The Focus Tool: EARLY (Physical Time Tracker)
This is best for students who get distracted easily or have a time managing their time.
You cannot use a screen to manage your time if the screen is what distracts you. The EARLY is a tool that you can flip to track your time. You can assign one side to "Math" and another to "Break". When you flip it to the "Math" side it starts tracking that time.
At the end of the week the app will tell you how you spent your time. It makes studying feel like a game.
5. The Scanning Pen: C-Pen Reader 2
This is best for students who have to read a lot for research papers or have dyslexia.
Highlighting a textbook is slow and typing quotes from a book is tedious. The C-Pen Reader 2 is a scanner that you can use to scan text from a book and it will read it to you.
The best feature is that it can scan a paragraph and send the text to your computer or phone. You do not have to type out citations
6. The Mobile Classroom: Xgimi Vibe One (Mini Projector)
This is best for group study sessions and students who learn better with visuals.
Studying in a room with a small laptop screen is hard for group projects. This mini projector is small. It can project a big screen onto your wall or ceiling.
You can stream documentaries or project Google Slides without any cables. It turns a space into a big classroom.
If you want to save money you can use a wall instead of buying a screen.
7. The Translation Bridge: Timekettle WT2 Edge
This is best for students and students who are learning a new language.
Group projects are hard when you do not speak the language. These earbuds can translate languages in time. You can speak English. Your partner will hear Spanish. They can speak Spanish. You will hear English.
It works offline. Can handle technical language. You can have conversations without any awkward pauses.
The Bottom Line: Start Small, Win Big
You do not have to buy all seven gadgets. That would be too expensive.
Here is a smart plan:
1. Identify what you need help with. Do you lose your notes? Get the Rocketbook. Do you have a time remembering things? Get Anki.
2. Use student discounts. Apple and Amazon offer discounts for students.
3. Get tools that can be used for things. A basic iPad can replace other devices.
The best educational gadget is not the expensive one. It is the one that makes studying easier.
When your tools work for you, you start understand your homework and stop fighting with it.
Which of these 7 gadgets would help you the most, with your studies?
