<p>(Hey everyone, TheStudent’s son here.)</p>
<p>Looking at laptops right now and I’m wondering how much everyone tends to use their laptops. Specifically, I’m wondering how often people carry them around and use them in class for things such as notes; from what I’ve read laptops aren’t used outside the dorm room much. Is that true?</p>
<p>Using a laptop for note-taking is a personal preference. Since I prefer taking notes by hand, in class my laptop is used for looking up things that the professor references like economic data and current events. In between classes, a laptop is a lifesaver when you have to correct a typo or are just bored between classes and decide to surf CC or go on facebook. It really depends on the class as to how many people bring laptops. I’ve never seen them explicitly not allowed, but you learn quickly what the professor expects. I tend to use my laptop only before class out of respect for my professors, so my laptop is mostly used inside my dorm room.</p>
<p>If your classes are close together, hopefully you’ll buy a laptop with a long battery life. I don’t use my battery when in my room, but it’s annoying to have to lug around a charging cord when studying at the library or searching for a plug-in at the airport before flying home.</p>
<p>We are sending D with a laptop for her room, pretty large with a lot of computing power, and we also got her a Tablet Type Netbook for carrying around. It is very small and lightweight, with an 8-hour battery life. It has a touch screen and a pen/handwriting function. We figure she can hand write notes right onto the netbook and she can share the data between the two very easily. The two items together were about $1500. Although, I believe it is my husband who can answer any specifics I am just giving you the sales pitch that I bought into. :)</p>
<p>Neither of my kids carry their laptops around, but some kids do.</p>
<p>My son said that he traditionally does not use his laptop for taking notes. It would be very difficult in any class that uses a lot of charts and graphs (math, econ, sciences). With foreign language classes, you need to participate, so a laptop is probably not needed too often. Much of class usage depends on the professor. Some do not want to see you using a computer when they are lecturing. Cannot blame them, either. Some of my high school students prefer to use their laptops for taking notes, but all too often, teachers find them on everything except a blank page featuring those notes.</p>
<p>I bring my laptop to every class and use it in most classes. It can be very helpful (my biology class) in some classes and extremely distracting in others (chemistry). In my biology class, our teacher assigned open note quizzes, and I was able look up answers quickly during the 60 seconds we were given. In chemistry, the teacher was extremely monotone and dull, so I spent the class fooling around on the internet. Human Development was no different. In some classes, the teachers would post the notes online, so I elected to bring my laptop instead of wasting paper and ink wit printing out pages of notes for every class. My medical ethics teacher specifically banned laptops in his class and my chem teacher was close.</p>
<p>My son received a Livescribe pen with accessories as a graduation present. For those unfamiliar with the product, the pen is also a recording device which has the capability of uploading audio notes on the computer. Does anyone know if there is a restriction on using audio recording devices during lectures?</p>
<p>I would always obtain the consent of the professor/instructor first with the knowledge that they may say no unless such recording was requested by the Office of Disability Services. Some professors do act different when they know they are being recorded.</p>
<p>Is there a need to bring a laptop during Alabama Action and Welcome Week? I’ve read in previous posts that the National Merit kids get their laptops the day before classes, so we’re wondering if we should lend a laptop to our son to use during those two weeks before school starts to check his email for messages from professors/clubs/social groups. How have previous Alabama/Indoor Action attendees handled this?</p>
<p>Your son, if he is NM, will receive his laptop the day before classes start. As for checking his e-mail, etc., he could always go over to the library. My son used his cell phone to check his e-mail.</p>
<p>If you have an extra laptop lying around the house and want to send it with your son for a few weeks, go right ahead. The computer labs probably won’t be open 24/7 and sometimes one just wants to sit in their room and surf the web. If he just wants to check e-mail every now and then, a cell phone or computer lab will be fine.</p>
<p>is he has a phone with internet that will probably be enough to make it thru a couple weeks.</p>
<p>Son just has a Razor right now. We are thinking of getting him a new phone for college.</p>
<p>Since there’s been lots of mention of phones with internet, can I get some recommendations, especially those who have actually used the device, how it works on campus in Tuscaloosa? I remember reading previous posts about cellular coverage, so want to be as compatible as possible.</p>
<p>Montegut, my DS has a Droid from Verizon. Great smart phone. Internet is faster than my cable internet at home. Great reception from verizon in Tuscaloosa. Would highly recommend for a student. It takes me time to figure it out but I’m old! Kids will do just fine with it. It is truly a mini computer. I like it better than an iphone because of the ability to run multiple apps at the same time.</p>
<p>Thanks, bamafana, for the rec. Husband just tried to order the iphone and was turned away. We were on vacation on the 15th, when the preorders were made, and they are well oversold. Husband actually walked in saying he’s so upset, he just might get a droid. Glad to hear you like them. It might be what we wind up with!</p>
<p>Montegut, I’m really NOT a verizon rep, but alot of my son’s friends have iphones and they all would trade for his droid. He often has the phone playing an internet radio station while he’s texting or playing on line games at the same time on the phone. Their iphones can’t do that. It’s just one example. But, everyone loves that feature on the droid. He’s had his since December and uses it ALL the time and it has held up well. So far, no problems!!</p>
<p>I believe that Verizon, Tmobile, and ATT all have good service. Don’t know about others. </p>
<p>We have Tmobile and haven’t ever had any trouble in T-town with 3G.</p>
<p>All the major carriers work in Tuscaloosa. I had a T-Mobile Dash these past two years and just upgraded to an HTC HD2. Big screen touchscreen phones are all the rage these days, but they are expensive and battery-intensive.</p>
<p>i am not sure which upgrade, but the iphone is getting multitasking soon, either with the software upgrade or with the new iphone release.</p>
<p>*but they are expensive and battery-intensive. *</p>
<p>Yes… </p>
<p>Some of these phones can be charged with a connector that has a ISB end - so you can recharge while at a computer. I also have this small portable outside battery thing that I keep charged and in my purse to power my phone if it ever runs out of power.</p>