Take 5: Back-to-school tech
It’s that time of year that students hate and parents love – back to school. And it’s also the time to fork out a heap of cash on new learning-related gadgets. Here are five of our top picks for back-to-school technology.
Konec/imoo mobile SIM and watch phone bundle
Until February 10, $199 will buy you a back-to-school bundle (pictured above) that includes an imoo Watch Phone Z1, a six-month Konec Mobile SIM plan with 12GB of data (on the Telstra network) and a Spencil backpack with artwork by 15-year-old Indigenous artist Jesse Sutton. The Z1 smart watch is designed for ages five to 12, and features video calling, audio messaging and photo sharing, while parents can check their kid’s location at any time. Ten per cent of all proceeds is being donated to the Pyjama Foundation to support the learning and confidence of children in foster care.
RRP $199
Belkin BoostCharge Power Bank 20K
This portable battery has 20,000mAH of power to give your kids an extra 75 hours of battery life for their devices. It has one USB-C port and two USB-A ports, so it can charge three devices at the same time, and comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable in the box. It’s available in pink, blue and black, and is compatible with iPhone 14/13/12, iPad and Samsung Galaxy devices, among others.
RRP $79.95
TCL 306 phone and S150 True Wireless Headphones bundle
At $229, the TCL 306 is a great option for an inexpensive kid’s smartphone. It features TCL’s excellent NXTVISION screen enhancement technology, a 6.52-inch display, a 13MP triple camera and a 5000mAh battery that will keep the phone operating for longer than 24 hours. Even better, until January 18, Target is also including the TCL MOVEAUDIO S150 True Wireless Headphones as a bonus gift.
RRP $229
Apple MacBook Air with M2 laptop
The M2 in the name refers to Apple’s supercharged M2 computer chip, and the latest Apple MacBook Air has been completely redesigned around it. Released in July 2022 and now in about the middle of its lifecycle, the laptop has a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, 18 hours of battery life and four finishes — midnight, starlight, silver and space grey. The MacBook Airs are super-thin and light, with a thickness of just 1.13cm and weight of 1.24kg.
RRP from $1899
Laser 5-in-1 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo Set
Laser also has a sweet back-to-school offering. For just under $100 you can get your kid a slim wireless keyboard, a wireless multi-button mouse, a webcam with 1080-pixel video quality and a 30fps frame rate, cushioned headphones with a boom microphone, and a mouse pad. Available from Officeworks and Harvey Norman.
RRP $99.95
