| According to the National Retail Federation, | | | | Students are demanding smarter phones with |
| college students spend $8.2 billion on | | | | more features-they want it all (e-mail, |
| electronics to get them through the semester. | | | | instant messaging, Web access, Microsoft |
| Now these products have grown in | | | | Office applications, streaming video and |
| sophistication, just like the students toting | | | | audio and more). These cell phones on |
| them. | | | | steroids, called "smartphones," are the |
| | | | newest trend. According to In-Stat, the |
| With increasing class workloads and demanding | | | | smartphone market grew over 70 percent last |
| social schedules, it makes sense that | | | | year and will continue to grow significantly |
| students have turned to mobile computing to | | | | during the next five years. Palm, Inc. alone, |
| help keep track of their hectic lives. | | | | makers of the very popular Treo line of |
| Replacing piles of paper, reference books and | | | | smartphones, has sold millions. |
| Post-it notes with handhelds-such as the Palm | | | | |
| TX with built-in Wi-Fi-keeps students | | | | Thanks to high-speed networks, data speeds |
| organized and in sync when they are away from | | | | (used for getting e-mail, surfing the Net or |
| their dorm room. | | | | for streaming video) on these smartphones are |
| | | | now as fast as the traditional DSL |
| Handhelds make things such as taking notes, | | | | connections commonly used in homes and |
| e-mailing the professor questions and | | | | businesses. Today, using the newest |
| carrying around electronic research-rather | | | | smartphones, students can perform a Google |
| than heavy reference books-a breeze. Combine | | | | search while soaking up sun in the quad, |
| the TX handheld with a wireless keyboard and | | | | listen to live radio broadcasts in the |
| students have a cheaper and more portable | | | | library or watch their favorite television |
| alternative to a laptop. In-box software also | | | | programs from video streaming off the |
| makes it easy to write essays using Microsoft | | | | Internet. |
| Word, finish homework with Excel spreadsheets | | | | |
| or even practice a presentation using | | | | Thanks to these latest gadgets, tech-savvy |
| PowerPoint. | | | | students will be able to keep track of |
| | | | everything from sports practice to dates on |
| In addition to handhelds, the National Retail | | | | Friday night, all in something that will |
| Federation found that 85 percent of college | | | | easily fit in their pocket. |
| students own a cell phone and 60 percent of | | | | |
| them access the Internet through it. | | | | Today's savvy students appreciate high-tech |
| | | | handhelds. |