On Technology

It's that time of year again, as students head back to college. Here are 14 useful tech products that provide both good value and good design.

Logitech's Rechargeable Speaker S315i -- This is one of the most attractive stereo speakers that sounds very good for the price. Plug it in or use its built-in rechargeable batteries for 12 hours of playing away from an outlet. (Logitech.com, $130)

Pandigital Photo Frame -- Just to remind them of their roots, give your departing college students a photo frame with family photos loaded onto it. Prices have been plummeting and a decent 7-inch model from Pandigital costs about $50. (Pandigital.net)

FreeAgent Go backup hard drive -- is an inexpensive but durable drive from Seagate (about $80 for 250 GB at discount) that every student should have and use to back up their files, music and photos. The Free Agent comes with a snap-in dock that lets you easily remove the hard drive and lock it up when not being used. A new back-up drive, the Aegis Padlock, just announced from San Diego's Apricorn has a built-in keypad that locks entry to its contents. $120 for a 250GB version. Apricorn.com.

Dr. Dre Isolation Headphone -- How do you study with distractions all around? Wear over the ear headphones to isolate you from the distractions. One very popular new model is the Studio Isolation Headphone from Dr Dre. It has a stunning industrial design and sounds good as well. (beatsbydre.com, $300)

Notebook computer -- For those who need a powerful notebook, it's hard to do better than the MacBook Pro 15-inch at $1700 or the 12-inch model at $1200. Apple is offering a free iPod Touch for students with the purchase of a new notebook. For PC users, there's a wide range of models that are more alike than different from Dell, HP and Lenovo and Sony. I would avoid the thin and light models that tend to be less durable under the rough handling they're likely to get.

Backpack computer cases -- These two models are each designed to hold a 15-inch notebook plus accessories, books and papers. The Brenthaven Expandable Trek BP Laptop Backpack has a huge capacity that's expandable by 20 percent. (brenthaven.com). For a more discreet backpack with a more mature styling, the InCase Backpack is rectangular-shaped, smaller, but much easier on the back. (goincase.com, $100 each)

Kensington ComboSaver notebook lock -- This compact locking cable protects a notebook from theft. One end fits into the security slot found on most laptops and the other around a piece of furniture. $25.

HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One Printer -- The HP Photosmart C4780 All-in-One ($130) is a wireless printer at an affordable price. With a color control panel, memory card slots, and laser-quality text output, several students can print to it without each needing to be connected by a cable.

Belkin Conserve Power Strip Review -- The Conserve power strip with surge protector is a green product that saves energy. It has six outlets that can be turned off with a remote switch and two outlets that are always on. $35. (Belkin.com)

Levenger Lap Desk -- This beautifully made, kidney-shaped portable lap desk rests across the arms of a chair or sits on the lap while in bed. It supports a computer as well as providing a surface for a mouse, for writing or reading. (Levenger.com, $48)

H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom -- This is a serious pocket-sized stereo recorder that's perfect for recording lectures and music. It has superb fidelity and sensitivity to record clearly from large distances. (Samsontech.com, $150)

Tekkeon's TekCharge MP1800 Battery Pack is designed for recharging phones, music players, Bluetooth headsets and other devices while away from an outlet. It has a whopping 2600 mAH capacity, about twice the capacity of most phones. It has a built-in flashlight, as well. (Tekkeon.com, $50)

iTenna HD Antenna -- The iTenna makes it possible to receive HD programming over the air using on a digital TV, making it perfect for a dorm room or apartment. It replaces an outdoor antenna and rabbit ears, and is designed specifically for digital reception. It's as small and nearly as thin as a sheet of paper and can be taped to a window or onto the back of the TV. (Itenna.com, $20)

Z-Bar High Power LED Desk lamp -- LEDs, the newest lighting technology, offers the most efficiency of any lamp and emit much less heat. The Z-Bar is a modern design that offers easy adjustment to put the light where you need it. It uses six ultra-bright LEDs that consume just 9 watts. ($130)