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Back to School Tech

Our tech buying advice and product picks are required reading if you want to ace your classes.

Back to School Tech
Our tech buying advice and product picks are required reading if you want to ace your classes.
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Latest Stories

The Best Online Learning Services for 2026

Whether you're looking to get ahead in your schoolwork, improve a business skill, edit video, or even master French pastry, the top online learning sites we've tested can help.

By Jill Duffy
A blue textured background with two people in black and white; one is at a laptop and the other is dressed in activewear

The Best Free Parental Control Apps for 2026

Apple, Google, and Microsoft all offer free parental control apps or settings to help you keep your kids safer online. We walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of each.

By Kim Key
Image of Apple Google and Microsoft logos on a blue background

The Best Chromebooks for Kids in 2026

Chromebooks are now a staple of American education. If your child needs one for schoolwork or playtime, here's help with the specs, the features, and everything else you need to know before you buy.

By Brian Westover
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 (2025) display

The Best Note-Taking Apps for 2026

Jot down your thoughts, save images of things you need to remember, and keep everything at your fingertips on all of your devices with the top note-taking apps we've tested.

By Justin Pot & Ruben Circelli
A person takes notes on a tablet

The Best Laptops for Kids in 2026

An inexpensive PC can be a powerful educational tool for your child. Here's how to shop for a kid-friendly laptop, as well as our top models to buy. (Most are budget-priced, and all have been tested in depth.)

By Brian Westover & Tom Brant
HP ProBook x360 11 Education Edition

The Best Language Learning Apps for 2026

Want to read, speak, or write in a new language but aren't sure where to start? These are the top language learning apps we've tested, no matter your budget, goals, or prior experience.

By Jill Duffy
A photo composite showing a person on a laptop with a bubble coming out of it and the German flag colors on it, and another person on a mobile device with a buble and the colors and patters of the Japanese flag on it with a green background

The Best Cameras for Kids in 2026

Unleash your child's inner artist. We've put together a list of the best cameras we've tested for kids of all ages and have tips for getting them started with digital photography.

By Jim Fisher
Child using large film camera to take picture of dog

Freshman Fraud 101: The Digital Scams Every Student (and Parent) Should Know

From phishing emails to fake job offers, scammers don’t wait for midterms—new students are being targeted from day one. Here's how to stay one step ahead.

By Kim Key
a laptop in the foreground with college-aged looking people in the background

Microsoft 365 Personal With Copilot Is Now Free for College Students

The subscription is free for the first 12 months and will be eligible for a 50% discount thereafter.

By Jibin Joseph
Microsoft 365 apps

The Best Office Suites for 2026

Microsoft 365 isn't your only choice for word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. Whether you want local or cloud-based apps, these are the best office suites we've tested.

By Edward Mendelson
A photo composite of images and icons representing word processing, spreadsheet editing, and presentation creation

It's Your Last Chance to Get These Back To School Laptop Deals for 2025

Hurry up, the first bell is about to ring and you don't have your laptop! Luckily for you we've got great deals on portables from Apple, Microsoft, Lenovo, and other top brands.

By K. Thor Jensen
Three laptop Back to School deals on yellow background

Amazon Has Tons of Great 2025 Back-to-School Deals and Discounts on Tech

Prime shipping will take care of those last-minute orders before the first bell rings. Here are our top picks for laptops, tablets, and more great deals at Amazon.

By K. Thor Jensen
Three tech products deals on yellow background

7 Crunchy Back-To-School Apple Deals on iPads, MacBooks, and More

Apple products are always a hot property for students, and we've got big savings on laptops, tablets, AirPods, and more

By K. Thor Jensen
Four Apple product deals on yellow background

I Found The 6 Best Back-To-School Laptop Deals Under $500

The first bell's about to ring, and if you don't have a laptop yet, don't panic. You can get a solid performer for under $500 with these deals.

By K. Thor Jensen
Three laptops deals for Back to School on yellow background

Looking for the Best AI Writing Help? I Put 5 of the Biggest Apps to the Test

Which AI tools excel at email and other short-form writing? Here's how Apple Intelligence, Grammarly, and others performed in turning rough drafts into polished prose.

By Khamosh Pathak
AI helping write

1 Year of Google AI Pro Is Now Free for College Students: Here's How to Get It

The limited-time offer unlocks 2TB of cloud storage and access to many advanced Gemini-powered features. To grab, you need to be 18 or above and have a valid school email address.

By Jibin Joseph
Google gemini logo displayed on a smartphone

Apple's Back-to-School Sale Offers Free Accessories When You Buy an iPad or Mac

Now through Sept. 30, add an accessory to an iPad or Mac purchase and save up to $199.

By Jibin Joseph
Apple's art for its back to school offer

Google's NotebookLM Can Now Turn Your Notes Into Narrated Slideshows

Everyone loves a slide deck, right? NotebookLM now generates narrated visual summaries using your uploaded files, starting with slideshow-style videos.

By Jibin Joseph
Google's art for NotebookLM's video overviews

ChatGPT Adds Study Mode Focused on 'Real Learning' Instead of Direct Answers

The mode, free for all almost all logged-in users, provides hints and self-reflection prompts to encourage students to get to the solution themselves.

By Jibin Joseph
ChatGPT's study mode solving a finance problem

Lingoda Review: Live Online Language Classes for a Reasonable Price

4.5 Editors' Choice

Speaking and interacting with others is a crucial part of learning a language, and Lingoda offers hour-long lessons with excellent instructors and compelling teaching materials to get you there.

$10 Per Class with Monthly Subscription
at Lingoda
By Jill Duffy
Lingoda logo