Tips on Essential Tech Gadgets for Online Learning

Desktop, Laptop, Tablet, or Smartphone?

Essential Tech Gadgets for Online Learning

Technology gadgets nowadays have the power to make things easier, improve efficiency as well as save our precious time. Students are no exception as they can best make use of tech gadgets to allow learning to become easier, convenient, and innovative. You may try some of the gadget tips below to help change your approach to online learning.

Personal computers (desktop PC or laptop) are both excellent choices for online learning. The majority of online platforms/systems will work well for both desktop and mobile devices including smartphones. However, just like any other technology gadget, personal computers, tablets, and smartphones have their pros and cons. Below is a quick buying guide for online learning.

Desktop PC

PROS: Desktop PCs are excellent gadgets for online learning because:

• They generally have better overall computing power than laptops thus allowing you to perform processor-intensive tasks such as video editing, photo editing much easier especially if you are on a tight deadline.
• They are generally cheaper than laptops and you can easily customize the specifications based on your budget and preference.
• Since most desktop computers have larger monitors/screens, it is easier to create presentations, edit documents, manipulate media, effortlessly cut and paste through a mouse rather than performing the same on a touch screen. Both desktops and laptops are really designed for productivity.
• You can easily download documents from the web, save, and transfer them to a USB storage device when needed. You also have the option to add accessories and peripherals like an external hard disk drive, web camera, speaker, headset, or microphone.
• You can easily install and replace a defective or faulty part on a desktop PC though it may require a bit of a learning curve especially for those who are not tech-savvy users.
• Most of the components of a desktop PC are upgradeable so if you need to upgrade your storage, RAM or other components you may do it yourself or you may bring to a PC store and they may even perform the upgrade for free provided you will purchase the parts for the upgrade from them.

The Cons for Desktop PCs

• Desktop PCs are a bit cumbersome to assemble and maintain especially for those who are not tech-savvy users. You cannot expect to purchase and assemble a desktop PC and let it run on its own for several years without maintenance.
• Desktop PCs require a software license both for the operating system (Microsoft Windows) and the productivity suite (Microsoft Office). While there are branded desktop PCs available in the market with a bundled operating system and sometimes even productivity suites, they are known to be expensive.
• Desktop PCs require a bit of space on your table and you will not be able to move it as you wish unlike in a laptop computer wherein you can bring it anywhere in the room or in the house.
• Desktop PCs consume more power so it might take a hit at your electricity bill. An average desktop PC uses between 60 and 300 watts depending on the tasks being performed.
• Microsoft Windows PCs are known to be prone to viruses and malware that could potentially slow down the computer or sometimes even make it unusable. Apple computers are less prone to viruses but are more expensive.

PROS: Laptop computers are excellent gadgets for online learning because:

• Laptops are portable and you could easily bring them anywhere in the room or house.
• Laptops have built-in keyboards making writing documents and reports more comfortable.
• Laptops make it easier to create presentations, edit documents, manipulate media files, cut and paste with a mouse than any touch screen device.

The Cons for Laptops

• Most budget Laptops have lower-quality screens than tablets, which can be less comfortable to view for long periods of time.
• Notebooks with Windows Operating System are prone to viruses and malware. Apple notebook computers are less prone to catch viruses but are more expensive.
• Since laptops are out-of-the-box devices, you cannot easily upgrade the storage, Memory, or RAM. Not all laptop models are upgradeable, and laptop maintenance requires a bit of expertise so if something goes wrong with the laptop, you have no other choice but to bring it to a shop or service center.  

Desktop and Laptop Minimum Requirements

• Any laptop or desktop that can run Windows 10 or Sierra for Macs
• Dual or quad-core processor or higher such as Intel Core i3, i5, or i7. For AMD Ryzen 3 and above is recommended. You need to avoid Celeron CPUs as they are cheap but very slow.
• Memory should be at least 4GB of RAM but we do recommend 8GB and above.
• Storage should be at least 120GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and above.
• An HD-ready (720p) USB web camera with microphone for desktop PC and an HD-ready (720p) built-in web camera for laptops
• If you are using a headset, make sure there is a 3.5mm jack available.

NOTES ON MEMORY

The more memory or RAM a computer has, the more applications and programs it can run without experiencing any slowdowns. Entry-level desktops as well as most budget laptops come with only 4GB of memory and we do recommend that you upgrade it to at least 8GB. Additional 4GB of RAM cost 1,000 to 1,500 pesos depending on RAM frequency.

NOTES ON STORAGE

Storage is where install all your apps and save all your files and documents. There are two kinds of storage: Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and Solid State Drives (SSD). Mechanical hard disk drives are an older technology thus making them cheaper and have more storage capacity but are definitely slower than SSDs. Nowadays, most budget entry-level desktop PC or laptop has at least 1TB or 1 terabyte of hard disk or roughly 1000GB.

While SSD (Solid State Drive) is more expensive and has less storage capacity, it is indeed much faster compared to mechanical hard disk drives. Computers with SSD installed perform much smoother and quicker than computers with hard disk drives. Budget permitting, we do suggest you ask your shop to upgrade your laptop to at least a 128GB SSD for an additional php 1,000 to php 1,500 depending on the brand of the SSD. Storage usually can be upgraded if necessary and your local computer store usually can help upgrade your desktop or laptop’s storage for you.

We do agree that tablets are better for online learning particularly for preschool and grade school learners because they are easier to use and control compared to laptops. Some teachers may require them to draw shapes, write letters, and drag different objects on the screen as part of their video conferencing school activities. For such activities, it is obviously easier to use a touch screen than to use a mouse and keyboard. Lastly, tablets are usually more affordable than laptops, making them a budget-friendly option for parents.  

Tablets

The PROS of Tablets

• Tablets are more convenient for reading and watching video lectures.
• Tablets have more vibrant and brighter screens than most laptops. The higher the resolution, the more vibrant the images are thus making it more comfortable for prolonged use.
• Normally has dual cameras to easily capture photos and videos for offline projects.
• Webcams of most tablets are of better quality than webcams of most entry-level laptops.
• Most dedicated apps for videoconferencing and online collaboration are available for tablets (Google Playstore or Apple App Store).
• Less prone to viruses.
• Smaller, lighter, more convenient to use.

The CONS of Tablets

• More challenging to download and save documents.
• Limited storage space although there is an option to utilize cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.
• Editing, typing, copying, and pasting on a touch screen is less convenient although you may purchase a separate keyboard.
• Unlike in a desktop or laptop PC, the learner may have a difficulty in identifying his/her classmates in an online classroom platform due to the smaller screen size.
• Easier to download games and apps which may lead to distraction.

Tablet Minimum Requirements

• 7 inches or larger screen size.
• Quad-Core Processor and above.
• Operating System: Android Nougat 7.0 or higher and iOS 11 for Apple iPad.
• Tablet memory should be at least 2GB of RAM but we do recommend 3GB and above for Android.
• Storage capacity should be at least 32GB and above.
• If you are planning to use a headset, make sure there is a 3.5mm jack available on the tablet. If the 3.5mm jack is not available, you may use a Micro-USB to 3.5mm adapter or Type-C to 3.5mm adapter or a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter so you can plug in a wired headset or headphone. Bluetooth headphones and headsets are viable options, but their battery life may not suffice especially for long hours of online classes/activities or online meetings.

Smartphones

We do agree that smartphones are the most common and most affordable option for online learning especially if Internet connectivity is a challenge for the learner. Smartphones have built-in sim card slots, multiple cameras (front and back) and mic, and even some with built-in headphone jacks. The learner may carry the device anywhere and even switch or swap sim cards especially if the signal for mobile data is unreliable in his/her area. But smartphones should always be the last option for online learning.

The PROS of Smartphones

• Smartphones have more vibrant and brighter screens than most tablets and laptops thus making them more comfortable especially for prolonged use.
• Normally has multiple cameras (front and back) to easily capture photos and videos for student projects.
• Built-in front webcams of most smartphones are of better quality than most webcams of tablets and laptops.
• Most dedicated apps for videoconferencing and online collaboration are also available for smartphones (Google Playstore or Apple App Store).
• Less prone to viruses.
• Smaller, lighter, more convenient to use.

The CONS of Smartphones

• Much more challenging to download and save documents due to the very limited screen size.
• Editing, typing, copying, and pasting on a touch screen is less convenient although you may purchase a separate keyboard.
• Limited storage space although there is an option to utilize cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.
• The battery life of smartphones may not be suitable for prolonged use since the learner will be forced to plug-in the smartphone to the charger most of the time and as mentioned earlier, it is not a good idea to always plug-in a tablet or a smartphone to the charger for long periods of time as this will decrease the lifespan of the device’s battery and may even cause an accident.  
• Unlike in a desktop or laptop PC, the learner may have a difficulty in identifying his/her classmates in an online learning platform due to the smaller screen size.
• Easier to download games and apps which may lead to distraction.

Smartphone Minimum Requirements

• 6 inches or larger screen size.
• Quad-Core Processor and above.
• Operating System: Android Oreo 8.0 or higher and iOS 11 for Apple.
• Smartphone memory should be at least 3GB of RAM but we do recommend 4GB and above for Android.
• Storage capacity should be at least 32GB and above.
• The Built-in web camera should at least be HD-ready (720P) or higher for clearer video calls.
• If you are planning to a headset, make sure there is a 3.5mm jack available on the smartphone. If the 3.5mm jack is not available, you may use a Micro-USB to 3.5mm adapter or Type-C 3.5mm adapter so you can plug in a headset or a headphone. Bluetooth headphones and headsets are viable options, but their battery life may not suffice especially for long hours of online classes/activities.