NBC TODAY: Back to School

If the words "back to school" conjure up images of apple-cheeked youngsters clutching wooden rulers and brand boxes of Crayolas, you probably qualify for a birthday greeting from Willard. As today's students know, it's a whole new ballgame in classrooms and on college campuses. BestStuff’s own Corey Greenberg has rounded up all the latest tools for back to school.



Dell Dimension 2100
Dell's got the best deal on a desktop system - only $699 for a full desktop PC including 15-inch monitor. The Dell Dimension 2100 has an 900mhz Celeron processor, 128MB RAM, 20GB hard drive, 48X CD-ROM, 56K modem, Sound Blaster 64 Voice, Windows ME, Works Suite and speakers. Comes with a 1-year limited warranty and 1-year of ship-back service and includes 6 months of AOL Membership (new members only). www.dell.com




Compaq Presario 1200 Laptop
Compaq's Presario 1200 laptop is just $999, the first major manufacturer laptop to break the thousand dollar price barrier (you have to buy the laptop on Compaq's web site to get this price, though). The 1200 has an 800MHz Celeron processor, 128MB RAM, 10GB hard drive, 24X CD-ROM, 12.1" TFT screen, integrated 56K modem, lithium battery, Windows ME and & Microsoft Productivity Suite. Compaq will even throw in a color printer for $1 if you buy the Presario 1200 on www.compaq.com.




Lexmark X83 All-in-One Print Center
Lexmark just hit the market with a surprisingly good all-in-one photo-ready color inkjet printer, 48-bit color scanner, and plain paper copier for just $199. This is the perfect add-on for a back to school PC because it handles all the tasks a student will need when it comes to preparing papers, doing research, and creating great looking projects for class. I don't usually recommend combo units like the Lexmark - in fact, I never have -- especially ones as inexpensive as the X83, because they don't do a very good job at either printing, scanning, or copying. But I have to admit I'm impressed by what the Lexmark can do for a buck shy of 200. The printer section is quite good at black text, and it does a decent job at printing photos if you use good glossy photo paper like the Kodak that Lexmark recommends. The 48-bit scanner works well too, and together they can function as a workable copier for PC-free copying. Honestly, I didn't expect much from the Lexmark X83, but it's a steal for $200. www.lexmark.com




Motorola v.60c and v.120
The hottest cell phone right now is Motorola's $400 v.60c, the one everybody's talking about. It's tiny, powerful, web-ready, and very stylish. But Motorola also makes a great, low-cost web-enabled phone called the v120. Available exclusively through Verizon, this phone is a Mobile Web and Mobile Messenger ready handset that functions as an FM radio with its optional FM radio headset. FM radio automatically mutes when a phone call comes in allowing customers to simply press a button and start talking without removing the handset. The FM radio headset resumes playing when the call ends. Other features include web-browser, 2-way text messaging, voice dialing, voice recording up to 2 minutes, interchangeable Phone Wraps (faceplates) purchased separately. $70 with Verizon service. www.motorola.com




Samsung SPH-N200
This dual band/dual mode phone offers users the advanced functionality of a sleek and durable wireless handset. The memory holds up to 238-name phone book entries and 10-voice mail dialing locations. Building off of its predecessors, it is enhanced with an array of expanded features including a toggle key navigator for Internet, a large graphic display and a fully functional PIM.

Additional features include voice-activated dialing, 20 preset rings modes, one customizable and vibrate mode, 2-way text messaging, high resolution display with 6 line of alphanumeric text, updated wireless web browser, airtime tracker, and multilingual capabilities (English & Spanish Digital talk time/standby: 3.8hours/130hrs.(standard battery), Analog talk time /standby: 75 min./17 hours (standard battery). Can be charged only via its bulky desktop cradle. Small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket weighing in at 4.7oz. SPRINT service. $150-$200.www.samsungusa.com




Samsung SCH-N150
The Samsung SCH-N150 is a tri-mode phone with an egg –shaped graphic screen and comes with games built-in. Its improved handgrip and solid design enhance usability. www.samsungusa.com




AOL Mobile Communicator
I'm addicted to my Blackberry 957 email PDA. Now AOL has put together a very attractive 2-way email package based on RIM's smaller, pager-sized Blackberry model 950. AOL calls its version the AOL Mobile Communicator, and it's offering it at a dramatically reduced price - normally $329, the AOL Mobile Communicator is just $99.95, with a monthly fee of $29.95 for unlimited usage. Parents can buy multiple RIMS for the kids and use the same AOL account with different screen names. The AOL Mobile Communicator can also send and receive AOL Instant Messages. www.aol.com/anywhere/mobilecomm




High Tech Pants
Last year I brought Levi's specially designed gadget-jacket on the show, and now the company's Dockers division is introducing gadget-pants to the market for the young and techno at heart. The Dockers Mobile Pant has special hidden pockets just the right size for cell phones, PDAs, and MP3 players, but the pants look just like normal khakis, not goofy cargo pants. Seven hidden pockets make these Dockers damned desirable digital dungarees. $52. www.dockers.com




Cambridge Soundworks MicroWorks
Many college students use their computers as their main music playback system. All PCs and Macs have a CD-ROM drive that can double as a CD player, and the incredible growth of MP3 as a dominant music format among young people makes a computer the ideal jukebox. The problem is, most PCs, even high-end systems, come bundled with pretty mediocre speakers. The good news is that a good set of speakers can radically transform the sound of a PC for music playback, and my favorite PC speakers are made by Cambridge Soundworks. Their $149.95 MicroWorks system combines a pair of tiny cube-shaped satellite speakers for the desktop with a powered subwoofer that really does a great job filling even the largest rooms with deep, solid bass. The subwoofer contains all the amplifiers for the entire system, so all you have to do is plug the MicroWorks system into your PC's sound card and you've got an audiophile-grade music system. I've used Cambridge Soundworks PC speakers for years with my various computers and they always deliver considerably better sound than anything else I've heard for the money. www.hifi.com