subject: College Students and Wireless Internet [print this page] Going to college and being online has gone hand in hand ever since the first enterprising dorm-dweller decided to share an MP3 on his schools server. While the battles of sharing music are long gone, laptops have become a more visible presence on most dorm rooms than guitars and pictures of significant others from back home. A growing number of colleges are requiring their students to be wired, and providing free technology to those who cant afford it on their own. This is even starting to stretch to high school students, who have been given numerous devices through pilot programs to see if having technology around is beneficial for learning.
While college students are a lot more internet savvy than their counterparts who graduated in the past decade, there is still a lot to understand about the true boom in development for both hardware and software. After all, the current amount of space for the smallest iPod is the same as what was available for the most expensive second generation model, which was absolutely hulking. And now, its not just cell phones that can get online: if theres wireless internet around, you can surf it with your iPod touch.
However, if youre studying and away from home, youre going to need a lot more than an MP3 player to get online. And while many schools offer computer labs, they are just as often jammed with other students printing papers and checking their email. Its often a lot better to have your own machine. This way, you will ensure that you can always complete assignments on time, and if you have parents at home who want to hear how youre doing, its a lot easier to catch up when you can get online at your convenience.
While parents often stress about which computer is the best for their college-bound daughter or son, they sometimes dont think as much about the best way to get online. And while many colleges do provide a fast T3 connection or even wireless internet in common areas, this sometimes isnt actually the most affordable or convenient thing. A growing number of students on-campus are starting to use WiMax to stay in touch, and the trend looks like its here to stay.
With WiMax, connecting to the internet is done through a network that functions much like one that handles cell phone calls. Theres no need to be within a specific distance of a particular device, and a fast network means that unlike regular wireless, its possible to do everything you could do from a fast computer plugged into a steady connection. Video chatting, streaming, uploading mass amounts of images--its all possible, thanks to this 4G network.
So when youre getting ready to go off to college or return from the holidays, consider that you might need something more than a new laptop. You might be ready for a new way of getting online. And especially for those students who are interested in being tech savvy, going with wireless broadband is definitely the way to do it.
