You may have recently invested in a new PC for your college-bound son or daughter, but it’s also a good time to refresh your own computer at back-to-school prices. Think your current computer is good enough for what you do? You don’t know what you’re missing:
The Phone Just Isn’t Enough – Sure, you can text, email or talk to your children while they’re living on campus, but you could also be taking advantage of FREE video conferencing technology such as Skype, Oovoo and Vsee. Your student’s laptop probably includes a webcam and microphone, so they’re already set on their end. By refreshing your computer to one with a webcam and microphone, you’ll be equipped with everything you need to see and speak with your loved ones virtually.
Ready to Retire Your Old Stereo? – If you can’t remember the last time you purchased a physical CD, welcome to the club. Many people download music on their PC and mp3 devices making them the new stereo. And with free online services like Pandora, which stream a custom music selection based on your personal preference, your new PC could be your replacement stereo. You can easily connect to your existing amp and speakers and HP’s new Beats Audio system on select PC’s like the Envy (pictured to the right) brings studio quality sound.
What About All Those Photos and Videos? – So you have a digital camera, but what are you doing with all of those photos you’ve taken? How about your camcorder…do you still record to tape or have you also made the switch to digital videos? Snapfish and other online photo sites offer the ability to do some minor editing and unique printing projects. But if you want to store all of those pictures and videos securely at home or edit them using powerful software like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere, you’ll want a computer with much more storage, more processing power as well as a large screen.
Windows 7….It’s Time – If you’re still running Windows XP at home, consider that you’re running an operating system first launched in 2001. Windows 7 has been proven as a strong and reliable operating system and there are many advantages for the casual computer user. Speed, performance and boot-up time are greatly improved. Plus, the overall design is much more user-friendly making it easier to create and manage a home network, find and organize files on your computer, and even use touch integration that’s available on HP Tablet PCs and touch-screen desktops such as the TM2T (pictured to the left) and TouchSmart 300z.
As a parent, you can take advantage of the education discount offered by HP Academy. We offer most of the products mentioned in this article at a special discounted price for you! Visit our website or call (800) 632-8251 to get expert advice on the best solution for your needs!
