Hey there everyone, Trisha here, reporting in from my home studio. We're all doing
our best to adjust to life at home right now, and when you have a little one that
can be extra tricky. Not only do you have to keep them entertained, but you have to
constantly stimulate their minds since they’re drinking in everything in like a
sponge. We’ve recently put up a video from Juan on this channel, going over
some videos and applications that you can use to help keep the education going
during this unexpected homeschooling stretch, and thankfully there is also a
lot of great tech out there that can make your life easier, and give your kids
the tools they need to stay entertained and learning. When you're looking for
tech to help homeschool your kids, there are a few requirements. It can't be too
expensive, so if it gets knocked over or spilled on you won't have to talk to
your local loan shark in order to replace it. You also have to be able to
access everything your child needs to learn and be edu-tained, so it needs to be
capable and compatible with their school's online learning portals, stream
videos well enough, and be easy to use. And finally, it can also be good to make
sure the device isn't TOO capable, if you know what I mean. Depending on your child
it can be a good idea to look at restrictions that can be built into the
tech, like maybe it shouldn’t let them just play DOOM while they’re supposed to
be learning about geometry. A Chromebook fits all of these categories almost perfectly.
They’re inexpensive, compatible with everything online thanks to the Chrome
browser and built-in Google services, and they’re just enough machine for the job
of home education. What is a Chromebook? Well, it’s a lightweight, inexpensive
laptop powered by Chrome OS, which Google has been developing over the last decade.
It is meant to integrate with Google’s online services and acts kind
of like a bridge to the internet-based services you use without much
overhead. Chromebooks are made by the companies we all know and love from
the laptop game, like Acer and Asus, and come in a ton of different sizes and
form factors with a range of special features. Need a touchscreen? Yep,
you can get that! A tablet setup? It's got that too. They're great for playing
educational Youtube videos for kids of all ages, and
cool teens will even appreciate how easy it is to write papers and stream Spotify
while pretending to write that paper. Add to that excellent battery life, and you
have almost the perfect machine for learners of any age, whether they’re
learning from home or taking it to school every day. Almost 60% of
computers assigned to students across the US are Chromebooks, so
they’ve been tested in real-world conditions that would terrify any
product engineer - like a school backpack. If you’re looking for an alternative to
Chrome OS, there are a bunch of Windows laptops that fit the bill, even
if they’re a tad bit more expensive, like the Microsoft Surface Go, which adds a pen
for its touchscreen, or the Acer Aspire series. Most of those are available for
under $600 and, while not as streamlined, do allow for a bit more
variety in software and features. We’ll have a link in the description below
this video that will point you towards Newegg’s homeschooling page, where
there is a bunch of great tech you can check out that’s specifically selected
with our current situation in mind.And before I wrap up, let me just share with
you personally what I've been using tech wise with my tiny human. Now he just
turned three so he's definitely under main Chromebook age. We're focusing on
pre-k lessons and pre-k apps, some of which Juan mentioned in our previous
video. We recycled an old tablet that was no longer fast enough for what we would
need it for for work, but it's perfect for my son. He's watching educational
music videos, and taking the free lessons that Scholastic has out given the
current situation, and that is his main tech device of choice for his lessons
right now. We bought a protective case for it with a kickstand and some handles
so that even if he drops it, or throws it all around which he does very often, it's
still protected. And again because it's an older device we're not quite as
worried if we end up having to replace it or if you were to crack the screen or
something like that. Other devices we've considered getting for him are devices
that are technology that inspire creativity, rather than just consumption,
that includes something like a Wacom tablet. If you have one that you happen
to use for work anyway, let your kids take it for a spin... as long as you're
watching them of course. That's not an inexpensive toy for sure.
But something else that inspires creativity less so than consumption,
there are kids cameras out there that we sell even here on Newegg with
protective cases, some of which are waterproof, drop proof, etc., so that you
can inspire your tiny one to become a photographer or videographer or make
their own movies I am always a fan of technology that can be used for
creativity rather than just passive consumption. Active creativity, not
passive consumption. As kids get older you can explore video game options and
video game consoles that are meant to be educational. Assassin's Creed has an
educational knowledge of some of their titles or if you are looking to get a
headset that won't break the bank the Oculus Quest is currently $400
and does not need to be tethered to a PC, so virtual field trips thanks to
Google satellite, here we come. Might be a great way to get your older
kids excited about other parts of the world, even though we're all stuck inside.
So - I hope this has helped you make a decision
about the right learning machine for your kids, something that can - ideally
take a bit of stress out of the homeschooling life. It isn’t easy taking
care of work, life, and your child all while locked inside thanks to world
events, but a little clever tech can help make it easier to bear, and
hopefully, also kind of fun. Stay tuned to Newegg Studios as we continue covering
the hardware you love, and the tech that you need