{"id":81288,"date":"2015-05-06T18:45:48","date_gmt":"2015-05-06T16:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onsoftware.en.softonic.com\/?p=81288"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:12:10","slug":"grad-gift-guide-high-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/grad-gift-guide-high-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Grad gift guide: high school grads"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The graduate in your life just wrapped up four years of high school but he or she still has four more years to go (hopefully only four years). To make sure they have the best chance of success, make sure to equip them with the right tools for college.<\/p>\n<p>In this gift guide, we\u2019ll tackle the best tech and apps to help your grad succeed in college.<\/p>\n<h3>Phones<\/h3>\n<p>Smartphones have become essential to our way of living. The ability to look up anything on the internet and the ability to stay in touch make it something most people can\u2019t live without. If your grad is still using a flip phone, it\u2019s time for an upgrade. Here are the best phones you can buy right now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>iPhone 6 or 6 Plus<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81302\" title=\"iPhone 6\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"iPhone 6\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPhone-6.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The iPhone started the smartphone revolution and continues to be one of the best phones you can buy. Apple finally made its phones larger with the introduction of the 6 and 6 Plus. Which one you should get your grad really depends on his or her needs.<\/p>\n<p>If your grad already has a tablet, the iPhone 6 will do just fine. However, if your grad wants a smartphone and a tablet, save yourself the money and buy him or her the iPhone 6 Plus. The larger screen is great for reading and watching video. It\u2019s a bit unwieldy since it\u2019s so big, so check with your grad to see if that\u2019s something that would bother them.<\/p>\n<p>You can\u2019t go wrong with either phone, especially if your grad loves taking photos. The iPhone\u2019s camera is still the one to beat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"iPhone 6\" href=\"http:\/\/store.apple.com\/us\/buy-iphone\/iphone6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPhone<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Samsung Galaxy S6<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81306\" title=\"Samsung Galaxy S6 blue\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S6 blue\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-blue1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although some will argue that the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a blatant design ripoff of the iPhone 6, there\u2019s no denying it\u2019s a great phone. Along with top of the line specs, the Galaxy S6 refines its software with less intrusive skinning. Depending on which carrier you get the phone for, it might contain a bunch of bloatware, which is annoying but can be disabled.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Samsung Galaxy S6\" href=\"http:\/\/www.samsung.com\/uk\/galaxys6\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Samsung Galaxy S6<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Moto X<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81307\" title=\"Moto X wood grain\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Moto X wood grain\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-X-wood-grain.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If your grad wants a more fashionable phone, the Motorola Moto X (2014) is a great choice. You can customize the entire phone online before ordering it. You can spec the phone out with different backs like leather or wood and can even change the accent colors for the speakers and earpiece. It\u2019s not as fast as the Galaxy S6 but is plenty fast for most.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Moto X Motomaker\" href=\"https:\/\/www.motorola.com\/us\/motomaker?pid=FLEXR2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Motorola Moto X<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nexus 6<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81261\" title=\"nexus 6\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/nexus-6-568x246.png\" alt=\"nexus 6\" width=\"568\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/nexus-6-568x246.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/nexus-6-256x110.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/nexus-6.png 852w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Grads looking for an Android phablet (phone\/tablet) should take a look at the Nexus 6. It looks like a gigantic Motorola Moto X but that\u2019s not a bad thing. It\u2019s got an excellent screen and great battery life. Digital photographers may want to look elsewhere as the camera isn&#8217;t the best.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Nexus 6\" href=\"https:\/\/store.google.com\/product\/nexus_6\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Nexus 6<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>HTC One M9<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81309\" title=\"HTC One M9\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"HTC One M9\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/HTC-One-M9.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The latest version of HTC\u2019s flagship One series looks identical to the previous version but that\u2019s not a bad thing. HTC\u2019s use of metal instead of plastic really make this phone feel like a premium device. Its software is also lightly customized and gets out of your way. It\u2019s a great phone but features a mediocre camera, which is disappointing.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if you\u2019re looking for a robust phone with top notch specs, it\u2019s hard to go wrong with the One M9.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"HTC One M9\" href=\"http:\/\/www.htc.com\/us\/smartphones\/htc-one-m9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HTC One M9<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Motorola Moto E<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81310\" title=\"Moto E 2nd gen\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Moto E 2nd gen\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-256x143.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-E-2nd-gen.jpg 1002w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you have a clumsy grad, it\u2019s probably best to get him or her a cheaper phone that won\u2019t break the bank to replace. The $149.99 Moto E includes 4G support and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. For the money, it\u2019s a great phone with mid-level specs. It should be fine for calling, web browsing, and social media but don\u2019t expect to play graphics intensive games on the Moto E.<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t get to customize the phone like you can with the Moto X but you get a choice between black or white. For an additional $29.99, you can purchase the Moto Care Accident Protection plan, which offers repairs or replacements for accidents or mechanical failures.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Motorola Moto E\" href=\"http:\/\/www.motorola.com\/us\/smartphones\/moto-e-2nd-gen\/moto-e-2nd-gen.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Motorola Moto E<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Smartwatches<\/h3>\n<p>Smartwatches are all the rage. While your grad doesn&#8217;t <em>need<\/em> a smartwatch, it\u2019s a useful luxury. The ability to receive notifications on your wrist is nice, especially when in class. It\u2019s also useful for getting navigation directions while walking or taking public transit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Apple Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-80492\" title=\"apple watch friends\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/apple-watch-friends-568x428.jpg\" alt=\"apple watch friends\" width=\"568\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/apple-watch-friends-568x428.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/apple-watch-friends-256x193.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/apple-watch-friends.jpg 1172w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If your grad has or is getting an iPhone, they\u2019ll probably want an <a title=\"Apple Watch: everything you need to know\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/apple-watch-everything-you-need-to-know\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple Watch<\/a>. The entry level Sport model is a reasonable $350 and is a great workout companion. The Apple Watch has the ability to track all your health data with its Health app or one of the many third-party apps.<\/p>\n<p>There will be more uses for the Apple Watch as more developers create apps for it. But with Apple in the smartwatch game, developers will be <a title=\"11 reasons you will be wearing a smartwatch this year\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/11-reasons-you-will-be-wearing-a-smartwatch-this-year\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">taking smartwatches seriously<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Apple Watch\" href=\"http:\/\/store.apple.com\/us\/watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple Watch<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Motorola Moto 360<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81312\" title=\"Moto 360 smartwatch\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-360-smartwatch-568x379.jpg\" alt=\"Moto 360 smartwatch\" width=\"568\" height=\"379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-360-smartwatch-568x379.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-360-smartwatch-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-360-smartwatch-256x170.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Moto-360-smartwatch.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Motorola Moto 360 was one of the first Android Wear smartwatches to market but it\u2019s still a great choice. Its circular design makes it look like a traditional watch and offers decent performance. Battery life is still about a day of use so you\u2019ll be charging it every night. If you forget to dock the Moto 360 overnight or knock it off its charger (I&#8217;ve done this), you\u2019ll wake up to a dead watch.<\/p>\n<p>The Moto 360, like all Android Wear smartwatches, requires an Android phone. There have been rumors that Google is working to bring iPhone support to Android Wear, so stay tuned for that.<\/p>\n<p>Motorola also lets you customize the Moto 360 with different leather bands and bracelets. It comes in a brushed stainless steel and anodized black version.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Motorola Moto 360\" href=\"https:\/\/moto360.motorola.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moto 360<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Asus ZenWatch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81313\" title=\"Asus ZenWatch\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Asus-ZenWatch-568x298.jpg\" alt=\"Asus ZenWatch\" width=\"568\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Asus-ZenWatch-568x298.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Asus-ZenWatch-256x134.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Asus-ZenWatch.jpg 1235w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Another great Android Wear smartwatch is the Asus ZenWatch. It\u2019s fashionable with metal construction and a nice leather band. The watch is very slim and will fit under a shirt cuff without a problem.<\/p>\n<p>The ZenWatch features customizable watch faces, which you can access using Asus\u2019s companion app. It\u2019s one of the best looking smart watches out there and won\u2019t look like you have a computer strapped to your wrist.<\/p>\n<p>Battery life is good, especially if you disable the ambient display feature, but expect to charge it every night.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Asus ZenWatch\" href=\"http:\/\/www.asus.com\/us\/Phones\/ASUS_ZenWatch_WI500Q\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asus ZenWatch<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pebble Time or Steel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81315\" title=\"Pebble Time\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Pebble Time\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Pebble-Time.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pebble was one of the first smartwatches out on the market that was actually good. The company just released a new smartwatch with a color e-ink display, something the previous Steel version didn&#8217;t have. This means you can get up to seven days of battery life, which is miles beyond the competition.<\/p>\n<p>The design of the Time looks similar to the Steel but features rounded instead of sharp corners. While it\u2019s not the most attractive watch in this list, it\u2019s not a bad looker. It comes in black, stainless steel, and gold with a ton of choices for bands.<\/p>\n<p>Pebble Time runs the company\u2019s own software, which while more limited than Android Wear and Watch OS, still works great. Apps look basic but that\u2019s the point. The Pebble is there to get you information and to stay out of your way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Pebble Time\" href=\"https:\/\/getpebble.com\/pebble_time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pebble Time<\/a> | <a title=\"Pebble Steel\" href=\"https:\/\/getpebble.com\/pebble_steel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pebble Steel<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Apps<\/h3>\n<p>One of the best ways to help your grad get a leg up on his or her first year of college is apps. Your grad will use a phone and laptop the most, but these devices would be useless without a good set of apps.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Microsoft Office subscription<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81317\" title=\"PowerPoint 2016\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/PowerPoint-2016-568x331.png\" alt=\"PowerPoint 2016\" width=\"568\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/PowerPoint-2016-568x331.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/PowerPoint-2016-256x149.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/PowerPoint-2016.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft Office is still a great product but has transitioned from an offline-only office suite to a cloud-connected one. As such, Office now integrates with Microsoft\u2019s cloud technology like <a title=\"Microsoft OneDrive for Windows\" href=\"http:\/\/microsoft-onedrive.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OneDrive<\/a>. This brings Office up to parity Google Docs in terms of accessing your documents from anywhere as well as collaboration tools.<\/p>\n<p>Office now requires a subscription to take advantage of its best features. You can get an Office 365 Personal subscription for $7 per month or $70 per year. If you want Office for multiple computers, you can purchase the Home subscription, which covers up to 5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets (including iPads, Android, and Windows), and 5 phones. It costs $10 per month or $100 per year, which is a good price for a household.<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to check out our list of the <a title=\"Best free office suite\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/best-free-office-suite\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">best free office suites<\/a> if you don\u2019t want to pay for a subscription.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Microsoft Office subscription\" href=\"https:\/\/products.office.com\/en-us\/office-365-home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Office 365 Home<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold\">Google Docs and Drive<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-78218\" title=\"Google Docs\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/01\/Google-Docs-568x283.jpg\" alt=\"Google Docs\" width=\"568\" height=\"283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/01\/Google-Docs-568x283.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/01\/Google-Docs-256x127.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/01\/Google-Docs.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you want to be thrifty, Google Docs offers a great free online office suite. Your grad will likely be blanketed with Wi-Fi wherever he or she goes so using an online productivity suite shouldn&#8217;t be a problem.<\/p>\n<p>Google Docs has replacement apps for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, though it doesn&#8217;t have a <a title=\"Microsoft OneNote\" href=\"http:\/\/microsoft-onenote.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OneNote<\/a> competitor. However, you can replace OneNote using <a title=\"Evernote\" href=\"https:\/\/evernote.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Evernote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Google\u2019s productivity suite is great for simple tasks but it can\u2019t match Microsoft\u2019s in terms of features. Google has tried to address this by allowing developers to create apps for Google Docs to build features that Docs is lacking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Google Drive<\/strong>: <a title=\"Google Drive for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/google-drive.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Google Drive for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/google-drive.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Google Docs<\/strong>: <a title=\"Google Docs for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/google-docs.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Google Docs for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/google-docs.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Google Sheets<\/strong>: <a title=\"Google Sheets for Android\" href=\"google-sheets.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Google Sheets for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/google-sheets.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Google Slides<\/strong>: <a title=\"Google Slides for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/google-slides.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Google Slides for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/google-slides.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Evernote<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-77699\" title=\"evernote\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/evernote-568x355.png\" alt=\"evernote\" width=\"568\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/evernote-568x355.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/evernote-256x160.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/evernote.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Evernote is one of the best note taking apps out there. The company has nailed note taking on the desktop and mobile, with unique experiences for each. All your notes are saved to the cloud and can be accessed from any web browser.<\/p>\n<p>The app is versatile enough to be a note taking app and task manager. It\u2019s not going to replace Google Docs or Microsoft Word for word processing but it\u2019s great for typing out lecture notes. You can even record and annotate your work.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Microsoft OneNote\" href=\"http:\/\/microsoft-onenote.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OneNote<\/a> is a great alternative if you don\u2019t like Evernote.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Evernote<\/strong>: <a title=\"Evernote for Android\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.evernote&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Evernote for iOS\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/evernote\/id281796108?mt=8\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a> | <a title=\"Evernote for desktop download\" href=\"https:\/\/evernote.com\/download\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Desktop<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold\">Duolingo<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81320\" title=\"duolingo\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/duolingo-568x387.png\" alt=\"duolingo\" width=\"568\" height=\"387\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/duolingo-568x387.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/duolingo-256x174.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/duolingo.png 660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your grad will probably have to learn a foreign language for his or her general education and Duolingo is the perfect learning companion. The apps are completely free to use and turn learning a language into a game. As you progress through lessons, you unlock more content and can compare scores with your friends.<\/p>\n<p>The app is free to use but you can pay for power-ups.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Duolingo<\/strong>: <a title=\"Duolingo for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/duolingo.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Duolingo for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/duolingo.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a> | <a title=\"Duolingo for Windows Phone\" href=\"http:\/\/duolingo.en.softonic.com\/windows-phone-7\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Windows Phone<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Windows 10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-79719\" title=\"Windows 10 Tencent\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Windows 10 Tencent\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/03\/Windows-10-Tencent.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That laptop you bought your grad is going to have to last at least four years so having a modern operating system is a must. Windows 10 isn&#8217;t out yet but will be <strong>available this summer<\/strong>. You can <a title=\"Windows 10 preview\" href=\"http:\/\/windows-10.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">download a preview<\/a> of it for free in the meantime. Best of all, it\u2019s a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users. If your grad is on an older version of Windows, it\u2019s a good idea to upgrade to Windows 10 for free for a limited time.<\/p>\n<p>Windows 10 features a ton of new features including Microsoft\u2019s Cortana voice assistant. She\u2019ll help you look things up on the web, set reminders, schedule events for you, and much more. Windows 10 has also been redesigned to work better with laptops and tablets. Windows 10 is still being developed but it <a title=\"Windows 10 looks awesome at Build 2015\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/windows-10-microsoft-edge-hololens-at-build-2015\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">already looks awesome<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Snapchat<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-74410\" title=\"Snapchat-02-Header\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/10\/Snapchat-02-Header.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Snapchat isn&#8217;t just for texting. Teens are glued to the app because it removes the anxiety of having something permanently on the internet. Videos, images, and text messages disappear after they\u2019re read, which may seem silly but actually makes sense. You don\u2019t have to worry about your photos looking the best since they\u2019re going to disappear so users are likely to share more. <a title=\"Snapchat: Love it or leave it?\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/snapchat-love-it-or-leave-it\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Love it or leave it<\/a>, the fact of the matter is that kids love Snapchat.<\/p>\n<p>As a parent, you can keep in touch with your grad via Snapchat. They\u2019ll probably respond faster to you than if you called or texted them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Snapchat<\/strong>: <a title=\"Snapchat for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/snapchat.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Snapchat for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/snapchat.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hangouts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-68549\" title=\"Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-568x319.png\" alt=\"Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-568x319.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-256x144.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-800x450.png 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-664x374.png 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial-238x134.png 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/Header-Google-Hangouts-Tutorial.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Just about everyone has a Gmail account these days and with it comes Google\u2019s other apps like Hangouts. Hangouts is Google\u2019s cross-platform chat app that lets you video chat and even make free calls. Install this on your grad\u2019s phone before he or she goes off to college and they\u2019ll have no excuse not to check in with you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Hangouts<\/strong>: <a title=\"Hangouts for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/hangouts.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Hangouts for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/hangouts.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Facebook Messenger<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-80862\" title=\"Facebook Messenger video calling\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Facebook Messenger video calling\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/FB-Messenger-video-calling.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chances are your grad is already on Facebook. If you haven\u2019t already signed up for Facebook to stalk your progeny, you\u2019ll want to now since Facebook Messenger is a great way to keep in contact. Messenger supports free voice calling, video calling, and stickers. Messenger also lets you know when your child is online and available to chat. The app also shows you when someone\u2019s read your message so you can guilt your kids about how they don\u2019t respond to your messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Facebook Messenger<\/strong>: <a title=\"Facebook Messenger for Android\" href=\"http:\/\/facebook-messenger.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Facebook Messenger for iOS\" href=\"http:\/\/facebook-messenger.en.softonic.com\/iphone\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Tech<\/h3>\n<p>Your grad\u2019s going to need some tech to help him or her through the next four years. Here\u2019s some tech that\u2019ll make your grad\u2019s life easier.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kindle Paperwhite or Voyage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81323\" title=\"kindle-paperwhite\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"kindle-paperwhite\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-256x143.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/kindle-paperwhite.jpg 852w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ebooks are here to stay and you\u2019re going to need an ebook reader or tablet to take advantage of them. The best <a title=\"ebook DRM\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/why-choosing-the-best-ebook-app-is-difficult-drm\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ebook readers<\/a> right now are the Kindle Paperwhite and Voyage. The Paperwhite is the more affordable of the two and offers a backlit screen for reading at night as well as a month-long battery life.<\/p>\n<p>The Kindle Voyage offers a more premium reading experience with a 300 ppi display and touch sensitive buttons. It also features adaptive brightness so you don\u2019t have to mess with the backlight slider manually.<\/p>\n<p>Both readers get books from the excellent Kindle library, which is filled with novels and textbooks. You\u2019ll also be able to read textbooks on a computer or tablet so you\u2019re not limited only to reading on the Kindle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Kindle Paperwhite\" href=\"http:\/\/smile.amazon.com\/dp\/B00JG8GOWU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kindle Paperwhite<\/a> | <a title=\"Kindle Voyage\" href=\"http:\/\/smile.amazon.com\/dp\/B00IOY8XWQ\/ref=fs_kv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kindle Voyage<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tablet: iPad or Nexus 9<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81326\" title=\"iPad family\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"iPad family\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/iPad-family.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking of tablets, there are ton of options out there but there are two stand out options. Apple\u2019s iPad still dominates with its great app ecosystem and beautiful screens. The new iPad Air 2 supports TouchID for quickly logging into accounts as well as being extremely light for a 10\u201d tablet. There\u2019s also the iPad mini 3, which comes in a 8\u201d screen for better portability. You\u2019ll be trading power for portability but both models have 10 hour battery lives.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-78036\" title=\"Nexus 9\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/DSC00690-568x377.jpg\" alt=\"Nexus 9\" width=\"568\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/DSC00690-568x377.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/DSC00690-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/DSC00690-256x170.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/12\/DSC00690.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For Android users, the Nexus 9 is a great choice. Since it\u2019s part of the Nexus program, it\u2019ll get Android\u2019s newest features first. It\u2019s a nice 4:3 form factor, which makes it more versatile for reading. Android still falls behind the iPad in terms of app support but there\u2019s enough big name apps on Android to make the Nexus 9 a good choice.<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to check out our <a title=\"Nexus 9 review\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/nexus-9-review-2\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nexus 9 review<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"iPad Air 2\" href=\"http:\/\/store.apple.com\/us\/buy-ipad\/ipad-air-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPad Air 2<\/a> | <a title=\"iPad mini 3\" href=\"http:\/\/store.apple.com\/us\/buy-ipad\/ipad-mini-3\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPad mini 3<\/a> | <a title=\"Nexus 9\" href=\"https:\/\/store.google.com\/product\/nexus_9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nexus 9<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Surface 3<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81329\" title=\"Surface 3\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Surface-3-568x378.jpg\" alt=\"Surface 3\" width=\"568\" height=\"378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Surface-3-568x378.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Surface-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Surface-3-256x170.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Surface-3.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Windows fans can get the Surface 3, which is the best version of the surface so far. There\u2019s the Surface Pro 3 but it\u2019s quite expensive. It\u2019s not a very good tablet or laptop so save yourself some money and just get the Surface 3.<\/p>\n<p>It runs full Windows so desktop apps work fine on it. Don\u2019t expect to run video or photo editing software on the Surface since it\u2019s underpowered compared to laptops. It won\u2019t replace a good laptop for productivity but is great for browsing the web and working on papers on the go.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Surface 3\" href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoftstore.com\/store\/msusa\/en_US\/pdp\/productID.314885500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Surface 3<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laptops: MacBook Air or the Dell XPS 13<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81332\" title=\"Macbook Air\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-568x319.jpg\" alt=\"Macbook Air\" width=\"568\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Macbook-Air.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your grad\u2019s going to want to take his or her work on the go, whether going to the library or to a friend\u2019s house. A laptop is a must-have and the two that stand out the most are the MacBook Air and Dell XPS 13. Both are great, ultra-portable laptops that are great for productivity.<\/p>\n<p>The MacBook Air features stellar battery life and a polished operating system in the form of OS X Yosemite. Apple did a good job optimizing the Air for speed with its solid state drive and powerful Intel Processors.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81333\" title=\"Dell XPS 13\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Dell-XPS-13-568x568.png\" alt=\"Dell XPS 13\" width=\"568\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Dell-XPS-13-568x568.png 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Dell-XPS-13-256x256.png 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Dell-XPS-13.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Dell XPS 13 is the closest competitor to the MacBook Air but runs Windows. You\u2019ll want to see what your grad is majoring in to see if he or she needs Windows or Mac. Some software is only available for Windows but Macs can run Windows using Bootcamp or virtualization software like VMWare or Parallels. Still, if you\u2019re going to be using Windows most of the time, it\u2019s better to get a Windows laptop from the start.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Apple MacBook Air\" href=\"http:\/\/store.apple.com\/us\/buy-mac\/macbook-air\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MacBook Air<\/a> | <a title=\"Dell XPS 13\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dell.com\/us\/p\/xps-13-9343-laptop\/pd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dell XPS 13<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Headphones<\/h3>\n<p>Living in the dorms will test your grad\u2019s patience for noise. To help drown out annoying roommates and the sounds of beer pong, get them a good pair of headphones.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sennheiser Momentum<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81335\" title=\"Sennheiser Momentums\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Sennheiser-Momentums-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sennheiser Momentums\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Sennheiser-Momentums.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Sennheiser-Momentums-256x256.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Forget about Beats. They\u2019re over priced and put too much emphasis on the bass. For a good sounding pair of headphones that look great too, check out the Sennheiser Momentum. There are several variations to choose from, including a wireless model.<\/p>\n<p>There are on-ear and over-ear options and it\u2019ll depend on what your grad needs. Go for the on-ears for portability and the over-ears for better noise isolation and sound.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear\" href=\"http:\/\/en-us.sennheiser.com\/over-ear-headphone-momentum-stereo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Audio Technica ATH-M50X<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81336\" title=\"Audio Technica ATH-M50x\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-330x330.jpg\" alt=\"Audio Technica ATH-M50x\" width=\"330\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x.jpg 330w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-256x256.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you ask an audiophile to recommend a good sounding, durable pair of headphones for under $200, they\u2019re probably going to recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50X. This headphone has been around for years but it still sounds great for the price. Its presentation is neutral so you\u2019ll hear how the music is supposed to sound.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Audio Technica ATH-M50X\" href=\"http:\/\/www.audio-technica.com\/cms\/headphones\/99aff89488ddd6b1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Audio Technica ATH-M50X<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bose QuietComfort 25<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81339\" title=\"Bose QuietComfort 25\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Bose-QuietComfort-25-568x568.jpg\" alt=\"Bose QuietComfort 25\" width=\"568\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Bose-QuietComfort-25-568x568.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Bose-QuietComfort-25-256x256.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Bose-QuietComfort-25.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If your grad needs noise cancelling headphones, the Bose QuietComfort 25 are an excellent choice. Bose\u2019s noise cancellation technology is some of the best and really works to drown out droning fans, jet engines, and other noises. It won\u2019t cancel out voices so don\u2019t expect miracles. However, if your grad takes the train to school or likes studying at cafes, the Bose QuietComfort 25 are a great choice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Bose QuietComfort 25\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bose.com\/controller?url=\/shop_online\/headphones\/noise_cancelling_headphones\/quietcomfort_25\/index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bose QuietComfort 25<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Shure SE215<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81340\" title=\"Shure SE215\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Shure-SE215-568x440.jpg\" alt=\"Shure SE215\" width=\"568\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Shure-SE215-568x440.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Shure-SE215-256x198.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Shure-SE215.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For ultimate portability, earbuds are hard to beat. The Shure SE215 are great earbuds from a respected audio company. Musicians are often seen in the studio using Shure mics and headphones and for good reason. They sound great and can withstand the abuse of a studio environment.<\/p>\n<p>Earbuds also offer great passive noise isolation, meaning you don\u2019t need batteries to cancel out noise like the aforementioned Bose headphones. Using either silicone or foam tips, the Shure SE215 can block out most noise. Just tell your grad to be aware of his or her surroundings if they\u2019ll be using these while walking on the street.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Shure SE215\" href=\"http:\/\/www.shure.com\/americas\/products\/earphones-headphones\/se-earphones\/se215-sound-isolating-earphones\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shure SE215<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The Hungry Kid fund<\/h3>\n<p>One of the biggest worries for parents is that their kid won\u2019t have enough to eat. Instead of calling and asking if you child has eaten yet, give him or her the tools to make sure they don\u2019t starve.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gift cards<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81343\" title=\"Gift cards\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Gift-cards-568x426.jpg\" alt=\"Gift cards\" width=\"568\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Gift-cards-568x426.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Gift-cards-256x192.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Gift-cards.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/strong><em>Image credit: <a title=\"Flickr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/68751915@N05\/6710868859\/in\/photolist-be1Xvv-5oYMkR-dF4tEK-ebCrLp-dF9Xp7-6abt4a-dZCwC8-dF9VQY-8fzprc-apQmju-dF9WYj-dFahaA-dF4u7V-5YVzjF-dF9SBw-dF9Rv5-dF9SfS-6Ft3Ra-4Zvf7V-dF9Vcb-9sRBLo-nzokGY-dF9SYE-dF9TmJ-dF4th8-dF4v6D-7fVMXj-9Ww2pz-djuY4m-dF9XNw-dF4tZB-dF9TJN-djmVpg-dF4rsX-dF9TbN-5TWMKq-8UsYQM-rs4aJv-dF4xKB-kzmG6V-7rZbnc-5YVzjZ-czBVq7-9a3SpG-dF4w2T-dF4r7z-dF4SzH-dF4wBV-cybYz5-f6k6E1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">401(K) 2012<\/a> via Flickr<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gift cards are an easy gift for your grad. They don\u2019t expire and they can use it for a variety of things if you get a card for a store like Wal-mart or Target. Just make sure your kid doesn\u2019t blow all that gift card money on a new Xbox.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Costco membership<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81342\" title=\"Costco wholesale\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Costco-wholesale-568x411.jpg\" alt=\"Costco wholesale\" width=\"568\" height=\"411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Costco-wholesale-568x411.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Costco-wholesale-256x185.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Costco-wholesale.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Costco is a haven for college students. The wholesaler has food, batteries, gas, and much more. Getting your grad a Costco membership can help them eat on the cheap. There\u2019s no better deal than $1.50 hotdogs with a soda. Just tell them not to go too often or the freshmen 15 will turn into the freshmen 30.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy<\/strong>: <a title=\"Costoco Join\" href=\"http:\/\/www.costco.com\/join-costco.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Costco Membership<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Food delivery apps<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-81345\" title=\"Grubhub\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Grubhub-568x349.jpg\" alt=\"Grubhub\" width=\"568\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Grubhub-568x349.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Grubhub-256x157.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2015\/05\/Grubhub.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>EAT24, now owned by Yelp, is a food delivery app that lets you search by cuisine and lets you either have it delivered or prepared for pick-up. Ordering is super quick and the app supports PayPal and Google Wallet for payment.<\/p>\n<p>An alternative to EAT24 is GrubHub. Both services work similarly but EAT24 has the advantage of integrated Yelp reviews.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download EAT24<\/strong>: <a title=\"EAT24 for Android\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.eat24.app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"EAT24 for iPhone\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/eat24-order-food-delivery\/id517729226?ls=1&amp;mt=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPhone<\/a> | <a title=\"EAT24 for iPad\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/eat24-order-food-delivery\/id621708540?mt=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPad<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Download GrubHub<\/strong>: <a title=\"GrubHub for Android\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.grubhub.android\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Download GrubHub for iPhone\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/WebObjects\/MZStore.woa\/wa\/viewSoftware?id=302920553&amp;mt=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iPhone<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Download Seamless<\/strong>: <a title=\"Seamless for Android\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.seamlessweb.android.view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Android<\/a> | <a title=\"Seamless for iOS\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/seamless-free-food-delivery\/id381840917?mt=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iOS<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Header image credit: <a title=\"Jeff Meyer Flickr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/soundman1024\/576328302\/in\/photolist-2e4FFA-fGyTWA-bwbb3A-7GM3FE-SVQjS-mGxQra-bK5X3V-9WBBEz-6Nye7a-5gKmFv-4MWo6b-9SD2g2-2XFyn-4Xyr3e-fXZKj-9e3Y7-fXZhc-6mgFnB-4U7BYy-7teNRt-cgaPAU-8au7Z5-7izzPb-7izzzw-8au73J-62JqHV-7Zgurt-7ZgAj4-7ZgxxX-6wcSdN-euPnJe-bwboqL-EKe4G-bQHcP2-bK69sp-4e9NTd-bwbmK5-erh6U-7fMhaR-7fLFnT-9SDb7D-9SD1FK-9SFSYE-bK5XBr-s7KzPv-dDSsB-8iPkhj-4fUqzs-h9PZF-5o98ZY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeff Meyer<\/a> via Flickr<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"Grad gift guide: college graduates\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/grad-gift-guide-college-graduates\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grad gift guide: college graduates<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Mother's Day gift guide: apps for her new tech\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/mothers-day-gift-guide-apps-for-her-new-tech\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mother&#8217;s Day gift guide: apps for her new tech<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Best Android browser comparison 2015\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/best-android-browser-comparison-2015\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Best Android browser comparison 2015<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Apple Watch: Using Watch OS and its apps\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/apple-watch-os-and-apps-hands-on\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple Watch: Using Watch OS and its apps<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"The way we pay: are mobile wallets the future?\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/the-way-we-pay-are-mobile-wallets-the-future\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The way we pay: are mobile wallets the future?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Best apps for travelling on a budget\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/best-apps-for-travelling-on-a-budget\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Best apps for travelling on a budget<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Best free office suite\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/best-free-office-suite\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Best free office suite<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Is the Apple Watch right for you?\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/is-the-apple-watch-right-for-you\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Is the Apple Watch right for you?<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\"><em>Follow me on Twitter: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lewisleong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@lewisleong<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The graduate in your life just wrapped up four years of high school but he or she still has four more years to go (hopefully only four years). To make sure they have the best chance of success, make sure to equip them with the right tools for college. In this gift guide, we\u2019ll tackle &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/grad-gift-guide-high-school\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Grad gift guide: high school grads&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":81377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-81288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81288"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":329585,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81288\/revisions\/329585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81288"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=81288"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=81288"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=81288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}