AmberMac Blog

Back-to-School Tech: 2024 Tips & Tools

by Amber Mac on August 18, 2024

If you have a student heading back to school this September (my son just turned 15, so he’s off to Grade 10!), here are some of my top tips to make life safer, smarter, and yes, more affordable.

Choose an Affordable AI Laptop

University students want the latest tech to help them with their school work, such as creating, writing, and editing (and for fun when their homework is done!). Google AI features are now available on Chromebook Plus devices, so students can easily generate clever social captions*, build cool video call backgrounds, improve photos they take for projects, and lots more. The HP 15.6 in. Chromebook Plus is now available for $349.99. *English only – language & full feature availability may vary at launch.

Manage Lunch Money & Savings Goals

Teens need an easy way to manage lunch money, set savings goals, and start new routines this September. With the Mydoh app, kids 6-17 years old can earn money through tasks, spend responsibly using their Smart Cash Card, and save for the things they want with the Mydoh Savings Goals feature. Kids can send money to friends on Mydoh and receive money from people outside of Mydoh whether it’s for gifts or money earned through odd jobs. I also love that I can always see my son’s spending and lock his card if he loses it. Plus, Mydoh has no monthly fees.

Get Transportation Help on Busy Days

With an Uber for Teens account, parents and guardians can enjoy the peace of mind of being able to follow along on their teen’s trip from pickup to dropoff. Live safety features, including PIN verification and live trip tracking are built into the experience, and only the highest-rated and most-experienced drivers can receive trip requests from teens. As a mom, this means that I have a little bit of mobility help on the busiest school days of the year.

Stay Safe from Online Tech Threats

Teens today face numerous online threats across their devices, from laptops to tablets. Norton™ 360 for Staples offers comprehensive protection designed to keep your devices secure. With features like antivirus, built-in VPN, a password manager, and more, you can rest easy knowing that your family’s digital life is protected. As a parent, I also appreciate the ability to monitor my son’s screen time through the Parental Control feature, which includes a range of supervision tools and reports. Norton™ 360 for Staples is included in all Staples Tech Easy unlimited tech support plans, which comes with device setup, reliable data backup solutions, virus removal, and access to Staples tech experts so the whole family can stay safe and connected all year round.

We will be talking about these picks and more on TV stations across Canada throughout the month and thanks to our partners for their support!