Cool Back To School Gadgets

It seems like everybody is shopping for back to school right now, and I thought it might be interesting to look at a few cool gadgets to get back to class in style.

1. Amazon Kindle: Amazon's e-reader is not only a quick and convenient way to download books, it also can save college students a lot of money over conventional text books. The Kindle can access thousands of school books with instant download capability. And just like a regular book, it will allow book marks so you can save your place. The index can find chapters and pages instantly too. Find it at amazon.com/kindle for $139.

2. Flying Alarm Clock: You can't get a lot out of classes if you're not there on time. This alarm clock features a propeller that detaches and flies across the room when the alarm goes off. You can't stop the alarm without retrieving the propeller and snapping it back into the clock. It makes you get out of bed. Might be the only solution for some of us early risers. Get it at HammacherSchlemmer.com for $39.95.

3. The Smart Pen: A company called Livescribe has a ballpoint pen that contains a computer, digital recorder, and microphone. This pen actually uses a special paper that will synchronize what you write on it with audio from a professor's lecture! How cool is that? See a demo video and get it at LiveScribe.com starting at $99.95.