5 Weird Gadgets for College Students

There are some gadgets that have an obvious purpose for students, such as laptops, calculators and smart phones. There are other gadgets, however, that seem extremely strange, yet provide valuable functionality for college and high school students of all ages.

Here's a look at some of the weirdest gadgets that students can find on the shelves this fall.

Smart Pens - Smart Pens are a weird technology because they basically provide the same function as a standard pen, only with many, many awesome extra features. A smart pen can actually remember notes, so a lecture's worth of scribbles can be transferred to a computer for easy storage.

Many smart pens like the Livescribe Pulse also have voice recorders, which can be useful for fast-moving lectures. The only downside of these gadgets is the cost. A smart pen can cost $200 or more, so they're only for students with serious organization problems.

Anti-Theft Lunchbags - All students need some way to bring a lunch to school, but students can be thieves--there's nothing worse than looking forward to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich only to find

25 anti-theft lunchbags cost about $8, which may seem expensive, but they're reusable, so they can pay for themselves with a little bit of care.

The Grassy Lawn Charging Station - Most students have quite a few gadgets that need regular charging, from smart phones to iPods and video game controllers. Sure, you could use the standard chargers that come with these devices, but for a cooler-looking solution, the Grassy Lawn Charging Station provides an eco-friendly vibe with 21st century charging technology.

It's basically a standard charging station, but fake grass hides cable clutter. This kind of charging station is good as a gift, but at $25, it's a bit unnecessary for the average college student--even though it is pretty cool-looking.

Digital Sketchpads - Tablets are all the rage, but digital sketchbooks provide a similar--if much more limited--interface that students can use for math and other studies. A digital sketchbook like the Boogie Board is a great substitution for sketch paper and much cheaper than years' worth of notebooks. The Boogie Board only runs about $30.

Wrist Gadget Charger - Here's another gadget charger that seems pretty unnecessary at first. It's a wrist charger, so a cell phone or MP3 player is strapped into the user's wrist for the entire charging period.

It seems stupid, but there are a few ways that a wrist charger could be handy. For instance, many students find themselves in class for hours, and if a gadget goes dead, it can mean a day without music or cell phone connectivity. For $40 it's nice to have an easy way to charge stuff, and it's sure to spark some conversation with classmates.

Know of any weird gadgets for students? Post in the comments section below.