Product Review: IClicker Clicking Device for Students

College students, as well as high school students and even those in middle school, are increasingly needing to take along a clicker to attend school. A clicker is an electronic device designed to record votes on multiple-choice style questions. Clickers have been popularly used in large science halls and in classes which take place in auditorium-style settings, but they are finding their way into more and more average classrooms.

As a college student, I've had to purchase a clicker to participate in some of my classes and am glad I chose an iClicker. iClicker is a handy little clicking device that cost me only $35 and has been reliable and very easy to use.

About the iClicker

The iClicker is a device measuring roughly 2 inches by 6 inches and, with 2 AAA batteries, weighs under 4 ounces.

The iClicker includes 5 multiple choice buttons organized alphabetically and an on/off button near the bottom of the unit. The iClicker also includes a power light to let you know whether the device is on or off, a vote status light to indicate when you have registered a vote, and a low battery light to remind you to change the batteries in the iClicker.

Is the iClicker a Good Buy?

When my professor said that we students had to buy a clicker to participate in class, I wasn't really sure which to clicker to buy - there are so many clickers on the market ranging from around $30 to over $50. Of course, they aren't all made the same, and I wasn't aware of which company made the best clicker device.

The low cost (again, $35), and the simple layout of the iClicker attracted my attention. While I'm not sure if the iClicker is the best clicker on the market, my iClicker has performed wonderfully for over a year now and I've had no trouble with it whatsoever.

I like the large, easy-to-depress buttons on the iClicker. Unlike many in my generation, I don't send many text messages, so my fingers aren't used to depressing the little buttons that many of my peers have become accustomed to pushing all day long(!) I also like having the different lit indicators which alert me to the vote status, battery power, and also let me know if the iClicker is even on.

The way the iClicker is styled with the battery trough on the left side of the unit is ergonomically perfect for holding in your left hand. For those who hold their iClickers in their right hand, they may find the right-sided buttons a little awkward to maneuver.

Otherwise, the device is designed well and is quite durable. It's withstood many, many trips around campus in a backpack holding more than 20 pounds of books on occasions and repeated use in classes.

I definitely recommend buying the iClicker if you have a need to buy a clicker for any reason. It's a great, handy little device that costs little but delivers much - and it's a must have for an increasing number of students learning in an educational world depending more heavily than ever on technology.

Resources

Personal and first-hand experience with my iClicker