Writing down assignments on anything as low-tech as paper is beyond imagining. Think of the shame of looking up words in a wood-pulp-based dictionary. Or a calculator that only . . . well . . . calculates.
Thankfully, students who may feel overwhelmed by the return to school can revel in the silicon processing power of a hand-held digital assistant.
One manufacturer, Palm, is offering a special promotion. Until Saturday, purchasers of Palm m100, m105, IIIc or Vx models and their respective portable keyboards will receive a $50 rebate and a free Mobile Mentor software CD-in a choice of educator, college prep or collegiate editions. Additional software and hardware is available for all sorts of school-related tasks.
Palms are available wherever electronic gadgets are sold or by visiting Palm online at www.palm. com/products (click on “Promotions” to find the rebate form).