Modern teenagers are power technology users. Teens consume technology and electronics for hours upon hours.
Making the right decisions about which electronics and technologies to buy for teens is difficult. As with most purchases, cost of technology is also a big factor.
Computers and Laptops
As kids grow up and become teenagers, they require more and more technology. Schools assign teens homework that needs to be done on the computer. There has been an explosion in social networking sites, blogging, and instant messaging. Before you know it, the teen has taken over the family computer.
Should a teenager have his own computer? That decision is up to the teenager and his family. But once the decision to buy the teenager a computer of his own is made then the family should make sure that the system integrates well with the family’s existing technology. The parents should know how to use the teens computer operating system.
The Technology of Music
Mp3 players come in all shapes and sizes and every teen seems to have one. But they are not all created equal. In order to pick the right music technology for your teen you should careful thought to the music service and type of music files your teen is going to use.
Apple’s music service, called iTunes encodes all downloads in .aac extension and plays only AAC and mp3 files. An iPod can play these music files but some other players may not be able to.
Music files come in many formats so you need to ensure that the music player that you choose for your teen is compatible with the music files that you already have. If you have a digital music player of your own you will want to make sure that it plays the same type of music files as your teen’s music player.
Gaming Systems
Between the Nintendo Wii, Playstation, Xbox and a variety of handheld devices, there is a lot of video game technology for your teen to choose from. This decision is largely one of personal preference. But to get the best value your teen should be satisfied with their decision for many years to come.
One key point to remember is that the newer versions of game systems are generally compatible with their older counterparts. Which means that a PlayStation 3 console can play PlayStation 2 games but not vice versa.
The Price of Technology
The latest technology can cost a bundle. So, it is important to set limits on how much your teen can spend on technology. One way to cut technology costs is to make sure that all family members are using the same technologies. Once you make the investment in the hardware then the family can share the add ons like software, games, and music (subject to licensing requirements and copyrights, of course).
However, the price of technology can be looked at as an investment in a teenager’s overall education.
