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When it comes to laptops in 2011, "thinner is better" seems to be a consistent trend. The MacBook Air and Samsung Series 9 head the pack in that regard, but laptops such as the Sony Vaio SE and Dell XPS 15z have followed suit. It's no surprise, then, that the mainstream Dell Inspiron line has gotten its own thinned-out model in the Inspiron 14z. If the name rings a bell, that's because there was a previous Inspiron 14z released in 2009, with a Core 2 Duo processor, but that "thin" laptop was inferior to … Read more

Customers who purchase a 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 will be able to push the limits of the performance vehicle at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

Ford on Thursday announced "Boss Track Attack" days, a program to provide comprehensive hands-on track experience for Boss 302 owners.

The program will be offered by Team Mustang and Ford Racing instructors at the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School at the high desert track.

The street-legal 2012 Boss 302 was announced last summer as a performance vehicle, but drivers may not get a chance to really test the limits … Read more

Does your spawn need a new laptop for college, high school, or even middle school? Heck, do you need a new laptop for everyday life? Either way, I've got just the system.

While supplies last (and they may not last long), Frys.com has the Acer Aspire AS5552-7819 15.6-inch laptop for $299.99, plus sales tax in a handful of states. If you live near a Fry's Electronics store, you can pick up the Acer for free; otherwise, plan on about $10 for shipping.

Update: As I predicted, the Aspire is now sold out--at least online. You … Read more

A laptop is practically required equipment for today's college or high school students (and even grade school kids are getting in on the act). And with the back-to-school season currently in full swing, many laptop shoppers are hunting for a new computer, which may need to fill diverse roles, from research tool to dorm room entertainment system.

To help find the perfect system for your academic needs, we've picked our recent favorites from brick-and-mortar stores, online retailers, and build-to-order PC makers, and listed them below, grouped by price.

For this particular list, we've stuck to only laptops … Read more

Back to school shopping doesn't always mean things you can hold in your hand. Downloads of all kinds are out there to make the student's life smarter, better, and cushier. And they run on a wider variety of devices than ever before. Brian Cooley runs down the hottest in the Top 5 device categories of back to school downloads.

For everything back to school related in tech this year, head over to CNET's Back to School 2011 guide.

As you step into the new school year, we know you'll have lots of adjusting to do--new friends, classes, professors, and eating habits (hello, Top Ramen)--so we'd like to make at least one thing easy for you: setting up your gadgets.

With these helpful tips crafted by our How To team, you'll be setting up your TV, exploring new places around campus, mastering your computer skills, and collaborating with other students in no time.

Step 1: Set up the bachelor(ette) pad If you're moving into a new place, get your TV connected with this simple guide. … Read more

It's a simple idea: an iPad holder that fits in a three-ring binder. Now you can carry your tablet computer like the paper it ostensibly replaces.

Or, to put it another way, you can spend $1.99 at your local office supply store and get a serviceable protective case for your iPad (once you've laid out the $29.99 for the binder-ready holder).

BinderPad is a slim polyester cover for your iPad. A tab along one edge has three grommets spaced to fit a standard three-ring binder. BinderPad's maker, ZooGue, is pitching the holder to students who are required to use tablet computers instead of textbooks.… Read more

Whether you are the student in question or the parent of one who is being leaned on to help get the gear lined up, this is our essential guide to what's hot in backpacks for back to school 2011.

And you may also want to peruse our full CNET Back to School 2011 tech guide.

Formulas Lite is a collection of important information and tools to help students get through some of the tougher subjects in school.

The meat of the Formulas Lite app is in the Subjects tab, where you'll find a huge database of must-know formulas for mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Within each of these top-level subjects, formulas are further organized by topic. For instance, under mathematics you'll see formulas organized in branches from algebra to statistics. Under physics, you'll see formulas organized in branches from relativity to torque. Within the chemistry section, you'll also find a functional periodic … Read more