Our Lifehacker Pack compiles the best Windows software for general use, but students have different requirements for getting things done. Here are the best Windows apps for effective study.
Title image remixed from ivosar (Shutterstock)
Productivity
ResophNotes and Evernote
ResophNotes is a fantastic Simplenote client on Windows. Simplenote is a great way to keep all your class notes synchronised and stored in one place so you always have access to them. Evernote is an excellent resource for students to capture everything they have going on in class. If you need a little inspiration for how to use Evernote, Shep McAllister’s guest post on the Evernote blog outlines ways you can use Evernote in school, including taking snapshots of notes and blackboards and organising research.
Wunderlist
What we really like about Wunderlist as a to-do app is that it syncs across multiple devices, and it’s incredibly easy to use. If you want to keep it simple, you can, but if you want to create complicated task lists for various classes, you can do that as well. Another handy feature for students is the ability to share your task lists with others. This should help make group projects less of a crapshoot.
Get Organised
If you’re looking for one place to drop all your assignments, events, and keep track of your grades, then Get Organised is the app for you. It’s simple, and not especially pretty, but it gets the job done.
Kindle for Windows
Carrying around textbooks is a huge hassle. Instead, provided your books are available digitally, you can just carry around your computer and access them on your PC. The Kindle app is also a great way to highlight, take notes and share those notes with other classmates.
Google Docs
Not long ago, students were stuck with Microsoft Office for their office suite, but now that Google Docs has offline editing it’s a perfect replacement to Office for most students. The best part is the fact that it’s free, but it also has pretty much everything you need: spreadsheets, presentations, and a document editor. It also stores you documents in the cloud so you never to worry about the horrible just-lost-my-paper panic.
Dropbox
We mention Dropbox in our annual Lifehacker Packs, but it’s worth noting again for students. Not only is Dropbox a handy place to store all your files, it can also be a lifesaver when you realise you forgot to bring in an assignment. Simply pop into Dropbox and retrieve or share that vital file.
Internet and Communication
Chrome
Chrome’s a great choice for students because it syncs all your settings, browser history and your extensions. This makes it easy to keep your school laptop synced up with your desktop at home and your browser on your smartphone. Power users can get a lot from Chrome, so when you’re not busy writing papers, you’ll have plenty more to do.
Pidgin
Instead of wasting your money on SMS messages for your phone, an easy way to save a little cash is to use an instant messaging client. The bonus is that if you’re using it on your computer your teacher probably won’t even realise you’re not paying attention.
Skype
Whether you just miss your parents, or you want a cheap and free way to talk to friends at other schools, Skype is one of the easiest video chat clients to use.
If you’re looking for more great apps for your Windows machine beyond what’s in our student pack, head to the Lifehacker Pack for Windows.
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