Freshmen Arrive Bearing Gadgets and Great Expectations

Freshmen often arrive on campuses with better technology than their colleges have. Many first-year students moving into their dorms unpack brand-new laptops or desktop computers. Their cellphones have the latest features. And they don't just have an iPod, they have video iPods.

Students will spend 27.5 percent more on electronic purchases this year than last year, according to a report on the National Retail Federation's annual Back-to-College Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.

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