Rented Textbooks on the Amazon Kindle

July 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Great news for penniless college students: Amazon is now offering rental textbooks to students. Here’s what you need to know about Amazon’s latest offering.

How Much Will Students Save?

News sources are reporting that the rented e-textbooks can save students up to 80% off the list price.

How Long are the Rental Periods?

Students can rent the book for anywhere from 30 days up to a year. After a year, they can opt to pay a per diem fee for the book’s usage or simply buy the books.

Will the Textbooks Only be Available for the Kindle?

Though the Kindle is the most obvious platform for the new textbook rental program, it won’t be the only one. Renting students can also access their books on any PC, Mac, or smartphone. Better yet, students can still access all their individual highlights or annotations after their rental period is finished.

What are the Benefits of E-textbooks?

In addition to the obvious monetary benefits, e-textbooks are ideal for students taking online college courses, since their entire learning experience is done electronically anyway. It’s also a godsend for students who are lugging a sack full of heavy textbooks and a laptop around all day. Commuting students, who must carry a full day’s worth of books and notes around, should be particularly interested in the e-textbook offerings.

What Could be Next?

Some experts are hoping to see rent-by-the-chapter options for professors who pick and choose their student’s reading material from a plethora of books. Others hope to see the Kindle’s price tag go down.

 

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Building Your Writing Career

July 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Some writers are mostly self-taught, and only need someone else to teach them the most basic parts of literacy before they take off and do the rest by themselves. However, for most people some degree of formal instruction is necessary. While most people don’t need to get a doctoral degree in literature or journalism to become solid writers, most of us need a little bit of help to reach the peak of our potential.

However, when you start to build your writing career you may run into the problem of being an introvert. Introverts tend to be better writers than extroverts, since they tend to focus on being alone and writing works well for such people. However, traditional college isn’t usually the best bet for an introvert, so an alternative needs to be sought. While you can simply go to a library and pour over writing and style manuals in between reading the classics, you can also pursue an online college degree instead.

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When you begin the process of creating your next ebook masterpiece, even if it’s your very first, you can benefit from the instructors at an online college. You can also cloister yourself away and toil in obscurity until you’re ready to explode out with your magnum opus. Even if your works are never mentioned alongside those of Lord Byron or Keats, you can still forge an impressive career if you take the time to have your work critiqued. If you follow the feedback you receive, you can become truly great.

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Advantages of E-Textbooks

July 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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When it comes to school, text books can be very costly. Some students spend anywhere from $500 to $1000 a semester on books and then they have to carry them around all semester. Here are some advantages to using electronic versions of your textbooks.

Convenience

If all you need is your e-reader, you don’t have to worry about forgetting your textbook at home. You will have it with you wherever you go. Some teachers will use the textbook only periodically, so either you have to carry it around whether you need it or not or you won’t have it when the teacher decides to use it in class. This can be frustrating to students who have a lot of classes. By having e-books instead, you only need your e-reader, which is light. It also means that you can have it with you wherever you go, so if you’re waiting in the doctor’s office or for your bus to arrive, you can pull out your e-reader and do some studying.

Cost

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Oftentimes, the cost of an e-book is less because it cuts down on shipping and printing costs, which can save money as you work on your online degree. Don’t expect the book to cost nothing, though. Printing and shipping is only a small percentage of the cost of printing a book. Remember that there needs to be money to pay the author, page layout specialists, graphic artists who create graphics for the book, editors, publishing house, and so on. But generally they do cost less.

So whether you would like to save money or have the books whenever you need them, e-books definitely have some advantages.

 

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Filed Under: E-book Reader, Education, Electronic Books Tagged With: , ,

The Advantages of Electronic Textbooks for Students

July 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Electronic books, which are commonly known as e-books, offer many advantages to the general reading community. Does this advantage extend to students who are earning a traditional or online college degree? Indeed, e-book studies indicate that students enjoy and benefit from investments in electronic textbooks.

Saving Trees

For the environmentally conscious student, electronic textbooks and e-books in general are a way to support society’s movement towards wasting less paper. Unless a student prints out an entire electronic textbook, investing in e-books is better for the environment than purchasing print textbooks.

Easy to Carry

Students who must carry a large number of books to class benefit from electronic textbooks. All that a student has to carry is his or her laptop containing dozens of electronic textbooks accessible with a few simple clicks.

Simplicity of Finding Information

An electronic textbook allows a student to use a search feature and quickly find the required page. There is no need to use post-its to mark a spot or remember which chapter discussed specific content.

Cheaper to Purchase

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Electronic textbooks are generally about 50% cheaper than brand new print textbooks. For financially struggling students, this can make a difference between quickly finishing an online college degree and postponing obtaining a degree for many years.

Useful for Group Study

Electronic textbooks make it simple for students to study in groups. Attaching a laptop to a projector allows all students to view and discuss the material while looking at the same exact part of the book together.

While some students are accustomed to and prefer their textbooks to be in print, electronic textbooks offer enough advantages to become a more permanent wave in society’s academic future.

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Making the Switch to Electronic Textbooks

July 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Electronic books are the latest craze. It feels as if everyone is passing on the chance to crack open a new book and instead preferring to read from an electronic device like an iPad, Kindle or e-reader. While the general reading population was the first to make the switch from physical books to electronic books, public schools and colleges are now lining up to make the switch.

There are many advantages to switching from physical textbooks to electronic books. Here’s a look at some of the top advantages schools will receive from making the textbook switch.

Updated Textbooks

Public schools often do not have the financial means to update textbooks on a regular basis. This results in students having to use textbooks that are sometimes 10 to 15 years old. With electronic textbooks, public school systems can update their textbooks regularly without having to face the added financial cost.

Environmentally Friendly

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Both college and high school textbooks are always being updated. This results in thousands of perfectly good textbooks being considered out of date and having to be trashed or recycled. With an electronic textbook, it reduces the paper waste that happens when these textbooks are updated because the only thing that is being wasted is a text file on a computer.

Whether you are pursuing your high school diploma or one of the many online education degrees, don’t be surprised if your next book list includes dozens of electronic books. With the many benefits that come from switching to electronic books, more and more school systems will be making the switch.

 

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“Standard Computer” vs Laptop for a College Student

February 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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As a result of the recent evolutions in computing, fields such as education are getting hugely benefited. Now that computers are available at easily affordable prices, they are becoming must-haves for every college student. However, students are often confused while making a choice between desktops and laptops. The following is the comparative analysis of their pros and cons that can help you make a better buying decision:

Advantages:

Desktop:

  • Desktops are more affordable as compared to laptops. For the same hardware specifications, a desktop is often a cheaper buy.
  • If you are an architecture or photography student, you will find it more convenient to use the large screen in desktops for the CAD design or photo editing. Also, for people who don’t need computers for designing, having a large monitor is usually beneficial for higher productivity.
  • Desktops are known to be more robust than laptops. If one part of a desktop (keyboard, mouse, etc) is damaged, it can be easily replaced without affecting other parts of it.

Laptop:

  • The most important benefit of a laptop is its mobility. A student can easily carry it to the college or to the library.
  • Most laptops come shipped with all the latest technologies, such as wi-fi port, built-in speakers, Bluetooth, touch sensor, etc.
  • A laptop can run on the equipped battery, allowing it to work for a significant time even in the absence of electricity.

Disadvantages:

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Desktop:

  • A major disadvantage of a desktop is its weight and immobility. A college student cannot carry a desktop to the class or library.
  • A desktop needs additional peripherals in order to be as equipped as a laptop. For example, desktops usually do not have built-in speakers, unlike the laptops.

Laptop:

  • Laptops are generally expensive when compared to desktops and can cause huge burden in the pocket of a non-earning student.
  • It is easier to steal a laptop as compared to a desktop.

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Is Online Education Right For You?

December 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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NETIVOT, ISRAEL - JANUARY 06: An Israeli teen...
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Most colleges offer online courses these days, but for the uninitiated, the thought of not going to class in person, not talking to your teachers and classmates face to face, or not having to turn in home work in actual paper form can seem radical. This holds especially true for those who are returning to school after years of being away, or those who have taken high school and any previous college classes in a much more traditional way. Don’t be intimidated, though–attending classes online at onlineeducation.com or one of the other hundreds of online college course sites out there is simple and straightforward. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it better than face to face classes!

So how can tell that online education is right for you? Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I like to read essays rather than listen to lectures?
  • Can I usually do work on my own with proper written or video instructions?
  • Am I comfortable using computers and the Internet?
  • Am I comfortable reading text on screen rather than on paper?
  • Do I study best with peace and quiet and no distractions?
  • Am I self-motivated at doing my work and studying?
  • Can I reliably log on to my courses and pay attention to the due dates of my weekly work/quizzes?

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If you answered “yes” to all or most of these, you’ll do just fine in an online course. If you answered “no” to all or most of them, it’s possible that you need the one-on-one attention, hands-on aspects and task-keeping attitudes of your teachers to do well at learning, and online education might not work out so well for you. If you’re nervous, it’s reassuring to know that online course instructors make themselves very accessible–most provide both an email address and a telephone number to contact them with if you need any help with class work or have any questions.

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The Virtue of Online Education

December 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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What is online education? How does it work? Hopefully, this will give you more insight to what this  new trend  of learning is all about!

Online education, also known as virtual education, is a way for individuals to get a higher level of learning, without enrolling in a physical college or university. This method is helpful to those that have busy lives or looking to get a degree at an excelled pace. This offers the student to take classes at their own leisure without being overwhelmed. This plays an important factor when a prospect is searching an online school to achieve their goals; as well making sure the school is accredited!

There are different forms of how this process of education works depending on the online institution. Just like physical colleges and universities, online colleges and universities have curriculums and teaching styles to fit ones needs. For instance, hyper text courses are used where a student receives information by PDF forms and hyperlinks for writing papers and performing online exams on their subject(s). Virtual classrooms are for students to have the feeling of being in a lecture hall. They are able to view an actual class with a professor, students, and take notes all in the comfort of their home. This can include other videos and materials to be viewed as part of the course. This technique also allows you to ask questions and receive answers on the spot! A similar means is video based education and online audio. These allow you to see and or hear what is being taught, but unlike virtual classes, you are not able to ask questions or get an answer. Depending on the nature of your course(s), peer to peer education is another option for individuals who need one on one conversation. This can be done via internet, phone, or both. Usually this teaching manner is used in addition to the other approaches mentioned.

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The Power of the EBook

December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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These days, everywhere you look people are using the EBook! Via the bus, trains, or sitting in a restaurant, you find that electronic device in someone’s possession. The reason behind this is because there are many pros to having this latest technology.

For example, the EBook is easier to read. The device offers a great feature for zooming in and out for those who have trouble reading small print. Another feature is no need to have extra lighting! Unlike paper books where you need prcis lighting, newer EBooks on the market has illuminating backgrounds making reading easier in any type of lighting. They can also adjust lighting automatically such as if you are in sunlight, the device can darken on its own.

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By far, the most popular is easy transporting! Of course regular books can be bulky and take up so much room in your bag or home. With EBook you can download hundreds of books on the device. It’s like carrying around a whole library in your pocket, have it at your disposal at anytime!

Note taking is made easier with EBooks notes storage feature! No more having to use separate sheets of paper or ruining a book by writing it. The EBook allows you to make notes on the page you are viewing and save it for a later time. This is especially useful for those who are in school or studying abroad. In terms of paper, bookmarks of a thing of the past! When the EBook is turned off or falls asleep because of non use, it saves your place so you won’t have to find the page again that you stopped on.

These devices usually run in the price range of $199-$400. The most popular on the market are the Amazon’s Kindle and the Sony EReader. So for those who do heavy duty reading or enjoys technology, the EBook is a great asset for anyone.

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Filed Under: E-book Reader, Education, Electronic Books, General Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Publisher vs. Technology

December 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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According to a book study group, sales of EBooks across the country have grown by 2.0 percent in the first quarter of 2010! The study was done over a four year period when EBooks were becoming trendier. This is up by a .8 percent increase from the years of 2007 to 2009.

Approximately 40 percent of EBook owners download there first book in this quarter due to so many users are getting the swing of buying their books electronically. After years of going to libraries and bookstores, studies show that it can be a difficult habit to change. Within the 40 percent surveyed, 32 percent bought fewer hardcover and paperback books once they found that downloading the text was easier and faster. A smaller percentage said that, The only way they would go back to buying a physical book is if the file was not available to download.

This tread is somewhat like what is happening with our friendly postal service! Due to emailing, texting, and instant messaging (I.M.), the postal service has been hit with the lost of the amount of mail that is shipped on a daily basis. This in fact has caused the increase in shipping postage. Publishers are now faced with the dilemma with the reduction of print runs. With that being said an increase in book cost are on the rise due to lower book purchasing. With the constant increase in technology, the book publishing industry is now classified is the same categories as online music and UFX Markets Trading downloads! Even thought the EBook links are legal compared to pirating music sites, it still affects jobs and physical sales.

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The good news is all is not lost in for the publishing industry. A large percentage of the non-technical world still buys books! You still have the older generation that prefer the traditional ways of reading and vote to curl up with an old friend, a tangible book anytime!

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