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Digital Textbooks Offer Big Savings for Students...If You Can Find Them


Amazon textbook rental

One of the latest changes in college culture is the availability of digital textbooks, which was underscored when Amazon unveiled its new rental platform last month.

Since money talks for most shoppers, parents may be susceptible to the desires of their technologically savvy student to forgo physical books and buy an eBook reader or tablet instead.

But are digital textbooks living up the money-saving hype?

An Amazon company spokesperson said it has "tens of thousands of textbooks" available to rent and even more can be purchased as a full download for the Kindle. But for the average student, finding the relevant textbooks required for courses may be tricky. Read more

A Crash Course in College Moving


college moving

The countdown has begun to move on from your parents' basement. You can eat pizza and cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But before these dreams become reality, there's a lot of work to be done with the whole relocation thing. To help you combat packing panic, here are 12 moving tips to get you smartly on your way.

1. Start Sorting
Before you begin loading up boxes, go through all your stuff and weed out items you don't want. There's no point in adding this clutter to your new place. Remember, one person's trash is another's treasure. Before dumping and donating unwanted items, give friends and neighbors a chance to dig through for hand-me-downs. They'll appreciate the thought and it's one less thing for you to move.

2. Run Down the Damage
College houses are not always in the greatest condition. Since you don't want to be on the hook for other tenants' wild times, get together with the landlord before you move in and do a walk through. Document any existing damage, snap a few photos and get the landlord to sign off on a list of problem areas. This will ensure you don't get nailed for pre-existing issues. Read more

Wicked Audio Donates Headphones to Fender's Kids Rock Free Music Program

by jessica on Tue, 2011-07-05 13:32


Kids Rock Free

Wicked Audio knows the importance of music education. The company just announced that they have donated 800 pairs of their Reverb, Tour and Chill headphones to Fender's Kids Rock Free program, a non-profit organization designed to teach children about music in areas where there is no music education program.

Kids Rock Free is a six week program for children, with new students attending every two weeks. Originally, the group was only giving guitar and piano lessons and focusing specifically on rock and roll. Over time, Kids Rock Free has expanded to begin teaching other programs for producing music, theater, and dance. Since its inception in 1998, over 12,000 children have gone through the program throughout all of Southern California. Wicked Audio's donation of 800 pairs of headphones will help Kids Rock Free with their much needed program supplies.

"Wicked Audio understands the importance of giving back to the community. Fender is doing a great job with their Kids Rock Free program and we pride ourselves on being a part of that," said Paul Marshall, VP of Sales, Wicked Audio. "Music education is an important part of children's learning experiences and we are confident that our donation will help kids have the opportunity to follow their dreams."Read more

College Students: Buy a Mac, Get a $100 Back to School Card

by jessica on Fri, 2011-06-17 05:00


Buy a Mac, Get a Back to School Card

Apple just announced a deal for college students. Purchase a new qualifying Mac from now through September 20, 2011, and you'll get a $100 Back to School Card to use on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore.

The deal is offered to college students, parents buying for college students, as well as faculty or staff members at any grade level. To get your Mac and $100 Back to School Card, go to the Apple Online Store for Education or Apple Retail Store, Apple Authorized Campus Store, or call 1-800-MY-APPLE. When buying from the Apple Retail Store or Apple Online Store, they'll include the Back to School Card with your order. If you buy at a campus store, simply submit your claim online and the code will be sent via email.

Then, to redeem your card, enter the code on your Back to School Card in your iTunes account and Apple will automatically credit you with $100 to spend on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore. That's it!

7 Practical Gifts for College Grads


college graduate

Sure, an all-expense-paid trip to Europe seems like the ultimate graduation gift. However, college students who face thousands of dollars in academic debt may need to jump on the job hunt sooner than expected. With new financial responsibilities looming, recent grads will appreciate whatever help they can get.

To help soften the real world blow, here are seven practical gifts job-seeking college graduates will appreciate.

Resume Service
The first thing employers see is an applicant's resume and cover letter. Unfortunately, the style of these documents has become more complex in recent years. Graduates won't get noticed using the old method of simply listing experience by date. Cover letters are now approaching works of art, mentioning much more than that applicant is interested in the job and is a good team player, trustworthy and a hard worker. Read more

Must Have Software for Back to School: StudentBackup.com

by jessica on Tue, 2010-08-10 15:06


Must Have Software for Back to School: StudentBackup.com

Back to school time is here. Whether you are sending your child off to college or have a freshman entering high school, there is a software product that is beneficial for everyone –StudentBackup.com.

Easy to install, StudentBackup protects valuable school work in the event of a computer crash or virus…even if the laptop is lost or stolen. StudentBackup provides unlimited storage and backs up student work files automatically…every single day. The automated process only requires that a student connect to the Internet each day. The software then scans the student's "My Documents" folder and transmits a copy of all files to an offsite data facility using military-grade encryption software via internet connection. After each daily back up the students receive a confirmation e-mail that their backup was a success.

Compatible with all current operating systems, StudentBackup is priced at just $49 for a one year subscription. A 2 year subscription is available for $89, 3 year $119, and a 4 year subscription is also offered for $149. Read more

Barnes and Noble College Booksellers Brings Textbook Rental Program to Campuses This Fall

Groundbreaking In-store and Online Textbook Rental Program Unlocks More Than 50% Savings, Great Features and Conveniences

Barnes & Noble College Bookstores Become the Single Solution for Millions of College Students Looking for Best Price and Format Options

August 9, 2010 - Barnes & Noble College Booksellers today announced that it expanded its multi-channel textbook rental program to hundreds of colleges and universities. The program, which is offered through campus bookstores managed by Barnes & Noble, has already resulted in thousands of students renting their fall textbooks and, by the end of the back-to-school season, will provide millions of higher education students, and their families, significant savings off the high cost of college textbooks.Read more

Dell Intros Touchscreen Netbook for the K-12 Crowd

by jessica on Tue, 2009-05-19 11:11


Dell Latitude 2100

Dell just announced a new netbook designed for K-12 students – the Latitude 2100. This 10.1-inch rugged netbook comes in five colors (School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, Ball Field Green, Blue Ribbon and Schoolhouse Red) and was built with education technology in mind. However, Dell says it is also a good option for businesses that don't need all the bells and whistles of a full-blown PC.

With the Latitude 2100, students can have access to digital content on a school network and wireless connectivity can be monitored by the teacher with a Network Activity Light on the lid. A Custom-built Mobile Computing Station can manage and network up to 24 netbooks with one Ethernet and power cord.

The Latitude 2100 includes:

  • Choice of XP Home, Vista Home Basic and Linux Ubuntu
  • Intel Atom processor N270
  • 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity coupled with a full suite of wireless communication options
  • 2.91lb starting at weight with 3-cell battery
  • Three-cell or six-cell battery
  • Three-in-one Media Card Reader
  • Optional External DVD+/-RW via USB
  • VGA port
  • Clean bottom is vent-free to avoid any intrusion from spills

An optional touchscreen is also available (a first for an education netbook). Additional options include: a keyboard with antimicrobial protection (U.S. only), solid-state drives, handles and shoulder straps for carrying, and a webcam.

The Latitude 2100 is available now, and starts at $369. More information is available at www.dell.com/latitude.

Hasbro is scaaarrryyy!!! (in a good way)

Hasbro has been working hard this past year to make sure the latest and greatest is on store shelves for our kids this Holiday season. I can remember all of these products from when I was a kid, and they have only gotten better in quality. You should definitely stop by the toy aisle and see for yourself the next time you are shopping … here is a quick roundup of what you will see:


Mr. Potato Head Trick or Tater For Halloween there is the Mr. Potato Head Trick or Tater. This is a timeless classic, and I was recently able to introduce this Mr. Potato Head to my two year old, who now carries it everywhere... even though we have lost one of Mr. Potatoe Head’s arms! The eyes on this version glow in the dark, and I think this is a great way to introduce children to the Halloween tradition of dressing up in costume! The MSRP on this version of Mr. Potato head is $4.99.

  Read more

Easy Bake Oven Produces Legendary Treats…


Easy-Bake Decorating Pen Do you remember the Easy Bake Oven? We all do … Now Hasbro has created the Easy-Bake Decorating Pen, MSRP $14.99. It appears as if the Nerf folks challenged their peers to a “Next Level” challenge. Where the Peyton Manning Nerf football lights up, the Easy-Bake has a pen that dispenses icing!!!


My Little Pony Ponyville Sweet Sundae Amusement Park My nieces asked for the My Little Pony Ponyville Sweet Sundae Amusement Park just the other day, and when I saw this press kit I had to write about it. What is it with Pony’s that little girls like so much? What kid does not like amusement parks? Well, Hasbro brought the two together, and I am sure there are many hours logged taking Pony’s to the Amusement Park. The MSRP is $39.99 for Ponyville. Three “AA” batteries are needed, and included. Read more

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