Is Anyone Happy about the College Textbook Market?

College textbooks represent one of the leading requirements and costs for most credit courses. Instructors often vary the type of books they expect students to read, from the purchase of e-books and print texts to semester-by-semester rentals.

University texts are also available in various formats, including anthologies, surveys, handbooks, and workbooks along with many others. But not everyone is satisfied with the way that texts are sold and used in the current higher education market due to supply and order reasons like the following.

Instructors May Experience Limited Distribution

A majority of campuses prohibit faculty from requiring students to use the instructor’s own textbook. Alternately, if they can use the text in the classes they teach, they must report sales and income to university officials to avoid a conflict of interest.

In addition, text publishers might provide faculty authors an order discount that students do not receive, which does not encourage faculty to require higher-cost textbooks or students to buy them. Instead, students will either forego buying the textbook or share a friend’s copy. This defeats the purpose of publishing the books and expecting students to pay top dollar for them.

Students Often Pay Skyrocketing Book Costs

Whether or not an instructor requires students in his or her classes to use texts that have been authored by the faculty member, textbook costs continue to rise, adding to the financial burden of a college education. Compounding the problem is the fact that many if not most texts can be used in only one class and will be relegated to the student’s bookshelf for possible future reference or sold at a discount price to another student.

Depending on the discipline and course, newly-published books often run several hundred dollars. Students who take more than a class or two each semester may rack up a sizable book bill along with tuition and fees, and possibly other expenses like parking and computer use. While used books and e-books are often cheaper, they are not always available for all students every semester.

Bookstores Struggle with Stock Expectations and Payments

Each term, instructors or departments submit book orders to the bookstore to prepare for the next semester. Orders are based on expected class enrollment, but these figures cannot be confirmed until the semester begins. By then, the bookstore may have ordered too many or too few texts, which means store associates may have to scramble to order more books for students who need them or return unpurchased books unless they decide to keep them in stock for the following semester, hoping the book does not go into a new edition.

Another potential complication when students start to buy textbooks each semester is how to pay for them. Those who receive financial aid finance books for their classes one way, while students on scholarships typically purchase bookstore supplies using another method.

Other Options

Students sometimes prefer to buy textbooks as required or recommended by faculty by ordering through a non-campus bookstore. Occasionally, faculty change their texts at the beginning of a semester for various reasons. An instructor may be replaced due to illness or other situations, which means a replacement instructor may prefer to use different books for the course. Students also switch classes at the last minute for a variety of reasons, requiring them to return planned books and exchange them for others in the new class that has been added.

Using another bookstore off campus at their leisure allows students and faculty to avoid some of the hassles associated with books and supplies used in college courses. Students can pay on their own terms in a more straightforward way than the campus bookstore might require.

College today is more complex and challenging than ever. Faculty and students benefit from fewer distractions in order to focus on the task of education. By broadening the ways in which course books can be ordered in their various formats, time frames, and payment plans, instructors can avoid the stress of technical aspects of their job like book orders, and students can take care of book orders on their own schedules and budgets. Reducing stress associated with book orders will help the semester to begin more smoothly and make everyone involved a little happier and carefree.

How You Can Develop Your Business Website

Your website is probably the first impression that new customers (and existing ones alike) will get of your business. Therefore, you have to make sure that your website performs as well as you want it to: it has to be easy to navigate, fully functioning, and full of useful information.

You only have a few seconds to make the right impression on all visitors, so make sure you make those seconds count! Use the following tips to effectively develop your business website.

Make Your Website Memorable for the Right Reasons

One of your first tasks is to make your website memorable for all the right reasons. Give people a reason to come back and give them a reason to share your business website address with their friends and family. For example, you may have a new sign-up offer that gives new customers 10% off their first offer; or you may have a landing page that gives customers takeaway information that adds value to their daily life.

To get this right you must place yourself in the position of a customer or visitor. Think about what you want to see and think about what is going to be advantageous.

Use the Best Software to Manage Your Site

Your business website will most likely be operating alongside your business, therefore, you must manage your time. For example, you will not be able to commit your time to operating and maintaining a website if you are engrossed in daily business operations.

Utilizing the best software will be important to the success of your website; software and tools that will help you with your ecommerce inventory management are essential, and software that keeps visitors and their data secure is also of paramount importance. You may even find that software that helps you promote your business website will be advantageous too.

Comparing the software and tools on offer will be necessary, and to do the best comparisons you will first need to establish your business needs and requirements.

Optimize Your Site for the Search Engines

A business website that cannot be found by website trawlers and crawlers will get lost among the competition. Optimizing your website for search engines, and making sure that it is packed with high-quality and rich content is crucial. However, this process can take time, and sometimes it is easier to reach out to SEO specialists. SEO specialists or agencies will be able to formulate a targeted action plan that will help you get beneficial results.

Develop the Safety and Security You Have in Place

You have invested a lot of time and energy into your business already, and now it is time for that final push. You must make sure that the safety and security measures you have in place are uptodate and in line with national guidelines and legislation. If your website is not secure and safe it will risk damaging your business brand and reputation. It will also put you in line for potential fines. Signing up for regular updates regarding website safety and security will ensure you never miss an update.

Exploring the Thrilling World of Slope Unblocked on GitHub

Now you can easily access the slope unblocked on Github. Well, here is the post where I will let you know how and what you need  to get an access of your favorite game on Github.

Have you ever before found yourself looking for a fast as well as interesting game to pass the time? Look no further! In this short article, we’ll study the thrilling globe of Slope Unblocked, a changed variation of the distinguished Slope game offered on GitHub. Hold on limited as we take a closer consider the game’s attributes, gameplay, and the amazing opportunities it offers.

slope unblocked game for github

What Exactly is the Slope Unblocked?

Slope Unblocked is an interesting modification of the original Slope game that can be accessed and also played for free on GitHub. Put your reflexes to the test as you navigate a neon-colored ball down a relatively limitless track, loaded with treacherous slopes as well as difficult obstacles. Can you master the game as well as defeat your very own score?

How to Access Slope Unblocked on GitHub?

To start this thrilling journey, adhere to these basic steps:

  1. Head over to the GitHub web site (github.com).
  2. In the search bar, kind “Slope Unblocked” and also hit Enter.
  3. Discover the search results page up until you find the repository organizing Slope Unblocked.
  4. Click on the repository to access the game’s page.
  5. Try to find the “Play” switch or a similar indicator to start the game.

Features that Set Slope Unblocked Apart

Slope Unblocked deals numerous compelling features that establish it in addition to the original game. Some significant aspects include:

Enhanced graphics as well as animations: The changed version boosts the aesthetic experience with lively colors and also focus to detail, making gameplay much more immersive.

Additional degrees and obstacles: Be ready to encounter brand-new obstacles and challenging slopes that will certainly check your response time as well as accuracy.

Customization choices: Personalize your gaming experience by selecting from a variety of readily available round designs.

Gameplay Mechanics: Mastering Slope Unblocked requires fast reflexes, precision, and also quick decision-making skills:

  • Make use of the arrowhead secrets or An as well as D tricks to steer the ball left as well as right.
  • Difficulty yourself to preserve equilibrium as well as stay clear of diminishing the track.
  • Gather priceless gems along the way for extra points as well as bragging legal rights.
  • Stay sharp for unforeseen turns as well as obstacles, as they will certainly require split-second responses.

Possibilities and also Variations:

One of the greatest advantages of Slope Unblocked on GitHub is the chance for customization and more exploration. This changed variation allows individuals to experiment and include adjustments to the game. Feel free to explore various styles, problem degrees, or perhaps develop your very own unique obstacles to test your friends!

Conclusion:

Slope Unblocked on GitHub takes the electrifying experience of the original game to new heights. With boosted graphics, additional obstacles, and also countless possibilities for customization, this customized variation offers an interesting play area for gamers of all ages. Head over to GitHub today, locate the repository, as well as let the thrilling trip begin!

How to Boost Your E-commerce Business With Magento 2?

What are the features of the Magento 2 content management system and what innovations have been implemented in the improved version of the CMS?

The second version is designed to fix some bugs of the previous version of Magento. But even with them, the online store management system was named one of the most popular in the world. In order to get to know the world of Magento 2, you need to dive into the details. How did the management system achieve such results, and how did the great story of one of the best CMS begin?

Magento is a powerful content management system in online stores. As you know, the company Magento Inc. has changed more than one owner, but it did not prevent it to reach a decent world level. In 2011 it was purchased by the American company eBay Inc. and 4 years later it was successfully sold to Permira. Swinging with a change of power did not prevent Alexa Magento from becoming the most popular system of online store management, one of the most popular open E-commerce systems, and help to create on the basis of its platform more than a hundred thousand online stores!

Magento deserves to be called the “leading platform” for e-commerce because it holds approximately 30% of the market. At the moment, the project community has a huge number of participants – about 375,000. A word that is immediately recognized when you think about Magento is “power”. Definitely, this is the most important quality that distinguishes it from other CMS. Power, strength, well-coordinated strong construction – all this has attracted a really big fish in the world of e-commerce. Enterprises with breathtaking incomes such as Nordstrom, Adidas, North Face, use Magento. Just think about it, the system is so strong that it can work quietly if the catalogue is viewed by 350 million people, and orders – almost 500 thousand (per day).

Flexibility

Magento has always been the most flexible online shopping platform. You can set up many unique options and plugins for your business. For example, you can use your search line, catalogue design and other marketing tools. Multi Fees extension is one of the many extensions.

Wide range of marketing opportunities

Keep in mind that Magento can react quickly and systematically to any new input information. Adjust prices and make promotions with promo companies by changing the design of the page in real time.Install Multi Fees extension for Magento 2, organize a variety of sales, e-mail-sales with the latest information about new products, sales hits and other news of the store.

SEO-friendly

With Magento, it is easier to achieve high positions in search results. The system creates an XML-map of the site itself, which allows you to speed up the detection of a web resource by search engines, respectively, has a positive impact on attendance and sales.

Easy administration panel and catalog management

From an administrative point of view, Magento also has many useful options. These are import and export of goods database, the addition of categories and subcategories, sorting of goods by specific characteristics, monitoring of stock balance. It is convenient that you can easily add several images to each position, attach related and similar products. Also, the function of saving the cart is implemented (remembers customers and saves the order for a certain period of time), tracking the order at delivery.

Easy navigation, product selection system, filtering, and comparison function help users to find the right product and get the most information about it. Customers can rate the product on several scales, write reviews, and maintain a wishlist. For the convenience of ordering, comparing products, the user is shown the pages of the catalog, which he viewed earlier.

Reporting

You’ll get full statistics on your business. You will have information about the best customers, product rating, number of orders and much more. What’s more, you’ll even know about goods that are often added to your cart, but removed just before you buy them.

Security

Magento – CMS with a high degree of safety. Highly professional developers are constantly working on the improvement of the system. In addition, the use of SSL certificates serves as a reliable guarantee of resistance to viruses.

Trust of global brands

On this platform, there are many online stores of world-famous brands: Tiffani & Co, Lenovo, Nestle, Gucci, and others. The number of online stores on Magento already exceeds 90 000.

Can Apple Overtake Google in the Education Market?

In writing an essay, it is important to get it right with the content of the article as well as correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. An essay checker is an essential plagiarism checker tool that helps students, as well as teachers, get things right with their write-ups, and one can quickly get these tools with these devices. Also, with an essay plagiarism checker, you can ensure that your essay is 100 percent free of plagiarism, which will help you score more with your write up.

Some students use various writing platforms like https://domyhomework123.com/calculus to craft the paper work on any subject including topics on calculus or physics effectively.

Technology has influenced the education sector enormously, and some of the big giants in the technology market that have played a considerable role in this sector include Google, Apple, Microsoft, and recently, Amazon.

Google has, however, become most popular among teachers and students, over pioneers like Apple, and Microsoft. Apple had initiated its educational hardware and software program for teaching and learning before Google came into the sector.

Fast forward to recent days, teachers and students have become obsessed with its Products, according to Rachel Premack. The educational technology sector is a vast market, which is expected to hit over $43 billion in 2019, so these giants are keen on taking their chunk in the market.

apple in education
Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/f-3mUXFLY2o

How Google Overtook Apple in Education?

Following earlier days of technology advancement, apple products for teachers were common in classrooms, enhancing learning. Products of Microsoft and Apple for education decreases drastically between 2013 and 2017 as Chromebook becomes popular in classes. Shares of Apple for educators mobile reduces by 33 percent, while Microsoft devices for educational purposes reduce by 21 percent, which has coincided with the rise in the use of Chromebook in classrooms.

The main reason for Google taking over from Apple in the education sector is that they have made their products more accessible to everyone. On the other hand, Chromebook is very popular among researchers to search for queries, check up materials when writing essays, searching for free plagiarism checker tools to use for your article, etc.

With the popular search engine of Google, it has become more useful for an educational purpose which Google had leverage on its products. Google introduced Chromebook with useful features that make it easy to navigate from devices. You can easily connect these devices with other devices, and share your essay or articles, use search engine easily. The ability to share your works on any device when you connect with your Google account is another preference that proves useful in academic works. You do not need to carry your devices to be able to access your works with your devices, and as well as sharing your works easily with colleagues or in the classroom.

Google has overtaken Apple in education with its cost-friendly product such as Chromebook. Google had focused on providing cost-effective hardware and software products for educational purpose. Earlier, Apple was the pioneer of offering classrooms affordable computers but had slow down and focused more on high-end consumer products.

We can summarize the reasons Google have overtaken Apple in the educational sector in the following ways:

  • Google products have become more affordable than Apple products.
  • Google has improved hardware and software than Apple.
  • Researchers find it easier to work with Google devices with useful tools.
  • Google devices have become trendier.
  • Google features are compatible with other devices.
google vs apple in education
Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/apple-laptop-notebook-office-39284/

Apple Education Plans for the Future

Apple has taken steps to overturn the trend in the education technology market with the introduction of low-end iPads for classrooms. The action taken by providing these affordable iPads is to rival the cost of getting the Chromebook, which Apple sees as a turning point in losing the market to Google.

In March 2018, iPad which sells for educational use was introduced in the market, a bid to increase sales of Apple products. The iPad goes for above $300 for regular customers, which is a strategy to target the educational sector with high potential.

However, producing low-end iPad is the foremost strategy to overturn the tides of Google overtaking Apple, which may not be enough presently.

So, the lead set by Google in the education sector is a huge one as they have not only become popular, but simple to use and affordable. Apple needs to put in more effort, especially in the area of software for Apple for education to improve usability.

Apple had taken steps in reducing the price of their product to try to balance the market in the educational sector, which is a good step in the right direction. However, they have to take other factors into consideration if they intend to take back their position in the educational technology market.

Can a VPN Slow Down Your Internet or Is It a Popular Myth?

A Virtual Private Network, or a VPN, is a connection method that allows the secure traffic of data between the connected devices. A VPN protects the data by encrypting it and thus granting its secure transfer. People use a VPN service to safeguard their privacy and ensure the secure sharing of sensitive information.

vpn and slow internet speed
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/vpn-vpn-for-home-security-4062481/

At the same time, there’s a question of speed, namely, how all that encryption process affects the speed of your Internet connection. In this article, we will explore this topic in detail.

So, can a VPN slow down your Internet?

The short answer is yes, it can. However, everything is not that simple, as it all depends on the circumstances.

If you are using a high-quality, reliable VPN service, you will not notice the difference. Most VPN providers offer a decent speed with a minor decrease, as compared to the usual Internet speed. This reduction is caused by the encryption process, which protects your network.

With that said, certain factors make the connection through a VPN slower.

1. Slow Internet

If your Internet speed is slow to begin with, a VPN will not solve the problem. Some users may purchase a VPN service only to make their Internet perform faster, but in most cases it is ineffective and they end up with even a slower connection than previously. So, if you believe that a VPN affects your Internet, first ensure that you have an adequate speed by running a speed test, as described in this guide.

2. The physical location of the server

When it comes to the speed, the distance to the VPN server you are connected to is important. The farther the server is, the longer it takes for the packets of data to be transmitted. That is why, for faster performance, make sure to connect to the server that is located nearest to you. Good VPN providers have a range of servers all over the world, so you can easily choose the most suitable one.

3. Server overload

It is possible for a server to get overcrowded when there are too many users and not enough bandwidth. This situation happens rather frequently with free VPNs. In this case, the solution is to try connecting to a different server, where there may be fewer visitors. Ultimately, you should choose a provider with no bandwidth limitations on their servers.

4. Interference

Some firewalls or anti-malware programs may interfere with your VPN and slow down your connection. Although it is not that common, some of the security programs may be configured to affect the traffic and the CPU usage of your computer. Make sure to use one of the best antivirus options to avoid interference.

5. Encryption

The level of encryption has its effect on the speed as well. The stronger it is, the more CPU it takes up. Mostly, it concerns older devices though. In this case, you may switch to a lighter protocol.

In conclusion

So, as you can see, it is not a myth that a VPN can make your Internet slower. That is why you should stay away from a free VPN and choose a legitimate provider that offers reliable service.

Soin Neuroscience Constructs Spinal Cord Stimulator for Chronic Pain Treatment

Soin Neuroscience Inc., based in Dayton, OH, has recently created a new spinal cord stimulation device (SNI) to treat chronic pain. SNI is an investigational device that has shown significant promise compared to current standard techniques.

Soin Neuroscience is using a new algorithm and working on a platform that will use machine learning and AI technology to bring precision. 

Because Soin Neuroscience is concerned with excessive opioid use in chronic pain patients, they have developed a different approach to pain by obstructing the nerves that cause pain, using a new algorithm that treats and blocks the nerve using stimulation. The company has recently started human proof of concept studies.

Spinal cord stimulation requires that the medical device be placed into the spine’s epidural space with leads or wires. Electrical stimulation is then administered to the spine to decrease a patient’s perception of pain.

Soin Neuroscience is also working on a platform that will use machine learning and AI technology with its medical devices to enhance patient care and bring precision medicine to spinal cord stimulation.

CEO and founder of Soin Neuroscience, Dr. Soin, says he is eager to start a program dedicated to treating patients who suffer from chronic pain. “As we embark on our journey of science, learning, and development, we believe there may be some significant advantages to our device over the current standard,” Dr. Soin states.

Patients in Dayton, OH, who have tested the device report a substantial reduction in pain. Patients who have tested the new system noted that pain scores went down to a 0 – 2 out of 10. The patients also reported that they were able to stand again for prolonged periods. Another patient stated that their pain score dropped to 0 out of 10 periodically during testing, stating that it felt like a much better option than the shots they were currently using for the pain.

Dr. Soin is encouraged by the results and believes they may have a breakthrough product for patients dealing with chronic pain. “Although further testing will be needed, the new approach is more in line with how the body’s nerves process information,” Dr. Soin states. “It’s too early to conclude just based on early testing, but our team is excited about the possibilities.”

Soin Neuroscience has already experienced great success in creating various types of pharmacological agents to treat pain. 

The goal for Soin Neuroscience is to continue developing spinal cord stimulation technology and expand into other types of neurostimulation devices. Soin Neuroscience has already experienced great success in creating various types of pharmacological agents to treat pain.

The spinal cord stimulation medical device indicates the company’s progress towards meeting the needs of those suffering from chronic pain by offering different modalities. The device is investigational and not FDA approved for use in humans, and patients who have trialed the system are part of an approved early pilot study.

The device is not available for commercial use. Given that only initial testing has been completed, Soin Neuroscience cannot claim the efficacy of the device as further testing is needed. As a result, there are no guarantees or claims of effectiveness, and further testing is required.

Email Amol Soin at drsoin@soinneuroscience.com

GetSpool features iOS Jailbreak, Cydia Apps, Theme Reviews, Tweaks, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and iPod news.