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On theKindle II – Nostalgia from a 20’s something about the smell of books. March 6, 2009

Posted by Eugene Aronsky in : Interns, Kyle Schiller, We Compare Books, books in the news, business, colleges , add a comment

A couple of weeks ago Amazon released its new e-book reader, the Kindle II. Reviews have been what I would describe as cautiously optimistic, with people applauding its features and capabilities but distancing themselves from commenting definitively on the still young e-book industry. I’m only 23 and a member of what people consider the tech-savvy generation, but even I haven’t been able to get into e-books. I have a free e-book reader application installed on my iPhone and I never use it. (On a side note, Amazon has a free Kindle application available for download on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This is either such a genius marketing scheme that I can’t hope to understand it or a really dumb move – basically forfeiting any revenue they had hoped to gain from iPhone owners who, I don’t need to add, are a large group.)

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully embrace e-books. Not being able to feel the paper pages on your fingertips? No more new book smell? No hearing the crisp cracking of the spine on its first open? Call me nostalgic, but how can that be satisfying? Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, had Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on to talk about the Kindle II and addressed this feeling. “It just doesn’t feel like the kind of thing you want to fall asleep with on your chest,” he said. On the other hand, the idea of being a college student and not having to haul massive, fifteen pound books to class is quite appealing. It would at least cut back on chiropractor costs.

I’m not saying I’ll never own e-books, since I have what I hope to be a long life ahead of me with undoubtedly great technological leaps in store. But there’s something elemental, something intrinsically endearing about the book format that I don’t think will ever go away.

Here are some Kindle II reviews. Feel free to add your opinions to the comments section.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/26/amazon-kindle-2-review/

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/02/amazon-unveils.html

http://gizmodo.com/5159749/gizmodos-amazon-kindle-2-review-matrix

http://www.pcworld.com/article/139829/amazon_kindle_review_igniting_interest_in_ebooks.html

http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/review-kindle-2-2009034/

Some thoughts about college from a recent graduate: “The Ugly Truth, what “they” don’t tell you” March 3, 2009

Posted by Eugene Aronsky in : Great Depression, Interns, Kyle Schiller, We Compare Books, business, colleges, depression, economy, education, recession , add a comment

Remember as you were growing up your parents inundating you with the idea that to be successful you have to go to college? It was good advice on its own, but guess what? Everyone else’s parents were telling them the same thing.

The ugly truth is that a college education and a Bachelor’s degree is to our day what a high school degree was to kids fifty or sixty years ago. It’s so commonplace to have a B.A. or a B.S. that it doesn’t really set you apart from anyone else in the job market anymore. And it’s no revelation that the quality of collegiate education isn’t what it was back in the days when it meant something to go to college.

So what do you do to set yourself apart from the rest, especially with these challenging economic times and the highest unemployment rate in roughly forty years? As a recent graduate and one facing the grim prospects for the job market in the near future, there are a couple of things I would recommend to current and prospective college students.

First, internships. Though they may be required at certain schools and in certain programs, internships are an invaluable thing to have on one’s résumé regardless. Studying abroad is great if you have the opportunity, but it doesn’t impress as much as an internship. An internship shows employers that you are able to translate classroom learning to workplace skills. A (hopefully) successful internship demonstrates that you have real world experience and relieves worries that they’d have to train you from the start. You may learn how to use a specific software or system that is crucial in your industry, or you may gain management or administrative experience. If you’re lucky, some internships may even become actual job offers upon graduation. At the very least you will meet people and gain networking opportunities.

Speaking of which, the second thing to pursue is networking. This has become something of a hype word, but the hype doesn’t reduce its importance. Networking, or meeting people and making connections, is the most vital thing one can do as a student and as a professional. It has been said that around only 30% of job opportunities are advertised in classifieds or on job sites, while the other 70% are acquired through direct referrals. These statistics may not be completely accurate, but what is accurate is the fact that more people get jobs through contacts in the company or organization they are applying to than through cold applying and hoping for an interview. Networking is a skill that is developed and can’t be learned overnight. I know from experience how intimidating it can be to face a room full of established, successful people and find the courage to approach them. But if you can overcome your fear and master this skill it will become the most essential tool in your belt.

Lastly, learning a marketable skill will always distinguish you from the sea of applicants. Are you a business student? Learn a foreign language. Art? Learn web-based graphics. Whatever industry or sector your studies are taking you, if you take the time to learn the skills that are required and valued in your line of work you show employers that you bring to the table abilities and knowledge that you can use from day one.

Don’t neglect the classroom, but know that academic success won’t necessarily get you everywhere you wish to be. Augment classroom studies with real world experience, networking and a marketable skill and you will be sure to impress on interview day.