Have you ever used a card catalog system?

Most students today wouldn’t even know how. 

In the olden days students had to go to the library, research material, read the pertinent information or check out available audio materials on tape or VHS.  Not anymore.  In the new age of technology-heavy learning, podcasts make every aspect of life easier, including college studies.  Podcasts are basically a form of digital media that students can subscribe to and download off the web.  It’s like a mini seminar or talkshow downloaded to your Mp3 player.  There are podcast series available right from your iPod to help with everything from an upcoming Spanish quiz to the midterm on musical evolution.  Here’s our rundown of the most useful podcasts for students:

GoogleGet: This podcast is great because it combines Google News in your iPod so you can read the news between class and stay current on all the top news stories.  Next time you have to present a current event at the last minute, you’ll be prepared. 

Language Podcasts: If English is not your first language, you can use ESL podcast to brush up on your English skills by taking these ESL classes directly from your iPod. If you’re on the other end of the spectrum, try iPod Spanish to Go to review for your Spanish quiz on your way to class. 

Pod CityGuides: This is a great podcast site for traveling.  Here you can find hundreds of city guides that are compatible with iPods.  That way, you’ll know exactly what to see and how to get there so you don’t end up looking like a tourist.

Brain Quest: Who doesn’t love a little trivia to keep your brain working? This is one of the most popular educational games available and now it’s on your iPod.  You can download simple versions for your children and more challenging ones for yourself! 

Medical Terminology Flash Cards: There are multiple sets of flash-cards aimed to help any student in the medical field.  Whether you’re studying healthcare, nursing or pre-med, these are a great way to step up your game.

Talk Shows: Whatever your favorite talk show, they most likely have a series of podcasts you can find online and download to your iPod.  Listen to clever, engaging discussions about science from National Public Radio’s popular program or The Philosophy Talk provides popular philosophical talk available via podcasts.

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If you would have told someone 20 years ago that they would be able to order pizza online, they would have been amazed.  Imagine now the ability to conduct business overseas without long-distance phone bills, connect with thousands of social network friends in a few hours and purchase a dress from England and a hat from Australia all in the same day.  The world has definitely changed and businesses are not what they used to be.  It is no longer enough to open a mom and pop store or restaurant around the corner and hang up an “open” sign.  Business is now conducted an on entirely different playing field. 

The ability to connect with anyone anywhere in the world has taken the marketplace to a global scale.  Now bookstores are not only competing with the other shops on the street, but every other bookstore in the country.  On the other hand, small businesses working in a garage can create a professional appearance without the work and money involved in an office or retail space. 

With the dot-com takeover in the eighties, businesses since focused on become more tech savvy in the way they do business.  Regardless of what your business is, it is virtually impossible to succeed today without an internet presence.  There have been multiple companies, like Circuit City who have given up brick and mortar stores all together and do 100% of their business online.  Amazingly, these companies are not only thriving, but are making more money than they were before.  On the same note, American Airlines started with the first computerized booking system and Bank of America began automated check-processing.  These companies were just the first ones to lead the way of automated business.  Now you don’t even need a computer to order a pizza or book a flight, you can do it right on your phone. 

The main impact of technology on business is how much it shrinks the world.  As communication and information travels faster and faster, the world seems smaller and smaller.  Business can be conducted more efficiently, quickly, and automatically.  As information travels instantaneously and more reliably, barriers of distance disappear, and businesses are realizing how easy it is to outsource jobs and attract global customers.  There is some debate over whether this is helpful or detrimental to the U.S. economy.  One the one hand of the debate, sending  

But, it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Any business conducted online has liability and revenue concerns just like a local store.  Online businesses must be wary of security, privacy or even copyright issues.  While the internet does make business more streamlined it doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, over 90% of website start-up businesses fail. 

For the consumer, the internet definitely makes the business world more economical, more accessible and more efficient, which makes doing business online much more convenient and appealing.  For the business owners, the internet blew up the playing field to make business more competitive and raise the standards of local businesses to an entirely different level. 

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