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News: iPad and iBooks

Jan 27th, 2010
by gav.

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I’m not sure if you know but I’m a very big Apple fan and have been since 2000 when I bought an iMac. Since then I’ve owned an iBook (the laptop in 2004) and have had two upgrades since then. I also love my iPhone. So I’m going to be biased and bit excited when it comes to a new Apple product. But I am really excited by the new iPad.

What makes it exciting?

Lots of things. But what does it mean for reading? Well Apple have announced iBooks not to confused with laptops but their take on EBOOKS.

I can’t find out much at the minute as most of the information focuses on all the other features but we do know they are using the epub format – not sure if you’ll be able to use the Adobe DRM locked ones you’ve already bought or if you’ll be able to use the ones you buy on an iPhone or other device.

But Apple making it easy to buy, read, and store ebooks is going to wonders for the idea of ebooks and ereading.

That isn’t to say that all those e-ink black and white ereaders are going to be redundant as there are still battery and bright light issues but as I said it’s getting everyone used to the idea that books don’t have to be on paper that matters.

I’m one happy fanboy.

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  • I was intrigued by the iPad initially, but the more i though about the things it couldn't do, the more disappointed I grew. And after finding out their epub DRM is proprietary (meaning I can't buy a book in the iBooks store and read it on my Sony Reader), I have no interest in buying any ebooks from Apple.
  • Robert
    My reaction was the opposite. Horror. It would be a giant step backwards if the iPad becomes a successful e-book reading device, and Apple's iBooks store the main force in ebooks. An inferior, e-ink-less screen, inferior battery life, even more inflated price, and Apple's customary dose of arrogance and evil corporate conduct combine to give me shudders.

    This is not a product designed for book lovers. It's a product designed for yuppie multimedia / design afficionados with a last-minute, half-assed compromise solution for eager readers thrown in as an afterthought. The scary thing is that it might sell well, and, like the PS3 sneaked BluRay through the backdoor into homes, do the same for an inferior e-reading solution, while possibly killing off the better devices in the process.

    So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an Apple failure on this occasion.
  • nextread
    People seem to be happy enough reading PDFs on their PCs/Macs. Loads of people use Stanza which can't even keep indents and the right paragraphing. And loads use their iPhones already to read books on. It's just an extension of that idea. It's not practical for general reading. Dedicated readers are much better. But the fact they have entered the market shows it has some value and will be worth others investing in.

    I'm not giving up my Sony Reader 505.

    In fact I want a ASUS DR-950:

    http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/01/22/more-pics-...

    Though 6" devices most emulate a real book and are the most comfortable to read.

    We'll have to see I guess.
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