Apple Updates iBooks Author with New Templates and Remote Update Feature

[MacRumors]

At an event packed with several hardware announcements, Apple's iBooks Author application for Mac also got an update today adding new templates and the ability for authors to use their own fonts and add mathematical expressions and multi-touch widgets.

Authors can also publish updates to their ebooks through iBooks Author. Users will be notified of available book updates through the iBooks iOS app.

iBooks Author was first released in the Mac App Store in January and allows users to create electronic textbooks or books of any other kind for publishing in Apple's iBookstore. The app is free and requires a Mac running OS X 10.7.2 or later.

The updated iBooks Author will be available for download starting today through the Mac App Store [App Store].

Article Link: Apple Updates iBooks Author with New Templates and Remote Update Feature

[LimeiBook86]

I was really hoping for the update to include the ability to export iBooks to the iPhone. Very sad that you currently can't do this. Apple needs iBooks Author to either export to more options, or allow authors to decide if they want their books to view on the iPhone.

My visual book can only export into PDF or RTF... the iBook Store (or even the Kindle Store) won't support any of those formats.

I understand not all books will work well on an iPhone, but at least give us the option for it. The Beatles Yellow Submarine free iBook works fine on the iPhone and iPad, why not let us do the same?

[Tingler]

This is great for authors but I am kind of disappointed over today's lack of iBooks for the Mac and new version of iTunes.

[slrandall]

Originally Posted by Tingler

This is great for authors but I am kind of disappointed over today's lack of iBooks for the Mac and new version of iTunes.

Same. I would LOVE iBooks for Mac, and I guess I'll have to wait a few more days for iTunes 11.

I'm really curious to see how they integrated mathematical expressions into iBooks. If it's LaTeX based, then I might give it a try. If not, then no chance. As someone who uses LaTeX everyday, going back to a MS-like Equation Editor would be too horrible to stand.

[iBug2]

Originally Posted by slrandall

Same. I would LOVE iBooks for Mac, and I guess I'll have to wait a few more days for iTunes 11.

I'm really curious to see how they integrated mathematical expressions into iBooks. If it's LaTeX based, then I might give it a try. If not, then no chance. As someone who uses LaTeX everyday, going back to a MS-like Equation Editor would be too horrible to stand.

Indeed, put Latex import into iBooks author and I might actually get on with writing my first math lecture book.

[guzhogi]

Support for mathematical expressions with new native equation editing using both LaTeX and MathML notation

According to the MAS.

[calimed]

Is there still no Preview App? I was expecting some sort of announcement in regards to this. In short I want to be able to view/edit pdf's saved on the Preview application on my iMac/Macbook. This is a major oversight....

[guzhogi]

Originally Posted by calimed

Is there still no Preview App? I was expecting some sort of announcement in regards to this. In short I want to be able to view/edit pdf's saved on the Preview application on my iMac/Macbook. This is a major oversight....

Agreed, it would be great to be able to read the books on my computer. I'm not much of a programmer but I would think all they'd have to do is change the UI files to Mac OS X. Plus, with multitouch trackpads, you can do a lot of the multi-finger gestures.

[CZSZSZ]

LaTeX it is!

[Mums]

Thanks Apple - I love this program!

[FrenchKheldar]

Originally Posted by CZSZSZ

LaTeX it is!

Awesome !

[Graig]

Anyone who knows how to uninstall this please explain. I tried and got some kind of warning about System files.

[slrandall]

Originally Posted by CZSZSZ

LaTeX it is!

Hallelujah.

EDIT: Not so hallelujah. Support is incredibly weak (see attachment). I'll be sticking with LaTeX.

[mrgraff]

Originally Posted by Graig

Anyone who knows how to uninstall this please explain. I tried and got some kind of warning about System files.

Hmm... did you move it out of Applications? Or are the permissions correct?

I just dragged my copy to the trash and emptied it with no warnings at all.

[zzLZHzz]

Originally Posted by Tingler

This is great for authors but I am kind of disappointed over today's lack of iBooks for the Mac and new version of iTunes.

i still can't understand why os x can't have iBook.

and why didn't they talk about the new iTune? i was expecting it.

[sensel]

There are many instances where access to an iBook on a Mac is needed. This is particularly the case for students who might be doing multiple things and need to reference the iBook on the Mac while writing a paper, designing a poster, working on a science project, code, etc.
But it is not only students. If you are using an iBook to learn a new piece of software or do other things on a Mac, you are out of luck.
I view this lack of iBook access from the Mac, along with other non Mac accessible apps, as a lack of insight on the part of Apple in how people actually use Apple products.
The snide remark during the 10/24 presentation for the new iMac about how - 'for those customers who still need it, we make a portable CD player’ - is a little window on how Apple is floating in its own bubble more and more.
Before Apple fans get all over me on this, I am an Apple fan, have owned or worked on dozens of Macs since 1987 and have owned or do own many other Apple products over the years from digital cameras to iPods and Apple TV. I say this because I want Apple to succeed.
I have seen this before. Apple and Adobe did the same thing for many years. If you made something in an Adobe product, the only formats it exported to were previous Adobe formats of the same software. It took a decade but, Adobe figured out that, people needed to export work they made to other formats and it was a good thing. It made Adobe look good. Look at Adobe now. It dominates.
Apple just does not seem to realize that printed matter (or whatever we are calling digital now) can be read in many places on many devices. If Apple wants to dominate that world, iBook Author made books need to go to all of Apple’s products and all the other major players too. Kindle, Android, et al. Even if it means making an iBook reader app for those other formats.

[Tingler]

Originally Posted by zzLZHzz

i still can't understand why os x can't have iBook.

and why didn't they talk about the new iTune? i was expecting it.

I'm guessing the new iTunes is still full of bugs and other issues. However, it is a bit depressing seeing how they did not give any updates on it yesterday and it is end of October now.

I hope iTunes 11 won't become the white iPhone 4.

[zzLZHzz]

Originally Posted by Tingler

I'm guessing the new iTunes is still full of bugs and other issues. However, it is a bit depressing seeing how they did not give any updates on it yesterday and it is end of October now.

I hope iTunes 11 won't become the white iPhone 4.

that exactly my point.

if it is still fulls of bug, i rather they push back the launch.

we still have a week to go. let see if they push it out next tue.

[Graig]

Originally Posted by mrgraff

Hmm... did you move it out of Applications? Or are the permissions correct?

I just dragged my copy to the trash and emptied it with no warnings at all.

I managed to get rid of with with an uninstaller program. Had to run disk repair after though.

[iRCL]

Originally Posted by slrandall

Hallelujah.

EDIT: Not so hallelujah. Support is incredibly weak (see attachment). I'll be sticking with LaTeX.

Ok how about you stop trying to be so "math cool" for a minute and get real. If you are seriously writing a textbook this isn't going to stop you. It isn't about letting you write a book in LaTeX, it's about allowing you to express equations in it. In all likelihood you have no actual interest in writing an iBook and you're just here whining and showing off your awesome LaTeX skillz. Not relevant

[slrandall]

Originally Posted by iRCL

Ok how about you stop trying to be so "math cool" for a minute and get real. If you are seriously writing a textbook this isn't going to stop you. It isn't about letting you write a book in LaTeX, it's about allowing you to express equations in it. In all likelihood you have no actual interest in writing an iBook and you're just here whining and showing off your awesome LaTeX skillz. Not relevant

People aren't going to write math textbooks in iBooks. This is why.

[venethia]

Hi,

here you can find iBooks Author Templates for free.

http://www.ibookauthortemplates.net