When will we be able to read iBooks on the Mac?

[MlleStar]

This is ridiculous. We can watch movies and listen to music on both our iOS devices and the Mac, so why can't we read iBooks on the Mac? You'd think they would've built that right into iTunes.

What's taking so long? Is there a 3rd party app for reading iBooks-books?

[wackymacky]

Originally Posted by MlleStar

This is ridiculous. We can watch movies and listen to music on both our iOS devices and the Mac, so why can't we read iBooks on the Mac? You'd think they would've built that right into iTunes.

What's taking so long? Is there a 3rd party app for reading iBooks-books?

What version of iTunes are you using?

There is software (e.g. Requiem) floating around that can remove the DRM from iBooks which will allow them to be read by ePUB readers.

If I recall iTunes 10 disabled this. I have never bothered with iBook format anyhow so I cant attest to it.

I guess the ethics are no different than doing the same with copies of DVDs that you own, for private use.

[NewbieCanada]

I'm not looking for a third party solution or to remove DRM. I want to read the books I paid good money for on the device of my choice, just like I can with Kindle books.

The fact that my iBooks are actually stored on my Mac and I still can't read them is just adding insult to injury.

[edk99]

Maybe you should start buying your books from Amazon till Apple makes their book service a lot more flexible in allowing customers to read their box on different devices like Amazon.

[talmy]

It seems like they are unlikely to ever have an iBook reader app on the Mac. They've certainly have had plenty of time to do it.

So I've never bought an iBook. Consider buying books from Amazon.com which has a policy of being supported on as many platforms as possible. I have bought a number of titles from O'Reilly and a couple of small self-publishers that sell their books DRM-free and typically in PDF format. I just counted -- I've got 14 titles.

[bilbo--baggins]

Apple must be doing this to help establish the iPad as the tool for reading iBooks.

Once this is firmly established i'm sure they'll bring it to the Mac.

For now it's a shame because some books, such as reference books and textbooks would be useful to view on the Mac when looking up information rather than sitting down to read.

[old-wiz]

I don't even consider iBooks; Kindle books work fine on iPads as well as Macs.

[Gala]

Their stubbornness is killing them here. I don't know what the hold up is but I've locked myself into Amazon books because of this problem. There will be no way of going back for me.

[The-Pro]

I dont know about all you people, but I personally would hate turning my 30" screens or even just my MBP's into a "book". I have my iPhone and iPad for that, and even there I dont use it.

[peeaanuut]

i purchased a few books in iBooks and every time I regret it. I have a nook and love reading on there and when I dont have it I have my nook app. I really wanted to use my ipad to read but it just wasnt the right size for me but I cant imagine reading a book on a regular computer or even my macbook. I guess if I was a commuter or frequent traveler I would want to limit my devices but the nook is so small anyways I would probably still drag it along.

Maybe my thought will change when I get an Ipad mini as I think it might be the right size for reading and I could still get stuff from the nook store.


But besides all that, I can see the OPs frustration. I think as someone pointed out, its a marketing attempt to get people to purchase the devices. I believe there might be a small bit of DRM satifaction going on here in regards to publishers and authors, but I think it weighs more on getting people to purchase an iPhone or iPad.

[ChrisMan287]

Never.

[LizKat]

This is very annoying for me too. I love the iBooks app, but I've bought far more books from Amazon instead (and a fair number of Nook books as well) just so I can read them on my laptops.

I don't even have a Kindle, but I've a ton of Kindle books and read them on my laptops as well as on iOS devices. I'm sure Amazon will forgive me skipping their hardware, since I could paper my livingroom walls with receipts from them for all kinds of stuff.

I do have and like a Nook tablet, but the fact that the books can also be read by a Nook reading app on other devices including a laptop was a VERY big factor in that purchase, which I made while I waited for Apple to bring the iPad mini. Now that Apple's mini is here I'm still buying books from the other two guys and using their apps to read them WHEREVER I LIKE.

Using a book on a laptop is much handier if I want to reference it while working out an adaptation of quilt design, for instance, in which case I'm likely also to have multiple other windows open in multiple other apps. "Don't try this yet on your tablet..." When I do something like that, I might be using several types of calculator, some inventory database pages, some spreadsheets, a browser tuned into a fabric supplier etc.-- as well as having a digital reader open to show me a quilt pattern in an ebook. Sure I can prop up an iPad next to the laptop with the ebook open in it, but it's more work, less convenient, and why should I do that when I can buy the Amazon or Nook book instead and use the Kindle or Nook reader application.

This topic makes me crazy when I let it get to me. Some say the no-laptop-iBook thing is because Apple can protect its DRM better that way or something. Well go for it, Apple, but I don't steal books, and the ones I have from B&N and Amazon are not DRM-free, I paid for them and I observe their terms and conditions, but I enjoy using them on my laptops sometimes, and appreciate being able to do so.

I rather suppose this complaint is like spitting into the wind. After all this time, I have come to believe that Apple just considers revenue from ebook sales pretty optional.

[Bear]

Originally Posted by MlleStar

This is ridiculous. We can watch movies and listen to music on both our iOS devices and the Mac, so why can't we read iBooks on the Mac? You'd think they would've built that right into iTunes.

What's taking so long? Is there a 3rd party app for reading iBooks-books?

Everyone one who thinks there should be an iBooks for Mac OS should provide feedback tp Apple explaining why they think it is needed. As far as I know, Apple is aware that some people want this. I guess they just need more people asking for it.

[RASHEED11]

I think iPad better to use as book, they design it like reader books

but why not for iBook into Mac

[Kebabselector]

I'm sure I read that if an ibook reader appeared on the Mac then it would be easier to strip away DRM and thats the reason Apple haven't released a Mac based Reader.

[quasinormal]

You can read ePub and mobi books with the freeware calibre book management app.

http://calibre-ebook.com/about

It is available for OS X, Windows and Linux. PDFs within the app are handled by the native Preview app. You'll need a separate app to read CHM files.

[MlleStar]

Originally Posted by The-Pro

I dont know about all you people, but I personally would hate turning my 30" screens or even just my MBP's into a "book". I have my iPhone and iPad for that, and even there I dont use it.

There are plenty of times when I'd like to have a bigger screen to read and also have better control with a mouse to highlight, annotate, etc. Mostly I'm thinking of technical books and textbooks, not a casual read like a novel.

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Originally Posted by Kebabselector

I'm sure I read that if an ibook reader appeared on the Mac then it would be easier to strip away DRM and thats the reason Apple haven't released a Mac based Reader.

That's exactly what I was thinking, which is equally lame. If Amazon can do it, why can't Apple? I wonder if the executive shake-up at Apple late last year, such as the firing of Scott Forstall, will help resolve some of these issues.

[MlleStar]

Originally Posted by LizKat

Using a book on a laptop is much handier if I want to reference it while working out an adaptation of quilt design, for instance, in which case I'm likely also to have multiple other windows open in multiple other apps. "Don't try this yet on your tablet..." When I do something like that, I might be using several types of calculator, some inventory database pages, some spreadsheets, a browser tuned into a fabric supplier etc.-- as well as having a digital reader open to show me a quilt pattern in an ebook. Sure I can prop up an iPad next to the laptop with the ebook open in it, but it's more work, less convenient...

This is exactly what I'm talking about. In my case, I have some programming textbooks that I'd like to read from my big monitor when I'm trying out some code and maybe even copy and paste the code (which isn't as evil as it sounds since this is for educational purposes) rather than having to hand-type everything from an iPad propped on my left or right-hand side, which is inefficient, distracting, and slows my work down.