Apple Rolls Out iBooks Feature Page

[simon the diver]

Stanza will covert books to epub

Fantastic news that iBooks will read any old epub file as Stanza will export to epub.

just tried it, opening a pdf of a book exporting an epub.

of course the only software i have to read epub on is stanza so that was a waste of time

 

[knewsom]

Hey, macfriends. Long time reader, first time poster.

Do ya'all know what the file size range of an ePub can be? Say for a 300-page, mostly text, book? I am very interested in this technology if it can replace the many history books I carry to school. So I'm wondering which size iPad (16, 32, 64GB) would make the most sense. Thanks.

eBooks are typically tiny - they're basically just text files. If there are pictures in them, then yeah, the filesize goes up. Most ePub books are less than a megabyte apiece. IMHO, ANY size iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad would suit your needs - depending of course on how much music and video you also want to cart around.

 

[Compile 'em all]

I guess you will buy one then...

https://www.macrumors.com/2010/03/12/ipads-mute-switch-replaced-with-screen-rotation-lock/

Your sarcasm radar is broken.

 

[knewsom]

Re: Reflected light vs backlighting

To those who wonder what the big difference is between reflected light off of a page, or an eInk type device vs a backlit device like the iPad, consider how your eyes feel after an hour of staring at your computer screen vs looking at a newspaper or a book.

Reflected light is softer, and more diffused. Backlighting basically directs the photons straight out of the screen - it's like looking into a flashlight, vs looking at a flashlight's light on a wall. Backlit displays ARE harder on the eyes, but I've been happy with reading on my iPhone, as long as I adjust the brightness down when not in a well-lit environment.

 

[Jason Lee]

Ok, so does anyone know if there is an app that can convert PDF to ePub on the mac?

http://calibre-ebook.com/

 

[kas23]

There was an interesting piece on NPR this morning about eBook publishing about to unleash a wave of pain upon the publishing industry... They're fighting the revolution tooth and nail (though not as adamantly as the RIAA did with music). Apple was mentioned in the piece... Interesting times afoot.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124592613

Why do they have to fight anyone. If they own the copyright of the work, why wouldn't the publisher just refuse to sell it in electronic format. Why the fighting?

ePub may be the only format which Apple sells, but is there any information on whether the iBooks app will understand other formats besides ePub? I have accumulate a lot of PDF material over the years (some of which is encrypted). It would be rather inconvenient to have a different app for each different format.

I agree. Why can't the App handle multiple contents? Or, maybe it can. The iBookstore just is going to sell in epub. Anyways, IF I get one of these puppies, I'll probably be using something like Stanza to read my stuff anyways.

Fantastic news that iBooks will read any old epub file as Stanza will export to epub.

just tried it, opening a pdf of a book exporting an epub.

of course the only software i have to read epub on is stanza so that was a waste of time

You should examine the final product carefully. In my experience, PDFs are very hard to convert to anything. They may be converted, but not with pretty results.

 

[roland.g]

To those who wonder what the big difference is between reflected light off of a page, or an eInk type device vs a backlit device like the iPad, consider how your eyes feel after an hour of staring at your computer screen vs looking at a newspaper or a book.

Reflected light is softer, and more diffused. Backlighting basically directs the photons straight out of the screen - it's like looking into a flashlight, vs looking at a flashlight's light on a wall. Backlit displays ARE harder on the eyes, but I've been happy with reading on my iPhone, as long as I adjust the brightness down when not in a well-lit environment.

Get light diffusing glasses for reading on the iPad. I think these will become more and more popular. Some people who use computers all day long use them to take the strain off their eyes but they just haven't become that mainstream yet. With the rise of tablets I think you will see more and more of them.

 

[digitalbiker]

It seems like the ibook reader is missing a lot of features.

For example, the write up makes no mention of a built in dictionary or thesaurus for looking up words in the text.

It doesn't say anything about being able to highlight or markup certain sections.

It only mentions bookmarks as being a function to pick up reading where you left off. How about multiple bookmarks with keywords for referencing multiple sections of book.

Search functions?

This app just seems like a very simple, page turning reader that really doesn't take advantage of having the text on a computer.

No wonder Steve Jobs thought all book apps would fail because nobody reads anymore, he hasn't a clue what makes a modern ebook reader useful.

 

[knewsom]

Get light diffusing glasses for reading on the iPad. I think these will become more and more popular. Some people who use computers all day long use them to take the strain off their eyes but they just haven't become that mainstream yet. With the rise of tablets I think you will see more and more of them.

And where, praytell, might one find said glasses?

 

[MikeDTyke]

It seems like the ibook reader is missing a lot of features.

For example, the write up makes no mention of a built in dictionary or thesaurus for looking up words in the text.

You need to read a little closer, "Touch and hold any word to look it up in the built-in dictionary or Wikipedia, or to search for it throughout the book and on the web.".

You are right about the other features, but i noticed at the end of his ibook presentation, he said they were also very excited about textbooks. I suspect publishers of commercial novels, don't necessarily want people marking up their books, but probably will be a feature when Apple starts to offer textbooks.

 

[iphone1105]

I'll stick with Stanza on my iPhone, and save the 500 bucks for a nice tattoo, which will last me the rest of my life.

And when you're 70 years old, your tattoos will look like someone took a towel soaked in ink and just slapped you with it.....ie. Ozzy. Just sayin'

 

[HLdan]

Hours of reading on that screen? People will see by e-ink was the chosen method before the iPad.

I find this interesting that people make that ridiculous assumption that people read books for hours and hours. Most people read a few chapters in a coffee shop which can equate to being under 30 minutes depending on the book and the speed of your reading. Let it go about the e-ink, I hardly think this will be an issue for the iPad.

 

[roland.g]

And where, praytell, might one find said glasses?

I did a google search. Here are two links that came from looking at "glasses for computer strain" but you can also search glasses for computer ... work, use, etc.

http://www.eyefatigue.com/

http://www.computervisionreadingeyeglasses.com/

 

[digitalbiker]

You need to read a little closer, "Touch and hold any word to look it up in the built-in dictionary or Wikipedia, or to search for it throughout the book and on the web.".

You are right about the other features, but i noticed at the end of his ibook presentation, he said they were also very excited about textbooks. I suspect publishers of commercial novels, don't necessarily want people marking up their books, but probably will be a feature when Apple starts to offer textbooks.

OK, thanks. I must have missed that section. Those are key features which I figured Apple would include but I didn't see them mentioned.

Heres hoping that book mark up will be possible in the future.

 

[Jaro65]

anybody who used the glossy macbooks outside will know this thing will suck as a ebook reader. how are you supposed to see a thing outside in the sun sitting on a bench in the park? if ebooks are the main target for the ipad it should have a mate screen like the kindle.

Or at least have an option to order an iPad with a matte screen, right? I don't know why the fascination with glossy screens.

 

[cmaier]

To those who wonder what the big difference is between reflected light off of a page, or an eInk type device vs a backlit device like the iPad, consider how your eyes feel after an hour of staring at your computer screen vs looking at a newspaper or a book.

Exactly the same?

Backlighting basically directs the photons straight out of the screen - it's like looking into a flashlight, vs looking at a flashlight's light on a wall.

Gibberish. For the photons to be seen, they have to have travelled into your eye. It doesn't matter if they arrive straight from a light source or reflected off a surface - in both cases they travel straight into your eye.

If you turn the brightness down, there's no difference.

 

[RalfTheDog]

I'll stick with Stanza on my iPhone, and save the 500 bucks for a nice tattoo, which will last me the rest of my life.

In a few years (If I remember it was something like June 2018) you will be able to get a digital tattoo that will have much more functionality. The working digital watch tattoo will be quite nice (The color version will come out just a few weeks after the B/W version. They will be upgradable but it will not be fun.) I know a place near the Oklahoma Texas border where you will be able to get a very good deal on both Dig Tat and Organic Luminescent Display contacts.

Remember to keep your skin and eyes charged or the animations will glitch out. Also remember to keep your iPad skin patched. You do not want a virus.

Exactly the same?



Gibberish. For the photons to be seen, they have to have travelled into your eye. It doesn't matter if they arrive straight from a light source or reflected off a surface - in both cases they travel straight into your eye.

If you turn the brightness down, there's no difference.

You need very good black levels, good contrast ratio and a good light sensor. If it is done well, you can't tell the difference.

 

[ChrisA]

Apple needs to sign some agreements with those who publish college text books. I can't think of any group who (1) buys/reads more books and (2) hates the current state of affairs more than students. This group along could put e-books into the main stream.

 

[ChrisA]

Or at least have an option to order an iPad with a matte screen, right? I don't know why the fascination with glossy screens.

There is no "fascination". They are simply cheaper to manufacture because they save the cost of the anti-glare coating.

OK one technical issue anti-reflective coating don't work it they have finger print oil on them and mat screen will become worn if you use them as touch screens. This applies to iPads but not MacBooks and iMacs.

 

[guzhogi]

This could be quite annoying. I like to read books while I skydive. When in free fall tilt sensors don't work that well. Unless Apple puts a HARDWARE button on the iPad that locks the screen orientation, I will not buy one!

What are you doing reading while skydiving? Skydiving not exciting enough for you?

 

[klrobinson999]

Apple is stating on the iPad page that you can reduce the backlighting via the iBooks application for direct sun/ heavy lighting viewing.

Looks like they are aware of the concern and are addressing it.

 

[knewsom]

Exactly the same?



Gibberish. For the photons to be seen, they have to have travelled into your eye. It doesn't matter if they arrive straight from a light source or reflected off a surface - in both cases they travel straight into your eye.

If you turn the brightness down, there's no difference.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Anyone who has gone to film school and studied cinematography (and I have), can tell you that there is a very pronounced difference between reflected and direct light. THAT is the difference between a backlit display and a reflected light display. One is inherently diffuse, whereas the other is inherently direct.

...why is this so difficult to grasp? It may be difficult to tell the difference, visually, if the device has a good contrast ratio and the brightness is properly adjusted, but that doesn't mean it's the same at all.

Turning down the brightness reduces the amount of photons leaving the device. How is that not different?

 

[RalfTheDog]

What are you doing reading while skydiving? Skydiving not exciting enough for you?

instructions:

Step 1, Jump.

Step 2, look around and stuff.

Step 3, pull the rip cord.

Step 4. Land.

I had an uncle that dropped his instruction book at step 2. He forgot to pull the rip cord. Fortunately, he also forgot to hit the ground. We go up looking for him from time to time. With any luck we can get him the new instructions that you can Velcro onto your arm. They are much harder to drop.

 

[wallinbl]

Apple needs to sign some agreements with those who publish college text books. I can't think of any group who (1) buys/reads more books and (2) hates the current state of affairs more than students. This group along could put e-books into the main stream.

Yep. I'm really curious how this is going to work. I've purchased a few textbooks electronically, but they usually require some custom plugin to Acrobat Reader to handle their DRM. The Oracle Sealer version that came with one of them drives me up the wall.

I'm also curious what the mechanism for reading DRM free PDFs will be. I have ton of those.

 

[Mcgargle]

Reflected light is softer, and more diffused. Backlighting basically directs the photons straight out of the screen - it's like looking into a flashlight, vs looking at a flashlight's light on a wall. Backlit displays ARE harder on the eyes…

That makes absolutely no sense. That's just pure junk science.

The light coming from a emissive screen is actually quite diffuse. You know how in the movies whenever you see somebody sitting in front of a screen in a dark room you can see whatever's on the screen projected on the actor's face as if from a projector? That doesn't happen in real life, because light coming from an emissive screen (like a laptop or an iPad) is very diffuse. That it, it's shining out at all angles with a high degree of divergence.

There are really only two things that affect how your eyes feel: total illumination, and distance. When there's a lot of light coming into your eyes, this causes the irises to contract, which some experts thing contributes to eye fatigue but nobody knows for sure. The bigger factor by far is the muscular effort of converting and focusing your eyes, which anybody who's ever worked on a 3D film knows is enormous. Improperly converged stereoscopic projection can actually be physically painful, because it forces your eyes into a configuration they're not used to. It's analogous to holding a book at arm's length. You can do it for a few minutes, maybe longer, but eventually your arm's going to get tired.

Computer screens are typically (not always) farther away than most reading material, which makes your eyes converge to an unusual distance. This contributes to eye fatigue. Computer screens are also typically much, much brighter than they need to be, which doesn't help.

The iPad is handheld, which means you'll hold it like a book most likely, which helps with the convergence issue. And if it's built like the iPhone, it will attempt to match its brightness to the ambient light level.