That is quite common later on in highschool, certainly at university it is standard practice.
T.
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Early iBooks Textbooks Downloads Estimated at 350,000
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That is quite common later on in highschool, certainly at university it is standard practice.
T.
kindle app runs on the ipad. i have a lot more kindle books in my collection than ibooks
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I'm from Wisconsin where the labor laws have been in the news for almost a year. Teachers had health insurance cutbacks, etc.
I'm not getting political!
But, it is so poignant that some of the bickering stops when a powerful and elegant solution is presented.
I just hope some hard working teachers got an emotional boost from this!
That being said, iPads in public school classrooms could take a while. A private school here already required them as part of the mandatory school supplies. So, it might be the "haves" vs the "have nots" for a few years.
I'm from Wisconsin where the labor laws have been in the news for almost a year. Teachers had health insurance cutbacks, etc.
I'm not getting political!
But, it is so poignant that some of the bickering stops when a powerful and elegant solution is presented.
I just hope some hard working teachers got an emotional boost from this!
That being said, iPads in public school classrooms could take a while. A private school here already required them as part of the mandatory school supplies. So, it might be the "haves" vs the "have nots" for a few years.
Why is a Mac considered the appropriate platform to create iBooks on and yet not even allowed to display them? Has this incompatibility relationship between development platform and viewing platform ever been so needlessly imposed on people before?
When I test iOS software, I can run it in an iPad simulator.
When I write my iBook, I'm not even allowed to view it unless my iPad is plugged in.
I can't believe people are arguing to not have the option to view iBooks on a Mac.
Where do I sign the petition to ban iTunes from Macs since I now have an iPhone?
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Wow, what a future.[/QUOTE]
You know. Don't bother bringing moot points, come with your on idea and try to make something better yourself. Apple is trying, if they will succeed good for anyone, if they won't will be a fail for Apple. You have nothing to lose and buy your kids some good books, they are still around and they are still working.
However, if ever happen that your kids is not engaging in the lesson because at home plays video games and at school find everything boring don't take it on your kids, and don't take it on the teachers. And don't make your kids play video games and use computers at home because they will just make thing worse.
You know. Don't bother bringing moot points, come with your on idea and try to make something better yourself. Apple is trying, if they will succeed good for anyone, if they won't will be a fail for Apple. You have nothing to lose and buy your kids some good books, they are still around and they are still working.
However, if ever happen that your kids is not engaging in the lesson because at home plays video games and at school find everything boring don't take it on your kids, and don't take it on the teachers. And don't make your kids play video games and use computers at home because they will just make thing worse.
I'm guessing you haven't read the license agreement, which only states that if you plan on selling a book created with iBooks Author in the interactive iBooks format, then you can only sell that VERSION of your eBook through Apple's iBookstore.
There has been a lot of misunderstanding floating around the web (as usual with an Apple announcement) that has people believing that authors will be handing over their content to Apple. This is not the case. You are still free to take your content and reformat it for another device/eBook reader.
Bottom line is, if you want to use Apple's FREE tool to create INTERACTIVE ebooks, then Apple wants you to sell those ebooks through its bookstore, unless you're giving them away for free then you're free to do whatever you want.
I disagree. We're moving to a new medium. If you keep looking back you're not going to move forward.
When television replaced radio as the new medium, they didn't try to make TV programs radio friendly. That wouldn't make sense. We're moving from from the PC to touch devices. iBooks is meant for that medium. There is no reason to make it work for the PC if its purpose is touch interactivity.
And just like TV and radio, we still have both. But to this day you don't watch your favorite television program on the radio.
I'm very dissapointed too, how weight it's the full one? 2gb? And the performance it's terrible on an iPad 1G, sluggish and CTD everytime..
More moot points coming. I thought we were arguing wether this paradigm was going to be better than printed books for kids to be engaged at school, but of course you are going on other grounds.
If you want to complain because you want to make things different you can: http://www.apple.com/feedback/
Also, when you write your iBook let me know because I want to check it out.
I think it bothers some people that if you use Apples Software to create an iPad e-book you have to sell it through Apple. Seems entirely reasonable to me.
After all books I've create using Blurb's app have to be printed via blurb (though I can export them to PDF - but then Blurb add them to their online store to sell - or something like that)
The content from what I understand can be used elsewhere - it's just you can't use the format from iBook Author.
If i'm wrong please correct me.
Well then you misunderstand me. I think iBooks are great and better than textbooks. I don't like the large flashy videos, but am exploring using many small animations to help describe physics concepts. IMO, it combines the best parts of scientific papers (lots of detailed text) and keynote presentations (animations and movies).
But there is absolutely no reason why I can't view them on my Mac, and there is no way I would suggest them to be used as a recommended text while these arbitrary restrictions apply.
iPads are still outnumbered by Macs by at least 10:1 at my university.
Yeah, but it's been that way a long time now. Public schools in the US are trailing the rest of the world because they do not have the funds to provide a richer and more encompassing education experience for students. Unfortunately, this country is currently on an anti-socialism rampage, so I'm sure the public education issue is only going to get worse.
iBooks and iPad aren't going to change that, but what they might change (in the long term) is a school's ability to keep content up to date without needing to replace old books buy purchasing newer editions of books. Apple could even help poorer schools by giving them free textbooks with the purchase of iPads. We don't know what type of education programs Apple might be working to build, the only thing we do know is that they've released tools to help educators create more compelling content and the ability to get it published and make it available.
I'm also really surprised by the non-reaction to iTunes U as well. The implications of this free service being hosted by Apple and produced by schools, is mind-boggling. Anyone, anywhere in the world can take on online course for free. Sure you don't get a diploma, but you do gain the knowledge and that, by far, is much more important.
Watching one of the videos of student using the books, I was struck by by two things:
1) They were typing in notes using single-finger-tapping while staring at the keyboard. So much for touch-typing skills.
2) They were missing the ability to quickly scribble a good drawing.
The world will be so much better off when this current Apple fetish for fingers-only gets subjugated in favor of devices which embrace good stylus input as well. The real world needs both.
As to-be home-schooling parents, this excites us!
However, I wish it included non-textbook templates. I can already tell it would be simple to modify one of the existing templates for use for, say, a novel. Nonetheless, a built-in template would be nice.
However, I wish it included non-textbook templates. I can already tell it would be simple to modify one of the existing templates for use for, say, a novel. Nonetheless, a built-in template would be nice.
How are these moot points? They seem like excellent points to me. And no, we're not only arguing about whether the end product is best for students. If authors and educational institutions don't embrace this because of its unnecessarily restrictive nature, then this whole initiative is a moot point!
While I think the effort is pretty cool, I agree with the criticisms. And I'm also not impressed with the 350,00 downloads. Hasn't Apple sold about 50 million iPads? So one out of every 100+ iPad owners bothered to try this out in the first three days following a huge publicity event? Does that really constitute a success?
I bought Pearson's Biology book
For what it's worth, I've long graduated from high school, not a teacher by profession. I bought the book because it is an easier way to review, relearn, keep up than ever before.
I also am one of those who generally prefer reading from a physical book.
Wondering how many people outside of the targeted population will do what I did?
For what it's worth, I've long graduated from high school, not a teacher by profession. I bought the book because it is an easier way to review, relearn, keep up than ever before.
I also am one of those who generally prefer reading from a physical book.
Wondering how many people outside of the targeted population will do what I did?
The people criticising the iPad-only launch of these textbook are right. They could easily have been released on Mac also. The touch features are not so advanced - it's an intentional decision to prop up the iPad.
I currently have an iPad and a Macbook Pro. My next upgrade could be to replace both those devices with a Macbook Air. You know why I can't do that? Because Apple are intentionally propping up the iPad with Airplay, Apps and other features being iPad/iPhone exclusive. There is no reason whatsoever why the Mac doesn't support Airplay, iPad Apps and textbooks. But if they did, then people wouldn't be coerced down the route of touchscreen-only interaction.
I currently have an iPad and a Macbook Pro. My next upgrade could be to replace both those devices with a Macbook Air. You know why I can't do that? Because Apple are intentionally propping up the iPad with Airplay, Apps and other features being iPad/iPhone exclusive. There is no reason whatsoever why the Mac doesn't support Airplay, iPad Apps and textbooks. But if they did, then people wouldn't be coerced down the route of touchscreen-only interaction.
I'm sure this will be huge for home schooling parents.
An iPad that will last for two or three years and buying $100 of books a year is way cheaper than buying $70 and $80 dollar books.
Wait and see
My feeling is that iBooks will eventually be ported to the Mac platform. There are millions of students who already own Mac laptops and desktops around the world. That is one huge market to leave untapped. The priority, right now, must be for Apple to sell as many iPads as it can to the education market based on this new tool. But, in a year or two, I'm quite certain iBooks will evolve to adapt to Macs.
I don't see why the multitouch gestures on the Magic Trackpad or MacBook Pro trackpads can't be improved upon to allow for full interaction with iBooks on Mac... And taking notes would be a breeze with a physical keyboard.
It's just bound to happen eventually.
My feeling is that iBooks will eventually be ported to the Mac platform. There are millions of students who already own Mac laptops and desktops around the world. That is one huge market to leave untapped. The priority, right now, must be for Apple to sell as many iPads as it can to the education market based on this new tool. But, in a year or two, I'm quite certain iBooks will evolve to adapt to Macs.
I don't see why the multitouch gestures on the Magic Trackpad or MacBook Pro trackpads can't be improved upon to allow for full interaction with iBooks on Mac... And taking notes would be a breeze with a physical keyboard.
It's just bound to happen eventually.
But does the average user of these 50 million ipads even know anything about this? They don't probably track Apple news like we do everyday. Not sure if they have TV commercials or what type of advertising campaign they are using.
I think if more people knew about this there would be a lot more downloads then we have now.
As far as the iBooks not available on Mac Computers, maybe they didn't think it very doable on mac desktops. Considering who would read them if its not a portable device. But when you put in laptops in the mix people might sill read ibooks on those devices.
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Please...
Can you not see a bright future on all of this?
Not one will fail a test or exam. There are still traditional books, to start with, and then there are families that will appreciate what is being offered, and trade off beer on superball weekend for an iPad. Good grief...
Search Capacitive stylus on Amazon. Lots of them available. Hardly anyone wants to carry a stylus around with them though.
Me thinks you are correct!
Easy to make apple 'evil' because they want a win-win situation. Let us wait for copycats iclones to arrive with their me-to 'innovation'... I'm sure that apple will still be evil for many.
Hmmm... don't agree. Interactive doesn't have to only be with touch gestures. This would work great on a big monitor and I imagine that just such a plan will be in place eventually. Right now, textbooks are in place to sell iPads and rightly so. It works best there, it's true. However, a textbook on a 27" iMac isn't such a crazy idea. In fact the diagrams, charts and video would be all the bigger. The only problem I see would be the scaling of the graphics which would bitmap instead of looking pristine as on the iPad. I think in time, this limitation would get worked out if Apple decides to bring textbooks and their iBooks to the Mac.
I own most of the capacitive stylii available for the iPad. Not in love with any of them
The tighter accuracy active stylus on tablets like the HTC Flyer is a better idea, and I think it'll eventually be considered normal for all tablets to allow both types of input.
I dunno. Students carry writing instruments all the time. A stylus in a tablet slot or case pocket is not a big burden.
I think the lack of touch typing on tablets for students is the biggie thing to me. I'd love to see Apple license Microsoft's patent idea to get around that: a touch keyboard that adapts itself to wherever YOU touch the screen with your hands, unlike the current hardcoded-position keyboards.
It's pretty cool: you don't have to look down, you just once in a while lay all your fingers down for a second and the home keys always move to them. In other words, the keyboard shape adapts to you, not the other way around. Obviously it automatically works for people with different sized hands, too.
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