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Penguin Looking to Reinvent eBooks on iPad With Interactive Media

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paidContent:UK reported earlier this week on a presentation from Penguin Books CEO John Makinson showing his company's vision for the future of eBooks on the iPad. Makinson's presentation highlighted Penguin's goal of embedding interactive content such as audio and video into its eBooks, as well as the inclusion of even more advanced features such as chats between readers.

Interestingly, Penguin is even looking to push things beyond what the EPUB format used for Apple's iBookstore can support, meaning that the company is planning to launch much of its content as applications rather than eBooks. It is unclear how that strategy will mesh with Apple's plans for its centralized iBookstore.
"We will be embedding audio, video and streaming in to everything we do. The .epub format, which is the standard for ebooks at the present, is designed to support traditional narrative text, but not this cool stuff that we're now talking about.

"So for the time being at least we'll be creating a lot of our content as applications, for sale on app stores and HTML, rather than in ebooks. The definition of the book itself is up for grabs."
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In addressing Penguin's relationships with Apple and other eBook distributors, Makinson noted that the 30% revenue sharing split with distributors pushed by Apple as an extension of its existing App Store is better than the 50% split seen for print agencies, indicating that his company is happy with the arrangements. That happiness apparently has not stopped book publishers from noting that it could be argued that Apple should have to pay them for content based on its need to drive device sales, although that tactic has obviously not worked.

A video of the demo played during Makinson's presentation has also been posted.



Article Link: Penguin Looking to Reinvent eBooks on iPad With Interactive Media
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/03/04/penguin-looking-to-reinvent-ebooks-on-ipad-with-interactive-media/
They really are going to change the face of media with this thing.

Think about all the kids books you can get on this thing - no more books in 10 years?

The only issue for me is - can I give my $500 iPad to my two year old daughter and let her have at it?

I don't think so!
 
All signs - I mean ALL SIGNS - since the iPad's demo have suggested this thing will be HUGE. It's already turning the industry on its head and it isn't even on sale yet.

Apple's made these times very exciting.
 
That happiness apparently has not stopped book publishers from noting that it could be argued that Apple should have to pay them for content based on its need to drive device sales, although that tactic has obviously not worked.
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That logic is deeply flawed (and I'm not surprised the publishing industry is struggling with nitwits like these in charge).

Apple has other content providers to help drive hardware sales; they don't need to rely on the book publishing industry. There are music, TV shows, movies, audiobooks, and hundreds of thousands of apps. The publishing industry needs Apple, etc. far more than vice versa.
 
This stuff is great and I think the BIGGEST winners here are young children.

I was raised on TV and I can already see that my 3 year old daughter is far more creative and intelligent than I was at 3 because she spends more time with my iPod Touch and less time with the television than I did when I was a kid.

I mean, Seaseme Street is nice and all, but she's playing word games that let you drag letters around to spell words that I'm certain I didn't know until I was 4 or 5 years old. All these pre-school games we have are about exploration and discovery. They let her DO things instead of just watching things.

I honestly think the 'under-6' age range will be a measurable iPad demographic which isn't the case for ANY smart phone. The iPad is going to find a lot of customers in places RIM and Android never thought to look.

jonnysods said:
The only issue for me is - can I give my $500 iPad to my two year old daughter and let her have at it?

I don't think so!
Click to expand...

"Stay on the sofa. If you get up with the iPod you lose it for the rest of the day."
And you have to mean it.

My 3 year old has been playing with an iPod Touch for an entire year now without putting so much as a single scratch on it. Just be clear that it's not a running-around toy and then keep it on a high shelf when they're not using it.
 
Like "Big"

The concept eBooks and the iPad seem to fulfill the dream of interactive comics the Tom Hanks character in "Big" envisioned. It all seemed so far fetched back in 1988.
 
wallinbl said:
!!!!
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As opposed to computers, I mean.

I should give my mom some credit here. I don't mean I ONLY watched TV. We had strict time limits. I never had cable TV until I went to college at age 18. We only had 1 TV in the house. Compared to most of my friends, who had several TVs around the house, I was practically Amish.

My point is, I didn't have a computer when I was a kid.
 
I sure hope Penguin and any other publishers are smart in putting out a single App capable of displaying books in their new format in which particular titles can be downloaded and accessed. Having an App per Book model is really a lazy and dumb way to go.
 
Looking forward to it

I too think this is going to be a great tool for children's education. My 2 year old son, love to play with his "apple" as he calls it, which is really just a iPhone 3G that we have as surplus once we got the 3GS. We have been using it as an iPod for music in the house, when we thought maybe he could use it.

We loaded "iTot" on it, and he very intuitively just swipes past each picture and repeats the word for each visual.

He's very good with the iPhone and has had it taken away from him when he didn't play nice with it. So far he's been using it for about 4 or 5 months now, and it's none the worse for wear.

I believe the interactive materials suggested for the iPad will be all that much better for children.

Bring it on!
 
My daughter loves interactive flash based content on sites like cbeebies, Nick Jr, Milkshake and others so I'm sure interactive ebooks will go down a treat with the kiddies.

It's such an exciting time for children to grow up in IMO as technology they have on offer is so much more advanced compared to what I had in the 80's. EDIT: And might I add, easier to use too!

Very cool! :cool:
 
jonnysods said:
They really are going to change the face of media with this thing.

Think about all the kids books you can get on this thing - no more books in 10 years?
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Yes. Both Apple and the publishers are going to make a huge inpact on Media with the iPad. First off, I don't think we'll ever get rid of the book. I think that no matter how popular this type of thing gets, there will be the vast majority for whatever reason (older and not willing to change; economically challenged; just don't like the digital book format; think the screen is bad for eyes or opposing the digital format on a fundamental level that people need real books.) So 10 years. Wow. What a prediction. 100 years from now, we will still have honest-to-God books.

You have to consider Libraries as well. How would "no more books in 10 years" impact them and what they do for society? Crazy to consider. Talk about revolt. I think the new slogan would be "You can take my books when you pry them from my cold dead hands".

People will always want certain books in print for the times when they don't want to be tied to technology but still want information or to be entertained.

No books... too Orwellian.

jonnysods said:
The only issue for me is - can I give my $500 iPad to my two year old daughter and let her have at it? I don't think so!
Click to expand...
No. But you can hold her in your lap and hold the book in front of you while you let her swipe the pages. My little 4 year old loves to swipe my iPhone in the Photo app. She'll love it as you read the book to her!
 
Hmm... epub

Hmmm..sounds to me like he epub format is fairly limiting and is basically already outdated. The real future in ebooks is interactive content. Do a google search on what Wired magazine is planning for tablets/iPad...that's where all this needs to go.

I want to see textbooks with interactive models and video clips of thought leaders. Just putting text on a tablet is stupid and doesn't do much to enhance the experience. Actually, I can see it actually detracting from the experience. For example if I try to read my iPhone laying in bed the screen keeps autorotating because it does know what to do when I'm laying on my side. Come'on Apple...I know ou all are aware of the issues as well as the potential. Let's do e-reading right.
 
shiseiryu1 said:
Hmmm..sounds to me like he epub format is fairly limiting and is basically already outdated. The real future in ebooks is interactive content....
Click to expand...

My bet is that the most important 'interactivity' is between writer and reader on an on-going basis and mostly via writer's updates, revisions, etc etc

Beware too many bells and whistles.
 
I'm now laughing at every naysayer that registered on this forum just to crap on the iPad. This device is getting so much support from 3rd party developers and it's getting so much press before it even hits the streets. The iPad hit a home run and the naysayers can't handle it. :D Funny I never heard anything about the HP tablet after Emballmer's boring presentation.:cool:
 
cool

that looks pretty interesting. i'm still skeptical about the ipad, but i'm holding my tongue until i play with it
 
Yeah, game-changer FTW. And this is only what, the first-month pre-release innovation? Think about iPhone apps at launch and now. There has been tons of progress, especially with the use of novel UI approaches (think Tap Bots, etc) and 3d game graphics. Imagine the iPad apps two years from now. Crazy, just crazy.

Do want the astronomy app, but would rather use something like my iPhone version—Distant Suns. That type of app makes a lot more sense on an iPad, as it's actually readable when holding up to the sky. I think we'll find a lot of existing iPhone apps are much better suited for a larger screen—not only for purposes of display, but for gestures, etc.
 
Small White Car said:
This stuff is great and I think the BIGGEST winners here are young children.

I was raised on TV and I can already see that my 3 year old daughter is far more creative and intelligent than I was at 3 because she spends more time with my iPod Touch and less time with the television than I did when I was a kid...
Click to expand...

Do you remember yourself as a 3 year old?
 
that content looks amazing - and I agree with the other posts that note that we're still talking about the first wave of content. This stuff is only going to get better and better.
 
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