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Textbook Publishers Strike Deals to Bring Content to iPad
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My inorganic book cost me 150 this semester...
My organic book cost me 350...
My diffeq/lin alg book cost me 150...
My nuclear physics book cost me... 30 bucks
It wouldn't be SO bad except I can't use these books concurrently-- every professor wants their own books, which is what screwed me over this semester. I already had a perfectly functioning inorganic and organic book. Only it didn't have this semesters problems or chapter order
LOL, can someone explain to me the big deal here? Won't these same books be available on the Mac as well as the iBooks Store? There may even be better annotation tools on the Mac as well. The only advantage I see here is that the iPad is designed to give more of a "book" feel. I don't know if that book feel is worth an extra $500.
How much do you guys expect text books to be on the iPad (express your answer in percent of the original cost. Do you think they will have high school text books?
Three "paragraphs" and you never present any sort of point. I wish my law professors accepted this sort of drivel; it would make my life a lot easier.
Regarding my main argument about textbooks on the iPad (the inability to have open-book exams), I suggest you look up a piece of software called Examsoft, comprehend its purpose (lock students out of applications during testing situations), and then explain how a textbook on the iPad is going to serve me a lick of good on an exam.
For law students, a textbook on the iPad is less useful than a blank piece of paper: at least with the latter I could make an airplane of some sort. But you're right, I completely don't get it. I mean, I only pissed on both the LSAT and the GMAT. S**t credentials, I know, I'm sorry.
While it might be neat to have textbooks on an iPad like device, I wouldn't expect any cost savings. So far the ebooks are almost as pricey as normal books, and figure into the equation ebooks can't be sold after you're done with them they are actually more expensive. I don't expect that to change at all.
Yeah, but the iPad is still a device that needs to be synced to a Mac. The Mac would still need to be there to backup all your textbooks. It would be hard for me to believe that there would be a books section on iTunes but it wouldn't be able to read the ePub file. The iphone may be a different story.
Also, Stanza for Mac can read the ePub format unless Apple implements its own DRM.
As a former examsoft victim myself, I have to ask - are you saying you have open book exams? We never had any of those
Some competitor of Apple (can't remember who) said that while the iPad will be able to read other epubs, other ereaders won't be able to read Apple's. It was either Amazon or Adobe who said that.
Nobody has yet to say why this is any different than having an iBookstore on my MBP. It says a lot that Apple might have to limit the "killer app" to just the iPad. And good luck switching back and forth between those Omni products and your textbook.
Our law exams are either closed-everything or open-any printed material because it is the analysis that counts. The only reason professors won't let you access your notes saved on a laptop is because Examsoft locks it down. They don't even really care about the Internet, just discussing with others via email or IM (for instance, sending a hypo to a lawyer friend). It seems that most of my professors know that any resource isn't going to help if you can't do the analysis, plus if you spend time looking stuff up you're already f****d.
So, to help out Poindexter from a couple posts back, what is the effectiveness of a textbook on an iPad if the professor can't stop a student from accessing email/IM on the same iPad in an exam? I know I'm too stupid to be able to make that second-level analysis, but the question still remains.
Our law exams are either closed-everything or open-any printed material because it is the analysis that counts. The only reason professors won't let you access your notes saved on a laptop is because Examsoft locks it down. They don't even really care about the Internet, just discussing with others via email or IM (for instance, sending a hypo to a lawyer friend). It seems that most of my professors know that any resource isn't going to help if you can't do the analysis, plus if you spend time looking stuff up you're already f****d.
So, to help out Poindexter from a couple posts back, what is the effectiveness of a textbook on an iPad if the professor can't stop a student from accessing email/IM on the same iPad in an exam? I know I'm too stupid to be able to make that second-level analysis, but the question still remains.
Just sit back and watch it all unfold in front you little buddy. It is all about content. I know a couple of eleven year olds who can explain it to you.You're the simpleton.
Look, you can get a year end edition of vanity fair as you know is the fat edition with the best color copy in the biz all for less than $6.00. WTF! But a freaking text book with public domain info with the same number of pages would cost over $150.00(sans the color quality). This is BS. Why the hell we paying so much for public info. 1+1=2 ain't change for hundreds of years!
And yet your insult fails to address my point that I could have had an iBookstore on my MBP for years now. I mean, I know that content is the FB Kool-Aid since full OS X wasn't included, but I'd like you to name one thing that I could access on an iPad that I can't right this second while lounging iPad style on my couch with a MBP. And mind you, there's a stack of magazines within about 3 feet, and my WSJ is about 6 feet away.
Little buddy? Eleven-year olds? Sounds like you have a complex that needs some attention man.
I doubt it. Apple aren't about to invent a new medium, far as I know. It'll be about presentation.
Nah, you're wrong man. Reading anything other than an iPad will be banned in a few months. Tough luck.
A bit of a reality check on the pricing for those that think they are going to save hundreds of dollars with this new innovation. From what I know of the industry printing only account for about 30% of the cost of a text book. Distribution and warehousing probably accounts for no more than another 15%, and that is probably a generous number. So you have about a 45% savings.
Now you need to take away the development and training cost that the new platform is going to take to get underway. The development companies that write the software and plan the processes for dual development (print is not going away tomorrow, and the books will need to be developed for both mediums for at least 5 years). Say about 5% of that savings eaten up, so we are at 40%.
Next add in the cost of building a new distribution model that counts the number of units sold, necessary because not all the photographs are royalty free or created specifically for the book and they have to pay a fee to the owner of the photograph based on distribution. Say another 1-2% gone, now we are at 38-39% savings.
Then you start adding in the additional features like cross referencing a database, so they have to maintain that database and pay someone to implement it into the book. Another 1% gone from that savings.
Add in interactive elements, and they will weather you want them or not due to marketing. Now instead of paying $100 for an illustration in each chapter they are paying $400 for a flash animation. Conservatively another 5% when added up through the entire book. So we are at 32-33% savings.
Then there is accessibility as mandated by section 508, which from what I know of the process could easily add in an additional 5-7% to the cost of a book.
Now we are closer to 25% savings being a realistic expectation. Depending on the amount of interactive content that is added in for marketing and that could easily come down to 15-20%, or could eliminate any savings completely.
I'm not saying I'm right, I'm just using my experience in working in the educational publishing market to make some educated guesses. There could also be an increase in the number of updates which could add in additional costs as the publishers maintain a staff on the book for yearly updates instead of putting together a team every 2-3 years for the new additions.
Now you need to take away the development and training cost that the new platform is going to take to get underway. The development companies that write the software and plan the processes for dual development (print is not going away tomorrow, and the books will need to be developed for both mediums for at least 5 years). Say about 5% of that savings eaten up, so we are at 40%.
Next add in the cost of building a new distribution model that counts the number of units sold, necessary because not all the photographs are royalty free or created specifically for the book and they have to pay a fee to the owner of the photograph based on distribution. Say another 1-2% gone, now we are at 38-39% savings.
Then you start adding in the additional features like cross referencing a database, so they have to maintain that database and pay someone to implement it into the book. Another 1% gone from that savings.
Add in interactive elements, and they will weather you want them or not due to marketing. Now instead of paying $100 for an illustration in each chapter they are paying $400 for a flash animation. Conservatively another 5% when added up through the entire book. So we are at 32-33% savings.
Then there is accessibility as mandated by section 508, which from what I know of the process could easily add in an additional 5-7% to the cost of a book.
Now we are closer to 25% savings being a realistic expectation. Depending on the amount of interactive content that is added in for marketing and that could easily come down to 15-20%, or could eliminate any savings completely.
I'm not saying I'm right, I'm just using my experience in working in the educational publishing market to make some educated guesses. There could also be an increase in the number of updates which could add in additional costs as the publishers maintain a staff on the book for yearly updates instead of putting together a team every 2-3 years for the new additions.
I'm a student myself, but to all of the students excited about textbooks on the iPad due to price concerns, I wouldn't hold my breath. I'm not sure which publisher has given anyone the impression they are willing to charge substantially less for ebooks than physical books on principle alone. They may be a little cheaper, but I have a feeling it will take people awhile to recoup the initial cost of the iPad based on those savings.
One semester I spent $900 + on textbooks. My organic chemistry text was over $300 (granted we used it for 2 semesters).
This past semester I got off light, just over $600.
I would like to know why you pay $50,000 a year tho? I attended a private University and spent $40,000 a year for 2 years including room and board and have since switched to a state University and spend $12,000 a year (but live at home). I hate the at home part, but I could have put myself through ALL 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE for only a little more then what I spent for 1 YEAR in my private University.
Textbooks are one of the most frustrating scams, because it targets young adults who either take out MASSIVE loans to pay for everything or have mommy and daddy foot the bill. Either way, the ensuing financial mess can really screw up your life for a long time.
Going with the ePub standard is very un-Apple. My best guess is that they want mass market acceptance quickly, which means getting the publishers on board, which probably meant going for ePub. It's already widely used and it won't ruffle any feathers, which is what Apple want.
But how long will it be before Apple "re-invent the book"? It's going to happen (a new Apple proprietary book format), most likely when Apple have control of the ebook market and they can start dictating things more.
This, until we find a way to make wikipedia or similar databases the primary information hub for students, publishers will continue to exploit students by forcing them to pay hundreds of dollars for a BOOK.
At the end of the day, most edition changes, online learning supplements and other things are extra BS to suck every last dollar they can out of students.
iPads wont change that. Those Publishing company CEO's need a new yacht and college students are footing the bill.
uhhhh can you say jailbroken iBookstore? / iBookstore Appulous?
publishers will be losing ALOT of money, don't you think?
publishers will be losing ALOT of money, don't you think?
More...
The tablet is going to be a really big thing...
They already have content even if there are no books or magazine...
Music, video, Games and utility programs, just the start... and I am sure the now established developer community will be salivating at the new platform.
Seeing that Google just published an animation of their tablet this morning... but it is still vapor ware... they aren't rolling out until late 2010... a long time to wait in mobile device ecosystem... then they have to deliver content... they have their book scanning, but they are still having trouble with licensing it.
Anyway here's some iPad fun. Steve's early concept...
The tablet is going to be a really big thing...
They already have content even if there are no books or magazine...
Music, video, Games and utility programs, just the start... and I am sure the now established developer community will be salivating at the new platform.
Seeing that Google just published an animation of their tablet this morning... but it is still vapor ware... they aren't rolling out until late 2010... a long time to wait in mobile device ecosystem... then they have to deliver content... they have their book scanning, but they are still having trouble with licensing it.
Anyway here's some iPad fun. Steve's early concept...
i was rollin with you till you posted that old photo thats been all around the internet.
Apple was able (eventually) to lock down their music DRM pretty well. They'll do it again, with an additional level of encryption calculated to be cracked every 6 months or so - right around the time new editions will be required for the next semester.