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Apple unveils digital textbooks app for iPad

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A lot of special needs' schools here in Japan already have implemented ipads in the classroom. A very effective and logical step for education. No more lugging around texts or making tons of handouts. Win-win. Let's hope the other PAD companies get in the loop here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This announcement has been making the rounds now on the net worldwide; not at all in a positive way, but all around angry voices about the EULA, as mentioned above everyone from developer to seller to teacher to student has to use apple products! And there is an even bigger outcry about how apple is hiding this in the fine print and trying to look like the savior of education! And even if 15 bucks for a book sounds cheap, the question is, is it really your's than? I read at one place that this would be the prize for one year, plus you cannot resell it or even give it to your younger siblings/friends. While digital learning material will come to the classroom definitely in the near future, this one is not the way it should be done. When the i-pod first appeared it was expensive and for apple computer users only. This was opened by way of competition making it necessary only, now Apple is trying to kill competition before they can get a foot in the door.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I just wonder how long the BATTERY LIFE for these Ipads are?? I know the battery on my Iphone sucks big time so I would not be surprised if it also sucks on these Ipads too.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Digital textbooks in schools sounds like a good idea, provided these iPads are made affordable for even low-income families and schools allow students to recharge their iPads in the classroom. After all, you never know when a kid will forget to charge theirs at home, or allow their iPad to be damaged in some way or another. Maybe if they made a G-shock version of the iPad ...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Say you have a test coming up and you drop your iPad!

Say you have a test coming up and your drop your text book.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

iTunes U is great! I can take classes in a multitude of subjects from some of the most prestigious universities and interesting teachers in the world. It's a wonderful continuing eduction resource.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

That's it, it's done, folks. Kiss competition goodbye for the time being. Any company that tries to compete will be appealing to students, while Apple will have the permission of the schools. In all likelihood, it will involve school fees upped to include Apple products, and anyone refusing will be screwed. Clever.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

read the fine print on this publishing software....text books can only be sold through Apple if they are published using this program...and if they refuse it....it can not be sold anywhere else...Apple EULA at it's finest....boycott this nonsense

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I've no problem with the idea of digital textbooks, however Apple is doing this in a way that will kill competition and give them control over textbooks if it suceeds. They are not using a standard file format or an open one, which means all these textbooks will be available only to those with Apple's iPad. Not only that, but Apple is forcing people to sign exclusivity contracts with them to be able to publish these textbooks for the iPad, so people won't even be able to make non-iPad versions of these textbooks or even to sell printed versions of them.

So schools that adopt these textbooks basically have to force their kids to buy Apple iPads, otherwise they will not be able to have access to the same textbooks. And if this initiative is successful, more and more textbook publishing companies will simply stop making any other textbook.

This is unacceptable, I think Apple should be sued based on anti-trust legislation and forced to make the format open and give access to their store to others. This is a power grab that illustrates well why many, many people who know anything about technology hate Apple. Their devices may be good, but their attitude and business practices are awful.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It's Me

I see a physical teachers being replaced by electronic means

As was said about the computer in education:

Any teacher that can be replaced by an iPad, should be.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

greedy apple does this for the money, not for the education. too greedy. and it won't work, they start to go on decline for their hyper-greed. an ipad won't help you get through exams, no matter how pretty the textbooks are.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Amazon went through this three years ago when the Kindle DX first came out; after two years of trials at various universities, it was declared a bust--mainly because no educator wants to be forced to choose textbooks by platform/OS rather than by content, but also because of the device's interface limitations (many of which the iPad overcomes). Even the three major textbook publishers involved in the trials concluded that a diffusion of platforms would make universal adoption of e-textbooks difficult at best, a pipe dream at worst.

And of course, any textbook created on Apple's platform can only be sold through Apple... (they said as much in their announcement).

(And yes, I have and enjoy using my iPad 2.0)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I am SOOOO going to get the iPad 3.0 in March!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Been talking to a few teachers who were asked to pre-record lessons that would be broadcast to class-rooms. In short there is no longer a need for a physical teacher to present for remote classes.

Add in textbooks as above that have the same and better info available as a teacher can give and ....

I see a physical teachers being replaced by electronic means and that means that whoever controls those means also controls what the next generations learns and get to belief.

Slippery slope as far as I am concerned. Who needs teachers when they can be replaced by electronic means.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

this ebook thing could be great for teachers, they sell their books to their college students.

i have an AU Android Xoom 10inch "XOOM" tablet, it is my main computer, it does everything Win7csn do. well, there is no data dvd burning and no printing, but i plug it into my LCD projectorwith the micro HDMI cable, use the mini stereo plug to external speakersin class.

the screen rez of the Android tablets are just a little better, but who cares.everyone shouldget a tablet, super great for reading and listening to ebooks, etc. viewing flash videos using the Dolphin HD works well,and we csn save webpages as PDF files.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/219243/hp_touchpad_vs_motorola_xoom_vs_ipad_how_they_stack_up.html

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Spud man,

I just blew up the picture with this article on my iPad 2 and the resolution was good enough to read the instructions at the top of the iPad in the picture. "Molecular Families" and "Choose a molecular family on the left to view..."

But you're right, the iPad 3 will probably have better resolution.

I wonder how many textbooks for Japanese schools will find their way on to the iPad in the near future.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Apple going back to its roots. A couple decades ago, Apple computers dominated the educational institutions landscape, then the cheaper IBM-compatible PCs took over.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Will give new meaning to the phrase, "to crack a book".

More seriously though, wonder what kids will think in a few years when I mention shlepping around 10 kilos of textbooks back in the day. Got an iPad and you could have a whole library of texts with you. Amazing!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Shame about the crap resolution of the ipad, try blowing up a chart or picture and it's limitations are soon apparent. Maybe ipad III will offer more sharpness.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Japan will be far behind in technology and education. Boy, this will change on how we learn. This is wonderful!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Wow, this is big news!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Stunning. This is going to ruin my business.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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