“Apple today announced its next-generation iBooks 2 for the iPad, which will include Textbooks for students to access engaging, high-quality and interactive content,” Zack Whittaker writes for ZDNet.
“Apple also announced the iBooks Author application for Mac that allows teachers, educators, publishers and students alike to create e-books from an iWork-style interface,” Whittaker writes. “Considering that the run-up to the announcement was fraught with concern for the publishing industry, who will win and lose out from today’s announcement?”
Winners:
• Publishers
• Rich schools
Losers:
• Amazon
• Windows users
• Poor schools
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: How much are these “poor schools” paying for regular old antiquated paper textbooks for each student? Quite likely, there paying more than the cost of an iPad plus digital textbooks for each.
Related articles:
Apple reinvents textbooks with iBooks 2 for iPad – January 19, 2012
Apple unveils all-new iTunes U app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch – January 19, 2012
MacDailyNews presents live coverage of Apple’s ‘Big Apple’ education event – January 19, 2012
MDN take: ‘Quite likely, there paying more…’
Usually, I’m off duty from my hard-working vocation with the Grammar Police, but in an article about education I just can’t let that one slide…
‘They’re’, MDN… 😉
I wish I knew of an iPad friendly school where I live. My kid’s school is anti-mobile anything. It’s a good school, but I think they’re misguided on this one.
Those who feel Poor schools will LOSE, need to have their heads examined. Schools will not have to buy books if they cannot afford them. Books are priced at $15 each. In this age where were are asking parents to buy expensive uniforms, surely they can afford $15 textbooks, and they can pass them down to the next child.
It’s funny that you say Microsoft Windows users are losers, not if they have and iPad, connected to iTunes. Publishers who only use windows for publishing may be stuck,but %99 of publishers have built their businesses around Mac.
As a side note, it is interesting that we have reached the point where being a windows (Non-Mac) user is seen as being disadvantaged. The truth hurts. This is progress indeed!!
What would really seal this deal would be an education only cheaper iPad…how about an 8gb iPad 2 after the 3 comes out?
Perhaps an ePad is called for? One that is less prone to damage from spilled liquids and physical accidents. Something less glamorous and easily identifiable as school property in the event of theft?