questionswhat do you think about textbooks on the ipad?


It's a great idea whose time has come. They'll be hard pressed to justify charging $150 for an ebook, not that it bothers them with the dead tree version now.


I have the DSM-IV-TR on my touchpad.

It has come in handy on numerous occasions when someone on the bus starts yelling.

I have previously bought many eTexts to save both money and trees. Plus it saves space at your own home.


I am a fan of e readers but I find it very hard to read reference books on them I want to flip back and forth.


I like the idea a lot. The real drawback is the price of entry. I mean, the cheapest retail version of the iPad 2 is what? $499? I absolutely love my Sports Illustrated digital subscription, the interactive format is great. They link in video and audio commentaries, lots of links to external content, etc. If the textbooks even start at that level, they're heads and shoulders above the print version already. If Apple made an "educational" model that had lower hardware specs (lower end processor, maybe only 8GB memory) they could really have something here.


There are some things about paper texts that I dont think can ever be replaced for me. Like @gideonfrost said, I love flipping back & forth, using fingers as placeholders. Ive learned far more through the act of comparing/contrasting/linking info in a text, than the text itself would have offered normally
It may be because I'm older, but I'm not exactly a luddite. I was one of the first of my peers to have early mass produced PC's (PCjr&AppleII+). I was also the first one in my University to bring a laptop, and there was some resistance from the professors. Now almost everyone has a laptop/notebook/tablet.
But my early formative years were spent in a house with a huge library, where Id sit & read my parents old texts from university/grad. For me, I don't think e-texts could ever replace that wonderful, multi-sensory experience of feeling, smelling, touching pages. Leaving bent pages. Falling asleep with a faceplant into a book. (f a text came with an e-copy, that'd interest me


I like the idea of eliminating textbooks from schools as they're heavy, and not very environmentally friendly. However, The cost of an iPad is still too hight to justify this new use. Then there is the additional problems presented by giving your children e-devices that can be loaded with games, etc.

Why not come up with an e-reader that is just that -- and e-reader (like the much less expensive Kindles). I'm not bashing Apple, I just think that expecting families to pay for iPads is a bit ridiculous.

I think a cheaper alternative needs to be considered.


Brilliant idea! This needs to be done immediately considering the fact that 10 year olds everywhere are lugging 120 pounds of books around in a roller bag everyday. Not to mention the fact that the most recent generation views text books the same way that I view 8 tracks.

All that being said, money shouldn't even be an issue since the price of text books for schools is outrageous.