In 1439 Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which allowed ideas to be shared by the masses, and now we’re at another interesting point in history, a time for the next evolution in learning.
The end of having to rely on outdated textbooks that weigh a ton is just around the corner with the advances in tablets and technology that are allowing the creation and distribution of interactive books to be delivered on demand wherever we are.
Apple is looking to jumpstart the new era by introducing iBooks and iBooks Author, which allow us to read and create interactive books on our Apple devices. The best part is that they have already been working with some of the powerhouses in textbook publishing (McGraw Hill, Pearson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) to have a handful of amazing interactive textbooks already available for less then $15 bucks!!
These interactive books offer everything you would accept from a traditional textbook along with videos, interactive photos and text and the ability to be updated as required. On top of this, these textbooks are fast and allow fluid navigation so you can explore in a way that best suits you. You’ll also be able to highlight sections and take your notes right in the textbook. Another cool thing is that it creates lesson reviews and note cards automatically from your notes!
I’ve been playing with both iBooks and iBooks Author and I’m looking forward to their potential!! Now $64,000 question is, what are the other key players going to come up with to ensure that Apple doesn’t steal the show??
Below is the video from the Apple Announcement of iBooks and iBooks Author:
( http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1201oihbafvpihboijhpihbasdouhbasv/event/index.html )
“And no, we don’t know where it will lead. We just know there’s something much bigger than any of us here.” Steve Jobs
Giddyup
