In January, Apple announced their initiative to get into the textbook market and a partnership with both Pearson and McGraw Hill. From what I could tell, these eBooks are incredible. They feature the same content as the print textbooks with added video, interactive visuals, built in flashcards, and quizzes. All at $14.99. Well played, Apple.
This is great news for iPad owners. But what about the (granted dwindling) numbers of people without iPads? Now, Amazon and Google, it's your turn. The textbook selection in the Kindle Store and Google Play is pathetic.
If you created a platform for publishers and teachers to produce interactive textbooks books to be distributed through your stores, we would be much more likely to adopt these books because they would be device neutral.
It's worth noting that Kindle books do not have to be read on a Kindle. I read mine on my iPad and my laptop, and I could also read them on my fancy new Linux powered netbook. Amazon will have to abandon hope of supporting textbooks on the e-ink Kindles. We need more interactivity like what Apple is offering. Make them powered by HTML5, and teachers and school boards will come.
If you created a platform for publishers and teachers to produce interactive textbooks books to be distributed through your stores, we would be much more likely to adopt these books because they would be device neutral.
It's worth noting that Kindle books do not have to be read on a Kindle. I read mine on my iPad and my laptop, and I could also read them on my fancy new Linux powered netbook. Amazon will have to abandon hope of supporting textbooks on the e-ink Kindles. We need more interactivity like what Apple is offering. Make them powered by HTML5, and teachers and school boards will come.