Textbooks for iPad progress with Inkling
As we said last year, long before the iPad became public, whichever ebook manufacturer nails the textbook market will have a distinct and serious advantage. Inkling (free) represents a huge step forward. It's a "textbook platform" for the iPad that uses social connectivity and the features of the iOS in a unique and interesting way.
Once you've created a profile,* the app will load The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. as demo content. Inkling calls pages "Cards," and you can jump to any one easily, either by swiping, entering a number or dragging across the digital "spine."
A unique feature lets you highlight text and create notes which can be shared over the air with fellow students or teachers. Once a note is displayed on another person's iPad, s/he can respond to the note's author.
There are a number of books available and we assume there are more to come. Check it out for yourself and explore the demo content. We'll have a full exploration of this interesting app soon.
[Via Daring Fireball]
*You'll be asked which college or university you attend. If you're not in school, select "Unaffiliated" to gain full access to the app.
