Penguin's iPad-formatted books shown off, making waves
By Laura June 
posted March 4th 2010 11:23AM
posted March 4th 2010 11:23AM
posted March 4th 2010 11:23AM
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Great to see a publisher really putting some effort into the potential of the ipad or a device like the ipad.
@MarkLB
But knowing Penguin, they will overcharge for their ebooks the same as they do for the rest of their books.
@MarkLB
They had better make stuff like this available for all tablet type devices.
To simple gimp this so that it only works on one device would be ridiculous, and would make no sense since the iPad contains no special hardware that would call for it to work only with it.
@MarkLB
The video pretty much confirmed what I've thought since the announcement:
The iPad would be perfect for my two year old.
@LAY
Yeah, the Ipad has an app store. Every other platform has The Pirate Bay. That's the difference.
Iphones users are used to paying for content, the rest of them just want everything for free. You see it daily on Engadget. People want the best phone for free on a $10 a month contract
@pukerocket
And your point is?
@chispito yes but a book like that at $15-20 is a better value than a straight text novel at the same price.
@MarkLB
From Carpal tunnel syndrome to finger cramps, and restless arm syndrome.
From a book reading standpoint, the live chat and such--I think swiping will become overrated--left and right buttons makes more sense here as well as I hop that iPad is light (holding and swiping at the same time).
Otherwise, it's a 1st stab at how to use an iPad by a 3rd party company.
@David V I hope your two year old wont drop it. I think at that age, a real painting book and real crayons is still the way to go, even if it seems old and outdated...
There are some fantastic ideas being shown around by publishers.
Looking forward to the iPad kick starting the 'print' media industry.
Dear Engadget,
Your breast adverts are going to get me in trouble :'(
@Bomberman ad-block.
@Bomberman Breasts??
*clicks 2 Flash*
I got Furniture Village and a Mazda :( More breast ads please, Engadget.
This.
A note to websites (including Engadget), if you want us to disable AdBlock, make us WANT to see the ads.
Breasts are a good start.
Not sure how the "online community for vampire lovers" is going to work in the midlands, UK as it sounds like a forum. The consortium that provides the internet make sure all social networking is blocked.
other than that, i'm loving the idea of having extra's to a book. Make them so much more interesting for a child.
I'm waiting for Apple to ban The Story of O or Lolita for inappropriate content.
Wow, the possibilities are endless, this really is going to be a phenomenon. I'm most excited about interactive textbooks for students, will actually make learning bearable, I can't see universities not embracing this, this is going to be HUGE!!
The simplest demo was the picture books for kids.
But holy moley! A child's picture book that moves and responds to touch is seriously close to magical.
C.
@Carniphage I agree, even though there are all singing and dancing books out already, the scope the ipad brings is amazing and might just get the big publishers in on it to.
Absolutely stunning.
iPad has so much promise in the education sector. It's kind of a transformative tech that could give the kids today an advantage that previous generation simply did not have.
@(Unverified)
Would never buy one for myself, but looks perfect for the kids.
@(Unverified) This kind of stuff has been available online for YEARS. I have kids, and they all log on the computer themselves, go to either noggin.com, disney.com, starfall.com, etc where there is already tons of this kind of interactive stories, games, and education. No iPad necessary, and it's all free.
Your local elementary school will recommend tons of educational websites where kids can learn like this already.
@astrocramp
The very fact that you have to explain the existence of this stuff pretty much proves the point that there is a viable market for a unified device that delivers similar, but likely superior content.
I mean really, is a flash game on a laptop the same as this? Show that iPad to a kid and then give them a laptop and see which one they pick if they want to read an interactive book.
@ebgolfin I have to explain it because a lot of people don't have kids here. This is absolutely standard stuff for kindergarten, even preschool these days. Sometimes I'm conflicted - after spending hours I have to drag my kids off the computer...but they're playing an educational game. The content is actually quite similar aside from some accelerometer tricks. I don't NEED an iPad or tablet for it, but maybe it would be nice, yes. But I could give them my old motion computing tablet to go to those sites - would be just as cool to them.
I do grant, however, that its possible Apple will somehow turn this into their invention, charge like hell for it, and millions will unnecessarily pay extra for it. It's also possible it could wreck the "free" market while these organizations rush to make money from the iPad bonanza.
@Unverified User
There is nothing stunning about Apple's iPad. It's an over grown iPhone. The only reason people are jumping on the iPad is beacuse it has the fruit on it. STOP DRINKING THE APPLE KOOL AID.
@astrocramp I'm slightly upset your second comment got downranked to oblivion. Honestly, we see other areas where free is going paid, and yes it can be a premium product/service but we are still in some way setting ourselves up to lose a gold mine of free content. I'm all for making things better and paying for them, but it's like the apple ecosystem, they will make something that is more centralized and available elsewhere and that commands a premium. Good for them, good for unknowing consumers, but bad for people like you that used to have an alternative (if they go away).
I do think on them going away though, we wont see that anytime soon, akin to flash games, the user base will have to go off the charts before Apple can crush the alternative marketplace.
Doesn't the Stars app look like it uses a camera?
@trainwrecka
There is an app called Star Walk that is available on the iPhone and works just like this. It's really quite amazing. It uses the GPS and the compass together but not the camera.
Great Idea. But I'm fearful of a world were all content is controlled by Apple. Does anyone know if the books will be published in an open format?
@johnnyLong I doubt it since they are designed for the iPad. The APIs it likely uses are more complex than what EPUB or other formats use. It is much more complex than text (Nook or Kindle) on a page.
At the same time, Penguin could make these for any device they feel like. Apple just happens to have made one that has a distribution channel that is clear to customers (app store) as well as has an entire ecosystem behind it including itunes for syincing, iPhoto for picture management, etc.
Any company that enters this market (touch, color, full-rendered content market, what would you call that?) would have a hard time without having more functionality to the device.
PS I am not a fanboy. Anyone who ignores these things just has their head in the sand saying "LALALALALA"
@johnnyLong Regular books from iBook are in ePub format, but with FairPlay DRM on top of them. You will also be able to use Kindle, B&N Nook, and other books as there are Kindle, B&N and other book store Apps available for the iPhone and iPod touch already.
@johnnyLong .. It's all just normal HTML5 + JS + Canvas ! Remember you can access all of the iPad device API e.g. accelerometer through JS.
Did anyone notice the altered reality shot at the end of the video? That would imply a camera would it not?
@jgryall
i think the bloke in the video says that its not real and its still in development.
@jgryall no, it's just using the compass and accelerometer, similar to the google sky maps app for android which doesn't use the camera either.
@219
Hopefully you Android guys will eventually get Star Walk. Google Sky Maps look positively archaic by comparison.
Was Steve Jobs thinking in something like that when he created the iPad?
Wow, that's genuinly awesome! And this is only the beginning. Hopefully stuff like this will shut up the boo crowd that see no purpose in a device like the ipad, or dismiss it on nerdy technobabble grounds. Thumbs up for Penguin, they clearly see that publishing will not be the same within a few years.
Giant iPod Touch =\ Do not want...
@Astounding You and three others...
@Astounding
Do not buy then. And while you're at it, do not comment.
@Astounding Better down-rank me for speaking the truth =)
@Astounding
Sure, it's just a big iPod Touch. That also makes it a big, bug-free, multifunction touch screen internet device with an established, highly competitive marketplace. If the iPod touch had terrible reviews and poor customer satisfaction you might have a point. Unfortunately for you, it doesn't.
@Astounding Better down-rank me for calling you out.
@ebgolfin
I've had an ipod touch 2nd gen since release, and to date, it is still VERY buggy. I don't know where this myth has come from.
@Arran
I've had an iPhone for 3 years and it is the least buggy device I have ever owned. The OS is rock solid. I have several iPhone owning friends that often rely on my for help with their PCs, and I have not heard of a single complaint of unreliability or crashing.
@Arran +1
@ebgolfin Look on the bright side, you can hold a large Fresnel lens in front of it and you've already got an iPad!
@Astounding @ebgoflin = @Arran
FAKE HANDS! FAKE HANDS!