That’s the big Apple announcement. It’s going to be an initiative aimed at getting more iPads in schools and getting more kids using electronic textbooks. Apple’s Phil Schiller says the books will be more interactive than standard e-books, you’ll be able to zoom in on an illustration of a strand of DNA and twirl it around, watch historical videos, take quizzes directly from the iPad. On today’s Tech Report, we talk about the exciting promise of the interactive textbook, which really probably shouldn’t be called a “book” at all. The problem has always been interoperability, lots of companies are already in this space and the software platforms don’t always work together. Apple, presumably, wants to change all that and be the new standard.
The other issue here is cost. I’m sure Apple will pony up some educational discount but schools aren’t exactly swimming in cash these days. Or ever, come to think of it. Buying a round of iPads is expensive, especially because kids, you know, break things ALL THE TIME and dropping a history book isn’t as big a deal as dropping an iPad.
But maybe I’m just a Grumpy Gus. I’m just jealous that I had to go to school with a book that talked about how we would someday reach the moon. Had that book in about 1978.
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