[frabjous]

Originally Posted by scottjl

As I pointed out, it certainly reads many epub files well. If it doesn't read your files well, maybe you should take it up with Apple's tech support. They are certainly in a better position to help you than anyone on this forum.

The question is, does it support the ePub spec; since the ePub spec mandates support for the @font-face declaration, it only partly supports ePub. The fact that a lot of ePubs out there don't use that aspect of the spec only means that a lot of people will get lucky.

Calling tech support isn't going to do any good, at least not until they update the software on it.

And I have pointed out several times that iBooks does seem to read many ePub files just fine, after they download iBooks that is.

I've never disputed that.

I'm sorry, I didn't read anywhere that Apple promised to read 100% of everyone's epub files and have them display 100% correctly/

It promises to support ePubs. To support ePubs is to support the ePub technical specifications. If I bought a DVD player, took it home, and found out that only half of my DVDs played on it e.g., those that didn't have subtitles or something, with no forewarning,, I'd have every right to complain.

Again, you might want to contact Apple's tech support and not this forum. AFAIK MobileRead has no affiliation with Apple.

We're comparing Sony Reader to Apple. It's a discussion. It's perfectly relevant in the context of that discussion to point out features that the Sony Reader has that the iPad doesn't, like fuller support for the Epub technical specifications. Sony isn't perfect either, e.g., such as not supporting full justification. But that flaw doesn't completely prevent you from reading certain books.

You might want to point Granny at the Apple Developer Program. She can join for $99/yr, develop any application she wants, and even sell it on the App Store! Anyone else can join as well. I think most intelligent people can pick up programming skills.

They shouldn't have to pay to program on their own computers. $99 may not seem like a lot, but these things add up, especially if I have to pay this money for every device that any one of my students might be using.

Then you might want to look for a device that is marketed at this time in another language, or one that is marketed as supporting mathematical formulas. The iPad isn't marketed as either, but please, provide links if I'm wrong.

The iPad claims that it supports ePub books. The ePub technical specification mandates support for the @font-face declaration. Notice the boldface in "must be supported".

Apple can't take something away if they never gave it to you to begin with. The device is a week and a half old. Maybe instead of complaining on this forum you could take your complaints to Apple and help them improve their device. Or get granny to write a better ePub reader application.

Again, this is a discussion of relative merits of one device vs. another. What could be more appropriate in such a discussion than to point out one area in which one is superior to the other? There are other ways in which iPads do better.

I think people do have grounds for complaining here, don't get me wrong. But the purpose of this discussion is comparison, not complaining.

Well, I seem to be reading on my iPad just fine, and I think some other people around here are as well.

No one has questioned that.

You had better make sure that all your students have readers capable of support embedded fonts, because Apple isn't the only one who doesn't.

This is true, but it is useful to know which devices support and which do not, and hence, which to recommend and which not to.

1. Make a request to Apple to support this feature in a future release of iBooks.
2. Make this request to developers of other reader applications such as Kindle, GoodReader, Kobo, etc. that they support ePub files and support embedded fonts within ePub files.
3. Do not buy an iPad for reading these files, but a different device which supports these files at this time.
4. Enjoy reading on your other devices.
5. Complain elsewhere, we've heard it already.

1. It just points to something really deeply wrong with Apple that you need their permission and enabling to do something as simple as installing a new font; the iPad costs as much as a cheap full-featured laptop or desktop; you should have some amount of control over your own machine, 2. I have, 3. I wouldn't consider doing anything else, 4. will do, and 5. my purpose on this forum is to make sure the information is out there.

What exactly do you think this forum is for? Discussion, of course. Complaining is not really my primarily purpose in here, just comparison. But I do think that even as someone who doesn't own one of these, I do have grounds for complaint.

The likely abundance of these devices makes demands on me as someone who provides information to hundreds of people. Even if I don't have this device, people I communicate will. And now I'm forced, or at least pressured, to provide information in a different way than the most convenient. When a popular device does things likes this, it makes my life a little worse, and I think that's grounds for complaint. But my purpose in this thread is not to complain, but to compare.

Originally Posted by Amalthia

Does anyone know if the Ipad reads html files? I mean I figured it would have to since it has a built in browser? I'm not sure if epub or other file formats are needed if you have the html document.

An ePub is basically just a zipped up (X)HTML file. I don't know whether or not iTunes will allow you transfer HTML files as is, but there will definitely be one way or another of reading HTML files on it. (Though it'll have the same limitations: no embedded fonts, for example.)

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

This might be a stupid question, but here goes: Do embedded fonts work on text-based PDFs on the iPad? I am considering the iPad as it looks like it might be a good choice of device for marking up PDFs, but I have to say that embedded fonts would be a deal breaker for me, as I am happy reading novels on my Sony 505 and would be purchasing the iPad to primarily to read scanned PDFs and journal articles / textbooks, and texts that I am translating, and most of these PDFs would use "foreign" characters.

I tried this out when I was experimenting, and yes, the PDF reader seems to support embedded fonts and foreign language characters/mathematical characters in text-based PDFs just fine. (Believe me, you'd really have complaints if that weren't true!)

So there's one good thing about the iPad. I'm sure there are many others.