A better IBooks Store?

stonetools · 08-24-2011, 04:01 PM

Lots of folks are dissatisfied with the IBooks store. I know I am- its definitely No. 3 on my list and may even slip to 4 as I get better acquainted with Kobo. If you had Jobs' ear, what would be your suggestions as what he should do to improve Ibooks?

ilovejedd · 08-24-2011, 04:11 PM

Start using existing ADEPT DRM for the ebooks instead of Apple proprietary Fair Play DRM.

kjk · 08-24-2011, 04:18 PM

Alternate page view, similar to their Safari "Reader" interface, without any chrome at all, just the words.

toddos · 08-24-2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjk

Alternate page view, similar to their Safari "Reader" interface, without any chrome at all, just the words.

This. iBooks is heavy with completely useless chrome, like stacks of "pages" that don't reflect your place in the book. This isn't too terrible on an iPad, aside from being completely useless, but on an iPhone/iPod where screen space is limited this extra chrome uses up so much space that it's actually hard to read.

Also, night mode. A proper night mode, not "Go to accessibility options and choose to invert colors". That inverts all colors, including pictures in books, which is not normally what you want. Ideally iBooks would allow you to set your own foreground/background/link colors (I prefer white-on-black, not Kindle-style dark gray-on-black), but even a hardcoded night mode preset without any other color control would be useful.

Alternatively, Apple should buy Stanza from Amazon and revive it.

pdurrant · 08-24-2011, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

Lots of folks are dissatisfied with the IBooks store. I know I am- its definitely No. 3 on my list and may even slip to 4 as I get better acquainted with Kobo. If you had Jobs' ear, what would be your suggestions as what he should do to improve Ibooks?

The only way I'd buy from the iBooks store would be if it stopped using DRM.

Dylrob · 08-24-2011, 09:48 PM

Either use ADEPT or get rid of the DRM entirely. I will not buy ebooks that are locked to one manufacturer.

kjk · 08-24-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Either use ADEPT or get rid of the DRM entirely. I will not buy ebooks that are lock to one manufacturer.

While both are unlikely in the short term, I find it much more likely Apple will attempt to get rid of DRM before adopting someone else's DRM scheme that they can't control.

JSWolf · 08-24-2011, 10:01 PM

Get rid of the awfully large fixed margins. On an iPhone, it's just stupid.

stonetools · 08-25-2011, 10:17 AM

Apple is going to continue with DRM in at least the short term because that is what major booksellers and authors prefer. That will not change anytime soon.

It would be great if the Ibooks app offered a true night mode and more themes. If they could just buy Bluefire outright , that would be perfection IMO.

I was really trying to get at what would make the Ibooks STORE a better buying experience. Any suggestions along that line?

kjk · 08-25-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

I was really trying to get at what would make the Ibooks STORE a better buying experience. Any suggestions along that line?

Move it fully to the web-easily searchable, with links.

DaleDe · 08-25-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

I was really trying to get at what would make the Ibooks STORE a better buying experience. Any suggestions along that line?

Yes, it would have been better if you had thought about the title subject before posting, but I have changed it for you.

Dale

stonetools · 08-25-2011, 01:12 PM

Here are some ideas:

1. A recommendation engine, similiar to Genius in ITunes or the recommendation engines at Amazon and BN . This is such a no-brainer, I gotta think its going to be the next major upgrade
2. A much bigger catalogue, including exclusives from hot new authors
3. More sales and promtions, like the big Amazon sale in June. A 0.99 cent sale every week on some books could be done similiar to the .99c rentals on Itunes
4. More community outreach. Where is the Ibooks blog or book club?

I know that Applecan do thse things,since they do this with music and ITunes and with the App Store. Hopefully, Apple will do the same with Ibooks, once its get Ios5 shipped.

JSWolf · 08-25-2011, 10:07 PM

A better iBooks store...

404 error. Site not found.

Shell30Bell · 08-26-2011, 08:08 AM

I quite like the app, but the iBooks store is absolutely useless for anyone in New Zealand. No books available for us to purchase, only the free books are available.

ilovejedd · 08-26-2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A better iBooks store...

404 error. Site not found.

+1.

08-24-2011, 04:01 PM	#1
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	A better IBooks Store? Lots of folks are dissatisfied with the IBooks store. I know I am- its definitely No. 3 on my list and may even slip to 4 as I get better acquainted with Kobo. If you had Jobs' ear, what would be your suggestions as what he should do to improve Ibooks?

08-24-2011, 09:48 PM	#6
Dylrob Murderous Mustela Posts: 10,234 Karma: 48000000 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The other land of schnitzel and beer Device: iPad M1 Pro, Kindle Paperwhite	Either use ADEPT or get rid of the DRM entirely. I will not buy ebooks that are locked to one manufacturer. Last edited by Dylrob; 08-25-2011 at 02:05 AM.

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08-24-2011, 04:11 PM	#2
ilovejedd hopeless n00b Posts: 5,110 Karma: 19597086 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in the middle of nowhere Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9	Start using existing ADEPT DRM for the ebooks instead of Apple proprietary Fair Play DRM.

08-24-2011, 04:18 PM	#3
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Alternate page view, similar to their Safari "Reader" interface, without any chrome at all, just the words.

08-24-2011, 10:01 PM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,763 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Get rid of the awfully large fixed margins. On an iPhone, it's just stupid.

08-25-2011, 10:17 AM	#9
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	Apple is going to continue with DRM in at least the short term because that is what major booksellers and authors prefer. That will not change anytime soon. It would be great if the Ibooks app offered a true night mode and more themes. If they could just buy Bluefire outright , that would be perfection IMO. I was really trying to get at what would make the Ibooks STORE a better buying experience. Any suggestions along that line?

08-25-2011, 01:12 PM	#12
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	Here are some ideas: 1. A recommendation engine, similiar to Genius in ITunes or the recommendation engines at Amazon and BN . This is such a no-brainer, I gotta think its going to be the next major upgrade 2. A much bigger catalogue, including exclusives from hot new authors 3. More sales and promtions, like the big Amazon sale in June. A 0.99 cent sale every week on some books could be done similiar to the .99c rentals on Itunes 4. More community outreach. Where is the Ibooks blog or book club? I know that Applecan do thse things,since they do this with music and ITunes and with the App Store. Hopefully, Apple will do the same with Ibooks, once its get Ios5 shipped.

08-25-2011, 10:07 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,763 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	A better iBooks store... 404 error. Site not found.

08-26-2011, 08:08 AM	#14
Shell30Bell Avid Reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: iPad, iPhone	I quite like the app, but the iBooks store is absolutely useless for anyone in New Zealand. No books available for us to purchase, only the free books are available.