Apple iBooks V3.1.1 released

[Alexander Turcic]

It's been almost half a year since Apple last updated its popular iBooks e-book reading app. While this update doesn't introduce anything dramatically new, it does improve compatibility with iOS and iCloud, according to the changelog.

I could wax poetics here on about the features that iBooks has (or lacks) compared to other e-book reading software, but possibly the most important factor in determining its worth is whether you want to read e-books tied into Apple's iBook ecosystem.

iPad and iPhone users can give the update a try by following this link.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

It's been almost half a year since Apple last updated its popular iBooks e-book reading app. While this update doesn't introduce anything dramatically new, it does improve compatibility with iOS and iCloud, according to the changelog.

I could wax poetics here on about the features that iBooks has (or lacks) compared to other e-book reading software, but possibly the most important factor in determining its worth is whether you want to read e-books tied into Apple's iBook ecosystem.

iPad and iPhone users can give the update a try by following this link.

I have no desire to use Apple's Ecosystem.
Apache

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by Apache

I have no desire to use Apple's Ecosystem.
Apache

Isn't it good you don't have to, even if you *do* use iBooks?

I am still annoyed by the wasted space in margins on the iphone (though its much better than it used to be) but I like the capacity for bookmark sync, whether its an itunes bought book, or not.

[Jessica Lares]

Could you always tap the margins to switch to the next page?

[Mivo]

I've always liked iBooks for its "book-like" presentation. It definitely helped me ween myself off of paper books and made the transition to ebooks much easier. I like the virtual page turning.

And then Apple's DRM for the books weened me off of buying my e-books from their store and encouraged me to shop at Kobobooks and other places.

[Cheerful Hamster]

This seems like a good place for this question. An independent publisher recently sent me an email saying they were now releasing ebooks, and said that Kindle and "other formats" would be released. They recommended the "iBooks" version because it had "more formatting options" that made the reading experience closer to a pbook. This is the first I've heard of this - I know that the iBooks app has special fancy features (e.g. animated page turns), but I assumed that support for basic nuts-and-bolts stuff like verse, tables, lists, and all the other bog standard html was just as piss-poor on the Apple platform as everywhere else. Is this mistaken? Does Apple have their act together more than say ADE or KF-8?

[Mivo]

There is a special, iBooks-only format that allows for highly interactive multimedia e-books. There should be some information here. I only saw/bought a couple (for guitar/ukulele teaching) and they behaved more like an app than a book, but were offered in the regular iBooks store, with a note that they require a newer iBooks version. This may be what the publisher referred to.

[Cheerful Hamster]

@Mivo - Thank you, that's very interesting. I wish Amazon would be that proactive with the Kindle format - they could easily release a free Kindle book creation app with support for basic formatting styles.

[Merischino]

I no longer have an i device but am preparing a library of ebooks for my mother, who does (but has never used it for reading).

so, newbie question of the day, if I send her a bunch of non-DRM ebook files she could read either on an ipad (in iBooks) or on her computer (not relevant to this post), would there be any issue with her being able to load and access them in iBooks? More specifically, side-loading books not purchased from apple, is that an issue?

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by Merischino

More specifically, side-loading books not purchased from apple, is that an issue?

No issue at all. They can be added through iTunes, will be synced to the iPhone/iPad and show up in iBooks. Works flawlessly with DRM-free books, regardless of where they come from.

[Turtle91]

Even with this latest update I find iBooks (app) to be woefully lacking in many areas. Those areas overshadow the few good things it does. I would look at other ebook reading software apps that you can install on your mother's ipad - you will find them much more user/reader friendly.

Try checking out the "Ebook Readers/Apple Devices" section of this forum for the largest thread...

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Even with this latest update I find iBooks (app) to be woefully lacking in many areas. Those areas overshadow the few good things it does.

What essential features do you feel it is lacking?

I do most of my reading on the Kobo Glo currently, but I was just thinking about how I use it and I didn't come up with anything that I do on the Glo that I can't do in iBooks. I may just have simple needs, though!

[Turtle91]

oooohhhh.....where to start...

User configurable formatting, ease of use (loading books), display of publisher formatting, annotation/dictionary/bookmark functionality, parental controls, library management...

I know those are broad areas and you are looking for specifics, but I really don't want to write a book...lol

Some of my biggest issues with ibooks is from an ebook creator perspective...there are so many quirks and workarounds that have to be followed to get the book to look the way you want...and if you do all that, then the book won't look right in other readers.

For those who just want to open a book and read probably the best way to see how much ibooks lacks in functionality, is to experience an app that does things right. Then when you go back to ibooks you will be constantly trying to do something and reminding yourself that ibooks just doesn't do it.

I would recommend looking at Marvin for iPad...it's free. The iPhone version will be released in a couple weeks. Just be warned...it'll ruin you on using any other reader app...

Cheers!

[elcreative]

I use Kindle and iBooks on both iPad and iPad mini - both work, both let me read easily and comfortably.

I've got Marvin, tried it and carried on reading in Kindle and iBooks because that's what I wanted - I suppose Marvin is great for the tinkerers as usual but a lot of people have books to read them and never got too bent out of shape because paper books couldn't have the page background changed, fonts tweaked etc... some of us are just happy reading on our eInk readers and tablets... each to their own but don't write off an App until you've tried it, often simple is just great...

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by elcreative

I use Kindle and iBooks on both iPad and iPad mini - both work, both let me read easily and comfortably.

I've got Marvin, tried it and carried on reading in Kindle and iBooks because that's what I wanted - I suppose Marvin is great for the tinkerers as usual but a lot of people have books to read them and never got too bent out of shape because paper books couldn't have the page background changed, fonts tweaked etc... some of us are just happy reading on our eInk readers and tablets... each to their own but don't write off an App until you've tried it, often simple is just great...

Sure, some people certainly prefer simple...no worries with that, they are welcome to their choice. But when comparing capabilities of ebook readers....ibooks is to Marvin as:



is to