Top E-Book is iPad?

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by carbonize

That would be news to me

Glad to help

since most of the reviews I have read from iPad owners clearly state that it cannot multitask and playing music whilst doing something else at the same time would clearly be defined as multitasking.

There is no general multitasking, but there are (that I am aware of) four exceptions:
- You can play music through the builtin application while running any other app. (If that app itself plays music/sound effects it can choose to continue playing the background music or replace it).
- You can play music through an online source that you can stream through Safari while running other apps. (TBH I haven't checked this on the iPad, but it works on the iTouch). You cannot use other music apps such as Pandora, until OS 4.0
- Downloads will continue while running other apps
- Push notifications will be received while running other apps.

As to your previous post you have listed a lot of THIRD PARTY apps. Third party meaning they were not made by Apple and therefore not restricted to Apple's practices.

Yet you also complained that only apps allowed by Apple could be installed. So Apple have approved of these apps that use other methods of getting books on. You were complaining that you have to use Apple's software to get books on the device. That is incorrect.

[carbonize]

Thank you for clearing up the multitasking issue.

As to my apps comment I wonder how much of Apple's allowance of more apps came from the threat of legal action due to certain apps for the iPhone either being rejected or just seeming to have gotten lost in checking. I of course refer to Google's Gtalk app, the Opera Mini app and any other app that was a web browser or offered VOIP services.

[astra]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

By 'forcing' you to use iBooks.
Or the Kindle app.
Or the B&N app.
Or the Kobo app.
Or readMe.
Or GoodReader.

Can you read ebooks created by yourself on iPad?

[Feroc]

Originally Posted by astra

Can you read ebooks created by yourself on iPad?

Yes, either you can convert it to epub (if it isn't already) and sync it via iTunes to iBooks or you just use one of the PDF readers to read it.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by carbonize

Thank you for clearing up the multitasking issue.

As to my apps comment I wonder how much of Apple's allowance of more apps came from the threat of legal action due to certain apps for the iPhone either being rejected or just seeming to have gotten lost in checking. I of course refer to Google's Gtalk app, the Opera Mini app and any other app that was a web browser or offered VOIP services.

There is no doubt that Apple in some cases have an unhealthy level of control over the app store, and will block things that conflict with their larger business model (VOIP being a good example, as it would undercut the phone companies Apple is partnering with), but they never seem to have had an issue with eBook applications, there were several available for the iPhone/Touch.

[carbonize]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

there were several available for the iPhone/Touch.

And maybe that's the reason why. They could hardly turn around and stop you downloading the apps on to your iPad once they had made them available for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

But on a slightly different note isn't it Apple we now have to thank for changing the way ebook sales work so that the publisher now sets the price rather than the middle man which has resulted in ebook prices actually becoming even more stupid?

I posted a rant on my blog about ebook prices being ridiculous and the author Neal Asher seems to be in agreement. But anyway I'm sure there's a thread or two somewhere about the stupidity of the current ebook pricing system.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by carbonize

And maybe that's the reason why. They could hardly turn around and stop you downloading the apps on to your iPad once they had made them available for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

But on a slightly different note isn't it Apple we now have to thank for changing the way ebook sales work so that the publisher now sets the price rather than the middle man which has resulted in ebook prices actually becoming even more stupid?

I posted a rant on my blog about ebook prices being ridiculous and the author Neal Asher seems to be in agreement. But anyway I'm sure there's a thread or two somewhere about the stupidity of the current ebook pricing system.

You clearly have strong opinions about Apple and iPad. You've been arguing that iPad buyers don't know what they're buying, don't need what they're buying, are overpaying, etc. Now you add your book-pricing rant.

You're basically saying that others' priorities and buying decisions should match yours, and because they don't, then Apple or iPad buyers are (fill in disparaging comments of your choice).

[carbonize]

If you had bothered to read a few posts previous you would of seen that murraypaul has pointed out that whilst the iPad cannot multitask as in run several apps at the same time you can have the music player running and have an app open which has corrected the misconception I had. In fact murraypaul is the first person who's actually bothered to point out, in an intelligent way, why my concern was misplaced rather than just going on the defensive.

As to ebook pricing please show me somebody who doesn't think that the price of the ebook version of published books is not ridiculous compared to the price of the physical copy.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by carbonize

If you had bothered to read a few posts previous you would of seen that murraypaul has pointed out that whilst the iPad cannot multitask as in run several apps at the same time you can have the music player running and have an app open which has corrected the misconception I had. In fact murraypaul is the first person who's actually bothered to point out, in an intelligent way, why my concern was misplaced rather than just going on the defensive.

As to ebook pricing please show me somebody who doesn't think that the price of the ebook version of published books is not ridiculous compared to the price of the physical copy.

I read the previous posts. I figured if you actually wanted info, you could've read it on Apple's site. Instead, you've been ranting.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by carbonize

As to ebook pricing please show me somebody who doesn't think that the price of the ebook version of published books is not ridiculous compared to the price of the physical copy.

That complaint was made long before Apple got involved in ebooks. But feel free to "blame" them for it anyways, since it seems to be your schtick.

[carbonize]

Originally Posted by kjk

That complaint was made long before Apple got involved in ebooks. But feel free to "blame" them for it anyways, since it seems to be your schtick.

1 - I already thought ebook versions of published books were overpriced before Apple announced the iPad.

2 - Before Apple came along with their 'agency model' the middle man (ie the store) decided on the price to sell at and paid a set fee per unit to the publisher. Apple's 'agency model' is that the publisher decides the price and Apple takes 30%.

The problem being that book publishers, like the music industry up until a few years ago, has no idea about how to charge nor distribute digital media. Have a read of this and you will see that Amazon actually stopped stocking books by MacMillan after MacMillan signed up to Apple using Apple's agency model and then started demanding that Amazon charged more for it's ebooks.

Now, and here's the kicker, please show me where I actually blamed Apple for the increase in ebook prices? I said Apple had changed the marketing model so that publishers set the price resulting in a price increase. Pretty sure that clearly says that the publishers are responsible for setting the price. I blame Apple for changing the selling system that we are all used to where the middle man buys the product and then sells it on at whatever mark up they feel fit to add. Well not really blame as the model should work if it wasn't for my previously stated fact that the publishing industry has no idea about digital distribution.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Glad to help

There is no general multitasking, but there are (that I am aware of) four exceptions:
- You can play music through the builtin application while running any other app. (If that app itself plays music/sound effects it can choose to continue playing the background music or replace it).
- You can play music through an online source that you can stream through Safari while running other apps. (TBH I haven't checked this on the iPad, but it works on the iTouch). You cannot use other music apps such as Pandora, until OS 4.0
- Downloads will continue while running other apps
- Push notifications will be received while running other apps.

That, to me, is one of the biggest drawbacks of the iPad. When I'm writing, I also like to be able to research at the same time. Just being able to look up subjects on Wikipedia without leaving the word processing app would be a big boon, and the additional ability to simultaneously search the entire Internet would go a long way in increasing the usefulness of the device.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That, to me, is one of the biggest drawbacks of the iPad. When I'm writing, I also like to be able to research at the same time. Just being able to look up subjects on Wikipedia without leaving the word processing app would be a big boon, and the additional ability to simultaneously search the entire Internet would go a long way in increasing the usefulness of the device.

I would like multi-tasking to do stuff like listening to Pandora, but it's not a top priority for me. If I wanted to write extensively, I would stick with a netbook, because of the keyboard. Of course, I'm a crummy typist, and type even worse on touch screen. I was at a free iPad class and heard that one guy typed 105 wpm with the iPad screen in landscape mode.

I used netbooks extensively on the road before Kindle and iPad. Netbooks worked fine for most of my vanilla uses, but I found them a pain to read books on, especially in bed and such.

To me, there are tradeoffs to netbook, tablet, e-reader forms, and it's just a matter of picking what works best for individual need. I like my devices, but I don't recommend the same for everyone, because we're all different. Personally, I've been wanting tablet form for a long time, and I'm looking forward to even better ones.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I would like multi-tasking to do stuff like listening to Pandora, but it's not a top priority for me. If I wanted to write extensively, I would stick with a netbook, because of the keyboard. Of course, I'm a crummy typist, and type even worse on touch screen. I was at a free iPad class and heard that one guy typed 105 wpm with the iPad screen in landscape mode.

I used netbooks extensively on the road before Kindle and iPad. Netbooks worked fine for most of my vanilla uses, but I found them a pain to read books on, especially in bed and such.

To me, there are tradeoffs to netbook, tablet, e-reader forms, and it's just a matter of picking what works best for individual need. I like my devices, but I don't recommend the same for everyone, because we're all different. Personally, I've been wanting tablet form for a long time, and I'm looking forward to even better ones.

Good point; it's all up to the needs of the individual user as to which device best suits their purposes.

Don't get me wrong; I'd still love to an iPad!

...because I'm cool!

Originally Posted by MsAstoria

...Am I "cool" because I own one? ...

Originally Posted by Harmon

Actually, you have it backwards.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I would like multi-tasking to do stuff like listening to Pandora, but it's not a top priority for me.

As I understand it, even with OS 4, there still won't be true multitasking, but an extension on the existing exceptions so that third party apps (with Pandora given as an example) can play music or download in the background, and a way for apps to easily save and restore state, to give improved task switching. I think this would be enough for me.

(posted from my iPad)