Alexandra Cioper

I finished reading Chelsea Handler’s Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang on my iPad the other day.  First of all, if you enjoy laughing out loud I highly recommend her book.  Here is a roundup of my experience:

1. I read faster-It only took me a bus ride to NYC to finish the whole book.  I don’t know if I was racing through the words just so I could get to the fun part of turning the pages, but I definitely felt like the process went fast than a paper book.
2. Reading was comfortable-Reading with my pad in its case propped up on my lap was very comfortable, and then if I wanted to hold it the lock feature is key. It makes it so the screen doesn’t turn even if my body is upside down.  Additionally, reading on a bus during the night was super easy because the screen adjusts for brightness and the word size can be dramatically increased.
3. It’s easy to hold your place and navigate-You can exit out of the book and when you return you are on the page you left, no more annoying bookmarks!  Also, at the bottom of the page there is a counter that says how many pages are left in the chapter.  This feature is great for me because I usually want to take a break when I finish a chapter, this allowed me just to look at the bottom instead of flipping to try and find the next chapter. 
4. The ONLY downside I found was that there is no mechanism to write a note on a page.  I’m sure this will be incorporated into rev 2 of the iPad.

I have had to refrain from purchasing any more iBooks because I can see myself becoming highly addicted and I need to study for finals!

After having the iPad for over a week, I am finally ready to talk about it.  Instead of going point by point through my likes and dislikes, I’m going to tell a story.  In my editing and publishing class it came up that I got an iPad ( I still feel like a spoiled brat) and a debate ensued. A select few claimed they were “purists” and couldn’t imagine not having books in the raw form.

Well, neither can I.  I will always own books, but I think these book purists need to get with the times, especially if they are seeking a career in publishing.  They may not like the technology, but they have to be open to it and understand it instead of scoffing at it. 

After spending some time with my iPad, which I affectionately call my iPizzle, I now know that it is a game-changer.  I’ve downloaded a few books through the iBook store and they are so dynamic that it makes reading them fun and engaging.  Additionally Vooks are spectacular.  I had been waiting to download a Vook until my iPad arrived, and I’m glad I did.  I downloaded Seth Godin’s Unleashing the Super Ideavirus, and am so pleased with the design of the app, the clarity of the pages and interactivity of the videos. 

Beyond books, the iPad obviously offers so much more, but the “purists” weren’t impressed with this either…you could spill coffee on it, drop it, it needs to be charged etc…blah blah blah.  So what!  I officially knew I wasn’t going to win my battle when the question what about the generation beyond ours arose; what will happen to books then?

They said that their children will read paper books, will not use e-readers or anything too techy because our generation is overstimulated already (a dig against me? I think so). In the end, I failed at convincing them of the iPad’s power and future and left class feeling disappointed for them and their future children.  I guess the lesson learned is that I appreciate technology and hope that I have an advantage over my purist classmates.

I’m too busy playing with my iPad :)

The iPad’s arrival Saturday is the buzz of the tech/publishing world (it seems to be all that I have been blogging about too).  So as we hold our breaths in anticipation, lets shift our focus to something for the younger folk out there…kids.

Story Book inColor by AIPTEK is an e-reader specifically for children.  The website describes it as “the 1^st color E-Book on the market and is specifically aimed at children.  The  and there are 20 built-in illustrated audio stories. Children can open the Story Book inColor and enjoy the story telling with illustration instead of watching TV alone. AIPTEK also provide online bookstore for story book purchasing and downloading. AIPTEK Story Book inColor can store as many books as children want.”

A few noted features: a bookcase metaphor on the device that simulates the feeling of choosing a book from a shelf and after 20 minutes of reading an icon pops up reminding children to give their eyes a rest

AIPEK is a Tawainese company but they plan to develop stores in the US and Europe.  The Story Book inColor device is available online for $179.99 and book prices range from $4.99-$9.99, the books are available on their website.

E-readers for children have and will continue to become very popular.  I think AIPEK’s creation has a plus since it is in color.  However, I think real success will come when children’s books start to become interactive through e-readers.  Kids’ attention span is minimal, especially with reading words, but if there is an application that incorporates reading and video game-like features I think that would be captivating for them.  Does anything like this exist?