iBooks 2.0
This is an updated version of the original iBooks app. If you already have iBooks installed, simply check your iTunes updates to be upgraded. If you don’t already have the iBooks app.. download it here.
iBooks Author App
Apple has announced the free iBooks Author, an OS X application for creating any type of ebook. As with Pages, a number of templates are available for authors to use to get started with making a book. With a tap, they can be filled with text. Elements such as audio and video can be dragged and dropped onto the page. Keynote slides and other widgets can be added as interactive elements, and glossaries can be created with the click of a button. You can even instantly preview a book on the iPad via the USB sync cable.
This is great for content creators who want to make interactive books for the iPad, but aren’t quite sure where to get started. As with the now-dusty iWeb, it offers a user-friendly way to test the waters of interactive design without being forced to learn a bunch of new code (although those who do know HTML or Javascript can use the Dashcode developer tools to build in web-based widgets that will work in the new iBooks 2.
The software also auto updates in preview mode.
iBooks Author is for OS X Lion users only and not available at all to Windows users.
Get iBooks Author now
iTunes U app
This app lets teachers post messages to students, give course updates, and share documents and videos.
iBookstore
And finally a new layout for textbooks on the iBookstore, introduces the interactive future of learning and further emphasizing the focus on learning via the iPad.
By Oli Shotter & Charley Allen