Well That Was Fast – Textbook Publishers Onboard for iPad

Just yesterday I was lamenting the lack of magazine support on the iPad, but maybe I just have to wait a little bit longer. Turns out that textbook manufacturers are flocking to the iBookstore, ready to put their wares online.

Here’s a highlight from the article at the Wall Street Journal:

The iPad also will be helped by the interest that schools have always had in tablet-form computers. Science teachers, for example, could use them for taking lab notes, which often use a combination of sentences, charts and mathematical equations, while others could use them on field trips. “This is the beginning of handheld education,” said John Lema, chief executive of ScrollMotion.

I’ve said it before, but I think this is one of the spaces where the iPad can truly shine.

Imagine you’re back in college (or going to be in college, whatever) and instead of carrying 75 lbs of books and risking back injury with every step, you’re carrying a 1.5 lb iPad with all your text on it. And of course, you can take notes on it too, using the keypad. Imagine an integrated highlighter to highlight the good points, and even an app to record your lectures. Talk about making the learning process easier.