Apple Says it Isn't Interested in eBooks, But It's Now Selling an iTunes LP Comic Book
While Steve Jobs just told the New York Times' David Pogue that Apple isn't interested in creating a single-purpose eBook reader and that he doesn't think that eBooks are a big enough market right now, one eBook-like format has already made it into the iTunes store: a comic book. Tyrese Gibson's Mayhem! is now available, together with one song, as an iTunes LP album for $1.99 (iTunes link). Mayhem! was first released as a three-issue mini-series earlier last month.
The comic book actually takes up a whopping 400MB, so there can be little doubt that the star attraction here isn't the song but the book. The book comes with a number of extras, including a 23-minute making-off video, alternate covers, concept art, wallpapers, and optional voice-over narration and sound effects.
As Fortune's Jon Fortt, who also first wrote about this book in the iTunes store, points out, Gibson (who was last featured in Transformer's 2) wasn't alone in creating this iTunes LP - Apple actually helped Gibson out by allowing Sam Herz, a user interface engineer for the iTunes store, and Barry Munstersetiger to work on this project. According to Fortt, the two also created a number of tools that could now make creating similar projects a lot easier.
Are There Multimedia eBooks in Apple's Future?
Maybe the future that Apple sees for eBooks isn't just the static books we are used to today on eReaders like the Kindle or Sony's Readers, but multimedia eBooks that combine text, audio, and video just like Gibson's comic book. With the iTunes LP format, Apple has already developed the right format and delivery method for this - the company would just have to change the name a bit. One restriction of the current breed of iTunes LP albums is that the extras don't work on the iPhone, so it definitely takes a device with a larger display (the Apple tablet?) to really make the most out of these multimedia eBooks.
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At least they have the infrastructure, management and credit cards on file to push their tablet as a replacement for Kindle/Sony as well (you know "3 devices in one"..). Even if they´re not truly interested in ebooks;)
Posted by: Thomas Bøhm
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September 11, 2009 12:19 PM
And iTunesU to compliment it.
Posted by: Thomas Bøhm
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September 11, 2009 12:28 PM
EBooks by Enhanced Editions, especially "The Death of Bunny Munro" by Nick Cave, are a good example of multimedia books, which perfectly fit into iTunes world.
Such artists like Nick Cave are going to make books cooler.
Jobs pointed out that single use devices are in the long run losers to multi-fuction products. Just as no one uses a PDA anymore, the Kindle and other eReaders are doomed to fail.
iTunes LP albums?
No!
Multimedia EBook - Already here: www.eveda.org
The problem is the idea of a multifunctional device doesn't really apply to the realm of books. When you read a book you want to get lost in it. You don't need to be distracted by email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, chat, web surfing, ads, etc. etc. etc. That's exactly why I want to pick up a physical book because I need to unplug. And yet I think the idea of eBooks are viable. I think the Kindle needs improvement but it may be more on the mark with their devotion to emulating the the pure joy of reading.
Most of my CDs are ripped lossless into iTunes then stored away.
If there was a tablet device sized like let’s say a DVD case I would happily buy digital albums in lossless format and enjoy artwork and infos in an acceptable size.
An enhanced version of the Apple ‘Remote’ app would do the trick.
Nice to see a tutorial website that realizes good design. Thank you so much for everything you do to improve our creative.