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[DJ]

There would be nothing wrong with this if the textbooks were in an open format, ie something that any tablet manufacturer can use freely. Knowing Apple, though, there's no way it'll be like that.

[Africa]

Yeah, as much of a scam as the textbook industry is now, the idea of a single company (especially a company like Apple) managing to create an effective monopoly on the ability to read the textbooks everyone needs, at taxpayer expense, is even more appalling.

[jmancube]

I'd be interested in seeing the textbook industry shook up a bit, because it simply might introduce some competition, but I don't really think replacing them with an Ipad would work all that well in the end. I hate the high price of textbooks (I always get them used, but they can still be pretty expensive, I once had a book that was 200$ new. I got it used for around 40 so that was nice), and some competition might help drive down the price. Books are just way too expensive considering that new editions often have very little changed.

I actually like it when professors have their own material but still having it be relevant to the text (for morning classes anyways, during afternoon and night I have superb memory if the subject interests me). Taking notes and listening in class is great, but I tend to understand the material better if I have a secondary way of learning it. I'm simply not all that awake in the morning, and without a text, I would not do well in early classes.

[Zangi]

I'm of the understanding that Apple really doesn't do the whole compatibility thing... so if it is made for an Apple, it ain't gonna work on better/cheaper alternatives.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Otherwise, educational textbook industry, meh, they can stand to get some competition... or get burned down.  Either or.  But Apple will probably become the next educational textbook industry if that happens and that ain't bright either.

[Tilla]

Definitely not a fan of Big Textbook. Despite some of your previous claims that it's a wide open market, it's really just 2 big companies - both being SOPA/PIPA sponsors.

Apple is not the way to go but a move toward PDF or ePub textbooks would rule. $600 tablets are a bit absurdly expensive, but mainstream ebook readers are all under $200 and most now function as full Android tablets these days - the Kindle Fire is marketed as a tablet in general and is actually sold at a loss to Amazon.