The iPad as an E-Reader

E-reading capabilities were expected to be a primary focus of the Apple tablet, and now that the iPad has been unveiled, it doesn’t disappoint in this category. With the addition of the iBooks app, available for free from the App Store, the iPad will serve as an e-book reader.

Apple has launched its own bookstore called iBookstore. The first book that it announced will cost $14.99.  Once you’ve downloaded a book, it’ll go on your virtual bookshelf where you can tap it open and read at any time. The book pages are viewed in an off-white screen and you can turn pages with a simple tap of the screen.

Apple announced partnerships with five different publishers–Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachett. It will use the ePub format. The iPad will enable publishers to embed interactive media into their publications, including audio and video.

The New York Times also developed an app for the iPad, which it presented at the event today. It showed off an interactive version of the paper with video embedded into articles.

Given the iPad’s lower-than-expected pricing, it should give Kindle a run for its money. [via CrunchGear]