Called it. Apple's new software is very promising for digital photo books

It's not what they're marketing it as, but Apple's new iBooks author software (free!) looks promising for making digital photobooks—especially multimedia ones. Check it out:

How can you not be excited about this? Yeah, it basically looks like a glorified Keynote, but the possibilities (if you're creative) are amazing. Photo galleries? Video? Seems like just the way for a poor photographer to get their book out there. Sure, it doesn't have the charm of a staple-bound zine in a limited edition of 20 made from photocopies you stole from work, but think of the distribution possibilities. My previous post on this goes into more detail.

Ed Bott on ZDnet says "I have never seen a EULA as mind-bogglingly greedy and evil as Apple’s EULA for its new ebook authoring program." Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good.  What is the problem? Well, let's say you author a book and you want to sell it, but Apple (who reserves the right to approve or not approve your painstakingly crafted masterpiece) says "nope. it's not good enough for us." Well then, too bad. You can't take that book and sell it elsewhere. Yikes! Sounds bad, right? Actually, it's not so bad, if I understand it correctly. You actually can still can sell the content, you just can sell the ibook version of it. I don't think that's unfair. I'm sure Apple doesn't want a bunch of Apple-looking ebooks floating around out there (for sale, free is fine) that don't meet their standard. I have no problem with that.

Ed Bott also points out that Apple won't export to the industry standard EPUB format. That's no surprise to me. I had looked into EPUB when I first got an iPad, but was extremely disappointed to learn that it didn't handle images very well. So, of course Apple doesn't conform. Guess the industry standard might have to catch up. I'm just not seeing a problem, other than the fact that the product will be limited to Apple products (i.e. playing it on iPads but not--I assume--Kindles. I could be wrong on that).

To quote a Seinfeld episode, "it's a story about love, deception, greed, lust and...unbridled enthusiasm." I love it, Apple is (according to Bott) greedy and deceptive, and I'm full of unbridled enthusiasm (lust? not so much. It's software, after all.)

Will I make a photobook soon on it? Well, not until the Sundance Film Festival is over. I'm entering full insanity screening mode. Only two films tomorrow, but FIVE on Saturday. All next week I may be out until 3 a.m., so I'll be lucky if I can get up and teach in the mornings. 


My first project will likely be adapting a French intro to literature class I wrote. It's great for 2nd/3rd year college level students, the content is killer (If I do say so myself), and I own the copyright (except for images, boo-hoo), so the thought of putting something out there for cheap that the textbook companies had tried to get me to do for them would be so nice.


Anyone out there diving into the iBook author software?

Is Apple making the equivalent of "GarageBand" for ebooks? Wild Speculation.

Rumors are flying, as they always do, at "Cult of Mac." This time it's about Apple's big announcement this coming Thursday (Jan 19). Whatever it is, it is supposed to revolutionize education or textbooks or epublishing or...well, I guess we'll see.  Since I'm a professor and have made online courses I am interested in just how revolutionary it will be.  Call me skeptical, but the fact that several major textbook publishers are going to be there makes me think it can't be all that revolutionary. I don't like the textbook industry much. They charge outrageous amounts for mostly boring material. Since I love photobooks, I can't help but think it absurd that a first year French textbook with one star reviews (such as "I whole heartedly regret purchasing this book.") costs the same as a gorgeously printed,  hard cover, slip-case, Steidl, two volume book on Berenice Abbott that has 5 star reviews (like this one: "This is a special book. I was going to give it to my son who is a professional photographer, but selfisness has overcome me and its staying right here in my library"). Which would you rather spend $133 on?

I can gripe about this in good conscience because my students don't pay a dime for my online textbook, which, with podcast downloads and interactive exercises throughout is more user-friendly than most.

But why bring any of this up on a photography blog?

Mainly, because while we are in the wild speculation period, I would like to speculate that maybe Apple's announcement will be some sort of GarageBand for ebooks, and that if it is, maybe it will be something that can really bring photobooks to the iPad.

Right now, anyone can author an ebook, but not a photo ebook. There are just too many limitations on file sizes and formatting. If you want to do a photobook, you need to make it an app—and how many of us can author apps?

What if iBookstores could be filled with self-published photobooks that could be sold for $1.99 but reach a huge audience? I'm not talking about Steidl, but rather about all of those photographers who are lucky to be able to afford a "limited edition of 20" (unless you're also do a larger print run, "limited edition" is usually code for "that's all I could afford to publish.")

Considering how many photographers are running around showing portfolios on their iPads, it's a wonder Apple has come up with something that would allow them to create books they can sell. I would LOVE to have a library of photobooks on my iPad, especially ones I could buy from lesser known photographers for the price of apps. I would LOVE to author a few photobooks and sell them for $1 on an iBookstore.

Maybe the big announcement won't have anything to do with that. Maybe it will just be "ooh. look. textbooks by big publishing houses on your iPad." But until Thursday, I can imagine something better.

Here's to the great one

My first computer was a Mac.
My dissertation included an epilogue about the iMac campaign.
Between my office and home there are no less than 6 Apple computers (although one is a laptop with a broken screen sitting in a drawer and another is our still-working 2nd generation iMac in the boys' room).
I bought a 1st gen iPod the minute they came out (and lost it in a burglary less than 6 months later).
I finally dumped my crappy flip phone when the iPhone 4 came out.
I stayed up to place my iPad2 order the very second they went on sale.
Every member of my family (except my 6 year-old) has an iPod of some kind.
So, basically, Steve Jobs has been/is a big part of my life.
It was sad to hear of his passing, but nice to know that he went out on top and made such a difference.
Here's to Steve.