Wednesday, August 12, 2009

CourseSmart offers 7,000 textbooks on iPhone/iPod

CourseSmart launches iPhone app that allows access to 7,000 electronic textbooks.

  See earlier article on CourseSmart digital textbook lease terms at "How to save on college textbooks."

  Students will be able to read digital notes and search for specific words and phrases from their iPhone or iPod Touch units.
' Frank Lyman, CourseSmart's executive VP, does not expect students to use their iPhones to do their homework, but explains that "if you're in a study group and you have a question, you can immediately access your text." '
Does this mean that the students will also need to buy a hard copy text book for the "homework" portion as well as pay half the cost of another textbook in electronic format which they'd need to return to CourseSmart at the end of 180 days?
' CourseSmart will offer digital textbooks for around half the physical textbook's retail price.  However, the service operates on a subscription basis which expires after 180 days.  After that point students lose access to the title. '

  Obviously, with battery concerns and a small screen with light going at one's eyes, the e-textbook on an iPhone would not be expected to be used for reading the textbook but, as said, for searches and reading of notes.  The article continues:
' CourseSmart's titles are not yet available on the Kindle, but Lyman hopes to see his books available wherever college students want them... '
  I read elsewhere that there've been no talks with Amazon as of this week. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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