Apple offers software for interactive textbooks

Apple is launching a new version of its iBooks software, tailored to present vivid, interactive textbooks for elementary and high school students on the iPads.

IBooks 2 will be able to display books with videos and other interactive features.

Apple Inc. is also setting up a textbook section its iTunes store. Among the launch titles will be two high school textbooks — Biology and Environmental Science — from Pearson PLC and five from McGraw-Hill.

They will cost $15 or less, said Phil Schiller, Apple's head of marketing. Schools will be able to buy the books for its students and issue redemption codes to them, he said. Read more...