Meet the iPad 2 Book by Jeff Carlson Available
Our own Jeff Carlson scored the impossible: his 48-page introduction to the latest Apple iOS device, "Meet the iPad 2" ($1.99), is available instantly on the iBookstore. It's an introduction to the device, and a long excerpt from his upcoming Pocket Guide to iPad 2. (The link to the book takes you to the iBookstore if you're viewing on an iOS device; on a computer, you'll get an error when the Web browser passes the link along to iTunes. But you can search within the iBookstore for "Meet the iPad 2" to locate the title, and then purchase the book or download a sample.)
You might want to check out the link trail.
When I clicked the link on this page it went to the correct page on the Apple site, but when iTunes opens it cannot find the book.
"The item you requested is not currently available in the US store"
Right: the link only works for iTunes when you're using an iOS device. You can't buy iBookstore items in iTunes for Mac OS X or Windows, foolishly.
Glenn Fleishman2011-03-13 03:14
Right: the link only works for iTunes when you're using an iOS device. You can't buy iBookstore items in iTunes for Mac OS X or Windows, foolishly.
So does mean that if I have an iPad or iPod Touch without 3G and no direct WiFi internet connection I will not be able to get iBooks?... This seems odd. I have been thinking of getting an iPad recently and do not find using public Hot Spots a comfortable place to use plastic. This would be a deal breaker for me.
Could you enlighten me please? Or give me links that I could enquire on my own?
Thanks
You need a Net connection to access the iBookstore, so you'd need to connect where you're comfortable doing so, like at home (assuming you have wireless at home). Probably better to ease your concerns would be to use a VPN service on the iOS device: after configuring, you go to Settings and activate the VPN, then your connection is secure, even if you're at a coffeeshop or something similar.
Sounds like I will not be able to work with an iPad that doesn't have 3G at home if I do not have a WiFi connection at home.
Is that correct?
You can use all stored media on it without 3G or Wi-Fi. Why not have Wi-Fi had home? No broadband? Security concerns? Enable WPA2 Personal. Use a 10-letter/punctuation/number password. There is no technology on earth that can break that now, and likely not for 10+ years, unless quantum computing becomes cheap and practical, in which case no encryption of any kind is safe.
You don't have to use plastic because the iTunes Store relies on a secure login to previously stored information to purchase.
What Glenn said. We had to use some URL to point to more information.
Although one interesting thing: The text on that page says, "AuthorThis book is available on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks and ON YOUR COMPUTER WITH ITUNES" (emphasis mine). So, I wonder if this is just a mis-typing, or maybe we'll see a desktop iBooks, or some way to tie into the iBookstore without being on an iOS device.
Thanks for the heads-up, Trippp. I've added a parenthetical to the ExtraBIT explaining the link.
You also might want to clarify what you mean by "the" iBookstore. (It's not difficult to guess that you mean the U.S. store, but still.) It's not available in the Japan store.