iPad eBook Apps: The Best Ways To Read On Your iPad (PHOTOS, POLL)

Every device needs an eReader app so that you'll have the optimal reading and purchasing experience. While the iPad does have its own app for reading and purchasing from the iBooks store, it doesn't come preloaded on the iPad. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and others all have similar apps.

Now that you've got an iPad, which app do you download? Pros and cons are in the slide show--vote and let us know.

1 of 8

Apple's iBookstore and iBooks App

1 of 9

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Though the iBooks app does not come pre-loaded on the iPad (Apple says that it wasn't ready in time), it is Apple's official eBook app, and is already available in the iTunes store. There has been a lot of controversy about whether the iBookstore will be able to compete with Amazon's eBook store, which is vastly larger. Apple has struck up partnerships with most of the main publishers -- though giant Random House has yet to commit -- and has been working on a new pricing model, which would put most eBooks at about the same price as those on Amazon -- $9.99 -- but which would raise the price for some new, more expensive books. As for Apple's selection, for now it's "puny," as the New York Times' David Pogue says -- only 60,000 titles -- but the iBookstore will give users access to the entire Project Gutenberg collection (which has over 30,000 public domain books), and it has partnered with self-publishers Smashwords and Lulu, so readers will be able to buy many self-published titles as well.

8 Legendary Same-Sex Couples (PHOTOS)

The Origins Of 7 Popular Slang Words

Self-Diagnosis Book: 11 Nasty Ailments You Might Have (PHOTOS)

The 10 Most Common Phobias (PHOTOS)

14 Ambitious Amateurs Who Made It Big (PHOTOS)

Leadership Advice: 9 Things Obama Could Learn From Caesar

Though the iBooks app does not come pre-loaded on the iPad (Apple says that it wasn't ready in time), it is Apple's official eBook app, and is already available in the iTunes store. There has been a lot of controversy about whether the iBookstore will be able to compete with Amazon's eBook store, which is vastly larger. Apple has struck up partnerships with most of the main publishers -- though giant Random House has yet to commit -- and has been working on a new pricing model, which would put most eBooks at about the same price as those on Amazon -- $9.99 -- but which would raise the price for some new, more expensive books. As for Apple's selection, for now it's "puny," as the New York Times' David Pogue says -- only 60,000 titles -- but the iBookstore will give users access to the entire Project Gutenberg collection (which has over 30,000 public domain books), and it has partnered with self-publishers Smashwords and Lulu, so readers will be able to buy many self-published titles as well.

comments(10)

Total comments: 10 | Post a Comment

1 of 9

This App

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Not for me First thing I download!

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Top 5 Apps

loading...

Top 5 Apps

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[malexandria]

12:59 PM on 04/23/2010

This is silly, you talk about iPad ebook readers mention 3 of them and then waste our time talking about 7 others that aren't even available on the iPad. Kindle App is the best reading App for the iPad why is it so hard for Tech Journalist to just say so? Is it to keep up the false "fight" between Kindle and iPad. Kindle has over 450,000 books, cheaper in most cases than iBooks, most importantly the Kindle App is available on PC, Mac, iPad, and iPhones so you aren't locked into reading your books on one device and oh yeah, you can easily re-download your books.

[Fabini]

02:50 PM on 04/04/2010

My interest is not how to read books, but how to submit books (in ePub format) to the Apple Bookstore.

[Allen MacDiarmid]

12:16 PM on 04/04/2010

Since I already have a Kindle, I would obviously download this app. On the other hand why not download them all so one can buy a book from any source, not just Amazon, Smashbooks, feedbooks, Gutenberg, iBook, etc.

[Etruscate]

10:09 PM on 04/03/2010

I won't buy an iPad until it supports multi-tasking and until the ridiculous "app store" is no longer the only way to get software. Apple has always been very abusive when it comes to controlling their platform.

[crayola 08b]

10:51 PM on 04/03/2010

we've all seen what happens when you don't "control your platform". windows being the prime example. apple may be strict but it makes for superior user experience.

[Etruscate]

11:26 PM on 04/03/2010

I use Windows myself, and couldn't disagree more.

[SallieParker]

05:43 PM on 04/03/2010

The winner in the eBook tourney will be the device that allows you to doodle in the margins and stick old movie tickets between the pages.

[Fabini]

02:48 PM on 04/04/2010

There's (gonna be) an app for that!

[SensiblePat]

01:56 PM on 04/03/2010

I will not buy an IPad or any ereader until the price of ebooks is more in line with reality. A paperback book generally costs $7.99 (or less), but ebooks generally cost $9.99. Since there is no physical book to print, store, pack, ship, unpack, and shelve, the ebooks should be at least $2.00 less than paperback books, not $2.00 more. Most ebooks cannot be lent (except B & N ebooks), given away or given to charity. Most eEbooks purchased for one macine cannot be read on other machines.
The entire ereader, ebook enterprise is expensive hype like the designer fashion industry or professional wrestling.