The new iBooks interactive textbooks, which come from major educational publishers like McGraw-Hill and Pearson, among others, were unveiled last week at an Apple media event in New York City. The textbooks were the primary focus of the event, which also saw the introduction of iBooks Author, an e-book creation tool, and an iTunes U-dedicated iOS application. iBooks Author saw 90,000 downloads in the three days following its introduction, Global Equities Research said, but it didn’t share numbers for iTunes U.

That Apple would see 350,000 downloads of its iBooks textbooks immediately following their unveiling is not surprising, especially given that the store offers free samples, as well as one of its highlighted books free in its entirety. Curiosity, media interest and a desire to check out something new from Apple’s digital storefront would definitely all contribute to heightened interest.

The real test, however, will be whether or not Apple’s textbooks can keep up their momentum long-term. AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski points out that publishers are counting on higher volume sales at lower prices to make selling digital textbooks at $15 more profitable than selling paper versions at $75. But getting schools and parents to buy into a system in which books can’t be passed on from student to student, and which could potentially be paid for directly by parents themselves won’t be a simple matter. Not to mention that iPads are required to make the system work, which obviously represents a considerable expense in itself.

Over at ZDNet, James Kendrick has a good round-up of the arguments against Apple’s textbook initiative succeeding. He lists a lot of good points, but overall you get the sense that the biggest problem might just be a lot of hesitation from schools about adopting a model so different from what’s currently in place. Institutional inertia is not easily overcome, after all.

Three hundred fifty thousand digital textbooks downloaded in three days is definitely impressive, and could bode well for Apple’s textbooks initiative; people are obviously interested, and that’s a good thing. But the real test is yet to come. Download numbers following the kick-off of the school year next fall will definitely be a better time to make prognostications about the success or failure of Apple’s latest venture.

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Most students and educators who’ve been in school in the past 10 years have probably run across Blackboard, or some similar system for managing courses online in an interactive digital environment. Generally speaking, those systems are lacking in a lot of ways: navigating them can be difficult for new users; the same content can easily be filed in multiple places, leading to confusion; they usually aren’t engaging or attractive in terms of visual design.

Apple’s iTunes U addresses all those problems. It uses a UI that mimics the real world, which some people say is the wrong approach, but should help students and education professionals who grew up using traditional tools transition to digital methods. iTunes U also organizes things organically and according to common-sense logic, which should provide a greater uniformity of experience regardless of who’s putting together the course package. Finally, like all Apple products, it invites touch and interaction. There’s actually something satisfying about tapping off tasks and assignments listed in each course package.

The courses in iTunes U work on a subscription model, so you’re automatically kept up-to-date as a course proceeds. The course catalog makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, with specific sections for post-secondary education, programs from outside universities and colleges, and K-12-targeted material. Like Apple’s other digital marketplaces, it also provides highlighted courses chosen by Apple’s team, as well top charts and categories.

From the perspective of someone who’s designed a course syllabus and planned a class of study, this definitely seems like a great tool for educators. You can lay out exactly the course of action students need to take, complete with videos, slides and assignments listed as items in a list, where you can access them directly. It not only makes it easier for students to follow an instructor’s thinking, but should also help instructors better plan, organize and imrpove their courses.

If there’s one major downside to the iTunes U app, it’s that it’s most definitely exclusionary; students need an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone to take full advantage. Obviously, that’s Apple’s goal: to attract more users by providing appealing software experiences, and I definitely think it’ll succeed based on what I’ve seen so far.

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Courses will appear on a bookshelf, as in iBooks, but teachers can add much more to courses, including a syllabus, office hours, topics of classes, notes and posted assignments. Students can click through assignments to automatically view the requisite chapter in an e-book, if it’s available in the iTunes library.

Videos can be streamed or downloaded directly to the iPad for later viewing, and courses can also contain audio, video, documents like PDFs, and even apps. Students can rate courses in the iTunes U store, just like they would books or software. Combined with custom-authored e-books created in iBooks Author, this looks like the ultimate tool for the truly hands-on professor. And unlike the initial iBooks textbooks, it’s specifically aimed at higher education.

Grades K-12 aren’t left out, however. Cue also revealed iTunes U will now be available for primary and secondary educators and students, as well. The service is available in 123 countries. The iTunes U app is available today in the App Store, for free, and is designed to work on both the iPad and iPhone.

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Video calling service Tango’s new paid features have experienced two million subscribers on both Android and iOS since their introduction, Tango founder and CTO Eric Setton told the New York Times on Monday. But those using Apple’s platform convert from the app’s free basic service to paid add-ons four times as often as do Android users. Setton thinks there is a very simple reason why that is, one that doesn’t have to do with app quality or platform user demographics:

It comes from years of collecting credit card numbers on iTunes. People can use their stored credit card numbers and purchase things easily. Punching in a credit card number on Android is more work.

Of course, you can add and store credit cards on the Android Market, too, but that’s an additional step on Google’s OS that isn’t required on Apple’s for most, since credit cards will already be on file, thanks to previous iTunes music or movie purchases. Also, iTunes allows multiple payment methods; you can tie it to iTunes gift cards or preapproved spending limits automatically, making it more flexible overall.

People are also slow to adopt new online payment methods, which is why it is so crucial that the App Store doesn’t require one; users simply have to continue using the same system they have already embraced for purchasing digital music online for nearly a decade. The iTunes Store has been the No. 1 music retailer since 2008, so it has had plenty of time to win the trust of a large number of users. Google, on the other hand, traditionally hasn’t asked its users to pay a dime for pretty much anything.

The good news for Google is that the barrier to entry for users new to any and all online purchasing is roughly the same for both platforms, meaning eventually users should be just as comfortable with paying on one OS vs. the other. The good news for Apple, though, is that for the time being, it remains the trusted vendor of choice for online purchases, particularly among the generation that cut its teeth on iPods and the iTunes Store.

So far, that role has led to increased consumer activity on Apple’s digital stores and devices, but Apple’s recently introduced EasyPay system indicates its effects could bleed over into real-world transactions, too. Google may have gotten Wallet out into the wild early, but trust could trump speed when it comes to long-term mobile commerce adoption.

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The study found that Apple’s online store achieved an average score of 85 out of a possible 100 from its 3,000 polled online mobile shoppers, beating Amazon by just one point. ForeSee’s research covered both the websites and apps of the top 40 most frequented online commerce websites in the U.S. In a linked ForeSee survey of 8,500 online shoppers at traditional websites conducted for the study, Apple scored 83 overall, tying for second with Avon behind Amazon’s score of 88.

I am actually surprised that Apple scored so highly among mobile shoppers, since the mobile site for store.apple.com actually isn’t tailored to mobile screens at all; it’s the same site people reach when they visit the store in their desktop browser. But the study covers both apps and websites, and Apple has a very impressive app for its store for iPhone devices.

The app was updated this year to provide access to Apple’s new EasyPay option for purchasing low-cost items in physical retail locations as well as in-store pickup of in-stock items and the ability to order custom Mac hardware configurations. And it definitely stands out from the crowd. Because it is Apple’s own app, users can even pay for items using their existing iTunes account, so there is no need to enter any payment or delivery information as long as you have that info on file.

Some might criticize Apple’s approach as limiting its appeal beyond a core audience of iPhone users, but the results of this ForeSee study suggest it is doing something right. Maybe that has to do with the increased tendency users have to check out apps first and the web second when on mobile.

Still, ForeSee notes that for the time being, mobile devices generally play more of a role in research than in actually pulling the trigger on a purchase. Thirty-four percent of online shoppers use mobile channels for learning more about products, but only 15 percent actually bought the product on a mobile device. That is an increase from last year, however, when just 11 percent of shoppers actually bought from their phones.

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1. iTunes gift certificates and apps. If you have an app, TV show, or songs you’d like to share, you can quickly and easily gift them to someone right from iTunes. Generic iTunes gift certificates are available in amounts of $10 to $50 in $10 increments if you’re not sure of a person’s exact tastes.

2. Online backup. Nothing says “I love you” like the gift of preventing data loss. If someone you’re buying for hasn’t developed an onsite backup strategy, you can both give a gift and do a good deed. Both CrashPlan and Backblaze (two of my favorite online backup services) offer gift subscriptions for $50. Sure, it isn’t a very fun gift, but it’s practical, and when a recipient accidentally lose a file, they’ll hopefully remember how you helped them.

3. Audible. I’ve been an Audible fan for a very long time. Someone who has a long commute to work will appreciate the wide variety of books that they can listen to via the service. You can give an individual book (the geek on your list will love “Ready, Player One” narrated by Wil Wheaton) or give a monthly subscription that allows for multiple purchases. Three month subscriptions start at $45.

4. Pandora One. For the audiophile who loves their custom stations and playlists but winces when they hear an ad, how about a gift subscription to Pandora? No more pink cupcakes. I’d suggest Spotify, but gift subscriptions aren’t available in the U.S. yet. Coal in that company’s stocking for sure.

5. Hulu+ or Netflix. If the hard-to-shop-for person on your list loves TV or movies, a gift subscription of Hulu+ or Netflix will allow for streaming of video content to their iPad, iPhone, and desktop. Unfortunately Hulu+ doesn’t work directly on the Apple TV, so Netflix would be a better choice for users of that device. Both products have gift subscriptions that start at $7.99, and both give you a choice of attractive gift certificates to print at home.

There you have it. You didn’t procrastinate, you were simply waiting for the perfect gift, and now you have a great list. Happy holidays and next time, plan ahead!

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The support article includes a chart that lists countries alphabetically, and then shows in columns what kind of iTunes Store content is available for iTunes in the Cloud access. Content types include Music, Music Videos, TV Shows, Apps and Books. The entire range of media options is only available in four countries: Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. Many more countries offer everything except for TV shows, and Apps and Books are available in every case.

Apple also includes a chart indicating where iTunes Match is available worldwide. There are 17 countries currently on that list, including all those who got the service last Thursday after a slightly premature slip allowed a little bit of access the day before. Apple doesn’t include Brazil in the support document, however, even though that country also has access to iTunes Match.

If iCloud media access is a big part of your Apple device buying decision, or if you just want to see what’s available in your country laid out in black and white from the most authoritative source possible, Apple’s newest support doc should come in handy.

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Complete my Season Pass

Just like “Complete my Album” for the iTunes music store, Complete my Season Pass allows you to fill in the blanks of your TV collection. For individual episodes of shows you own, you’ll now have an option to buy the rest of the season at a reduced rate, minus the price you paid for any episodes you currently own. It’s a smart move for Apple, since it makes it easier for users to leverage their existing collections without incurring a penalty. Admittedly, it’s no iTunes Match for Video, but it’s still a way for iTunes customers to save a bit of cash vs buying all episodes individually.

Fly for free with ABC’s Pan Am

The ABC period drama Pan Am, which follows the lives of a group of Pan Am stewardesses and pilots in the 1960s as they travel the world was a show I never expected to like this season, but that actually became one of my favorites, thanks to a combination of Mad Men‘s style with a lighter tone. All nine aired episodes are currently free on iTunes, as Sony Pictures tries to drum up interest in the series, since it’s been shedding viewers pretty steadily week-by-week. Sony Pictures Television’s U.S. Marketing SVP, Chris Van Amburg, told the Hollywood Reporter the company expects the promotion to “generate enthusiasm for the show’s January 8th return on ABC.” Since I’m hooked, I hope he’s right.

Both of these are timely developments as we head into the holidays, which bring lots of time for TV show catch-up marathons. Pan Am alone should get you through all of Christmas day at the in-laws, and then some.

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Smart TVs slow to catch on

According to YouGov, a prominent U.K.-based research firm, only one in 10 U.K. adults currently own a TV with smart features, and only 15 percent plan to buy one in the next year. A smart TV is one with Internet access, and with connected features such as apps or media delivery services. It’s understandable then, that Macworld would suggest a TV from Apple “would struggle in this tough market with such low demands for the technology,” but I think it ultimately misses the mark.

Don’t respond to demand: create it

Apple is a company that creates products that never would have made it to market if its process relied on focus groups and too much temperature-taking of the current consumer climate. The iPad is a perfect example, and one that was likewise greeted with ample skepticism prior to and immediately following its introduction. The failure of smart TVs to light a blazing fire in consumer hearts likely isn’t seen as a problem by Apple’s engineers and design team, but instead an opportunity to succeed where others have mostly failed.

A unique approach

In launching a TV, whether it’s an improved version of its set-top box or an actual television complete with built-in display, Apple will be competing with a number of seasoned veterans, including Sony, Samsung and LG, all of which already have smart TV offerings on the market and big plans down the road, and Microsoft, which is building out its Xbox and Kinect TV chops. But Apple’s approach is unique, in that it already owns and successfully manages a massive digital content distribution system. The iTunes ecosystem is thriving and with the current Apple TV, has gradually been tweaked to be more appealing in a living room setting, through additions like streaming of purchased shows.

Additions like auto-detection and resuming of iTunes content playback across devices, Siri controls, iCloud and AirPlay integration are all elements Apple alone can leverage from its mobile efforts to give it an advantage in the television space. Because of these key differences, any offering from Apple would be considerably different from what current and future smart TVs from competitors include. The demand for the latter types of devices likely has little in common with demand for the former, as a result.

Going pro

Apple likely won’t bring a new TV to market it could quietly dismiss with the “hobby” moniker as it does with the current set-top box. That Apple TV hardware is doing well, with a projected one-third take of the streaming set-top market, but as far as markets go, it’s not a huge one. If Apple wants a bigger piece of the home entertainment pie, it won’t just evolve the market; it’ll shake it up completely.

Think about the difference between the original MacBook Air and the refresh that brought the 11-inch form factor and much cheaper price tag. I think we’ll see a similar evolution take place with the Apple TV, with steps taken to ensure it goes from being a unique, fringe device for the Apple faithful to something everyone wants to take home.

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Updated. Apple loves giving Starbucks customers free stuff. This week it introduced an e-book Pick of the Week to go along with the free song and app of the week programs it already has in place. Books can be redeemed through Apple iBookstore, for use with iBooks on iOS devices.

The free app program was started in August this year, and has included titles like Shazam, the music ID app, and Spy Mouse, a game from Firemint and EA. The first book for Starbucks’ Pick of the Week is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, which normally retails for $12.99 on the iBookstore. To take advantage of the deal, just pop into your local Starbucks and check near the till for cards printed with redemption codes. Update: Despite no mention of it anywhere in the official Starbucks announcement of the program, sources who’ve used the code say that it’s good for only an extended sample of the book (around 120 pages), not the whole thing.

Starbucks has also said that “TV shows and more from iTunes” will be offered in addition to music, apps and books, and the variety in my opinion makes Pick of the Week much more interesting. Plus, it could prompt more interest in the iBookstore, which I’m sure Apple would appreciate. Anyone planning on trying to pick up The Night Circus?

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