Standards and Hardware with iBooks
Technological decisions and compatible operating systems is all very confusing at times. Choosing what technology to purchase and use can be complicated by knowing which software works with which app and/or device. Even the choice of what smartphone to buy leaves you wondering which choice is the all-around best when compared to what you want to achieve from a device.
Enter iBooks and Apple’s closed system. Making a book using iBooks Author and iAds widgets appears to be so easy that it might even be fun to use. The widgets add so many ways to add embedded videos, images, and engaging interactivity. It seems that your imagination is the only limitation.
The con to the iBook I am creating can only be viewed on an Apple product. The pro, though, is if you already have an Apple product, then it comes with an e-reader application capability and there is no need to purchase another e-reader device.
According to a couple of online articles that I have read, such as, the International Business Times, commented that since Apple has deviated from using the CSS standards and JavaScript in their widgets, there might not be any fallbacks or forward-compatibility. Apple offers some interesting widget capabilities especially with 3D models. Although, caution was given when using the 3D models widgets to keep the file size to a minimum range of 20,000-50,000 polygons that are moderately textured since not all Apple products are capable to view.
A huge pro, in my view, is the ability for educators and individuals to use iBooks and the iAds widgets for educational and training material. Sometimes it is easier to learn by the actual process than to see the process in action.