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Apple's press event is getting "overhyped"

by Dave Caolo Jan 17th 2012 at 12:00PM

As anticipation builds for Apple's January 19 press event, the tech web has latched onto the notion of "GarageBand for iBooks," suggesting that Apple will release iBook creation tools to the public. Ars Technica believes it's true, while Philip Elmer-Dewitt does not. Interestingly, both opinions are based on discussions with the same person.

Chris Foresman at Ars and Elmer-Dewitt both spoke with Matt MacInnis, CEO of Inkling, a company that's been making interactive textbooks for the iPad for some time. MacInnis does expect Apple to make production tools available, but does not feel that Apple is out to "digitally destroy" textbook publishing, according to Elmer-Dewitt.

"Apple is not trying to kill the incumbents," MacInnis told Elmer-Dewitt. "They've learned their lesson from upending the music industry."

As for the tools themselves, Elmer-Dewitt suggests we should expect a solution to support the textbook industry. The GarageBand reference may have been misplaced as well. In his conversation with Elmer-Dewitt, MacInnis referred GarageBand for iPad, and how Apple used it, in part, to demonstrate what was possible on the iPad 2. Expect a similar demonstration from Apple on Thursday. Specifically, "...a sample iPad textbook, produced in-house and packed with pedagogical bells and whistles" to serve as a model for publishers.



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As anticipation builds for Apple's January 19 press event, the tech web has latched onto the notion of "GarageBand for iBooks,"...
 

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Nique

An apple event getting overhyped?
NO F'ING WAY!
OF COURSE IT'S GETTING OVERHYPED!
They are one of the most valuable brands in the world right now -- anything they have to say, you can bet that people are going to want to listen...whatever it is they are talking about.

January 17 2012 at 1:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thad P

I think the event will be significant, but the rumors are hyped. The stock price ran up last week, and has been trailing downward ever since. As long as I have owned Apple shares (and I still own a few), rumors run the price up, and the reality brings it down a bit.

January 17 2012 at 1:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Frank Lowney

I would not put much stock in what MacInnis or any other player in this field has to say about what Apple will or won't announce this Thursday. Clearly, there is some worry about what Apple is about to announce and these jawboning exercises are designed to mute that effect. Inkling and Kno are new and have a lot at stake. As well, it is not unheard of that Apple would pull the rug out from under third party products and services.

January 17 2012 at 1:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Also Michael

And of course, if Apple doesn't come through with everything the rumor mill speculates, suddenly they will have "missed the point" or have been "really disappointing"...

You do not know what Apple is doing, so stop guessing and for ****'s sake, stop getting pissed at Apple because they won't give you a pony. You sound like morons.

January 17 2012 at 12:33 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Also Michael's comment
Mark Shaw

"No iPony at the iBook educational event! Apple is screwing us." I already expect to hear this over and over. iPad, iPhone 5, no pro upgrade, no twenty dollar 105" fondle screen, etc... The rumor/tech blogs have gotten past out of hand.

January 17 2012 at 8:10 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Jonathan Baldwin

"...a sample iPad textbook, produced in-house and packed with pedological bells and whistles"

I think you mean "pedagogical" (i.e. related to the science of learning) rather than "pedalogical" (related to the science of soil).
Unless they are being extremely specific in their approach...

January 17 2012 at 12:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jonathan Baldwin's comment
Also Michael

It's the thinking process behind pedophilia.... "pedo-logical"

January 17 2012 at 12:34 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
Ben Dodson

Why does the headline say "overhyped" as if this is a quote when the phrase "overhyped" isn't used anywhere in the article. Is it TUAWs opinion that the event is being overhyped (and if so, why) or is it somebody else's whom you have failed to reference?

January 17 2012 at 12:10 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Ben Dodson's comment
Jonathan Baldwin

Agreed - it would be overhyped if people were talking about it way too much and pinning the company's future to it, or suggesting they would launch iPad 3, iPhone 5 and iTV at the same event. But they're not.

I hope they do release a new ePUb tool (I assumed an update to Pages which is getting old now) 'cos I can't wait to develop materials for my students.

January 17 2012 at 12:26 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Speed8ump

One of the linked articles (DeWitt's piece) uses "overhyped". Still I'd agree that it's poor style to have a title which doesn't obviously follow from your own text. That's the second time today that a TUAW headline hasn't really been supported by the article text. Please edit and proof your stories TUAW!

January 17 2012 at 12:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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