iPad eBook Reader to Offer Textbooks

Apple unveils the iPad. (via Engadget)
Student might very soon be handing over a portion of their student loan checks to Apple. As if Macs, iPods and iPhones weren’t already wildly popular with the collegiate crowd, Steve Jobs’ announcement today of the company’s long-anticipated new product, the iPad, will surely be on the must-have school supply list upon its release sometime in 2010 (still unknown at this time).
McGraw-Hill’s CEO, Harold McGraw III, told CNBC that the company’s textbooks will be made available for the on the new iPad (previously thought to be called the Apple Table or iSlate). Additionally, during Steve Jobs’ live presentation, it was announced that other textbook partners would include publishers Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillian, and Hatchett Book Group.
While the Amazon Kindle has been considered to be the next big revolution in e-readers with a possibility of taking over the textbook market, it seems completely plausible that the new iPad from Apple could fulfill that role much more quickly.

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iPad iBooks and Kindle DX for Textbook Comparison
Curious how the budding fight between iPad and the Kindle will play out in regards to being used as an e-reader for textbooks? Take a look at this side-by-side comparison of the two devices, weighing the pros and cons for college students.
iPad Textbooks Protected by FairPlay DRM in iBookstore
Apple is already taking steps to head-off piracy on its new iPad, introduced last month. Even with a cheaper price tag, iPad textbooks could still fall victim to piracy, which is why Apple is employing the FairPlay digital rights management system (DRM) to ensure media in its new iBookstore are safe.
iPad Textbooks and iBookstore to Change How College Students Consume Books
As far as college students are concerned, the iPad’s e-reader technology makes it incredibly applicable to their lifestyle. The iPad has the potential to free students from lugging weighty bags of expensive textbooks to and from campus.
Free iPads for College Students
At Seton Hill University, a Roman Catholic school in Pennsylvania, all 2,000 full-time students will be welcomed back this fall with an iPad. George Fox University, a Christian school in Oregon, is giving students, including first years, the option between an iMac and iPad; next year they only get iPads.
iPad Banned at Cornell, Princeton and George Washington University
Cornell, Princeton and George Washington University announced that they are banning the iPad from their campuses. Princeton and GWU cite security risks while Cornell voices concern that students will monopolize the bandwidth available on the university’s network.
Free CourseSmart iPad App Helps You Find eTextbooks
CourseSmart is making it easier for you to find and use their e-textbooks on your iPad. They’re now offering an updated version of their free “eTextbooks” app.
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Best iPad Apps for College Students