iPad ad shows book prices from $8 to $15, Steve Jobs at Oscars

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was in attendance at the Oscars Sunday night, and during the telecast the first iPad ad revealed, upon closer look, prices for some titles in the new iBookstore.



The 30-second advertisement, which premiered Sunday night, quickly flashed through a number of the iPad's features. The commercial included numerous glimpses of the iBookstore, where upon closer inspection book prices ranging from $7.99 to $14.99 could be seen.



The commercial showed Sen. Edward Kennedy's "True Compass: A Memoir" for $14.99, the novel "I, Alex Cross" by James Patterson for $12.99, and "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin for $7.99.



For comparison, "True Compass" currently sells for $19.25 for the Amazon Kindle, "I, Alex Cross" costs $9.99, and "Three Cups of Tea" costs $7.19.



The iBookstore, part of the iBooks application available for the iPad, represents Apple's entrance into the e-book market. Since the iPad was announced, publishers have used their price negotiations with Apple to leverage Amazon into accepting higher prices for hardcover bestsellers on the Kindle e-reader. While Kindle bestsellers previously have sold for $9.99, Apple's deal reportedly sets them slightly higher, between $12.99 and $14.99.



Though Amazon initially resisted, the book seller was forced to reluctantly agree to the higher prices, which are expected to debut when the iPad launches. Apple announced last week that the iPad will go on sale April 3, and pre-orders begin March 12.



The new advertisement can be seen at Apple's Web site.







Spotted in-person at the Academy Awards Sunday was Jobs, who donned a tuxedo on the red carpet in Hollywood.



As Disney's largest shareholder and former owner of movie studio Pixar, Jobs had a great deal of interest in last night's proceedings, as the movie "Up" was nominated for a number of awards, including Best Picture. The film took home two Oscars, winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. Jobs sold Pixar to Disney in 2006.



When asked why he was in attendance, Jobs reportedly said "I'm here to see 'Up' win."



Jon M. Chu, director of The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, who performed at Sunday's show, snapped this picture of himself and Jobs at the event:



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    addicted44addicted44 Posts: 830member
    Considering Steve Jobs is the biggest shareholder in Disney, it would be a shock if he wasn't there...
  • Reply 2 of 34
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Spotted in-person at the Academy Awards Sunday was Jobs, who donned a tuxedo on the red carpet in Hollywood.:



    I'm sure the mock turtleneck was underneath the tux.
  • Reply 3 of 34
    msnlymsnly Posts: 378member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    I'm sure the mock turtleneck was underneath the tux.



    I was wondering what was wrong with that picture!
  • Reply 4 of 34
    icyfogicyfog Posts: 338member
    Jobs should attend ESPN events too.

    Glad Up won for best animated movie; it's a good one.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    rtdunhamrtdunham Posts: 428member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...Jon M. Chu...snapped this picture of himself and Jobs at the event:



    It looks like he's holding an Academy book in his right hand, so I'm not sure how he took that picture himself.
  • Reply 6 of 34
    dkwalsh4dkwalsh4 Posts: 178member
    What you guys don't see is the jeans he's wearing and new balance shoes he's got on.
  • Reply 7 of 34
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...The commercial showed Sen. Edward Kennedy's "True Compass: A Memoir" for $14.99, the novel "I, Alex Cross" by James Patterson for $12.99, and "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World? One Child at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin for $7.99. ...



    So pretty much exactly 25% less than the paper copies. Not good.



    It should be roughly half the price based on the economics, the market and the precedent of music. The publishers are being greedy as usual.
  • Reply 8 of 34
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    I'm sure the mock turtleneck was underneath the tux.



    It's all about the neck not the turtleneck covering it. As long as the neck is covered everything is fine and the tux covers the neck just as well.
  • Reply 9 of 34
    Does Steve look like a white Tony Dungy?
  • Reply 10 of 34
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member
    There really is a striking difference between the iPhone/iPad ads and the Mac ads, which is that the iAds actually show the product and what it can do. While I do like many of the Mac ads (and clearly they've been successful), I like the iAds better. And this is another good example of those ads -- it really shows off the product and makes me want to buy it.
  • Reply 11 of 34
    yesicanyesican Posts: 46member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    Considering Steve Jobs is the biggest shareholder in Disney, it would be a shock if he wasn't there...



    UP was only the second animated feature ever nominated for Best Picture , the other was Beauty and the Beast. He had to be there representing Disney/Pixar.
  • Reply 12 of 34
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    The pricing sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks.



    Best sellers should = $9.99.



    And pricing should be flexible on all other books from $0 - $9.99.



    The only books that should be over $9.99 are large medical books, and maybe textbooks or programming books etc. No novels should be over $10. It's a digital file that downloads in 20 seconds, they get the money--boom. Digital reading of books has a great future if only the publishers could actually see it.
  • Reply 13 of 34
    bkerkaybkerkay Posts: 139member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    The pricing sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks.



    Best sellers should = $9.99.



    And pricing should be flexible on all other books from $0 - $9.99.



    The only books that should be over $9.99 are large medical books, and maybe textbooks or programming books etc. No novels should be over $10. It's a digital file that downloads in 20 seconds, they get the money--boom. Digital reading of books has a great future if only the publishers could actually see it.





    So if you were a writer, you would be fine with them "selling" your books/novels at no cost, basically passing them out for free? Which is what you are saying and many others that feel online books should cost $0.
  • Reply 14 of 34
    leithalleithal Posts: 64member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    So pretty much exactly 25% less than the paper copies. Not good.



    It should be roughly half the price based on the economics, the market and the precedent of music. The publishers are being greedy as usual.



    Why? Because the music industry and the book publishing industry are so alike?



    Music files are small compared to books. They are easier to create and release.



    Books take serious time and effort to write. My father has 9 published books - each took years to write. Add in the editors, fact-checking, proofs and typesetting... even electronically someone needs to ensure the text flows well.



    Also, distribution doesn't drop to zero for e-books. The books have to be stored on expensive SAN's connected to huge internet pipes and you pay for every bit you send. Consumers think - internet transfer is free or nearly free. If you transfer multiple terrabytes in a month - it is anything but free.
  • Reply 15 of 34
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bkerkay View Post


    So if you were a writer, you would be fine with them "selling" your books/novels at no cost, basically passing them out for free? Which is what you are saying and many others that feel online books should cost $0.



    You gotta love that sense of entitlement when people think they should get stuff for free just because they deemed it so.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    rnp1rnp1 Posts: 175member
    [QUOTE=Leithal;1585998]Why? Because the music industry and the book publishing industry are so alike?



    The real point is corrupt and abusive publishers. Those majors who became the Mafia when Warner Communications was created to hide the criminal connections took over most media, including Time, fired the CEO and replaced him with a Sicilian "protection" enforcer. (see J. Steven Ross, Garden State Bank, Kinney Corp.).

    These crooks give the writer a very small part of the thing that they created!

    Now that all costs are basically gone, the publisher should get 10%, as a middle man, and the writers/authors 90%! Logical, fair and as it should have been all along.



    $9.99 is the right price from the customers standpoint. Much more for textbooks and technicals due to very small volumes. But still give the author the 90% to cover the time spent creating the book. If Ebook publishers can't make money at a dime a book, with all the books they sell, they should close their high dollar offices and do the business out of their homes-there is no excuse to soak the customers and rape the authors-it's just a data file now! Many publishers don't even bother editing the files-they just talk the author into changing the title to something sexy and put a Vegas chick on a graphic "cover" and send out emails about new releases!

    If Apple didn't have to deal with Vinny and Cracko, music and book prices would be fair and profitable for everyone involved. No joke!
  • Reply 17 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leithal View Post


    Also, distribution doesn't drop to zero for e-books. The books have to be stored on expensive SAN's connected to huge internet pipes and you pay for every bit you send. Consumers think - internet transfer is free or nearly free. If you transfer multiple terrabytes in a month - it is anything but free.



    While I agree with you that not all (e)books should be free, the storing and distribution of ebooks is handled by Apple. So authors and/or publishers don't pay the storage and internet transfer fees.



    On the other hand: giving away books for free has successfully been done in the past. It requires different business models, but it can be profitable.
  • Reply 18 of 34
    leithalleithal Posts: 64member
    [QUOTE=rnp1;1586024]
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leithal View Post


    Why? Because the music industry and the book publishing industry are so alike?



    The real point is corrupt and abusive publishers. Those majors who became the Mafia when Warner Communications was created to hide the criminal connections took over most media, including Time, fired the CEO and replaced him with a Sicilian "protection" enforcer. (see J. Steven Ross, Garden State Bank, Kinney Corp.).

    These crooks give the writer a very small part of the thing that they created!

    Now that all costs are basically gone, the publisher should get 10%, as a middle man, and the writers/authors 90%! Logical, fair and as it should have been all along.



    $9.99 is the right price from the customers standpoint. Much more for textbooks and technicals due to very small volumes. But still give the author the 90% to cover the time spent creating the book. If Ebook publishers can't make money at a dime a book, with all the books they sell, they should close their high dollar offices and do the business out of their homes-there is no excuse to soak the customers and rape the authors-it's just a data file now! Many publishers don't even bother editing the files-they just talk the author into changing the title to something sexy and put a Vegas chick on a graphic "cover" and send out emails about new releases!

    If Apple didn't have to deal with Vinny and Cracko, music and book prices would be fair and profitable for everyone involved. No joke!



    Er, exactly which costs are gone?



    Author - yep, need 1 or more of those.

    Proof Readers - yep, need 1 or more.

    Editors - at least 1.

    Legal - someone has to write the contracts.

    Fact Checkers - yep.



    Printing - no.

    Distribution... it costs to store and ship/transmit a file. This was my main point.



    Profit... we are talking about life in a capitalist economy right? People want a return on their investment. I know I do.



    Generally, it takes far more than "a sexy title" and "a vegas chick" to prepare a good book for publishing.



    Should prices be lower than the physical book? Yes. But new hard covers cost $20, $30 or even $40 (even after the large chain Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Indigo discount from MSRP).



    I will and do pay good money for good books. Heck, I spend $30 a month for two audiobooks - from Audible... it's value for my money. That's something like 30 hours of listening. A buck an hour for entertainment? Cheap to me.
  • Reply 19 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtdunham View Post


    It looks like he's holding an Academy book in his right hand, so I'm not sure how he took that picture himself.



    Ha! I thought the same. Impossible to take a photo of himself if he's holding a book with the arm he'd need to take a photo.
  • Reply 20 of 34
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtdunham View Post


    It looks like he's holding an Academy book in his right hand, so I'm not sure how he took that picture himself.



    Set the timer for 3 seconds and toss the camera in the air at the last second.
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