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Apple today stepped up promotion of its iBookstore by launching a new Twitter account to keep followers updated on new releases, special offers, and other details from the store, as noted in the account's debut Tweet. The account was created back in June, but Apple has just started using the account to send out Tweets today.
Welcome to the Apple #iBookstore on Twitter. Follow us to discover new releases, exclusive book offers, and more.
The account's second Tweet promotes Erin Morgenstern's "The Night Circus", which is being heavily promoted by Apple. Apple is currently featuring the book on the iBookstore's main page, and Starbucks has also stepped into the promotion by offering a free "extended sample" of the book through its recently-expanded Pick of the Week program.
Apple maintains a number of Twitter accounts to provide updates on new and featured content from the iTunes Store, with the App Store receiving its own account earlier this year. The iBookstore account is not listed as a verified account, but does appear to be official as it is one of only seven accounts being followed by Apple's App Store account. The other six accounts followed by @AppStore are official Apple accounts.
Apple is also increasing its ties with Twitter in other areas, having recently added Twitter and Facebook posting to its online store and bringing systemwide Twitter integration to iOS 5.
Update: The @iBookstore account is now officially verified as belonging to Apple.
Top Rated Comments
:mad:
I buy my book once in the kindle Book store
Then, it can be read (with synced-saved bookmarks) on my:
PC at work
Mac at home
iPhone on the train
iPad at Starbucks
my wife's kindle in bed
Show me an iBooks book that can do that
iOS blog, not front page.
I agree, or maybe we could start a new one...page 17 rumors?
I don't read a lot but I know the last handful of times I have gone to the iBookstore to look for a book it hasn't had it.
The selection seems ridiculously limited.
Does buying from the store lock you in? I have gotten ePub books from various locations and read them through the iBooks app so I assumed that the books you bought were also ePub... Is that not the case?
Apple touts the fact that it uses the open ePub format, but it does not use the standard Adobe DRM scheme.
Which means that non-Apple devices will not read books purchased from the iBooks store. So much for Apple's support for open formats and standards.... :rolleyes:
Also, Apple is in the habit of periodically blocking iBooks access on jailbroken devices, which means that if you jailbreak, you may find yourself waiting for the jailbreaking community to find a solution, before you can finish the iBook you were foolish enough to purchase.
Better off buying ePubs elsewhere.