iBooks

There’s a lot I like about the the iPad, particularly the interface design. However, one thing stands out like a sore thumb: iBooks, specifically the half-arsed bookshelf visual metaphor. What’s with the horrendous pine shelving? And the horrible colour of the menu bar? And who actually displays books like that, apart from understocked charity shops?

If you are going to do it this way, then at least slap them on some virtual Vitsoe shelves (or the ubiquitous Ikea Expedit ones at the very least), spine-on. Plus I’d like to see some little bookmarks sticking out the tops of those books to remind you which ones you’re halfway through.

And I think there should be some scope for not just a shop, but a library, based on the iTunes movie rental model. And this could be adapted a little to allow people to lend books to each other for a limited duration.

And … I think that’s all for now. Basically, if you want us to start using ebooks, then you need to replicate the mobility and visceral appeal of their physical counterparts.