Textbook Rentals for iPad - Do Tablets Hold the Future for Cheap Textbook Buying?

Along with the rest of the modern world, classrooms and colleges are slowly going digital. Although notebooks, pens and textbooks are still being used, they are increasingly being replaced by laptops, tablets and, of course, iPads.

While there are some who are resisting the flow of the trend, others are irresistibly being swept along with it, unable to say no to the instant, practical and easy charm that all digital things seem to offer. Because of this, textbook rentals for iPad are becoming more and more popular. In order to determine whether or not tablets hold the future for cheap textbook buying, one must first know all its advantages and disadvantages.

First, the advantages: with an eTextbook, one has instant access to any needed reading material. One will not have to go out and look for new, updated editions in any large yet under-stocked bookstores. With a few typed words and a flick of the finger, any and every textbook is most likely to be made available to you. Also, having eTextbooks means no lugging around heavy stacks of books because in one lightweight digital device, one can have an entire library waiting. Lastly, there is also the undeniable advantage of eTextbook rentals being much more affordable than purchasing or even renting books in print.

On the other hand, having an eTextbook instead of a printed textbook is also said to have its share of disadvantages. First of all, one must be connected to the internet in order to access these eTextbooks. This means that unless one is at home or at school, one might have to pay extra in order to get an internet connection just to access the material. Also, with eTextbooks, one runs the risks of running out of battery, software glitches and crashing. In addition to this, some reviews for these eTextbooks complain about the poor maintenance and unresponsiveness of the technical support teams.

Having taken a look at both sides, it is difficult to say whether or not eTextbooks are a positive step into the future. Nonetheless, they open up a new avenue for learning and education that definitely appeals to some—something which, at the end of the day, cannot be all too bad.