Platform
Many educators interested in utilizing (if not creating) digital texts are concerned about which platform they and their students should be using. "Should I use Mac or PC?" "Should I use an eReader?"
Consider the following questions/answers (non-exhaustive) as you contemplate using digital texts.
Q: Are you looking to consume digital texts for reading (i.e. novels, magazines, traditional print) that already exist, such as material available from a major online bookseller?
A: If "yes," then you're really looking for materials that can be accessed on an electronic reader, such as a Kindle®, Nook®, or similar. These devices are very affordable and widely available. Yes, you could download an application that allows you to read this material on a more powerful tablet, but is it worth the extra cost of the device? Bonus: you can use a mobile phone that featurs an application for these readers.
Q: Are you looking to utilize a full-scale digital textbook, replete with all kinds of bells and whistles and some interactivity, that is produced by a major publishing house?
A: If "yes," then you'll need a device that facilitates the interactive part of the digital textbook, so you'll want to lean more toward a tablet or laptop. Mac or PC? It doesn't matter. It's all personal preference.
Q: Are you in love with Apple iBooks® to the point that you'd love to use them as much as possible? Maybe you even dream of creating one yourself?!
A: Device matters. You must be in the Apple® ecosystem. Currently (Fall 2012), iBooks® are designed to be utliized on the iPad®. If you'd like to create one (Fall 2012) yourself, you'll need to download the application iBooks Author® (available on the App Store®), which will allow you to create the book on your Mac, then export it to your iPad® for use. These are beautiful, highly-interactive books into which you can embed many things, such as Keynote® files (again, it's all one ecosystem). You cannot use iBooks® on PC platform devices!
Q: Are you interested in consuming a wide range of digital texts and creating your own, without the added layer of worrying whether you need to be in a special ecosystem?
A: Some type of PC device, tablet or laptop, is what you'll want to use. You can't create or use Apple iBooks®, but you can make a CK12 FlexBook, which can be used on any platform or device, including in the Apple ecosytem. If your school is a BYOD school or is contemplating a move to BYOD, you need something that is platform-friendly, meaning that the device you use won't really matter.
Q: What if I just want to create digital texts and put them up for sale?
A: Consider your audience. If you create something for an eReader, it won't be interactive; it will be static. As such, it won't matter which device you use to create it. If you want to create an interactive digital text, you will need to choose between a product destined for the Apple® ecosystem or one that is meant to be entirely ubiquitous (non-platform specific).
