The web is alight with news about the new iPad device from Apple,  creating a new term, the 'net tablet'. The new iPad fills the gap between netbooks and smart phones but is actually the access device for a whole new business model for Apple.

The iPad ships with the iBook reader, an e-book reader for ePub format books. The iPad connects to the iBookstore which represents a new offer to publishers, especially smaller, independent publishers. Apple has already loined up some large publishers to provide ePub publications to the iBooksore and offers reduced sales margins over Amazon or other eBook sellers.

The iPad has some other compelling features that make it a more interesting eReader device than the Kindle or Sony competitor. The ipad has a high definition, full colour display allowing full streaming video and photo-realistic representations of books, magazines and newspapers. It allows a far more immersive and rich-media experience, similar to that enjoyed by customers on their PC/Macbook already.

Due to launch in summer 2010, the iPad and iBookstore are absolutely worth a look by independent publishers. At Novena, we think the iBookstore could be a great new opportunity for publishing.