First off, I want to wish everyone the best of luck in the school year.

In the weekend issue of the New York Times, an article titled “Texting? No, Just Trying to Read Chapter 6” discusses the new application for iPhones called eTextbooks that students have opted in using when reading their course work. I thought that this was the perfect new tool to inform my fellow Out of Handees of to kick off the school year right!

Yet, several reviews of this new feature have acknowledged its limitations of only providing a minimal amount of text material on the screen at one time. In order to view the rest of the reading, one must scroll in all directions, which will only aggravate students and increase anxiety when studying for an exam. Quoted from the sited article, “It’s not the first place to go to read your textbook,” Mr. Frank Lyman, the Executive Vice President of Coursesmart, the producer of the eTextbooks application, explained. In response to the previous statement, if it is not the first medium for material why become dependent additionally on another form of the novel? Mr. Lyman further suggests that the eTextbooks application should be used to last minute study for a quiz by reviewing highlighted information. I may have to refute this scenario of utilizing eTextbooks when last minute studying with the fact that the time taken to view the material will only subtract from the time one could be reviewing effectively for the approaching exam. I do not think that I am sold on this studying tool just yet. I think after some kinks are worked out I will consider it once again.

On the other hand, the article does suggest two details of this innovation that are beneficial to the student. This application allows both the cost of studying material and weight one carries on his or her back on a daily basis to lessen. Everyone knows that textbooks cost an arm and a leg . The prices are astronomic and extremely difficult to pay for in bulk. Since this application is free and the only fee one must pay is the access rights to the particular title, it sounds like the deal of the century. In regards to how heavy backpacks become, I strongly believe that this is one of the best sources of scoliosis. I don’t know about you, but I was always the girl with the huge backpack that would fall down to the ground and cause me to hover just to walk around the halls. I actually was a butt of several jokes, but at the end of the day I was the one acing all the exams. Beat that!

I apologize for my anecdote and digressing from the topic on hand. I conclude that on face value this eTextbook has great intentions and I would purchase it when the second edition comes around and all its shortcomings are dealt with.

Has anyone purchased the eTextbook application? I would love to hear your personal experience with it. All comments are welcome.

By Meredith Meyer