App Store / iDevices: Apple Posts Read-Aloud Titles for iBooks 1.3 [Download] !!

            Now - existing - in the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, iBooks 1.3 “ offers a new feature that allows young readers to follow along with their favorite children's books as the words are read aloud,” Apple states.

 

iBooks 1.3 highlights words as children read and turns pages automatically “to keep the session  flowing”.

Parents can adjust these settings, though, for example, you can set them to turn manually “to further involve the new reader,” Cupertino explains.

“A tap on the screen produces controls in the upper-right corner of  iBooks to customize your  reading and listening experience,” the description continues.

Apple provides a link to iTunes where all the read-aloud books are hosted.

Marketed under the name ‘Read and Listen,’ the section contains children’s books only,

In addition to the narration feature, the 1.3 update makes iBooks more responsive when opening very large books.

An issue where some books may display the same page twice is also addressed.

iBooks is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPod touch (2nd generation), iPod touch (3rd generation), or iPod touch (4th generation) and requires iOS 3.2 or later on iPads and 4.0 or later on the devices with 3.5-inch screens.

The iBookstore is available in many countries. However, the selection of books in the iBookstore may vary by country.

iTunes 10.3, the latest version of the media playing and storefront application, brings the iBookstore to the iTunes Store on your computer.

It allows users to wirelessly send samples to their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the new Automatic Downloads feature.

Parents  should also keep in mind that an Apple ID is required to download content  from the iBookstore.

Download iBooks (Free):

  

iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books.

iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books.

iBooks includes the iBookstore, where you can download the latest best-selling books or your favorite classics – day or night.

Browse your library on a beautiful bookshelf, tap a book to open it, flip through pages with a swipe or a tap, and bookmark or add notes to your favorite passages.

Here are some key features of "iBooks":

• Enjoy a complimentary copy of the beautifully illustrated classic, Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne.
• Download many of your favorite books from the included iBookstore.
• Read a free sample of any book on the iBookstore before making it a part of your collection.
• Reorder your books on your bookshelf or browse them in a list sorted by title, author, or category.
• Easily adjust your screen brightness to find the perfect lighting for any environment.
• Change the font size and pick from six included type faces to make your books more comfortable to read.
• Find a word, character, or phrase anywhere in your book with the built-in search feature.
• Keep your bookmarks, notes, and your current page wirelessly in sync between iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with the new automatic bookmark syncing feature.
• Quickly find a specific page using the page navigator at the bottom of every page.
• Read your books on white or sepia colored pages.
• Choose left or fully justified text layout from Settings.
• Highlight your favorite passages and add notes with the built-in bookmarking features.
• Add books in the industry-standard  ePub electronic book format to iTunes and sync them to iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
• Add PDF documents to iBooks from Mail, or add them to iTunes and sync them to iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
• Use iBooks with the amazing accessibility features in iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch – such as speaking the words on a given page.

Requirements:

• iPad with iOS 3.2 or later
• iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 4 or later
• Compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPod touch (2nd generation), iPod touch (3rd generation), or iPod touch (4th generation)

What's New in This Release:

• Help your children learn to read with the new read-aloud feature included in select children's books from the iBookstore. 
• The read-aloud feature uses a real narrator to read the book to you, and in some books, it will even highlight the words as you read along.
• Enhanced books can now automatically play audio or video included with the book.
• Makes iBooks more responsive when opening very long books.
• Addresses an issue where some books may display the same page twice.[via]