How do I read iBooks on my Macbook Air

this is nuts. I bought something from the iTunes store just cuz I thought it would be easier than digging out my 16 digit cc# and typing in all that stuff to buy the book direct from the publisher, which I have done in the past. That was quite simple...I woud download the pdf and read it on my MacBook Pro.

Now I want my $5 back. Or a link to a pdf of the material. Yeah, it's my fault I missed the fine print that I needed an iOS device to read it, but really who would expect that? I can read it OK on my iPhone, but reading a book on a phone is just goofy, and I still want my money back. No need or desire to own an iPad. I have 5 Apple products in service right now, and another half-dozen in the closet.

What is it that I would really, really like to read on my MacBook Pro? MacWorld's Guide to Mountain Lion. I am getting ready to upgrade and I need to learn several things about the newest OS. Thanks Apple, such brilliant arrogance on display here.

As for Mr. Jack Apple, your username is off there a little on the last name. You can take your smugness and stick it up your Apple.

At the moment you can't - they can only be read in the iBooks app on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, so far Apple hasn't made a Mac or PC reader for them

To read purchased ebooks on your Air you will need to get them from one of the services which has an app for OS X, like Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Googlebooks.

Wish I'd found this before I spent a whole darn day trying to figure out how to open the ibooks on my macbook air, that my husband purchased on his ipad!😠

How pathetic ...come on Apple...this a basic thing! The whole point of 'Apple-ing' is to be able to share and sync with other Apple devices that one owns and has authorized. This is a major oversight...I'm off to Amazon...the books are often cheaper too!

They do try to tell everyone before they purchase, but a lot of people don't see it:

When I moved from PC's to Macs some years ago, it was because Mac just worked. Now it appears we have to read the small print for what Apple has not told us. I am now really tired of the number of things I can't do on my Mac. Not being able to read ebooks downloaded via iTunes is one of them. Good grief, I created a Windows Live account today to allow me to store and access documents from any computer. I can even use my Mobileme email address to do this. Sadly Apple don't provide this facility any more.

You can at least run Windows on your Mac:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2741

And unlike 6 years ago, that's been possible at native speeds ever since. All you need is a Mac with an Intel processor for native speeds.

pathetic +1...

One of the good things about the MacBook Air (especially 11.6") is its portability -- much like an iPad, iPhone, or reading tablet. This makes it ideal for the iBook. So it's ironic that, despite Apple Inc's marketing of the amazingly thin and portable MBA, they do not make the iBook app available in the App Store for Mac.

As Apple gets bigger, its corporate greed culture becomes more apparent. How tragic that it's doomed to being the victim of a future more nimble upstart that's counter-corporate greed and pro-'just make it cool and seamless' (just like Apple was).

They do just the opposite.

Apple's iCloud ads suggest that everything works seemlessly across all their products.

iPad books are supposed to use the ePub format, for which there's definitely OS X readers for. However, I've never bought an iPad book before so I don't know the specifics.

What's more, you can follow this tutorial about How to transfer and copy ePub books from iPad to Mac.

Hope it can help you.

maryhowardsen wrote:

iPad books are supposed to use the ePub format

You are a little confused, there is no such thing as "iPad books". You can get ebooks from the iBookstore or from another source. Books from the iBookstore can be .epub format or .ibooks format, and can either have or not have DRM protection. Books with DRM protection can only be read on an iOS device with the iBooks app, and .ibooks format can only be read on an iPad.

eBooks from other sources would normally be read on the free ereaders provided by the source, e.g. Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Googlebooks, which are available for both iOS and OS X devices.

The entire situation with iBooks not being available on my Mac computers has me using Kindle and Amazon forever.

I have never been so disgusted with Apple's proprietary ways, and am actually contemplating buying other computers and devices from here on in.

A formerly proud owner of an iMac, Macbook Pro, MacBook Air, iPhone and iPad...

not counting what the rest of my family uses!

Is anyone else as downright enfuriated by this as I am?

dowbright wrote:

Is anyone else as downright enfuriated by this as I am?

Over the last two years countless users have expressed similar feelings in multiple threads here, so you are certainly not alone.