It's important to note that while Steve Jobs unveiled an amazing piece of hardware with cool software and a great price point, he did not announce any innovations to the business of selling content online. The iBook store is just like other ebook stores only with higher prices and a little more control for publishers (in fact, it seems just like the unpopular Scrollmotion app's exact model, really, with a smidge more concession to consumers on pricing). There was no video subscription plan, no new way to pay for digital versions of print products, no iTunes for magazines, no micropayments scheme, no game-changing price cuts on TV clips, no cloud-based sharing of media files across all a person's devices, no iTunes.com etc.

It's quite possible that these are to come, that negotiations will be finished before the iPad actually arrives. I don't know. But without some creativity and innovation on the business side, I don't think the iPad can save anyone.

It's important to note that while Steve Jobs unveiled an amazing piece of hardware with cool software and a great price point, he did not announce any innovations to the business of selling content online. The iBook store is just like other ebook stores only with higher prices and a little more control for publishers (in fact, it seems just like the unpopular Scrollmotion app's exact model, really, with a smidge more concession to consumers on pricing). There was no video subscription plan, no new way to pay for digital versions of print products, no iTunes for magazines, no micropayments scheme, no game-changing price cuts on TV clips, no cloud-based sharing of media files across all a person's devices, no iTunes.com etc.

It's quite possible that these are to come, that negotiations will be finished before the iPad actually arrives. I don't know. But without some creativity and innovation on the business side, I don't think the iPad can save anyone.