With the possible introduction of the tablet looming (only a few hours to go), Apple looks to be ready to take the E-book platform by storm based on the slip by McGraw-Hill CEO. This isn't something we didn't already know but as I mentioned in my last article, the key to the tablet will be software and it's content distribution platform.

The Kindle has been the most successful E-book by far, and yes people want color and yes people want magazines but providing this alone will not push the Apple tablet to new heights. The integration of various types of content will undoubtedly give them the upper hand and the ability of indie writers to create, publish and distribute their work using iTunes will be awesome but at the end of the day, what the people really want is good software integration.

Touch gestures will be nice, swiping to turn a page will look pretty but the ability to make and share notes easily, markup text, track changes, and collaborate will seal the deal.

Imagine using a textbook with a pen, the teacher speaks, you make a note in your notebook, scratch some shorthand in your textbook between the lines for reference, add tabs to pages to indicate important sections, highlight a paragraph and coordinate this between the textbook and your notebook.

Now imagine carrying one device. You load your textbook, pick a color and swipe your finger across words, then hold to highlight. You press and hold and select note from the pop up menu. A keyboard pops up and you type in your note or mark it up with a stylus quickly. A little bookmark appears at the point you selected with a reference page for quick indexing later. Your friend asks about that paragraph later, you select your note from the index, hit a button and send it to them with full page and paragraph reference.

The professor is now in the next chapter and makes a reference to the previous one. You select the relevant text, and create a link to the mentioned section in the previous chapter so you can find it next time.

You go home and sync to your main computer, edit your paper and load up Safari to go to iWork online where you meet with a fellow collaborator for your school paper. You write and chat at the same time, maybe using video while referencing your notes from earlier. You copy, paste and share. The paper is written, you click and email to all collaborators and the professor. Now time to relax and watch a movie or stream that TV show you missed while working.

This is just an example of the kind of software I expect from Apple. To do this and differentiate itself from competitors, Apple has probably created a new e-book format along with the standard versions just like they did with AAC for audio. This will stop other companies easily adopting this unless they buy into the Apple standard, which if widely adopted in the tablet will become the de facto standard.

Many things need to be done... One tablet to do them all (hopefully).