The Apple iBookstore has gone live for people whom have purchased iPad’s and live outside the USA. If you live in the UK, Canada and other countries you will notice the iBookstore to be a lackluster experience. Currently the iBooks App only offers classics and free books and does not have the extensive book list that USA based users enjoy, such as Best Sellers.
This is all fine and well if you are just interested in older books and free books but International users are complaining in droves that they feel left out. This is a boon for Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other companies that offer their full library of books available via their proprietary applications.
Although the lack of new books at all on the iBookstore is pitiful, things may change towards the end of the month when the iPad sees more international exposure.
If you want full access right now to the USA version of the iBookstore and you live internationally, your best bet is to buy a USA iTunes coupon on EBAY, and open a USA account on your iPad and for payment use your USA iTunes voucher. This is a verified work-around method that works for people living anywhere outside of the USA. Although, keep in mind, if you use this method and make book purchases, they will be locked to that specific USA account you made.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
