Multi-Media Ebook and App Disappointment



Let's back-up a bit. The real reason I started to publish "The Perfect Husband App" was to try the new software at ibuildapp.com in order to convert my children's narrated ebook, "Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy" as a narrated app.  After struggling with the audio, I went back to interactbuilder.com which I had been trying to use about a year ago.  That lets a user create really great looking mobile apps, but there is quite a cost involved. PLUS, I myself, find that software hard to use.  I then tried talespring.com last to use their software, and that has possibilities except I don't have a MAC and while I can create in that platform, I can't test it out to make corrections, etc.  To use Apple's iBuild Author software which creates multi-media books, one would need a MAC 10.7 (LIon) or beter which retails at about $999. Bookbaby.com, the company with which I have published "Lucky..." for Kindle, Nook, etc. is not doing narrated apps at the moment.  I contacted B-interacktive in Germany and they seemed interested in exploring whether they would create an app for me, but I haven't heard back from them.  I tried Desktop Author's epagewiz which creates page-turning ebooks like my narrated, page-turning online ebook at www.leftpawedpuppy.com, but when your app then goes into the Desktop Author ebook store and when you download apps you have to use their app reader to run the software and finding a book app with Desktop Author app is a nightmare.  So you might be able to see why I'm frustrated and disappointed.

All the forums keep saying getting a multi-media book made is "on the cutting edge."  I say, "It's NOT on the cutting edge because software engineers are doing it throughout the world as evidenced by the narrated children's apps that are out there.

My conclusion is this:  There seems to be a big problem with integrating audio with images for apps.  Somehow, some software coders who have figured it out are doing it and are charging a large sum for having accomplished this.  Here's my prediction - whoever comes up with a Do-It-Yourself piece of software that allows authors like me to integrate narration with images will have a multi-million dollar company.  I wish my software husband could do it for me, but apparently you need C++ or Objective C or some other C thing to do it!  With 12 computer languages in my guy's brilliant head, and more than 40 years of programming under his belt, he's not inclined to tackle any more languages.  Who can blame him?  Not me, but we do need a software hero to come swooping down and let creative children authors go to town.  We'd pay!  Because as a group, we may be a little cash poor, I'd say $150 for such software would be tolerable.  If there are any super-heroes out there who can create this wysiwyg, diy software for multi-media ebooks, show forth thyself!