App Profile: Pearson eText | Global

brian_8155

Rating: 4/5

Have no clue as to how useable this app is. Was able to find the A & P book in the bookshelf, tapped do download, then gets stuck at 90% "Synching Notes and Bookmarks". Have tried downloading on two separate devices (both up to date) using both WiFi and cellular networks, and result is the same. Waited an hour for said note and bookmark sync to happen (which I have none as I have yet to access the ebook). A bit frustrated, but should be able to access the ebook via web browser. So cannot comment on performance, but functionality gets a shiny, tiny, little star because I no longer wonder what you are. Deleted. UPDATE: Downloaded app again after updated apparently the same day as the review? Regardless, I am definitely able to download the textbook. I do have some thoughts and will reserve for when experience accumulates. Thankful for basic function Pearson and changing initial rating.

infinitemushroom

Rating: 1/5

I cannot stress you how bad the interface is! I have trouble toggling between one page and two page view on my iPad. This app magically decides if I want to read in one page view one day and two page view another. I have looked everywhere on this app to find a way to view it in one page view because it’s better for split view on my iPad. I can’t seem to find in. I’ve wasted countless hours by now trying to zoom into words every time I switch from writing notes and back to the eText because it just won’t let me view it in one page view where the clarity is much better. Update: the only solution to having it in one page view is to uninstall and reinstall the app. It only works until you rotate the screen. The app then keeps you in two page view until it decides it wants you to view in one page. I’m very frustrated in this. Another bug is when I rotate my iPad, the book just flips to random pages. This is quite annoying because I have to constantly go back to the table of contents and find the page I was on earlier. Edit: it’s been months since I’ve written the above. Still no fix to my issue. I’ve resorted to displaying the textbook on my monitor and using my iPad simultaneously. I have to crane my neck back and forth between my iPad to take notes and to the monitor to read. I wish there wasn’t a problem with the app not allowing me to switch from single page view so that split screen on my iPad would actually work.

Aarfuc

Rating: 1/5

I would be at least semi-okay with Pearson is a massive education conglomerate with highly distasteful business practices. I would at least be semi-okay with that if their products weren’t horrible. This company is cashing in on the “Ed tech” trend based on clout alone, because their actual digital products are miserable to use. The books on this app are not optimized to read on mobile formats like other ereader apps. The pages are just the plain old pdf which makes the words extremely small on a phone screen. There is no way to zoom to a preferred setting and have it stay that way - you have to re-adjust after flipping every page. The table of contents does not have page numbers. It does not allow tapping on a chapter title to go to the beginning of that chapter, I have to go to the first sub-heading and then flip back to the beginning of the chapter myself. This is a horrendous product for a company with so many resources. As big of a company as Pearson is, you’d think they could put together a killer ereader app. I pray for the day a thoughtful company comes along which actually cares about education and disrupts Pearson to oblivion. It’s ripe for the picking, because this company’s products and business practices are rotten.