According to some answers on Quora[1], textbooks are replaced closer to every 7 - 10 years, so, again, I suspect you're wrong in that they won't last as long. They're quite durable.

> I doubt there would be much iPad theft, and if there was, it wouldn't be too hard for Apple to provide technical solutions that make the schools iPads difficult to use and thus resell on the secondary market, much the same way the "Find my iPhone" lets you remotely wipe your phone. If school districts opted for this feature, the iPad could simply stop working if not connected to the internet for a week, and when it does connect to the internet, it checks to see if its been stolen and if so, wipes itself and renders itself inoperable.

I agree that there are some solutions, but given how much there is to be gained by someone figuring out how to bypass it, I wouldn't be surprised if someone figured out how to.

Even given that textbook theft and iPad theft will be equivalent in dollars (that is, for every iPad that's stolen 5 - 10 textbooks are stolen), I would still question that calculation. For example, the $15/textbook only holds when iBooks is not the sole distribution channel. When it is, publishers can set their own price.

Now, don't get me wrong, I would love for this to work. I think this is a great idea. I'm just frustrated that it only works on the iPad, rather than being open and having a great app for the iPad. Being able to transition into it by using laptops, computer labs and iPads simultaneously would just be so much easier.