Apple's latest announcement may have nothing to do with the entertainment industry, but it's a clear signal that this tech giant is interested in branching out far beyond its current fields of interest.

At a press conference today in New York, the company rolled out a new version of iBooks that is squarely targeted at the educational marketplace – specifically primary and high school.

Textbook that are included under the iBooks 2 umbrella (which became available Thursday) will be interactive, full-screen digital versions of the classroom standards that use video and animations, along with the familiar swiping and pinching gestures.

Additionally, the company introduced a new version of iTunes, which will focus on iTunes U. Previously, that learning program was focused at a college and post-grad audience. Now, the company's opening it up to K-12.

The emphasis for now is on high school books, which will cost $15 or less. Early publishing partners include Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Together, those companies control roughly 90 percent of the market. Additionally, Apple is also working with DK Publishing to create books for younger audiences.

Angry Birds gets most of the spotlight when it comes to big money apps, but Epic Games has got legitimate crowing rights as well.

Infinity Blade, the action swordplay franchise from Epic's ChAIR Entertainment division, has now topped $30 million in revenue – with the sequel taking in $5 million in just one month.

"The success of the Infinity Blade franchise is testament to our talented team who is devoted to making games we want to play, all while using Unreal Engine technology to redefine what is expected from games on iOS devices," said Epic Games president Mike Capps. "We have so much more in store for players, and will continue to make great content for Apple's evolving platforms."

The game offers some of the top graphics on the iPhone and iPad, using a modified version of the graphics engine that powers titles like Gears of War and Batman: Arkham City. Beyond the two titles in the app store, the franchise also includes a digital novella, a soundtrack and an arcade game.

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board is about to expand its territory.

The ESRB and CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) have called a press conference for next week to announce a new rating system for mobile applications – an area the video game ratings board has had an interest in for some time.

At present, there's no real standard when it comes to app ratings. Apple uses its own system, while Google's Android Market lets developers rate their own applications. The new system, say the organizations will be "based on age-appropriateness of [the apps'] content and context".

The ESRB's game rating system is one of the most widely praised in the entertainment industry – and currently covers some 21,000 titles. While the group would almost certainly like to see the E, E10, T, M and AO ratings make their way to the app world, there has been some resistance previously.

The details about the new system will be revealed Nov. 29.

Bob Iger, Disney president and CEO, is joining the Board of Directors at Apple.

The company today announced his appointment to the board as well as the company's audit committee. At the same time, long-time board member Arthur Levinson (co-founder of Genentech) has been named chairman.

“Bob and I have gotten to know one another very well over the past few years and on behalf of the entire board, we think he is going to make an extraordinary addition to our already very strong board,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “His strategic vision for Disney is based on three fundamentals: generating the best creative content possible, fostering innovation and utilizing the latest technology, and expanding into new markets around the world which makes him a great fit for Apple.”

Iger hasn't been formally associated with Apple before, but he certainly has been up to speed on the company's operations. Iger and Steve Jobs served together at Disney, following the Mouse House's acquisition of Pixar in 2006. It was Iger, in fact, who managed to mend the rift between the companies, following a showdown between Steve Jobs and Michael Eisner. 

The rumor mill is, somewhat predictably, in overdrive about an Apple-built television set these days, following mention of it in Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs. And some of what's being talked about is pretty fascinating – assuming it's not just an elaborate game of telephone.

The latest suggestion is that the set, collectively dubbed iTV, will feature extensive voice control that's run by Siri, the intelligent assistant that's the star of the iPhone 4S.

Nick Bilton of the New York Times, says an Apple-made set "is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when." The project, he maintains, has been in the works for years – with origins that could reach as far back as 2007. However, the company still has a lot of work left to do.

"It’s the stuff of science fiction, " writes Bilton. "You sit on your couch and rather than fumble with several remotes or use hand gestures, you simply talk: 'Put on the last episode of Gossip Girl.' 'Play the local news headlines.' 'Play some Coldplay music videos.' Siri does the rest."

The TV market could be a lucrative one for the company. Barclays predicts that even excluding content deals, Apple could generate an additional $19 billion in revenue a year from an iTV.

As Walter Isaacson's fascinating biography of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs continues to dominate best seller lists, PBS is offering its own take on the tech and new media mogul.

"Steve Jobs – One Last Thing" will premiere on the network Nov. 2 (10pm ET), featuring interviews with a number of people who knew him well.

Included in that bunch are Ronald Wayne, co-founder of Apple with Jobs and Steve Wozniak; Ross Perot, who invested in NeXT Computer when Jobs was running out of money; Walt Mossberg, principal technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal, who interviewed Jobs every year from 2003-2010; Dean Hovey, designer of the original mouse for Apple; and Bill Fernandez, who introduced Jobs and Wozniak in Sunnyvale, where the three hung out in his father’s garage and tinkered with electronics.

The documentary will also include clips from an unaired 1994 interview with Jobs where he shares some thoughts on life.

It's an interesting mix, but the trick will be including information that Isaacson's extensive bio doesn't – and that hasn't been widely disseminated in news reports covering the book.

Pioneer Productions produced the documentary for Channel 4 (UK) and PBS. It was funded by PBS, Channel 4 and Mentorn International.

The long standing whisper in the consumer electronics space has been that Apple is working to find a way to innovate in the television industry as radically as it had impacted the music, telecommunications and tablet fields.

Now, with the launch of Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, those whispers are becoming a roar.

Isaacson quotes Jobs as saying he struggled with the idea of an integrated television set that was as easy to use as other Apple products – but towards the end of his life, he found a solution he liked

From the book:

"'I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,' he told me. 'It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.' No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. 'It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.'"

The revelation – just one paragraph amidst over 600 pages – has got analysts in a tizzy. Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, who has been pushing Apple to make TV more than a "hobby" for years, says he believes an Apple TV could debut by late 2012 or early 2013. Prototypes, he says, are already in the works.

User interface has been a growing concern for television manufacturers – and many feel the set is due for a makeover, given the ever-increasing amount of content that's being offered to consumers.

"Manufacturers often like to build closed systems -- and that makes it difficult to integrate them with each other," says Craig Engler, senior vice president and g.m. of Syfy Digital. "It could be that Apple does for the television industry what it did for tablets: create a new standard that everyone follows."

The speculation could be misplaced, though. Isaacson, in a conversation with CNET, further addressed the Apple-manufactured TV comment, saying "They weren't close at all. He told me it was very theoretical. These were theoretical things they were thinking about in the future."

While some may have grumbled that the latest iPhone didn't have a 5 at the end of its name, that doesn't seem to have stopped them from running out to get one.

Apple reports that opening weekend sales of the iPhone 4S have set a new record, selling more than 4 million units over its debut weekend. That's more than double the amount the iPhone 4 sold when it hit shelves.

Part of the credit for that, of course, is the expanded number of carriers. When the iPhone 4 hit, AT&T was the only mobile company to stock it. (Verizon became a carrier several months later.) This time, both carriers – and Sprint – had the phone on day one.

iPhone 4S sales aren't all Apple has to crow about, though. The company announced that over 25 million users have downloaded iOS 5 so far, while some 20 million users have created iCloud accounts. 

Steve Jobs never had a lot of interest in the video game world, but that didn't stop Apple from accidentally becoming one of the most influential companies in the industry.

Now, the founder of Valve Software, makers of the acclaimed "Half-Life" series and Steam digital distribution system, says he believes Apple could make Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo's consoles irrelevant at some point in the future.

"I suspect Apple will launch a living room product that redefines people's expectations really strongly and the notion of a separate console platform will disappear," said Gabe Newell at the WTIA TechNW conference Tuesday.

It's a bold prediction – and Newell noted he has no advance knowledge of Apple's plans - but Newell's track record makes him worth listening to. Valve's bet on Steam, long before digital distribution had come of age, has made the company the industry leader in PC game sales.

Apple, of course, has severely disrupted the handheld gaming business with the iPhone and iPod Touch. Sales of the Nintendo 3DS have been weak for a number of reasons, but one of those was consumers opting to spend their money on a multi-function device, rather than a dedicated handheld game system.

The living room is the battleground of consoles – and many have been adjusting their strategies to expand their audience. Sony has added original programming to the PlayStation 3 in recent years and Microsoft last week announced 40 content providers it was partnering with to stream live and on-demand programming through its Xbox 360.

Apple, too, has an interest in the living room. The company's Apple TV hasn't been an overwhelming hit to date, but has a respectable user base. If Apple were to blend that system with a gaming device that does redefine expectations, as Newell, predicts, it could represent a paradigm shift in the industry.

The death of Apple co-founder and tech visionary Steve Jobs was something we all suspected was coming, but still were shocked to hear had occurred. His impact on the entertainment and tech industries is something that will be measured for years to come.

As news of his passing spread Wednesday night, impressions and condolences came flowing from all corners of the entertainment and technology worlds. Here is a collection of some of those tributes:

Steve Jobs' Family - Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.

In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.

We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.

Disney CEO Bob Iger - Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed and the culture he defined. Steve was such an 'original,' with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates - I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch - Today, we lost one of the most influential thinkers, creators and entrepreneurs of all time. Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation. While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I'm reminded of the stunning impact he had in revolutionizing the way people consume media and entertainment. My heart goes out to his family and to everyone who had the opportunity to work beside him in bringing his many visions to life.

Cary Sherman, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Assn. of America - Like all music fans, we are saddened to hear of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was a larger-than-life personality -- passionate about music and one of its biggest fans and advocates. He was a true visionary who forever transformed how fans access and enjoy music. With the introduction of the iTunes software and other platforms, Steve and Apple made it once again easy and accepted to pay for music. His legacy will live on, long past his all-too-short time on earth.