This month I discuss the Accordance Bible app for iPad and iPhone in my monthly column for Christian Computing Magazine. Go check it out for free at the magazine website or view just the article in PDF here.
To get the app check out their site and find the link to the app store.
In the article I discuss some of the new features and what they did right and what they could improve in this update.
Rick Meyers, the talented programmer behind e-Sword, the free Bible software that found its way into the iPad app store, endured some questioning from Rueben Gomez of Bible Software Review. Under the word “endure” was meant as a friendly jab at brother Gomez.
The interview reveals some exciting things coming for e-Sword HD and I am thankful to Gomez for publishing this Q&A.
Most interesting to me is that Meyers hopes to add the ability to use user-created modules. e-Sword has a huge community of users who have created a vast library of user-created content. Like many, my copy of e-Sword has dozens of user-created modules that I’d like to use on my iPad.
Meyers also indicated that some more scholarly modules will come including Greek and Hebrew texts.
The most interesting exchange between Gomez and Meyers is below:
BSR: Given the fact that e-Sword has traditionally been considered freeware, how did you come to the conclusion that you were going to charge $4.99 for the iPad app? Is this a change in your philosophy as a Bible software developer?
RM: e-Sword is still free, so no change there. Everyone who begged me to create an iPad app said they would pay for it. So I made the large investment in development costs to create the app, thus I am holding them to their word
I don’t fault Meyers for charging. He’s given me so much by creating e-Sword, which I used exclusively for many years before God blessed me with my position at Christian Computing Magazine that gives me a chance to play with the best Bible Software on the market for nothing. I’m happy to fork over $5 for an excellent app and hope it grows in the number of excellent books available.
Laridian makes one of the best iPad apps for Digital Bible Study and now offers an option to export personally created information like notes, bookmarks and highlights. They announced the new feature on their company blog this week.
Laridian billed this as a way to create a book and then import it back into the program using Laridian’s book builder software, which went on sale for only $20, $10 less than the previous price. A premium version that lets users make books that can be resold costs just $50, down from $100.
So how do I get my content out of PocketBible. First, sync with the Laridian backup servers from within the app. By the way, this works with their Windows version too. From within the iPad app, go to your Settings page by tapping the last icon on the toolbar and choose Manage My Data. Select Sync My Data with Server.
Next, log into your Laridian account from their main page. The login sits at the top of the page. Then click on the My Data link, also at the top of the page.
From that page, about midway down, users can create one of three book types. Choose the Bible you want to use for verse ordering. This is important since some translations use non-standard verse orders and numbering. Most popular translations use the same one.
Pick a book time to make from the three options – Bookmark Dictionary, Note Commentary or Highlight Dictionary. The first and third can be added to PocketBible as dictionaries and the second as a commentary.
Bible students installed e-Sword on millions of computers around the world making it one of the most popular Bible software applications for Windows. Now the popular app brings the popular blend of function and simplicity to the iPad in e-Sword HD. The app’s simplicity of the app makes it a perfect for the iPad, another simple platform.
Users will recognize the format at the outset. The default translation opens, in the case of a newly installed version that’s the KJV+, with the plus standing for Strong’s numbers added to the basic KJV. The numbers function as links that when tapped show a popup definition window.
e-Sword HD on the iPad
Across the top the app shows a toolbar with the following buttons in order:
e-Sword HD on the Compare screen
Each of the above functions as expected. The comparison views let user see different translations in either an interlinear view with a new translations on each horizontal line. The parallel view offers translations in a table format with each translation in a column. When in one of these two views tapping the settings icon lets the user pick which translations will show up.
e-Sword HD Parallel View
Across the bottom of the screen the user funds tabs for the various kinds of books e-Sword offers. Here’s the list from left the right:
The simple interface makes Bible study easy. I like the popup references and the intuitive interface that makes learning how to use e-Sword HD easy. I’d like to see a dual pane view so that I can open a Bible on one side and a commentary or notes editor on the other side.
For an initial release, e-Sword did a great job of bringing their excellent free desktop program to the iPad. Unfortunately, it’s not free. Users must pay $4.99 for the app, which is expensive compared to other Bible apps that give the basic app to users for free or a buck and then charge for books. e-Sword differs from other free Bible apps because the user already gets a lot of great public domain and copyrighted content for free that other apps charge far more than $5 to use.
Proclaim worship software isn’t my favorite, but they do offer something that I don’t think anyone else gives to preachers – the ability to not only control their sermon presentation but also see their sermon notes. This benefits preachers like me who use their iPad or Android tablet for preaching instead of using printed notes.
The Proclaim Remote app will wireless control a Proclaim worship software presentation from an iPad, Android tablet or smartphone or even an iPhone or iPod Touch. The Remote app integrates sermon preaching notes into the control app. Pastors can control the slides from their pulpit or lectern as they preach. At the same time they will see their sermon notes. See the details at Logos.
Proclaim offers a lot of other tools for use like PowerPoint integration, incorporation of services like Song Select for song lyrics and multimedia services like Highway Media and Graceway Media. Worship leaders who use Planning Center Online can also integrate with the software.
The Proclaim Remote App on iPad
Proclaim runs on both Windows and Mac and comes from Logos Bible Software. They cost is based on a church’s worship attendance. Smaller churches pay as little as $10/month while large churches pay $20/month.
I’m not a fan of the Proclaim tool itself because it makes creating a worship presentation convoluted and clotted. It takes me much longer to build my sermon presentation than other tools, like my favorite MediaShout. I also don’t like the subscription model which forces people to keep paying.
Despite my qualms with Proclaim, it can offer some great options for those who use Song Select, want to subscribe to a media service and put together their sermon slides in PowerPoint to then import into Proclaim.
Logos updated their iOS app for Apple iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch and changed the name to Bible!, probably to get it higher in the search results sorted by alphabet. The new version still gives users access to most of their Logos books and resources while on the go, but adds some awesome new features bringing the app to version 3.0.
The biggest change you’ll notice are the new home page that looks a lot more like the Faithlife Study Bible app, the new panels that include the Passage Guide, Bible Word Study and the Text Comparison tool.
I really like the user interface of the Home page of the app. Notice above the Library view that shows either the book covers in a grid view or a list view (see below).
In the upper right panel the app shows once of 6 panels. In order they are as follows:
Above the Library list you’ll find the library search box where you can look up books by title, subject and author. The sort button lets users sort by Title, Author, User Rating and Recently opened books.
Next to the sort box the user interface shows two buttons that change between the list and grid views. Finally we get the button that shows the library in full screen mode.
Users will like the ability to still add notes and highlight passage. Searching for words and bookmarking them still exists. And the app lets users copy and paste to other apps.
Logos offers a great free app. I really like it and find it one of the best mobile Bible apps available on the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
I don’t like the button used to show the resource panel that slides out from the right side of the app. You’ll find it in the image above just to the left of the reference box and left arrow. The icon’s just too small and hard to tap with my big fingers. I would like to see Logos increase the size or make it accessible with a gesture like a two finger swipe from the left edge. In fact all of the toolbar icons are too small.
Some don’t like that it doesn’t work as well offline, but I’m not as worried since I use a 4G LTE iPad.
