We took step one of getting our iPad version of PocketBible released by handing it off to our beta testers this afternoon. We have one known issue we’re still working on, plus whatever our testers find in the next few days.
Our intention (as always) is to have a very brief beta. You never know what you’re going to run into, but the code has been working well for us in-house and we’re hoping the beta testers have the same experience.
As I’ve mentioned before, Apple limits the number of devices we can install to outside the App Store. We have 46 beta testers, many of whom have multiple devices. 14 of them have iPads. That doesn’t include our own employees and company-owned devices. Between all of those we’re right on the edge of not being able to add new devices to our list. With iPhone 4 coming in June we didn’t think it was a good idea to add any beta testers at this point. So you didn’t miss the announcement — there wasn’t one.
While we’ve been promoting this as an iPad version, the fact is that it’s a “universal binary” that runs on both the iPhone and iPad. Many of the new or improved features are also going to be available on the iPhone (and of course, iPod touch). Here’s the feature list in no particular order:
BOTH iPHONE and iPAD
- User data synchronization with iPocketBible.com server
- User data backup/restore to iPocketBible.com server
- Screen brightness setting (Dim the screen for reading at night independent of the backlight setting)
- Multiple panes (Two for iPhone, five for iPad. View multiple books simultaneously, or multiple passages in the same book)
- Decreased page-loading time (thus launch time)
- Splash screen now covers window drawing, then fades (OK, not exactly a feature, but it’s cool)
- Gradiated title bars
- Calculator-style go-to for Bibles (Select the book, then use numeric pad to enter chapter and verse)
- Notes list now shows excerpt of note instead of excerpt of verse
- Improved error messages when nothing is found as the result of a search. Try to tell you how to fix it.
- Updated help
iPAD
- Control panel (Keeps search results and lists of notes, highlights and bookmarks available all the time.)
- Library search (All searches search your entire library, not just the active book)
- Notes search (Search your notes using Boolean operators, just like you search the Bible)
- Book notes (Add notes to non-Bibles)
- Edit note while using program (Makes it easier to copy/paste verses into your notes)
- View search results, lists of highlights/bookmarks while using program
- Lock panes so they don’t sync to content movement (Handy while writing notes or following cross-references out of a search)
- Additional margin and leading in single-book view (Makes for a pleasant reading experience)
- Bk/Ch/Vs go-to has bigger buttons for iPad; laid out 10 buttons wide
- Removed “lock rotation” setting. iPad has a hardware switch for this.
- New title bar style
I’ll post more screen shots and videos this week. Your patience will pay off in the end. 
Thanks for clearing this up Craig. For me even if I notated every verse in the Bible, the volume of my notes would be less than that of your typical commentary.
Craig.
I got the iPad. My main reason for using it will be for Bible study and the Net. The basic Mac still won’t be replaced.
In multiple panes is it possible to fix a “home pane” that won’t change in the non synchronized mode. Even in non synchronized mode the panes tend to jump around.
Also (I know I am asking a lot.), is it possible to have a “go to for scripture pane” in the non synchronized mode?
My reason for asking all of this is because in a Bible study class it is important to not lose focus on the specific scripture being studied. Having a designated home pane would solve this problem. After a “rabbit trail” excursion, a simple synchronization to the home page would quickly recenter the study.
Also, if there was a way to have a pane designated as a “Scripture go to” would also be helpful. For instance, if I am studying a verse in The Treasury, it would be nice if the Treasury pane didn’t change as I looked at various verses referenced. I could simply look at the designated scripture pane for the verses. This would be so much more efficient.
Since I am on a roll, I might as well keep going. Is it possible to have a few choices as to what panes are synchronized? I doubt this would be possible, because of the programming involved.
On more thing (for now–don’t you love it?), is it possible to have a couple of buttons that can change, depending on the function desired by the user? For instance, I would probably want a synchronize/non synchronize button.
I do feel that the iPad will become my main Bible study for group study. For intensive home study, probably not. But I have two groups per week. It will get a lot of use.
And dreaming………..parsing and tensing……….
I sure love what you have done so far.
Larry.
Stupid me.
I found out that if I keep two Bible panes open on the left, then the upper left pain becomes the Bible changing pane for verses requested from studies in the right column. The lower left Bible pane doesn’t change, and can be used as a centering pane when synchronized. This all is only true as long as two Bible panes are open on the left column.
Sorry. I should have explored more before posting. Just like Peter, “ready, fire, aim…..”
Larry
Larry,
If you turn off synchronization in the Settings menu, then the only time the contents of a pane will change is if you request it.
If you select a Bible link in a reference book, then the program attempts to satisfy that link by first seeing if the active book can handle it (assuming it’s not a Bible, that will never be true), then it looks for a visible Bible. Finding none, it will try to open your preferred Bible. If it finds that Bible open in any other pane, it will make it active and use that pane.
If you haven’t selected a preferred Bible, it will look for any open (but not currently visible) Bible in the active pane. If there are no open Bibles in the active pane, it will look for an open (but not currently visible) Bible in the inactive panes. If it finds any of those, it will make that Bible visible in its pane and make that pane active.
Finally, as a last resort, it will find any installed Bible that can handle the link and open it in the current pane.
There are a number of considerations when thinking about how to use panes. One is to always have a Bible open and visible in one of your panes so it can handle any links that might come along. If you don’t normally use the NRSV or NAB (two Bibles that include the apocrypha) but you own them, consider having them open but not visible in your “Bible pane”. Then if a link to the apocrypha occurs in your reference books, you’ll be able to satisfy the link in your “Bible pane”.
As you discovered, by opening a Bible in another pane other than pane 1 (upper left) you can keep that Bible in the same position regardless of link activity.
You might also consider using bookmarks for keeping track of a key verse that you want to return to.
Don’t forget to take a few minutes to read through the built-in Help when you get a chance. It has a lot of good information about how the program works.
Craig,
It seems this board is a conversation between me and you.
I changed my mind. This Bible format on the iPad is quickly becoming my major Bible study tool, no matter where. The ability to see 4 or 5 panes ALL AT THE SAME TIME puts Bible study into high gear.
Being able to bookmark an entire study is a step forward. You have to push the “done” or “space” key when you want to edit and add a new category. This wasn’t mentioned in the “help” section. A bookmarked new category can focus a new topic or study.
I am looking forward to using notes. Especially with the keyboard. The keyboard is pretty amazing, although a mouse would help a bit. Being able to search and save notes to the Laridian memory bank will be a plus. No searching or external saving of notes in the older iPhone edition was a negative.
I feel like a kid in a sand box.
Larry
When will versions be out for Android platform?
I have a major investment with my PalmOS Bible programs from Laridian.
Thanks
Read about Android by selecting the Android topic link on the left. In particular, take a look at this article.
Craig,
Is there any chance you’ll be releasing a Bible marking system (Say a la Kay Arthur) or the ability to highlight individual words as an option to entire verses in future releases. I use Kay’s system but am currently limited to print Bibles, if I want to do her inductive method marking.
Thanks for continuing to improve an already great product. I’ve been using Laridian products since my Palm Pilot and Compaq Aero days and you never cease to amaze me with the next product out. I’m saving for my iPad now….
Bill
Bill,
It’s unlikely we’ll do this in the near near future, but it’s on the list of features to consider in the future (word highlighting, not necessarily any specific features of Kay Arthur’s system).
Hi,
I’ve had Laridian bible on my Lifedrive Mobile Manager (Palmone) for like forever and I just love it! I recently saw you have apps for the iphone and iPad and that is so exciting! However, for some reason, I’m not finding it as easy to navigate as I did with the one on the lifedrive. Looks like this app needs a lot of “studying” to be able to use it, and I haven’t been able to go through the guide, so I get frustrated when I use it and find it’s not so user friendly; so for now I was forced to go to the other iPad bible app I was using. It will be nice if an average person can just pick it up and navigate conveniently right from the start (like you guys did with the life drive); and not have to re-read the guide once you stop using the app for a while. Anyway, still trying to see how I can get a hang of this:)