In a recent post, I asked if you were still using a print version Bible along with PocketBible. Although not a scientific survey, of forty-some comments via Facebook and the web, around 35% of you are still using print regularly and another 20% are using it occasionally – mostly for personal study at home or in preaching (we still can’t trust electronic entirely!). I related to the person who mentioned that he uses print so he is not distracted by emails, texts, Facebook, etc. when he is trying to read the Bible. I can further add that a printed Bible does not attract the notice of children (or adults) in the same manner that an electronic device does, giving the printed Word another advantage for quiet times. In summary, the electronic and print still seem to offer something that cannot be replaced entirely by the other. Although I couldn’t help but notice a certain “extra” enthusiasm about PocketBible from the iPad owners.
I’ve always thought the iPad looked cool but there’s no way I’d part with $500 for what I consider to be a non-essential electronic device. However, your comments intrigued me and I was able to borrow an iPad and use it for the last week or so. Let’s just say, I “get” your enthusiasm. I haven’t felt this way about a device since I first got my iPhone. As a personal study tool and a replacement for a paper Bible, I can’t imagine anything better. However, if I prepared Bible studies or wrote sermons, I think I would continue to use PocketBible for Windows at my desktop. And, of course, PocketBible on my iPhone would be used because I always have my phone with me. But, yes, PocketBible for iPad along with all the other features of the iPad is making $500 seem like a wise investment rather than an extravagance.
What’s to love about the iPad?
1. iPads are more portable than a laptop and they turn on instantly. I don’t carry my laptop around the house and it sure doesn’t turn on instantly even from sleep mode.
2. It still has that “geeky-cool” factor (as one customer put it) and everything, including PocketBible, game apps, web sites, looks great on it.
3. PocketBible for iPad. It beats out PocketBible for iPhone in my book for one really important reason: screen size. For the first time, I’m using the split screen option regularly – up to 5 windows open on the iPad is amazing. The extra buttons on the toolbar and the extra toolbox make changing settings and adding highlights and bookmarks easier. And I love that the search feature shows results for all my books instead of just the current one. On the iPad, there is more room to spread out and, for me, that makes it more enjoyable to use.
iPad owners, am I missing anything about PocketBible or the iPad in general?
I own almost all of the copies of texts in paper version but with progressive limited vision, the texts are all too small for me to see. iPad to my rescue. In addition to Kindle for iPad I use Pocketbible all the time. I am a 2 month retired pastor who used the iPad for Sunday scripture, S.S. class, Staff devotions, Bible Studies, etc.
I can now use my favorite NIV Study bible at the same time with the Life Application Bible and the dictionary, maps etc. It truly changed my ministry and life. I can not say enough to thank you guys for your contribution to my ministry and spiritual life.
Written on Jim’s iPad
I have been a QuickVerse user since your first release through Parsons (still use 4.0g daily).
I never thought I had a need for a mobile device until my wife bought me a Kindle. I really enjoy it but of course just being a reader it is very limited.
My wife has an iPad2 and thought I needed one also.
I put PocketBible on it and was astounded! I almost bought an iPad2 JUST to run PocketBible.
However, I bought a Xoom instead because I feel that it is a far superior tablet.
The PocketBible search and Goto speeds on her iPad2 are blindingly fast. I have tried a number of other Bible apps on both the iPad2 and the Xoom and NOTHING is in the same league as PocketBible.
I’m really hoping that I’ll see a Honeycomb OS PocketBible with the functionality that the iOS version has.
Thanks for the great Bible software you’ve given us through the years.
James
My wife and I both have iPad’s and iPhones and we use them every day for Bible reading, study and of course devotionals. Thanks for a great app. I have referred at least 10 friends to the app and they are using it.
Few suggestions:
As a multidevice user, the one feature I would like (and maybe it exists) is to have a “quick bookmark” that syncs. That way I can quickly bookmark where I am in my daily reading and then do study, but then quickly return to where I left off. This is even more powerful if the bookmark would sync. (Basically kindle like reading experience).
Regarding sync, I do find the current sync model a little old school. (click settings, click my data, sync, wait for it to finish syncing). The kindle sync model is really perfect. It sends small updates in the background and doesn’t interfere with the user model at all. This is where an inexpensive subscription plan might make sense, help you offset the cost of the servers but also give us a slightly more intuitive syncing process.
I would also love if the toolbar was customizable, so that I could add shortcuts to my favorit features (like quickly toggling the number of panes visible).
It would also be nice to turn off the animations that occur when moving between books. I have about 3 or four books open in one pane. While the animation creates a beautiful page turning affect, when you are doing serious study it is nice to move quickly between books. If I need to move down 3 books from where I am, the animation is overkill and slow (even on my iPad 2).
Finally, I am also a developer and I am experimenting with the new multitasking gestures available for developers (4.3.3, enable via xcode). It allows moving between other books in my kindle and PB with a swipe of 4 fingers across the screen. it is brilliant. However, I notice that when I come back to PB via the multitasking gesture and click on the “Goto” button, I have to tap the button twice for it to react. My guess is PB is still a little confused about the new gesture API. it is a small thing, but I mention it none the less.
CK,
Thanks for the suggestions. Some brief comments:
Our sync may be “old school” but nobody else is doing it. It does not require a constant, battery-draining connection. It could be improved, and I would like it to be in real-time, but let’s not forget to appreciate the fact that it is cutting-edge compared to the competition.
The animation when switching books serves to let you know the switch happened. With no animation, it’s easy to miss the change. The disturbing effect of having no animation is the very reason there IS animation.
To move quickly between books, tap the title bar and select the book you want to switch to.
I would argue if the new task-switching gesture confuses PocketBible it’s because the new gesture is buggy. Hopefully Apple will fix it so that hundreds of thousands of apps don’t have to be modified to work around this bug in the OS.
Just got my first Apple product. 1st gen IPad. Couldn’t wait for the full Android product. (Though I will be purchasing that when it is available.) This IPad version is sweet. However, I’ve found a typo in a link in a commentary. Is there a way to submit the information? It is not major, but I was quite surprised to find a mistake. I have only had the thing one day.
I love the PB, and have used it for years on my Palms, then my iPhone, and now my iPad. I’m surprised there is so little mentioned about taking sermon notes. I love being able to put my notes right on the verse. I’m an associate pastor so I’m not speaking every Sunday, but do like to have the easy access to previous notes when studying for teaching & other speaking opportunities. I would also like to add my deep desire to be able to have this great program on my new Mac.
Like many of you, I wouldn’t part with $5 much less $500 or $900 for an Apple product. (I know many of you love Apple but I’m not drinking the Kool Aid) However, my work told me otherwise and they paid for it so I carry the thing from place to place. I have been taking my iPad the church for bible study and worship for about 3 months. It has been a novelty to many and I especially had to fight the kids off for a few weeks. After decided to be “Bad Guy” and say NO, the boys have backed off. Only one can play at a time anyway and I suggested they do something they can all do together. Thank you Craig for making PocketBible a purchase once program used across many platforms. The iPad has been nice tool to have in church just from being able to look up Greek word and meanings and quickly look at other translations. Like having my study library handy at my fingertips. My general feeling about iPad is that I will not be replacing any of my computers for it. For home Bible study and lesson preparation I will be using my PC. Jumping between PocketBible books and word processor is 10 times faster on the PC. Personal Bible reading….still have my trusty Bible where I can flip and find things. A 30 year friend is hard to give up. In summary, I like the iPad app just fine. Wouldn’t mind throwing Apple overboard, but that is a personal preference. Can’t wait for the Android and HP TouchPad versions. I’ll probably invest personal money in some other similar device.
I love PocketBible on my iPad but there are a few enhancements which would improve even further its usability to me and they are:-
The ability to select which books are searched when a find is run. I have I think 18 bibles and loads of commentaries and dictionaries on my iPad and quite honestly it takes an age to search through them and whilst the search process is going on the touch interface doesn’t work very well. If I could choose which books are searched in the settings menu then I would cut out many of the books and just get results for my favourite books.
The other thing which I submitted to you a couple of years ago and which you said you thought was a good idea, was the ability to give names to the Highlighting colours that are meaningful to me. I am sure that you are aware that there are bibles which are produced which have a key at the beginning describing what colours represent what topic or facet of scripture.
Apart from these two things I have been a very appreciative customer of Laridian for I think about 10 years or more. Well done for making such a great resource available to the Body of Christ. Thank you.
While I love my iphone pocketbible and use it regularly, and I used the pocketbible on my ipad and ipad2 before I sold them, I am looking forward to your Android version. I used pocketbible on my Win Mobile phone for years and can relate to many of the comments here, but frankly I find that using a bible software pkg. on the larger screen of a tablet computer is more enjoyable.
iPad is the perfect platform for PocketBible. While I loved PB for iPhone I still used a print Bible for the vast majority of my reading and never found the study tools especially useful. With the iPad able to have 3 or more books open at the same time Pocket Bible is vastly more useful for Bible Study. I still have a print Bible I use for my morning reading, but for all other uses I now use PB for iPad.
My only quibble is, when are you going to get the NIV 2011 for PocketBible?? It’s been out for quite a while now and I would really love to add it to my PocketBible collection. Still using TNIV as my preferred NIV version.
Paul, I’ve tried to write a summary of our discussions with Zondervan over the last few years with respect to the NIV 2011 and other Zondervan titles, but I can’t do so without using language and divulging information that is better kept private. Unfortunately the result is that Laridian looks like the incompetent party here, since everyone else has the NIV 2011 and we don’t, and you can’t see what’s been going on behind the scenes. We are assured we will have a contract soon. I need to stop now and go take my blood pressure medication. Glad to hear you’re enjoying PocketBible on your iPad.
I’ve been using Laridian products since 2003. I certainly appreciate Laridian keeping up with technology since I’ve had Laridian products on several platforms–pocket PC, Palm, Windows Mobile, iPhone, now iPad which I really like because of the screen size. I’ve had the iPad less than a week and used it at last night’s Bible Study looking up words in Strong’s. Had 4 versions open at the same time. Worked great! I still use print Bibles because I’ve marked them up so much and it’s easy for me to find what I’m looking for.
I’ve been paper free at Church fo a year now, I have used your program since the pocket pc. But held on to my printed bible for note taking until I navigated to the iPad. Screen size and multiple screens are terrific. I love the idea of naming the highlight colors, I can never remember what color I wanted with which topic. I’ve been using bookmarks for that lately, another great feature.
Thank you for making the most used program on my iPad.
I think that Pocket Bible for the iPad is fantastic and I use it daily for devotions and study. It is great to be able to sync with Nyuk one when I don’t have the iPad with me.
One improvement that I would love to see would be the ability to highlight multiple verses at once (similar to the ability to copy). Unless I am missing something, I have not been able to find this.
Thanks, Rick
Rick, glad you are enjoying PocketBible for the iPad. We do have the ability to highlight multiple verses on our suggestion list for a future version.
Michelle
I bought my iPad a few weeks ago… PocketBible being the primary reason.
I like the feature in the Window version where I’m able to maximize a pane and then revert back to my preferred 4-pane layout. I like the 3-pane layout on my iPad. Is there a trick where I can maximize, say, the Bible page or the Bible map, and then revert back to my preferred 3-pane layout?
Victor, I like that feature on the Windows version too. The only way I know of to accomplish this in the iPad version is to tap on settings button and change to one pane. Then use your back arrow button to move back to your three-pane view.
Michelle
This may just be me, but I would love the ability to customise what the on screen gestures do. For example, I would rather up and down allowed you to scroll the text up and down, and left and right change the page, with swapping books being a double tap, or separate toolbar function like it was with the windows phone version….
i purchased the Lardian Bible years ago and now i would like to upgrade for my iPad. What do i need to do?
Euclid, you can download PocketBible for free from the App store and then register using your existing Laridian customer information. Then you will be able to login via the program (Menu | Add/Remove Books) and download your previously purchased Bibles and books at no charge. If you have any questions on this as you go through the process, please check our Help Desk for answers or submit a ticket to support.
Michelle