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Heavy iOS users


Serpentium

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Hi, I noticed that I study the Bible / commentaries / dictionaries / etc... for a 3-5 hours a day. And (not) to my surprise I use Accordance for iOS most of the time. Probably 80%, up to 95% of my study time. When I am not on Accordance for iOS, it is because I love to color my NIV printed bible, or some theological work that I couldnt find on a digital version.

 

I am so thankful to Accordance because the iPad app I use works so smoothly, so quickly and precisely, that I rarely do other activities on the device.

 

Said so, I wanted to ask how many other HEAVY iOS users are there, like me, so that we can share our limits and requests.

I think (I am an amateur photographer) that the next feature (lens for photographers) I need is that one that limits me mostly --- they say that if you want to buy a new lens, better you look at which edge you go all the time. If you push always down to the wideangle, you better buy a ultrawideangle lens, where if you push to the zoom, you better buy a ultrazoom with fixed focal lenght.

 

So, are there other Heavy iOS users? If so, where do you find yourself limited?

Mine are:

- two zones always linked

- if I put a commentary/dictionary on the upper zone, I cant put something in the lower zone

- I miss a quick highlight feature (if I want to highlight words, it takes always 3-4 click for each word)

- an Improved higlight system

- three area/zones

- saving a workspace, like in the PC/MAC software, for different study/week settings

- a better note system

- an even better search system (it is already amazing - the best!), where I can get a "search all" like in the PC/MAC software

- an interlinear option, with any level of detail - the PC/MAC sw is amazing

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Hi serpentium

I also consider myself a heavy iOS user and iPad is always within easy reach and has my library and is just so convenient. I occasionally use accordance on my MBP but very, very rarely use it on my win7. (and am into photography and music big time)

 

So:

- copy and paste active window, not underlying one, guntis and I have another thread on that.

- Two views for non bible text, agree ( Eg EBC text and notes)

- Interlinear, agree (especially iPad, not too worried by all current availability on mac, but certainly be able to put English and original language underneath)

- multiple zones, agree. I think I would quite like an instant details equivalent rather than 3rd zone, but that could almost be a 4 zone affair with text on left and instant details, then EBC or something on right, with notes in bottom. Or take the ESV so can display text, study bible, ref and notes in 4 windows (just like in the printed copy)

-notes, agree, particularly for preparing sermon etc, interesting that this was mentioned in a webinar and I wonder how common notes are used compared to other user tools. However, there are other notes on iOS, just a pain to keep switching apps. Aren't we getting lazy? ;o) or is it fear of RSI? (Though I also have tools in kindle, iBooks and PDF so inevitably I am switching between apps so this is now at the bottom of my list of priorities now.)

 

However, that raises the question, do we have iOS for iPhone and iOS for iPad? This would work great on iPad but I can see problems for iPhone size screen.

Edited by ukfraser
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Exactly what weight do you consider a heavy IOS user to be? ;)

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Exactly what weight do you consider a heavy IOS user to be? ;)

good question!

 

I personally feel I am a Heavy Accordance iOS user, since I use Accordance on iOS every day, from 6.40 in the morning till 8 in the evening, and after 10pm again. I use the PC sw only once or twice a week, and just for a few hours I guess.

What about other biblical software I have? I think once or twice a week, less than 1 hour.

 

So I think I would define a Heavy iOS user, a person who uses mostly Accordance over all the biblical app he owns, and who uses Accordance on iOS more than Accordance on PC/MAC.

What do you think?

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I'd say over 260 lbs as that's my current weight! LOL! 170kg for you Brits! :)

Edited by Ryan Gustason
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A lot of us on this side of the pond are still happy with imperial, though I prefer to see in stone and pounds as we run out of fingers! ;o)

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Another Brit here (English) who can confirm that weight is measured in Stones. I am a moderate ios user though.

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Stones it is then! LOL!,

 

To the OP's question though, I'd say I'm a moderate IOS user, using it mainly for devotional reading. I still preach and teach from paper notes. I haven't been able to convince myself that electronics won't fail in the middle of a sermon or Bible study. When I'm listening to a sermon or sitting in a bible study myself, I use Evernote on the iPad as I feel it's note taking capabilities are superior to Accordance's, not to mention most sermons I hear, and take notes on, use several wide ranging verse references, so the notes system tagged to a specific verse are not really helpful in this situation.

 

If I am preparing a lesson, or doing my own personal study, I use my MacBook Pro and occasionally use user notes or user created modules for collecting my thoughts, but mostly I type my notes up in Word.

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Unfortunately I cannot call myself a heavy Accordance mobile user (although I would love to be) because it lacks some key functionality for the way I like to use my apps. I currently describe myself as a heavy Logos iOS user whenever I am connected to wifi because Accordance lack of certain key functionality.

 

My dream for a perfect Accordance iOS experience would be:

  1. better notes system
  2. arbitrary text selection and highlighting.
  3. Search all functionality
  4. We can add custom ranges
  5. That when I amply something instead of showing just the result of the top resource it shows a list of results from all available resources so I can choose which ones I want to check out.
  6. be able to unlink the panes.
  7. interlinear functionality.

In bold are my top feature requests ones as in their current form frustrates me whenever I use Accordance for iOS and sends me to Logos every time. If those were included I probably would use Accordance most of the time.

 

One example, whenever I am at Church, I start by opening Accordance on my iPad. but whenever I have to select or high light anything or want to use notes I become frustrated and switch to Logos iPad app. I then only open Accordance whenever I want to see the Instant Display (my favorite feature from Accordance mobile).

 

Hope that helps.

Edited by davidmedina
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My dream for a perfect Accordance iOS experience would be:

 

  • better notes system
  • arbitrary text selection and highlighting.
  • Search all functionality
  • We can add custom ranges
  • That when I amply something instead of showing just the result of the top resource it shows a list of results from all available resources so I can choose which ones I want to check out.
  • be able to unlink the panes.
  • interlinear functionality.
In bold my top ones.

I love them.

But I still want to question: are you a heavy user? Just to weight if Accordance should listen/work on these requests.

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I edited my post. Not a heavy user right now, but just because I don't have those features. If they were added to Accordance for iOS I would definitively become a heavy user.

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Once arbitrary text selection and highlighting come into play, I'll probably triple my use of the iOS app. :) But I try to use it for reading and searching anyway....though I don't think I would say "heavy," Serpentium.

 

I like your list--those would all be nice features.

 

For detailed research and sermon prep, though, even a more capable iAccord wouldn't be sufficient--which is not a criticism of the app, per se, but just a limitation of iOS. I still prefer to use the desktop app, which I find to be rock-solid.

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I just thoughts of a numbers 8

 

8. Easy access to bookmarks.

 

Book Mark can be a very powerful feature specially if it could be easily access.

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I find myself often doing the following:

Highlight a text (paragraph)

Copying the same text (paragraph)

 

It will be awesome to have an option so that I can do both at the same time

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I find myself often doing the following:

Highlight a text (paragraph)

Copying the same text (paragraph)

 

It will be awesome to have an option so that I can do both at the same time

I agree. That would be awesome.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok, find myself with lots of time to read and think and not have to prepare a sermon,a service or music ( normally a treadmill, Sunday service finished, start preparing the following week!) so very unusual.

 

Been thinking about this forum and hopefully this will not result in a warning! (For the last two weeks, I have been draining my iPad battery each day and barely touched the MBP apart from preparing scores for music I am planning to introduce at church, have a list of 45 and currently formatted 18 so still got a few to do!)

 

my biggest complaint with the iOS app is the lack of consistency, covered elsewhere but links to list:

If I am working in EBC, I can copy a word sentence or paragraph, if I click a link, I am also given the same copy options but as stated elsewhere, it now copies the underlying paragraph. I think that your programming standard should be to copy the active pane, and the current behaviour is seriously flawed and should be fixed as a priority. (In the scheme of things, very minor when you consider how feature rich it is.)

 

Similarly, reference material should also allow two panes, so I can compare two commentaries or see the EBC commentary and it's notes.

 

Also, in text, I have access to other resources from a drop down in the title bar while in resources, this isn't available.

 

As both of these have been coded in parts, again, I think these changes should be minimal and so be implemented as a priority.

 

The other enhancements listed here and in the forum are more complex for different reasons.

 

More windows, it would be great to see esv text, notes, cross ref and study bible notes in one screen with 4 windows. But that would only really work on an iPad and not a phone and presents you with the very real problem of do you keep your iOS the same or do you have separate paths. Not an easy decision so I can appreciate this going on the wish list.

 

Similarly, notes seems to feature very highly but we all have different workflows. Sorting copy and paste would get rid of my immediate problem and with other apps like onenotes which I use at work, there are workarounds so again, this can wait. Possibly gave a webinar or dedicated thread where those interested could share their work flows so we have a clear set of requirements that would meet the majority of our needs and provide n ideal workflow that others should adopt.

 

Interlinear, again you are between a rock and a hard place. For me, I want something simple to show over coffee or at conferences so English and original language would meet my needs and I doubt serious scholars would use a tablet rather than proper system for all the other clever things, but again, what are the requests for this. Mine is for something simple and cut down and am not looking for the complexity of the main system.

 

Highlighting and search seems to be popular requests so probably also high on the list.

 

As to making your media rich tools work on iOS, I appreciate the limitations and work involved and we do have alternatives so again, something to consider but probably not a priority.

 

Rant over and I will get down from my soap box, but would welcome thoughts and comments from others, particularly heavy iOS users who use iOS more than their main system.

 

;o)

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We're getting close to moving into beta on the next major iOS release which, as we've alluded to here on the forum, will address arbitrary text selection (plus other enhancements and new features). This will then affect copying, highlighting, etc. - a recurring request among users. After that we plan to keep moving forward with new features, etc.

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Awesome!!! That 's great news. You have no idea how great that sounds to me! I really, REALLY, really need that feature.

 

Let's hope and pray for a very short beta period and fast release! :)

 

Thanks for that update, Rick. I am sure a lot of us started jumping of joy when we read it. Lol

Edited by davidmedina
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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, I have another feature I would love to have, and someway I already use analogically

 

Often, when I read the OT, I put in parallel my English Bible (NIV), the Septuagint (NETS) and/or the Targum (3 english translations) and/or the SCHOCKEN bible.

 

Each time is quite hard to spot those verses that are missing, or added, or very longer or very shorter, due to the different traditions.

I find VERY interesting and enlightening to discover where the Septuagint adds some verses (using the symbol [] usually), or when the Targum makes the verse long as a paragraph.

 

I wonder if would be possibile someway to APPLY a filter that shows those verses, or at least can light them up while I scroll.

I'm thinking at the PC software feature to compare parallel versions, even at a rough raw level, it would be very helpful.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi

I appreciate things are happening with ios 2 but one feature that is great in the full fat version is joined texts such as having hebrew and greek linked so that as you scroll through an english translation you get the correct original language in the second pane. Similarly with the wbc,

 

it would be great to have that functionality in the ios version for example, in my second window always showing the relevant passage instead of having to change nt and ot depending where you are in the english text.

Edited by ukfraser
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I am NOT a heavy IOS user at this point mainly due to the shortcomings of iaccord. I find myself in the same position as David Medina in that the Logos IOS version is vastly superior with the exception of easily getting word definitions. The long tap on a word in Accordance IOS is superior! Hopefully V2 leaves that feature intact. Here's to looking for V2!

Edited by Bob Deacon
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Poor app developers.

 

We all have different needs and ways of working. When i was on android, i just used youvision.

 

On the ipad i have too many bible apps and have also tried and deleted loads. While iaccordance has its shortcomings, i have only used accordance for my library so its still my number one go to app. I have the logos and a few books in my library but havent found it to be significantly better, for example having two reference docs scrolling in parallel as it just seems to crash, but having said that, i havent fully explored it as it seems very clunky. But i certainly havent invested in library content i know that others have so don't have the need to.

 

I still keep using apple's notes as i have all my conference and meetings in there as well as thoughts on passages or preparation for services. Basic but effective.

 

I suspect that most people develop their workflows around the shortcomings of their preferred app. And its such a joy when you find the perfect app that meets your needs in a way you like to work.

Edited by ukfraser
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Need to add something else to the "wish" list. This may have already been mentioned or perhaps I need additional instruction but when making a user note on IOS If there is a Biblical reference you cannot turn it into a link! Currently I have to sync, go to the note on my MacBook Pro and turn it into a link!

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I am a heavy user n the sense I use it every day. I do most of my sermon preparations on it, except my final drafts, because I want the precision of a keyboard for typing. Even then, I have Accordance open on both my iPad and my Mac. I this the Strong's use is actually EASIER on the iOS app, as it is a simple long press.

 

I wish there was a true Greek-English interlinear. I am not a Greek scholar, and therefore do not have the full Greek modules. But the Strong's has the limitation of not conjugating the words. I use my KJV-Steven's (with Elzevir's renderings) printed interlinear as a resource because of this. If I could get that on my iPad, it would be great for the times I travel.

 

I also would like the capability to create an alternating line interlinear with any two versions. I also use my Spanish text alongside my English KJV, but having them in two panels isn't nearly as helpful. However, if the app allowed users to create an alternating line interlinear, I would buy the Greek texts.

 

I also have a wish that isn't iOS specific: The works of B. H. Carroll. He was a great Man of God, and a prominent theologian in his day. Some of his works are even public domain (i.e. A Study on Romans).

 

 

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