27 replies to this topic

[Timothy Jenney]

[I was prompted to begin this thread when I read a discussion elsewhere on the forum. We now have a very enthusiastic and loyal group of people using Accordance iOS on their iPhones, iPads and iPod touches. We'd love to hear from you!]


How can we improve the esthetics of our Accordance iOS app? What changes would improve your reading experience on your iDevice? Is there a "page" we should take from another reading app, something you've become fond of when you read other kinds of eBooks?

[D. Voth]

Some things that I would like to see on the iOS app are:

• For reading one would be to have a full screen display of the text, especially useful on smaller devices.
• Submenus in the library like when you bring up a parallel text or tool.
• Ability to enlarge the popup display and bring the text up in the main display.

David

[Greg Terry]

In my opinion, there could be no bigger improvement to the usefulness of the iOS app concerning readability than the addition of distinct paging. Every reading app I use has the ability to tap the right side of the screen to see the next "page" and tap the left side of the screen to see the previous "page". I don't have to think how I interact with the app I can just read. With the Accordance app I spend FAR too much time scrolling up and down. I can read much more productively if I don't have to think about scrolling the page and trying to find where I was reading before I started scrolling. While the Accrodance app has made some big improvements (and I can't wait to see the next version), this one feature would move the Accordance iOS app from very good to awesome greatness.

[Robb Brunansky]

Greg,

I completely agree. Paging is the feature that would put iAccordance over the top. It has to be down beautifully, though. While I like much about the interface of BibleReader by Olive Tree, the one thing I would change is the margins. The margins are just way to small so that there is too much text on each page. iBooks has a great reading interface. It's very smooth, it simulates a real book reading experience, and it has the necessary menus in all the right places. I much prefer it to, say, the Kindle or Nook app, as well as to the BibleReader interface.

One thing I would also like to see in the iOS app is page numbers displayed more prominently. When I'm reading a volume in NICOT, for example, I'd like to see what physical page I'm on easier for citation purposes. Since sometimes one physical page is more than one screen page, showing the page number like the desktop Accordance app does would be wonderful.

[JonathanHuber]

For reading one would be to have a full screen display of the text, especially useful on smaller devices.

+1

[Bob Christenson]

I have used logos and olive tree bible software for the ios. The aesthetics of olive tree looks great. The ereader portion also works well. I love accordance and the cnnts critical apparatus. One thing I would like to see is to have a choice of dictionary entry accessible from a click on the Greek or Hebrew word. I like Louw Nida semantic domains and bdag and halot option but really no easy way to do this on accordance for ios.

I would also like to see pop ups for cross references and notes instead of opening up a parallel resource. Maybe even have three parallel resource options so you can use the cnnts with dictionary along with the bible.

I second the right and left swipe request as well.

Edited by Bob Christenson, 03 December 2011 - 10:50 PM.

[Sean R.]

I actually appreciate the lack of distinct paging in Accordance iOS. I like the flexibility to position the text exactly where I want it to be on the screen. When/if distinct paging is introduced to Accordance iOS, I trust it will be an optional feature.

As for the display of print edition page numbers, I agree with Robb.

Edited by Sean R., 03 December 2011 - 11:07 PM.

[Ron Priest]

I actually appreciate the lack of distinct paging in Accordance iOS. I like the flexibility to position the text exactly where I want it to be on the screen. When/if distinct paging is introduced to Accordance iOS, I trust it will be an optional feature.

Really? I mean REALLY?

[Sean R.]

Really? I mean REALLY?

Yes, really! REALLY! I know I'm probably in the minority on this one. Before Accordance released their iOS app, I used a couple other Bible apps that did utilize a faux print reading experience (much like iBooks or Kindle). I just didn't like it. Often I would end up with a passage split between two pages. To see the passage on one page, I'd have to use the verse selector to reselect a passage reference. Then the verse or passage would start at the very beginning of the page, and if I wanted to see context (while still viewing the passage), I'd have to utilize the verse selector to select a verse reference a few verses before the passage I was looking at. Seemed a bit clunky to me. One of the advantages of the electronic medium is one doesn't have to be forced to utilize a page-scheme.

I prefer a page-less reading experience for study. When I'm simply reading for the pleasure of reading, then I do appreciate the faux print reading experience. If I had to choose, however, between one or the other, I would take the page-less approach.

[Ron Priest]

Okay. Well, to each his/her own I guess. In any case, I hope we get a choice then, because It sure seems counter productive to me. If we don't get the choice, I hope those responsible for implementing change doesn't take the easy way out and leave it as is.

[Greg Terry]

I prefer a page-less reading experience for study. When I'm simply reading for the pleasure of reading, then I do appreciate the faux print reading experience.

I am afraid I don't understand what the difference between study and reading might be. When I study, it is reading.

So, I guess we need the ability to have both tap to page (fancy animation not necessary - just a distinct paging) and continuous scrolling.

Please give us the choice. It is the one thing that keeps me from utilizing the iOS app as much as I would like.

[Scott Knapp]

I am afraid I don't understand what the difference between study and reading might be. When I study, it is reading.

So, I guess we need the ability to have both tap to page (fancy animation not necessary - just a distinct paging) and continuous scrolling.

Please give us the choice. It is the one thing that keeps me from utilizing the iOS app as much as I would like.

Pagination or scrolling will be a user settable preference.

Scott.

[Ron Priest]

Pagination or scrolling will be a user settable preference.

Scott.

Sounds great Scott, thanks!

While I have your attention, can you give us some idea when the next update of Accordance is going to be released and what bugs are being addressed? Also, is there a thread or a listing on the blog somewhere identifying the known bugs discovered in 9.5.1 so we (I) can stop wasting my time troubleshooting problems that are known issues?

[Helen Brown]

Ron: Please try to keep your comments on topic. This thread and Scott relate to the iOS app and are not connected to Accordance 9.5.2. However, bugs in 9.5.1 are reported in the Tech Support and Bug Report forums, and we hope to release the fixes this week.

This topic is a little premature. We have iOS app 1.4 almost ready for release and it will improve the reading experience as well as add several new features. Tim was asking for more ideas to be considered for the following upgrade which we haven't even started, and it's a little hard for you all to suggest improvements to a release that you haven't even seen yet.

[Ron Priest]

Okay, my bad. Sorry. Please don't close the thread on us, it was just a simple question.

[RobM]

Yes, really! REALLY! I know I'm probably in the minority on this one. Before Accordance released their iOS app, I used a couple other Bible apps that did utilize a faux print reading experience (much like iBooks or Kindle). I just didn't like it. Often I would end up with a passage split between two pages. To see the passage on one page, I'd have to use the verse selector to reselect a passage reference. Then the verse or passage would start at the very beginning of the page, and if I wanted to see context (while still viewing the passage), I'd have to utilize the verse selector to select a verse reference a few verses before the passage I was looking at. Seemed a bit clunky to me. One of the advantages of the electronic medium is one doesn't have to be forced to utilize a page-scheme.

I prefer a page-less reading experience for study. When I'm simply reading for the pleasure of reading, then I do appreciate the faux print reading experience. If I had to choose, however, between one or the other, I would take the page-less approach.

I know Scott has already commented on what the future on this issue is, but, FWIW, I agree with Sean.

[Ron Priest]

I know Scott has already commented on what the future on this issue is, but, FWIW, I agree with Sean.

Okay. I can truly see where it would (could... might) come in handy on a few occasions, but if I only had one choice, it would not be my choice. But thankfully, we will get to have our cake and eat it too! I love cake... sorry I'm not trying to change the subject, I shall start a new thread on cake.

[shawn smith]

Anyone need to ability to copy verses and paste into an email or other app? that's the first thing I'd iike.
second thing is a better was to organize my hundred + texts and tools.

[Scott Knapp]

Anyone need to ability to copy verses and paste into an email or other app? that's the first thing I'd iike.
second thing is a better was to organize my hundred + texts and tools.

You can already copy a verse to the clipboard in the current version (v1.3.3). Long press on a verse reference to bring up the verse selection action menu. Use the left and right arrows that appear at the top of the view (reading mode only) to expand the verse selection. Then tap "Copy" to copying the selected verses to the system clipboard.

Scott.

[onehope44]

In addition to having distinct pages for iOS, it would be great to be able to highlight modules and then import them back into Accordance as well. Or is that something that I'm just missing in the current version?

Thanks for all you do!

-Jordan