29 replies to this topic

[DWFrancis]

So to be clear, this has nothing to do with the app per se, but the NRSV text that we have, right?

Yes and know… Accordance is fast, but i find OT contextual menus quicker (possibly since I have been using their software for going on 9 years), Highlighting allows me to select text more naturally than Accordances method, OT allows me to create a favourites list to rapidly access resources (accordance has it's recent list but sometimes you do want to access to an item from a list you have set up, may not use an item every day, but i have so many items in particular in accordance it is can be a bit much to wade through and even sometimes remember the proper category of tool). When dealing with strings embedded texts, i would say OT makes it easier for me, although that being said since the bulk of my lexical works are in accordance it does lead me there eventually. It is mostly with me the "texts" and not just the somewhat superior NRSV (with you I have strings there) but there is also quick resources like the HarperCcollins study Bible, the New Interpreter's Study Bible, or even the Orthodox Study Bible which OT provides me with, that i am more likely wanting to look up quickly in Church than I have with Accordance. That being said, Accordance offers me more in depth items that I reference during study times. There are obviously a few little things that make me favour the OT APP at times, but that is not to say there is anything seriously wrong with Accordance. I do use Logos APP for access to the NJB textual notes as well, but I will say it is not the top 2 Bible apps i use on my iPAD, and the only thing it has going for it, IMHO, is vast number of works it has. But number of works mean little. I could have more cheaply bought the two IVP "with the Church fathers" via there kindle store, but i value the ease of Biblical references and overall accordance integration buying them from you offers me, indeed i hope at some point you get the first book and the last (yet to be published) planned in the series and I honestly will not care that they are slightly more expensive with accordance. I had at first held my tounge about the subject but decided you deserved an honest answer about what I reach for. For people who have used no other APP than yours they may look at the OT reader and feel out of it. If the few items i mentioned can be corrected (I do not expect you to have every resource under the sun and while in the past I have often duplicated resources that I owned on my Palm device to more easily use them in Accordance, I likely won't be doing that any longer since it easier to use both either place these days and i certainly do not regret the fact that the Eerdmans dictionary has been purchased on my OT account and in Accordance (being forced to get an additional copy when upgrading to 10 was not an overly happy thing but i have moved past that) same with the OXFORD works owned in both platforms and the duplication of a few evangelical study bibles in both. That being said if OT came up with NRSV strongs i likely would purchase it, but all in all no more duplication for me. And also I must ad Accordance 10 is fantastic, while OT mac reader leaves almost everything to be desired, so your stepping into their realm is much more successful than their step into desktop software.

-dan

[craigminah]

Because of the difficulty with the sermon note taking process in Accordance on the iPhone, I have been using another simple Bible program that does this very well. It allows me to easily (with one tap) switch to notes to write and then, with one tap, get right back into the text. The notes I take are also grouped by sermon series and do not have to be tied to one particular verse. I love the ease and efficiency, but always find myself conflicted that I can't do that in the program I use, enjoy and have invested in for everything else, Accordance!

My wife and I have been using the free iOS app, YouVersion, for a few years on our iPod Touch.  It's a fantastic Bible reader and Bible reading plan app but it also has a live service feed where you can follow along with your church service if someone in thechurch types in the serman beforehand.  Their (free) webpage is also very good...really love the reading plans, it's what got me to finally read the Bible cover to cover...only took me 41 years.

Edited by craigminah, 25 January 2013 - 06:23 PM.

[arcanemuse]

I teach Sunday school using a Macbook Air and also use it during services.  I use a user tool in Accordance for keeping notes during a sermon.  For just reading, an iPad is great but if you want to type... tapping a screen with two fingers, it would be impossible to ever keep up.  I still have an iPhone but I quit using it.  I tried a droid phone, a Blackberry and some others.  I found all of them pretty much useless to me.  The screen is just too small to do much with.  Now I just carry a Jitterbug phone with no internet on it.  I also hate text messages.  My response to getting one is to just call the person back.  This causes them to flip out as they only have x number of voice minutes left.  I respond by saying that I don't feel like taking an agonizing five minutes trying to type out a 3 word response that probably would make no sense as there weren't enough words in the message.  That's why I prefer the Air.  It has a keyboard.  It has a 13 inch screen.  The battery lasts about 5 hours, which is more than enough for Sunday school and two services. 

I have YouVersion on the iPad.  My problem is that I got slogged down with a ton of stuff to do and just couldn't keep up with the accelerated plan I chose.  I make liberal use of that catch me up button... @@

I think that the iPad is great for reading and touch based games and doing Bible study.  Highlighting is easy and natural on it... but any kind of notes will be quite painful... unless you have a bluetooth keyboard to go with it. I have been able to get the keyboard from my iMac to work on it but it's a bit clumsy juggling the iPad and the keyboard on your lap.  That's what the Air is for.  One thing I really do like about the iPad with Accordance is that when you click on pictures in an article, they do a nice job filling up the screen.  I wish the desktop version would do this.

[Timothy Jenney]

I usually use Accordance on my iPhone while my pastor is preaching the sermon for what I call "enhanced sermon listening." Our pastor is good, but I have a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies. His sermon content often prompts me to investigate different side issues, which Accordance allows me to do. Of course, I continue to listen to the sermon during my investigations. ;-)

[Julie Falling]

I don't have a PhD in anything, but I do a lot of my learning via the rabbit-chase method.  I have been guilty of doing some of that during the sermon, but also often just highlight the text that has raised some questions in my mind and check it out when I get home and have more time.  

 

The iPhone screen is just too small for some things.  Love the iPad for church and prayer meetings.  Our paper Bibles now live at home - can't remember the last time I opened one!

[T. Conrad]

I use a combination of Accordance on my iPad, YouVersion on my (Android) phone (I know, I know...), and Evernote on my iPad. Accordance helps me quickly run through references, investigate context, and overview multiple verses at once. I use YouVersion to stay with the main text for when I've switched over to Evernote on the iPad for note taking.

 

A fair number of people at the church that I am at now bring their iPads, iPad minis, and I've seen some BB Playbooks too. It's definitely not as difficult walking into a church service these days with an iPad as it was a couple of years ago. Once, before the iPad app was out, I brought my late 15" MacBook Pro (I miss it) into the service so I could follow along with Accordance. I definitely got some funny looks that day!

[AbramKJ]

I would love to bring a laptop in to church to follow along with Accordance, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Part of it is that, as much as I love Accordance and all the various technologies available to us, it is nice to have a break from "screen time" every so often....I am definitely guilty, though, of asking my wife to lug around my heavy Reader's Hebrew and Greek Bible in her purse on Sundays.

[justin4jesus]

I think we're touching on some good things here, Accordance's useability on the fly.
Like many here I use Accordance on iPad, phone too small. But also, like many here, I don't use the notes and often use Olive Tree instead.

Accordance is probably not designed for use in a live, fluid environment, but more for sit down study. The results of that are the clunky note process and the slow response of the long press and search/amplify results.

For these reasons I find myself using another app or Olive Tree for notes. They have a fast, fluid transition from text to notes and back as well as resources not available in Accordance.

I don't think this is a negative since Accordance is most likely not designed with this in mind, but if it were to evolve in that direction I would be very happy.

[ukfraser]

I always have my phone and find that is usually adequate (accordance on iPhone and previously youvision on android). This was particularly useful when we had a couple who only spoke French visiting us regularly as I was able to share a French translation with them. Not sure why they came but I also translated the service for them and translated all the headings on the data projection so that they could see where we were in the service. However, if I am likely to take notes using notes I make sure I have the iPad with me as I find that easier to type on for longer periods. I am happy reading on the iPhone and its great to be able to switch translations and even look at study material quickly but I can't type quickly enough on the small screen. However at conferences, most people are interested in the additional features and the iPad is also much better for sharing. Interestingly though someone was complaining about being at a church where everyone was playing on their phone during their talk and hadn't realised that people were probably following the passage on their mobile devices ;o). As all the Church of England liturgy is available in PDF format, I also have that on both devices but will only lead services using the iPad as I am usually using parts from 3 or more different files (and different apps as I also need my music scores as well as my notes).

Edited by ukfraser, 06 March 2013 - 06:51 PM.

[markusvonkaenel]

I would always use my iPhone on a sunday. But seldom on Shabbat. But this answer is probably slightly off-topic.