Please, we need basic features

[jcarlettini]

Accordance team, please give us users basic features so that the app can actually be realistically usable. I am not talking about hardcore stuff just basics that most apps had months before the accordance app was ever released. Things like copy/paste, paragraph mode for reading, ability to sync or send notes, colored background, the ability for the app to remember your previous spot on used modules. These are just basics.

 

Paragraph mode and background color so that the reading experience can be enjoyable.

 

Copy/paste so that everything is not trapped on the app. It is pretty rediculous to not have that feature enabled.

 

Sync notes so that when studying on the app your thoughts are not trapped on the app. or at least be able to email the. Or copy/paste, anything.

 

The ability for the app to remember last spot on different modules, like kindle and iBooks do. So when you are studying you do not have spend more time just on the process of getting back where you were or losing a spot and information because you are studying and flipping between modules. Back buttons would be wonderful.

 

Please, these are basic features.

[Helen Brown]

These features are all planned, and will be coming in due course. Remember when everyone told us just to release a basic app that would read Accordance modules? We did that and more, but it wasn't enough! Of course there is room for improvement, and we appreciate all creative suggestions, and take them all into account. We are working as hard as we can.

 

Our upcoming release will greatly improve downloads (as 9.2 does) and allow them to resume. Syncing with the Mac is coming soon after. Then we'll tackle the many other features on the list, some of which are relatively easy to implement, but others will require a lot of work.

[jcarlettini]

These features are all planned, and will be coming in due course. Remember when everyone told us just to release a basic app that would read Accordance modules? We did that and more, but it wasn't enough! Of course there is room for improvement, and we appreciate all creative suggestions, and take them all into account. We are working as hard as we can.

 

Our upcoming release will greatly improve downloads (as 9.2 does) and allow them to resume. Syncing with the Mac is coming soon after. Then we'll tackle the many other features on the list, some of which are relatively easy to implement, but others will require a lot of work.

 

Helen,

 

The paragraph view feature is a great improvement, thank you. Can you please pass on to the team how vital it is to add some copy/paste ability in the next update. I am thankful to see syncing of user notes will be available soon with next update, but the lack of copy/paste feature is horribly frustrating. It makes it very difficulty to use the app to really accomplish anything other then reading, naturally some of that will improve when notes can be synced but copy/paste is vital as well. Here is an example, when trying to prepare for a sermon/teaching/blog/whatever, you are reading and want to take a few verses to input into what you are working on. Or you are looking at a languange tool or commentary and find something valuable you would like to include in your notes or prep, there is no way to do this. You are just kind of stuck until you get back to your mac.

 

As far as other features go I know you all are working on them, however, I would point you back to your reply "just to release a basic app" the vast majority of my suggestions are just that basic features found in any other app (bible or reading in general out there).

 

Other feature recommendations/requests:

 

Copy/Paste - vital needed ASAP

 

Sync notes with Mac - I know this one is coming, again vital, I have already lost weeks worth of notes once because I had to restore my iPad

 

Ability to chagne background - anything that can take the pain on the eyes off the bright white

 

Highlighting - this would be a great feature for both reading Bible text and reference modules, ability to be able to find the information that spoke to you

 

Ability for modules to remember the last place read in modules - might be more difficult but would make a tremendous difference. My Kindle app has 50 or so books and can remember the last place I was at in each one. Especially when going back and forth from resources this would be great.

 

Similarly a back option would be fantastic - when studying and you want to look up a word in BDAG, then go back to text, but then want to look at another resource, lets say Anchor and then get back to the text or whatever, having back options would be very helpful. However, if the module remembered your last spot this might be more of an added bonus then essential as it would take out a step in the process.

 

Thanks again for all your hard work, I look forward to seeing how this app develops from being a neat resources with a few practical applications into an app that is truly user friendly and useful all the time. I would love nothing more then to have Accordance as the only Bible app on my iPhone and iPad.

[Frank]

I was just going to ask some of these questions. I skipped over the 1st generation iPad but on Thursday, Lord willing, I am ordering (or tackling the local Apple store). My main concern is notes, syncing, and printing (that is, getting the notes out in a nice, readable, formatted form).

 

This has probably been asked but several have been using the previous version of the iPad. How do you use the iPad for sermon notes, reading, and study.

 

Frank

[jcarlettini]

I was just going to ask some of these questions. I skipped over the 1st generation iPad but on Thursday, Lord willing, I am ordering (or tackling the local Apple store). My main concern is notes, syncing, and printing (that is, getting the notes out in a nice, readable, formatted form).

 

This has probably been asked but several have been using the previous version of the iPad. How do you use the iPad for sermon notes, reading, and study.

 

Frank

 

Frank, I use my iPad pretty heavily, I am in the first year of a church plant and office from home so when I am out and around I use my iPad primarily. For reading I really like the Kindle app (and I have Kindle too which I highly recommend) and good reader (amazing for pdfs). The reason I go Kindle is because it can be used cross platform and that makes it very convenient.

 

As for sermon notes, writting, blogging, etc. I primarily use pages for all of that, but I would also recommend docs to go. Pages for me works the best and is simply to use, it still needs a lot of work but it works well for taking notes, writing, and exporting out. You can export things out via itunes sync, email, iwork.com, mobile me, etc. and you can sync things out in pages, word, or pdf.

 

As for study, this has been the most frustrating part about the Accordance app. I have already invested a lot of money in accordance so last may when I got my iPad I did not want to invest in another format. It took a Accordance a long time to get into the game on iOS. Then what we have at this point is simply not realistic for most study without some of the features I discussed in earlier posts. So until accordance puts in these updates and makes the app practical for study and everyday use I also use OliveTree. It is really a great app, easy to use, allows you to highlight, take notes and sync them, use multiple resources and get back easily. To be honest the app is exceptional in regard to practicality and being user friendly. My problem is I am not willing to invest financially in things I have already invested in via accordance, so I can only use it so much. In addition, I really like the ESV Bible app it is really nice for reading and youversion has a nice app for reading as well. At this point, study is a little difficulty and troubling on the ipad. I normally go back and forth with pages and these other apps.

 

I hope you enjoy your new iPad and it is helpful to you. One other thing I would highly recommend is a bluetooth keyboard. I bought the Apple Bluetooth keyboard on Ebay for half price and got a cover from www.sfbags.com for cheap so I can take it with me easily. It makes using the ipad for writting or studying really nice when sitting at a table or coffee shop. By the way, unless you know for sure you will use it, go wifi and not 3G, after At&T changed the plan almost immediately I have refused to use and pay for the 3G service just out of principle. Plus it is easy to find a wifi hotspot just about any where.