The Bible I Use on My iPhone

I have been a proud iPhone user since shortly after the revolutionary Apple device was introduced. I did not get an iPhone immediately when it was available because I had a contract with Sprint (yuk). Once freed from my Sprint obligation, my son and I quickly went out and purchased iPhones.

What’s amazing is that my nearly 3-year-old iPhone is better and more advanced than most new smart cellphones being introduced onto the market today.

Uses for my iPhone have expanded greatly since I became a proud owner of this amazing device. In addition to the touch interface, the availability of applications is the what really sets the iPhone apart from the competition.

Today’s hectic and mobile world means a lot of people look to technology to help organize and simplify their lives, and I am no different. In addition to helping me stay on top of my family’s busy schedule (calendar), and keep my contacts organized, having an iPhone helps me to track email much better; allowing me to better serve pastors and others who contact me related to my ministry.

Additionally, I blog from my iPhone, take notes, listen to Podcasts, watch movies, take photographs, shoot video, update my status via Twitter, check on what friends are doing on Facebook, Google continually, record audio notes, check sporting event scores, play games…and whew! The list goes on and on. All this from a mini computer that fits in my pocket!

But perhaps most importantly, I use my iPhone as an ever present Bible reading, reference and study tool.

There are a lot of great Bible apps in the iTunes store, and I have tried or used nearly all of the free ones. They include excellent titles such as Logos Bible Software, YouVersion, Holy Bible by Paul Avery, Bible by LifeChurch.TV, BibleReader by Olive Tree and many, many more…both free and paid.

While PocketSword may not be the most popular (or costliest) choice, it’s the one that I have settled on and use daily. PocketSword is by Crosswire Bible Society (http://CrossWire.org/sword), which also publishes MacSword and BibleDesktop for the Mac and various other titles for Windows and Linux. After having used it now for the past several months, PocketSword is officially an essential part of my “cyber” spiritual lifestyle!

One of the main things I was looking for in a Bible app for my iPhone was offline use. Like most, I have a data connection most of the time, but because I travel frequently, I needed a Bible that’s accessible offline (while in Airplane Mode).

PocketSword fits the bill nicely. One of the things I like most about PocketSowrd is that my favorite Bible version, ESV (English Standard Version), is available free for download. Also, both Matthew Henry’s complete and concise  commentaries are free for download.

Modules for PocketSword are many, free and include a variety of language versions. There’s  a robust Thompson Chain Reference (TCR) dictionary that includes supporting scripture references and facts concerning scripture listings.

iPhone’s cut and paste feature is supported universally, making it extremely easy to save key passages or place into a sermon, study or other document.

There’s a handy Bible History feature that tracks your past searches and scripture passages for easy retrieval. A search feature allows the user to quickly move about the Bible for phrases and occurrences of a particular word. A search on “Jesus wept,” for example – (a help menu is provided to assist the user) – quickly brought up John 11:35.

Preferences that may be set by the user include font size, night mode, verses per line, cross-reference, footnotes, font and red letter; in addition to Strong’s Numbers. Morphology and original languages.

 All and all, there’s not a better choice – at least for free – to read and reference the Bible on your iPhone. PocketSword covers all the bases.

Check out the programmer’s blog here.

iPhone OS 4 a "Game Changer"

Computerworld's Ryan Faas says Apple's new iPhone OS 4 will literally change the way we use the device. Here's an excerpt:

"Less than a week after launching the iPad, Apple teased iPhone users -- as well as iPod Touch and iPad users -- on Thursday by previewing some of the features in the next iteration of the iPhone operating system. The update, due out this summer for the iPhone and iPod Touch and in the fall for the iPad, packs a lot of punch for developers, who get access to 1,500 new APIs and iPhone/iPad features previously accessible only by Apple itself."

Read the entire article here.

iPad Revealed - A True Computer Appliance?

After years of anticipation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs reveals the new iPad to the world.

Present Like Steve Jobs! His First Keynote in 1983

 

 

During the introduction of the Apple IIc at the Moscone Center in April 1984, Steve Jobs gave a great "State of the Union" on the Macintosh launch.

27-Year-Old Apple Tablet Prototype

From Gizmodo:



Meet Bashful, an older brother of the upcoming Apple tablet. Unlike the Newton, this tablet didn't go past prototypes whipped up by an industrial design firm, but at least we have some pictures to sate our curiosity about the device.

Frog Design, the company that created these prototypes along with some for an Apple phone on Steve Jobs' request back in the 1980s, has shared a few images to give us a peek of what could've been an Apple tablet—attachable keyboard, floppy drive, stylus and all:

View more photos of Bashful via this link. 

Despite only being 27 years old, this gadget almost feels like an archeological find in comparison to what we think we might see in the upcoming tablet. Yet for some reason I still can't stop smiling over this look into the past. [Frog Design]

Send an email to Rosa Golijan, the author of this post, at rgolijan@gizmodo.com.

Where Does Apple Compete?

New York Times Technology has come out with a handy chart that shows exactly how Google, Microsoft, Yahoo! and Apple compete.

From their blog: "The chart above illustrates many of the services these companies provide. Some of their products have been cornerstone revenue streams, and others are just at the beginning of development. But putting them up against each other really helps illustrate each company’s focus and their possible future directions of exploration."

Check out the chart here.