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e-Sword HD for the iPad


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#1 Josh Bond

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Posted 16 October 2012 - 09:27 PM

Now you can take e-Sword with you—on your iPad! e-Sword HD runs on the iPad and it brings with it all the familiarity from the PC version of e-Sword. (I am in the process of moving to a new house and I apologize for my delay in writing this update).

Before I share my user experience, let me address a few auxiliary issues:
  • I expect that an iPhone version will appear in the next few months because of the very similar code between iPhone and iPad.
  • e-Sword HD uses HTML resources instead of the RTF resources used by the PC version of e-Sword. Brent Hildebrand is working with Rick Meyers so ToolTip NT will create HTML resources that are compliant with e-Sword HD. This will greatly simplify and expedite the conversion of resources to e-Sword HD format!
  • Rick and I are working on ways for third party modules on this website to be used in e-Sword HD. This could involve the creation of a user module repository, hosted here, that is accessible from e-Sword HD. This will be very exciting--to have all of our custom resources mobile, with you, at all times!
I found the e-Sword HD very easy to use and well worth the $4.99 price tag. This won't be a very thorough review of the application, but I'd like to share with you my user experience thus far.

Click any image thumbnail to view the full-size image

When you launch e-Sword HD, you see a menu bar with familiar items at the bottom of the screen. By clicking any of these icons, you view that window. The "Today" is the e-Sword devotional window. The "Editor" window lets you create Study Notes--but not Journal Notes or Topic Notes. The "Lexicon" window shows the Strong's Dictionary, and the "Dictionaries" window shows all other dictionaries. (I believe dictionary modules that are labeled "Strongs" in the Details table of the module.)
Attached File  menubar.png   15.45K   11 downloads

Another feature I found interesting is that you can highlight any word and view Apple's dictionary definition:
Attached File  IMG_0196.PNG   265.36K   8 downloads

My first downloads was my favorite (condensed) Bible commentary, Believer's Bible Commentary:
Attached File  IMG_0189.PNG   583.44K   5 downloads

e-Sword HD validated my registration key for this product immediately and without issue. The product keys are not case sensitive and do not require you to enter spaces.
Attached File  product-key.png   240.1K   9 downloads

The dictionary window appears much like the e-Sword PC version. One feature I really liked was the History window, as shown below. The one feature I found missing was no Dictionary Topics window. If you want to view a specific Dictionary topic, you may swipe your fingers to scroll alphabetically through the Dictionary topics. You may not pick from the Dictionary topics in a window. But this isn't too bad once you get used to searching for the term instead.
Attached File  IMG_0192.PNG   203.13K   7 downloads

I really liked the "ease" of searching the Bible:
Attached File  IMG_0193.PNG   250.97K   2 downloads

I can envision folks using this in church but I can also imagine laying in bed, looking up a verse, a commentary, or a devotional. e-Sword HD makes reading in low light situations easy, with several predefined settings for low light, lamp light, and day light. Low light turns the background black and the text white.
Attached File  settings2.png   70.43K   1 downloads

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#2 Josh Bond

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Posted 16 October 2012 - 10:30 PM

Several ranking sites are reporting e-Sword as a very hot download, in the top 10 for today:

http://www.iosnoops....ps-charts/ipad/

e-Sword HD is currently ranked #1 in paid Reference apps for iPad.
It is also the 10th most popular paid iPad app (all categories combined).


My guestimate, based off the number of reviews the app already has, is that over 1,000 people have already downloaded it. That's just my guess. Given the size of the iPad marketplace, the number of downloads may be 10x or 20x my estimate, in order to reach the 10th most popular iPad app.

#3 APsit190

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Posted 17 October 2012 - 04:17 PM

Hi Josh,
From what I've seen by your Screenshots, it looks very good to use. The thing that really come across my mind is that Rick has stayed with his primary "Simplicity and Ease of Use" philosophy. Like the desktop version, it looks clean and uncluttered, and to me that is important. It looks like its quick to get to any of the resources without to much of a hassle.

The pity is that's there isn't one (yet) for Android, and that is something I would like to see. Yeah I know I'm harping on about it.

Now, as for the price of it, this is a real doozy about NZ$7 or NZ$8, which is extremely good. Now, that really undercuts what MySword wants as a basic donation, and I think if this is also done for Android I can see a flood of users downloading it and deleting MySword.

Just a thought that popped into my head... isn't that just a fantastic way to support e-Sword?!

Blessings,
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#4 pfpeller

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Posted 17 October 2012 - 06:53 PM

Hi Josh,
From what I've seen by your Screenshots, it looks very good to use. The thing that really come across my mind is that Rick has stayed with his primary "Simplicity and Ease of Use" philosophy. Like the desktop version, it looks clean and uncluttered, and to me that is important. It looks like its quick to get to any of the resources without to much of a hassle.

The pity is that's there isn't one (yet) for Android, and that is something I would like to see. Yeah I know I'm harping on about it.

Now, as for the price of it, this is a real doozy about NZ$7 or NZ$8, which is extremely good. Now, that really undercuts what MySword wants as a basic donation, and I think if this is also done for Android I can see a flood of users downloading it and deleting MySword.

Just a thought that popped into my head... isn't that just a fantastic way to support e-Sword?!

Blessings,


MySword requires no donation to get the basic version. The basic version has more features than pocket e sword ever did.

There will be some of us (just like with the theWord/ e sword debate) who like the extra functionality that MySword brings and will stick with MySword. The Deluxe version of MySword brings windows flexibility and other features that I would not want to be without now that I have them.

What will cause people to leave MySword is that they cannot buy premium modules for MySword or use their e sword premium modules in MySword. The ability to use these modules on e sword desktop/ IPad/ IPhone/ and maybe someday android will be great, especially considering the e sword premium modules are so reasonably priced.

Is there any news that Rick may someday create an android app?

#5 Josh Bond

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Posted 17 October 2012 - 07:21 PM

An e-Sword Android app is not forthcoming, unfortunately.

I'm surprised a programmer hasn't made an Android app that reads e-Sword modules. I guess that's (sort of) what MySword is. I like MySword and it's my recommendation for android devices.

#6 jonathon

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Posted 18 October 2012 - 01:17 AM

The basic version has more features than pocket e sword ever did.


Pocket e-Sword supports the Catholic Canon.
MySword does not support the Catholic Canon.



jonathon

#7 Ruben Gomez

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Posted 18 October 2012 - 01:33 AM

Here is a brief conversation I had with Rick Meyers on e-Sword HD for iPad: http://www.bsreview....e-sword-hd.html

Best,

Rubén Gómez
www.bsreview.org
www.bsreview.org/blog/

#8 Josh Bond

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Posted 18 October 2012 - 08:44 AM

Pocket e-Sword supports the Catholic Canon.
MySword does not support the Catholic Canon.



jonathon


You can still read the Catholic books in MySword, they just aren't apart of the "Bible" in the software. That's probably disappointing to you and other Catholics. But the vast majority of users who visit this website are Evangelical. So, it makes sense as a recommendation (for most).

I put e-Sword HD in the advertisement rotator on the top, right of the front page today. Now everyone as an option for all three major platforms, the PC, android, and Apple.

#9 Jim Nixon

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Posted 18 October 2012 - 10:42 AM

When will Nelsons New Illustrated Commentary be avaliable for the eSword HD?

Thanks
Jim Nixon
Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

#10 APsit190

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Posted 18 October 2012 - 02:43 PM

MySword requires no donation to get the basic version. The basic version has more features than pocket e sword ever did.


Hi Pete,
I think I might have said it the wrong way, so I'll have a go at putting it right.

MySword is free but it is crippled to the extent of features not available on it unless a donation is made. So to this extent its not really Freeware, but actual term for it is Crippleware. The bottom line donation (I really call it a payment) required to unlock these features, from memory is US$10. If more features are required then a donation of US$20+ is required. If wishing to have the Tablet version of MySword, to unlock all the features in that will require a donation (going from memory) is US$40. If I am wrong here please correct me.

So, looking at how much one has to pay to unlock the locked features, the price of e-Sword HD severely undercuts MySword. So, from my perspective, going on a price basis, I would get all the features that e-Sword HD has at US$4.99 as where if I wanted to unlock the all the features in MySword it would cost me up to US$40.

As to what e-Sword HD can or cannot do in comparison to MySword, I don't know, and only a Bench Test can only determine that. And just a short note here, please don't get me wrong, I actually think that MySword really does a good job and as such, I like the program. But pricing factors to come do into it if one wants to unlock the other capabilities of the program.

Blessings,
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