What on earth is ‘Vyrso’ in the iTunes App Store?
I can’t for the life of me discern any use for it. It appears to be exactly the same as Logos 4 iOS, save that it can’t do anything at all but read books (no passage guide, etc.). If Logos 4 iOS were fairly resource intensive, like Logos 4 Mac currently is, I could understand, but it zips along just as quickly as Vyrso does. The internet doesn’t appear to know, either, as nothing whatever comes up in a Google search.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vyrso/id434558971?mt=8http://www.vyrso.com/
Comments
-
Think Android?
0 -
you may want to think android, but it works with the iphone and ipad... looks like what we are using right now. it came out today and it is in Itunes not the android store.
0 -
Jonathan Caprell said:
I can’t for the life of me discern any use for it. It appears to be exactly the same as Logos 4 iOS, save that it can’t do anything at all but read books (no passage guide, etc.). If Logos 4 iOS were fairly resource intensive, like Logos 4 Mac currently is, I could understand, but it zips along just as quickly as Vyrso does. The internet doesn’t appear to know, either, as nothing whatever comes up in a Google search.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vyrso/id434558971?mt=8
http://www.vyrso.com/Observation: http://www.vyrso.com/ redirects to http://www.logos.com/mobileLooking at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/logos-bible-software/id336400266?mt=8 noticed Vyrso icon (published by Logos Bible Software).
Share curiosity about what is "Vyrso" ? noted description: "Vyrso is a reader accessory for Logos Bible Software desktop application users."
Keep Smiling [:)]
0 -
Vyrso is a variant of the Logos Bible Software iPhone app that's tailored for "trade books," as opposed to Bible study. It reads all the same books, but doesn't have a Passage Guide, will bring up an English dictionary instead of Greek/Hebrew reverse interlinear data when you tap on an English word, etc.
In short, Vyrso should be the right choice for reading a single "front to back" book -- or even a novel.
Vyrso isn't really launched yet, but we wanted to get the app store approval out of the way so it's ready when we are.
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
Vyrso
Wondering if the name is an acronym. Sounds like it will be helpful for those with large reading libraries. I might have to reconsider my use of Logos as more that a study tool :-)
"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power"
Wiki Table of Contents0 -
So what's the point? Just a slimmed down reader?
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
Jacob Hantla said:
So what's the point? Just a slimmed down reader?
See this discussion for one possibility:
http://community.logos.com/forums/t/32901.aspx
Blessings,
FloydPastor-Patrick.blogspot.com
0 -
Jacob Hantla said:
So what's the point? Just a slimmed down reader?
As I mentioned above, and I should have expanded on my comment, "Think Android", I should have stated it as "think Android, and beyond."
More and more print book stores continue to fold and go out of business - think Borders, as well as all of the Mom & Pop book stores around the U.S. that have closed their doors. This even goes back to their regional distribution centers, as well as to the manufacturers of industrial printing equipment . Not a good time to be in the bank check printing business, ask my daughter who manages a large bank check printing operation for an international financial printing company, and continues to shut down plants around the U.S. laying off thousands of people.
I put Vyrso on my iPad last night, and it impressed me. As young Mr. Pritchett so elegantly stated, Vyrso was able to get Logos through the iTunes gateway, and into the Apple universe and beyond Bible study and trade books. Certainly it is a stripped down version of the Logos iPad application, but as a clean e-reader, it serves as the entry application into the global e-reader market. Think Kindle and Nook - as well as all of the other e-readers out there today, as well as the others coming.
I think Vyrso is a smart move for Logos into a massive and evolving market. Logos has brilliant experience and capability into this huge and evolving market. When they go public, I'd like to be at the front of the line to buy their stock.
Think Android and beyond!
0 -
I wonder if this will program will be an outlet for publishers who want to have their books in ebook format (ala kindle) but not have it be required to be fully searchable and tagged (ala Logos). That is just a thought.
Cliff
My Blog: Theological Musings
0 -
Just guessing that maybe PBB could be a method that "Trade Books" could show up, with the vendor of the book doing the work themselves ...
Bring on PBB I say!0 -
-
Bob Pritchett said:
In short, Vyrso should be the right choice for reading a single "front to back" book -- or even a novel.
Hey...great....looking forward to the Android variant when it comes!
Robert Pavich
For help go to the Wiki: http://wiki.logos.com/Table_of_Contents__
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
In short, Vyrso should be the right choice for reading a single "front to back" book -- or even a novel.
With a name like Vyrso, it should be the right choice for reading a book from back to front. [;)]
0 -
I can actually see this as useful - having one app for my general reading and one for my on-the-go study. I know that we have bookmarks on the logos iphone app, but I spend so much time walking to work and bookmarking resources for future study that it would be and now is nice to have the ability to go straight back to my casual reading.
I guess what I am saying is that I am happy to have both apps for different purposes.
0 -
Just another example of catering to the Mac crowd... Ugh! [:P
Logos 10 - OpenSuse Tumbleweed, Windows 11, Android 15 & Android 14
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
Vyrso...will bring up an English dictionary instead of Greek/Hebrew reverse interlinear data when you tap on an English word
Why not also add the lookup in dictionary functionality to Logos iOS apps?
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
So Apple iOS users having a "trade book" reader even has precedence over Android... lol
Bob Pritchett said:Vyrso is a variant of the Logos Bible Software iPhone app that's tailored for "trade books," as opposed to Bible study. It reads all the same books, but doesn't have a Passage Guide, will bring up an English dictionary instead of Greek/Hebrew reverse interlinear data when you tap on an English word, etc.
In short, Vyrso should be the right choice for reading a single "front to back" book -- or even a novel.
Vyrso isn't really launched yet, but we wanted to get the app store approval out of the way so it's ready when we are.
Logos 10 - OpenSuse Tumbleweed, Windows 11, Android 15 & Android 14
0 -
Frank Sauer said:
So Apple iOS users having a "trade book" reader even has precedence over Android... lol
[:'(]
0 -
Frank Sauer said:
So Apple iOS users having a "trade book" reader even has precedence over Android... lol
I believe there are separate programmers on each task. Developing one while developing another doesn't necessarily indicate a preference priority. My bet is that Logos would prioritize Android ahead of another app for iOS, but another very similar app for iOS (Vyrso is basically another version of Logos app) is easier to accomplish.
disclosure: My phone is Android. I will literally dance for joy the day I get Logos for my android.
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
Frank Sauer said:
So Apple iOS users having a "trade book" reader even has precedence over Android... lol
No.
Vyrso is just a slimmed version of our iOS BIble app. There'll be an Android Vyrso, too. In both cases Vyrso adds very little work for the coders -- it becomes a "compile option" that strips out the more complex functionality and toggles in alternate graphics.
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
Vyrso is just a slimmed version of our iOS BIble app.
Bob,
So does this mean Logos' iOS apps will be fine with Apple's new rules for ebook readers?
0 -
I thought I posted this, but apparently it didn't take. (if someone finds a similar post by me in a different thread, I apologize).
Bob Pritchett said:Vyrso is just a slimmed version of our iOS BIble app.
I'm not sure I understand the strategy with Vyrso. I looked at the first offering of books - the ones at 50% off - and I have to say I'm not impressed. I mean, I like the selection of books; I just am not sure about the prices. I looked up 4 or 5 of them on Amazon and the prices (at 50% off) are all considerably higher than their Kindle counterparts. Some are close to double Kindle's prices. If Vyrso is really supposed to be, simply, an ebook reader, then it is basically competing with Kindle, Nook and iBooks. If that is true, then I don't see how it can succeed if the prices are not also competitive. To me, the power of Logos is in the searching capabilities that happen when an ebook is integrated into the software. That is true for commentaries, dictionaries, and other resources that work well for textual studies. But for general ebooks - whether they are Christian or not - that I'm going to read on my iPad, I care about basic ereader functions and price. Vyrso seems to be okay on the functions - although I haven't tested out things such as search, highlighting, or cross-device syncing that the other readers are known for. But for price it clearly falls short.
The only strategy I see here is if Logos is anticipating Amazon and B&N pulling out of the iOS race once July 1 hits, and the markup on Vyrso books is such that they can make a profit and still give 30% to Apple. But it would seem iBooks would still be the cheapest and most logical option for these books. Also I think it's a big gamble to say Amazon and B&N are just going to pull out and give up on the entire iOS market when it has been so profitable to them up to this point. Something has to give in that growing tension.
There is, of course, one other strategy that I can see. That is if Logos is able to get some publishers to sign exclusivity contracts where you have to buy through Vyrsos if you want an ebook version. Let's hope for everyone's sake that that's not the case, though.
Maybe I'm overlooking a really good ereader function to Vyrsos that the other apps don't have. Or maybe someone sees an error in my logic here - if so, please feel free to share.
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
0 -
Rev Chris -
Some thoughts:
1. I hope that Logos is able to remain somewhat competitive with the other companies. As a consumer I love Amazon's prices. However, they will often use lost leaders to drive in traffic. For example: this week they had the new album from everyone's favorite "Lady Gaga." They were selling it for 99 cents. Not only that, but they were giving away 20 GB of online media storage with it to boot (trying to gain market share before Apple goes live with theirs [next month?]). It will be difficult for Logos to compete on price... but then again... I compared all of the current listings with Amazon, and I believe that Logos is competitive. Some titles were even lower on Vyrso.
2. One feature that is nice is that the Vyrso books are downloaded into Logos. Once in Logos, highlights, notes, and clippings are available. Verses are hyperlinked. Also, the book is searchable. I would rather have my books in Logos, even if I have to pay a little more, and be able to use them in a variety of ways. One of the strengths of Logos is its powerful search features. I may not remember that a particular book deals with a subject until Logos reminds me when I search.
0 -
Rev Chris said:
I looked up 4 or 5 of them on Amazon and the prices (at 50% off) are all considerably higher than their Kindle counterparts.
To the best of our knowledge, every ebook you see for sale at Amazon at less than 50% off the publisher's list price is being sold at a loss. My impression (and industry observation) is that Amazon sells bestsellers at a loss to get people locked in to the Kindle platform.
Shortly Vyrso should have 10,000+ titles up. You'll find them priced similarly to BN's Nook and other e-book platforms, but you'll probably find Amazon's Kindle price the overall lowest for best sellers. For our launch, we chose the top 25 best selling (right now) Christian ebooks that we had rights to.
In retrospect, that may have been a bad choice, since those titles in particular are ones Amazon is selling at a loss.
Vyrso is one small piece of a much larger strategy, and it's in its first (pre-)release. I think it's already got a great use case: it's a great ebook reader, has support for Bible references built in, and supports cross-library searching. (Not available on Kindle, that I know of.) And it's only going to get better as we (very soon) enable notes and highlighting synced to Logos 4, social features, etc.
We're not going to win price wars with Amazon, and particularly not with titles that publishers sell through the "agency model." (You can Google that if you're curious for more discussion than anyone can bear...) But our hope is that we'll be able to offer significant value to having your Christian content in Logos format, and that it'll be worth an extra couple dollars on a single book.
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
...But our hope is that we'll be able to offer significant value to having your Christian content in Logos format, and that it'll be worth an extra couple dollars on a single book.
Wow, I think I will like that thing. I really want all my books in Logos/Verso format, so keep on with the good job. Thanks Bob. [Y]
Bohuslav
0 -
If somebody is just looking for the cheapest way to get an ebook onto their digital device, Vyrso isn't it. But just the option of having the book with Bible verses tagged so I can read what those references are is worth a couple bucks to me. I do a lot of reading in Kindle and iBooks just because the book wasn't available in Logos. That looks like it may soon be remedied. And again, the #1 reason why I'd rather buy a non-reference book in Vyrso/Logos is because of the Bible reference feature.
But then we get the added benefit of having the book integrate into our digital library, be available on the web as well.
Hopefully we'll soon have the benefit of being able to highlight and take notes on mobile device bringing it to parity with Kindle ereader apps.
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
Jacob Hantla said:
If somebody is just looking for the cheapest way to get an ebook onto their digital device, Vyrso isn't it. But just the option of having the book with Bible verses tagged so I can read what those references are is worth a couple bucks to me. I do a lot of reading in Kindle and iBooks just because the book wasn't available in Logos. That looks like it may soon be remedied. And again, the #1 reason why I'd rather buy a non-reference book in Vyrso/Logos is because of the Bible reference feature.
But then we get the added benefit of having the book integrate into our digital library, be available on the web as well.
Hopefully we'll soon have the benefit of being able to highlight and take notes on mobile device bringing it to parity with Kindle ereader apps.
I fully agree...and if and when this comes to Android....I'm sure that it will be something I'd use.
Robert Pavich
For help go to the Wiki: http://wiki.logos.com/Table_of_Contents__
0 -
Bob Pritchett said:
Shortly Vyrso should have 10,000+ titles up. You'll find them priced similarly to BN's Nook and other e-book platforms,
This sounds really excellent.
One question.
We use the Suggestions Forum - and other places - to suggest new books for Logos integration. With Vyrso should we "extend" the titles suggested there and leave it to Logos to work out in which format to make them available?
Graham
0 -
I understand the idea behind Vyrso but I still fail to see the need for a separate application. Could not the same functions of Vyrso be role into the Bible software app? As a long time user of LBS what I'm looking for in your products is easy of use and sophistication. Because Vyrso does mimic the other app so much that it seem to me that those functions could have been rolled into a future update rather than a separate app. Apples app store works so well precisely because it offers everything in one place and not multiple locations (I'm referring to apps only and not the other products sold on different stores).
I love that your doing a Christian ebook store. That was something I felt was lacking for believers. And its great that it does do some cool things that other cannot. It just seems all that could have been done in an already existing app.
Perhaps I have miss read the intent, or fail to see the vision for Vyrso, or am unaware of other issues involved but for me I would have like to have seen these things rolled into the LBS app.
One more thing, alabama24 noted one of the values of buying books on Vyrso is its integration with Logos4. For me that's a bit of a moot point, although that is a great function. I think what Rev. Chris and I are curious about is the need for a slimmed down version of the iOS app when it already could be used as an ereader of sorts? Why not merge Vyrso into the LBS app and make it even better?
PS: Both apps could use some help in the looks department
0 -
Is there a reason we have to download books in Vyrso that have already been downloaded in Logos?
0
