Which tablet is smallest and most effective in the pulpit as you preach and move around?

I own the latest version of Windows Surface Pro which is fine for home use but if I want to go to Bible study or even preach again in the pulpit...what tablet you recommend? I need something, small, compact, lightweight, easy to read, long battery life (so it doesn't turn off while I preach) and has a decent version of Logos ( I hear the Apple version of Logos - which I do not own or have - is not as robust or powerful).

It has to be something that lasts, gets updates, and can be used for reading books at home, preaching in the pulpit and being useful in Bible Study where I might have access to the church wifi (fingers crossed).

Thanks for your patience and grace if this is too similar to other posts in here.

Blessings to you all especially those preaching from a device in the pulpit...it is to you I appeal the most.

Joshua in Rhode Island
(still hopeful of becoming an assistant pastor even at 62...my goodness how time flies)

p.s. I am greatly impressed by the Android App on my Android Phone but am not sure that would transfer well to a tablet or not. Imagine Bible Study leading or participation as well as preaching from it....I have been told Windows is far better yet would be slower and clunkier in the Pulpit.

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Graham Criddle

For preaching I have been using an iPad - with the Logos app - for many years, and find it works really well.

If you want full Logos functionality then you need either a Windows or Mac computer.

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287478#Comment_1287478

Hi Graham....so good to see you are still here being useful to the body. Which ipad do you have and do you use a strap to hold it in the pulpit? I thought you told me that the Logos App using Apple version is not as powerful or as good. The newer Ipad Mini 7 is not going to be out for awhile and will be too expensive no doubt.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287480#Comment_1287480

HERE you go. [:O]

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287483#Comment_1287483

I use a regular iPad and it it perfect for my use. I don't study on it but only use it for preaching and teaching. If money is not an issue, look at an iPad Air or Pro. But the regular iPad does a great job.

iPad Mini is smaller, but too small for the way I do my preaching.

I don't use a strap but I have a case on it that folds up to the side and I can pick it up and walk around if I want to.

Kenneth Neighoff

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287485#Comment_1287485

I use an iPad Pro. I use the iPad over my Surface pro, because I don’t need Wi-Fi for preaching mode on the iPad.

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287483#Comment_1287483

HERE you go.

LOL!!

David Thomas

I hear the Apple version of Logos - which I do not own or have - is not as robust or powerful).

The iOS will be a LITTLE better than your Android app. The macOS will be parity to Windows. JT has done a good prioritization of Apple products if you only have one, 2, or 3 devices and which device he would recommend.

Personally, I use Surface Pro daily, but add a Kindle Fire tablet for preaching (using Proclaim Remote App). I purchased a Fire MINI for the pulpit but found it too small for the thumbnail strip, NOTES & E-ink preview. I returned to my older HD10 for pulpit use, but use my FireMINI for reading, notating & clipping commentaries (notes and clippings get synced with my desktop for final editing)

If you are not controlling slides or E-ink [Just a PDF of the manuscript] a mini might be efficient.

mini (notes window is only 2-3 sentences

MINI with E-Ink Markup pallet open leaves a smaller preview to mark up

HD10 (notes pane contains 2x as much text so I can glance down and see where I'm going)

Even IF I open the markup pallet, the HD10 is easier to notate and still have significant room in Notes pane.

Mark Groen

I preach with the 2022 Tab S6 Lite. I can hold it with one hand (I do have freakishly large hands though).

The pen is excellent for use in other environments and the tablet is inexpensive.

Make sure you get the 2022 version though. That is the refreshed version with a better processor.

Also, iPad's are great devices, but if you are an Android person try out an iPad of a friend first. I find the OS to be very restrictive and clunky. It's all about what you're used to using, right? [:)]

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287480#Comment_1287480

Which ipad do you have and do you use a strap to hold it in the pulpit?

I currently use a 2017-model 10.5 inch iPad Pro and don’t use a strap. I either hold it or, more usually, place it on a stand.

I thought you told me that the Logos App using Apple version is not as powerful or as good.

I’m not sure what you are referring to here.

As per my post above, for full Logos functionality you need either a Windows or Mac laptop / desktop.

For mobile usage - including preaching - I find the Logos app on iPad very useful and it continues to be improved.

Lew Worthington

(still hopeful of becoming an assistant pastor even at 62...my goodness how time flies)

I hope it goes well for you!

To answer your question, I thought a bit about this one, because it depends a lot on how much you need the visual clues. I typically use my phone. For leading Bible studies, I can look squarely at the screen, and for preaching, my notes are very spare, and I rarely look at it. (I usually know pretty fully where the message is going.) So I guess the power and screen size you need depends on your preaching habits and style. (I hope that doesn't sound dismissive of your good question. My point is that it's not merely a technical question, but a work flow question, too. [:)] )

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287526#Comment_1287526

Everyone has been so helpful as always in here and no I do NOT think you are being dismissive. A few forums veterans may have rolled their eyes because I have travelled this hardware/software path before. I chuckled at JT's huge eyeglass (Apple Vision Pro) answer....that was a laugh riot (and I deserved it too).

All in good fun. I think I might hold off til the new Ipad Mini 7 comes out - if Jesus doesn't come back first and if he does - then it won't matter any longer.

I did invest last year in the updated Surface Pro (my old one is a doorstop now and cannot be updated any longer). Hebrews 13.5 haunts me I do confess. That part about contentment...well I am still learning that one : )

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287478#Comment_1287478

Graham always the voice of wisdom....thanks. I saw two preachers using their ipads in the pulpit recently but never asked what one they had. one tablet seemed light and the man with it had a hand-strap that seemed to allow it to swing behind his back easily enough. I was impressed.

The elder "fill-in" preacher stated his battery died as he got into the pulpit (gasp) but rallied back with help from a fellow understanding elder (and no doubt prayers from the congregation too).

I kept wondering how heavy is that tablet in your hand? How unwieldly is it? One elder to the other as he loaned his to the man preaching:
"I fixed the tablet so it stayed on for you without blanking out." What a trooper! Teamwork in the Senior Pastor's absence, yay!

I know I tend to not stray from my tablet or device too often. The guest preacher/elder did a fine job and clearly knew what he wanted to say remaining mostly non-plussed when his own tablet died just before walking up to the pulpit. I turned to my wife and said that is why I make sure several people get a copy of my sermon - at least one on paper - if I can. Still I could imagine what happened occurring to me if I became too reliant on notes and a previously prepared IPAD sermon. Live and learn....I did just by watching. I am by reading here too.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287537#Comment_1287537

I kept wondering how heavy is that tablet in your hand?

An iPad (or Kindle) would be lighter (or no heavier) than a print bible. Conversion tablets would be much heavier.

For the record: I would not head into the pulpit without a print backup of my sermon.

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287540#Comment_1287540

I kept wondering how heavy is that tablet in your hand?

An iPad (or Kindle) would be lighter (or no heavier) than a print bible.

As JT says, it's not particularly heavy. But, as above, I rarely hold it when preaching as I prefer to keep my hands free so place it on a lectern.

For the record: I would not head into the pulpit without a print backup of my sermon.

I understand that - although personally I have chosen not to do so for over 10 years.

In that time I can remember two issues:

I forgot my iPad when preaching at a friend's church - but as the sermon notes were in the Logos cloud I was accessible to access them on his iPad (and i would have been just as likely to forget paper notes!)
An issue with the preaching mode in the app caused me a bit of confusion - but the notes were still there. And that issue was fixed quite some time ago

And there were probably one or two other issues along the way but, on balance, much preferable for me than using paper!

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287540#Comment_1287540

For the record: I would not head into the pulpit without a print backup of my sermon.

2 cheers for redundancy! ANYthing human has a capacity for failure. [Y][Y]

https://community.logos.com/forums/p/220858/1285534.aspx#

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287500#Comment_1287500

Personally, I use Surface Pro daily, but add a Kindle Fire tablet for preaching (using Proclaim Remote App). I purchased a Fire MINI for the pulpit but found it too small for the thumbnail strip, NOTES & E-ink preview. I returned to my older HD10 for pulpit use, but use my FireMINI for reading, notating & clipping commentaries (notes and clippings get synced with my desktop for final editing)

David - I would like to control my slides with the sermon showing like you have in the pictures In your post. I am using an iPad so no pen.

Do you use Sermon Builder and bring that into the Proclaim app? How do you get this done? Do you (or anyone) know of a training video on how to do this?

Thanks for any help!

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287603#Comment_1287603

Do you use Sermon Builder and bring that into the Proclaim app? How do you get this done?

Jerry,

My workflow is to write my sermon in Word then I copy/paste into Sermon Builder to facilitate the integration in Proclaim.

Once my sermon is in Sermon Builder and I have attached paragraph formats (Heading, Illustration, Prompt, etc.) I export to Proclaim

Before preaching I ensure my notes are formatted the way I like (bold, indent, etc.) in the NOTES Tab in Proclaim.

ensure that your Proclaim REMOTE App settings include "show notes"

OPTIONAL (I mostly use this if I am displaying a map slide): I added a cheaper stylus to the older iPad

but it gives me the option to

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287697#Comment_1287697

My workflow is to write my sermon in Word then I copy/paste into Sermon Builder to facilitate the integration in Proclaim.

Once my sermon is in Sermon Builder and I have attached paragraph formats (Heading, Illustration, Prompt, etc.) I export to Proclaim

And where do you build your slides? In Proclaim or in Sermon Builder?

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287700#Comment_1287700

And where do you build your slides? In Proclaim or in Sermon Builder?

Yes.. I use both. UNTIL proclaim develops equity between Proclaim artwork and SB artwork (Which I have frequently told Logos is my biggest request) I use SB to create a Generic slide for my scripture, mainpoints, quotes, etc., then after exporting to Proclaim I use the more robust backgrounds and slide editor before presentation

e.g. this is what SB generates

This is what my congregation saw

later on, this is what SB auto creates:

These are the edits in Proclaim before I preach:

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287480#Comment_1287480

Which ipad do you have and do you use a strap to hold it in the pulpit?

Because this iPad is used by our tech team for livestreaming, I hardly ever use it for preaching (see my hardware elsewhere in this thread), but I did find this strap [Best Buy clearance] that allows the tablet to lie flat on the pulpit OR be securely held in one hand for mobility.

BriM

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287711#Comment_1287711

I'm looking for a way to be able to see all my slides on a tablet (in a grid or banner format), scroll through them without affecting the slide being projected, and then select the one I want to go to next. Once selected, it should display on the projector as well as giving me the notes on the tablet.

The slides originate in PowerPoint and this is where I'd want to make all edits, although I could export them to another software if it gave a faithful reproduction of the slide and notes.

Does Proclaim or any other solution help with this?

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1287715#Comment_1287715

scroll through them without affecting the slide being projected, and then select the one I want to go to next. Once selected, it should display on the projector as well as giving me the notes on the tablet.

If your slides have been sent to proclaim. The proclaim REMOTE App allows the user to either 1) the preview will swipe left/right to advance/go back 1 slide. the strip at the bottom allows you to move through the whole presentation and select your target.