Lingering frustrations with iOS version of Logos...
The following reasons combined are the reasons that I still keep switching to my paper Bible when opening up and using the Logos app... Each day I start with logos and end up with a bound Bible.
Too many taps to switch Bibles while reading... switching a Bible seems to be a very complicated maneuver to perform. (Can anyone say "You Version?")
No list of just "Bibles" to choose from for chosing other translations. Yes, you can type "Bible" in library, but that is another 5 taps for something that should be easy in a "Bible" study app.
No ability to take notes / sync notes. Therefore OneNote continues to be my note taking app of choice, it works on both iphone and windows.
No ability to Highlight in Bibles - or sync highlights.
Favorites work but are difficult to tie to specific verse. What do I mean? I select Add to favorites and it chooses one of the 10 verses open on the page for the favorite. I cannot believe how poorly the functionality works with this.- While reading large passages of scripture, 5-6 chapters or more, it frequently skips back 8 or so chapters. This happens to me too many times to count!!!
- Pagination changes going as you go back and forth within a passage. This is SO FRUSTRATING! I like what Logos was trying to do with the page flip --- but it isn't working. At this point I would rather scroll vertically. One solution is to start the pagination for sections at the chapter, so the start of a new chapter is always at the top of the screen. This way pagination doesn't change as you flip back and forth between a passage.
History view. Logos needs a "history" to flip back and forth between several passages you are reading.
Comments
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we have been promised by Bob (2 Months ago) that notes and highlighting are cominig very soon
Never Deprive Anyone of Hope.. It Might Be ALL They Have
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I agee with some of your frustrations. I bought a logos bible study software package because I was so, initially, impressed with logos on ipad. I do the vast majority of my reading, both Bible and otherwise, on my iPad. Over a year later and still no decent bookmarking, and no notes. I've begun to drop my rating of logos based on these glaring omissions. For a bible study app not to have a way to organize bookmarks is bordering on laughable. I can live without notes, but (another bibles study app) does this, and verse organization, serchability, tags, topics, etc, so much better that (sadly) i often wish I'd saved the money I spent on logos and invested in (some competitors) books. There are many things that logos does so well, and many resources that they offer FOR FREE. However, one easy to read Bible with competent, easily serchable and organizable, verse saving, highlighting, and notes, beats that hands down for my Bible study.
Sorry logos. Just my $0.02. I hope you fix things soon, but then I've been hoping that for a while now.
PS I edited out the name of the app that I compared logos too in this post myself. That probably wasn't fair to Logos.
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I agree. The progress has been welcome but too slow. In some places we have taken a step backward. I love the split pane and offline books but also need notes and highlighting. The pagination issues is annoying. I also have a problem where I close my split pane and it forgets the book I have loaded in that pane. When I open it back up it loads the Summarize Bible for some reason (I don't use this resource) and throws my navigation in the main pane off. Weird behavior. My biggest gripe though is losing the book history ribbon we used to have over the tab navigation bar. I used to be able to get back and forth between parallel passages I was studying in multiple books with two touches. Now it takes a minimum of a half dozen and sometimes I have to reset my navigation as the newly opened resource doesn't open to the right place. Very frustrating.Given how much Bible study is going on with iOS devices I think Logos is missing an opportunity here.
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Yes, as has been said so many times, notes & highlighting are much needed and have been promised "soon", so I'll not comment further. But other points that need addressing are:
Favourites - fairly random approach to bookmarking a verse and no clear marking of the passage / giving a clear reference or title in the list;
I would really love to be able to have a clear list of the resources I have downloaded. It would make picking one to open so much easier than having to scroll through every resource I own.
better linking of Passage Guide, Text Comparison and Reading. At the moment if I go from one to the other I have to input the verse specifically. Surely if I'm reading something the app should know, if I switch to Passage Guide, that I want to use that passage to look up? Currently it seems counter intuitive, and cumbersome.
There are more but I can't think of them at the moment and I'm out and about using my iPad, so it'll have to do for now.
That said, I do like the iOS app and am very grateful for it's existence. I would be lost without it. I just look forward to it's (hopefully speedy) development.
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It keeps cutting out, which is frustrating, and Vyrso is even worse.
And the pages sometimes go haywire - and Vyrso even worse. I still use Logos App for simple Bible study and Vyrso for reading, frustrations and all. Thank you, Logos.
And PLEASE could we have a prayer list in Logos App a.s.a.p.!
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I agree with the sentiments and issues raised above.
Overall, the Logos iOS app could use some serious usability improvements. Many issues have been raised by a number of users (ability to download offline books in bulk, notes/highlighting, difficulty with history or flipping between books/bibles, pagination issues, etc). We have not seen a lot of progress on those or comments from Logos (or in the case of notes/highlighting, they are promised for months with no real delivery).
In many ways, it really feels like Logos as a company is spreading itself into too many areas (Proclaim, Android, Vyrso, magazine, Biblia, etc) and end up with many of their platform apps in a perpetual incomplete state with missing features (Biblia, iOS, PC/Mac) and at least on the surface not receiving a whole lot of development attention.
My two cents.
Peter
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- No ability to Highlight in Bibles - or sync highlights.
Favorites work but are difficult to tie to specific verse. What do I mean? I select Add to favorites and it chooses one of the 10 verses open on the page for the favorite. I cannot believe how poorly the functionality works with this.- While reading large passages of scripture, 5-6 chapters or more, it frequently skips back 8 or so chapters. This happens to me too many times to count!!!
History view. Logos needs a "history" to flip back and forth between several passages you are reading.
I think that its an unfortunate misnomer that the iOS versions (and soon Android version) of Logos were't given new names. Too many users expect the desktop version's functionality on hand held devices that don't have the computing capability of some refrigerators (literally!). That being said, and apart from my own built-in expectations and prejudices for what it should be and do....
- I agree that highlighting would be nice for what is basically a very nice Bible reading program (vs. a serious study tool in portable format... or at least not "serious" by comparison with L4 on a desktop box).
- The favorites feature hasn't let me down yet, but a radical concept like a meaningful bookmark would rock.
- History view. I know, I know, I'm only capable of using 20% of my brain, but I STILL can't find a methodology to get back to my Bible if I go to a commentary, use the passage guide, yada, etc..... I always end up starting over with the passage list, and surf to the right book/chapter/vs. So! Yeah, history would be high on my list too.
"I read dead people..."
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You Version is, in my opinion, a great example of what a smart phone Bible software should do... They have done a terrific job doing it on a platform with the computing power of a refrigerator... No reason Logos should lag behind on this...
I see logos STILL trying to be a publishing platform, rather than a Bible study platform, which is what most use it for. They cannot compete with the Kindle and other devices (for a pulbishing platform), but they sure could beat the competition for a bible study platform...
Unfortunately, their iOS Bible software feels like it wants to be a kindle reader, with a Bible reader inside it... As long as that is the case, I won't enjoy using it to study the Bible...
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A mobile app should have the following first...
- Ability to read books - check
- Ability to highlight on the run and sync with desktop app - still waiting
- Ability to add notes of sermons heard in church or thoughts while studying as we wait - still waiting
- Ability to do things like Passage Guide - check
In other words, they gave us half of what we want but added the least important feature second to the iOS app. At least we have it here. The Android app has only book reading at this point.
I've been patient but the lack of 2 and 3 makes Logos the last Bible app I go to and as I have created habits for a year of iPad study, Logos will likely be used only when I want access to books I have nowhere else. The delay is significantly hurting Logos and I know for a fact that Logos competitors are working on things that will make the mobile app a gateway to desktop purchases. As more people get used to having their Bible on their phone or tablet, they will want it on their computer too. Logos needs to realize they are going to lose out on these customers who went the opposite direction that most of us went (computer to mobile while many are now going mobile to computer).
If a devoted user like myself is about out of patience, imagine how people who are just searching the market or app store will feel when the download that Logo Bible App (yes spelled wrong purpose illustrating that many don't know what it is). I have many friends who say, "I never use that because it don't do much." They want #2 and #3 not #4.
Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
Brushy Mountain Baptist Association0 -
Read an article that included "The iPad is only 15 months old." => http://blogs.forbes.com/sap/2011/07/26/apple-ipad-unleashing-creative-destruction-on-pc-industry/
Likewise noticed open software development positions => http://www.logos.com/about/careers include Mobile Apps Developer (appears virtual is possible).
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Another problem I have with the Logos app is that there are several books, even series that appear online but refuse to download. e./g./ Harvard classics, lion handbooks, which I want on iPad not on computer
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Kevin, I unfortunately have to agree with you. I found myself looking at a MacBook Air yesterday while in Chicago. At least I could highlight with it!
. I too am perplexed over the slowness of development and the continual lack of highlighting. I suspect they are working on something big but, like many, I am frustrated. God is using it to develop my patience.Dr. Kurt Trucksess
www.christ2Rculture.com0 -
- History view. I know, I know, I'm only capable of using 20% of my brain, but I STILL can't find a methodology to get back to my Bible if I go to a commentary, use the passage guide, yada, etc..... I always end up starting over with the passage list, and surf to the right book/chapter/vs. So! Yeah, history would be high on my list too.
Anyone have a link to a video, or a wiki page, or Scott Lindsay's phone number? I seriously need help understanding how to navigate back to a resource (lets say a Bible) after I've used a commentary from a passage guide, etc. Thanks!
"I read dead people..."
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I hope Logos is taking note of this thread. There seems to be a lot of frustration with their app...
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I employ a number of ways; either ensure I have split window so the bible is always available or the two finger swipe right to left will take you back to the last place you were reading.- History view. I know, I know, I'm only capable of using 20% of my brain, but I STILL can't find a methodology to get back to my Bible if I go to a commentary, use the passage guide, yada, etc..... I always end up starting over with the passage list, and surf to the right book/chapter/vs. So! Yeah, history would be high on my list too.
Anyone have a link to a video, or a wiki page, or Scott Lindsay's phone number? I seriously need help understanding how to navigate back to a resource (lets say a Bible) after I've used a commentary from a passage guide, etc. Thanks!
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I seriously need help understanding how to navigate back to a resource (lets say a Bible) after I've used a commentary from a passage guide, etc. Thanks!
Hi Mark, I am using the iPad. The commentaries have a Bible index. This is shown by the blue numbers at the beginning of the paragraphs in the commentary. When you tap them it gives you the Bible reference you started with. At the bottom right of that popup it says jump to reference, tap that and it takes you back to your original place in your Bible.
"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power"
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Kevin and Derek,
Very well said.
Peter
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