Running Logos Bible App for Android on a Blackberry Playbook Running O.S. 2

Scott Longwell
Scott Longwell Member Posts: 3
edited November 21 in English Forum

I have a Blackberry Playbook running OS 2.0 which will run most Android apps. The problem is that the Android apps are .apk files and the Blackberry uses .bar files for their apps. I am currently running 15 Android apps that have been converted to .bar apps on my Blackberry playbook. I contacted Logos by email and explained how this would work and the reply was: "You are correct, the Logos app for Android will not run on O.S. 2.0 for the Blackberry playbook."

This simply is not the case. The Logos app for Android should run on the Blackberry Playbook once it is converted to a .bar file.

 I am simply asking someone at Logos or someone on the web who knows more about computers than I do, to simply take the  Android Logos-23.apk file and convert it into a Logos-23.bar file. Once converted, Logos Bible soft for android should run on all Blackberr Playbooks and there would be no need for a Logos app specifically designed for the Blackberry Playbook.

Could someone please do this and place the .bar file somewhere we can download it.

Thank You, Scott

Tagged:

Comments

  • Welcome [:D]

    Thread => Blackberry Playbook Compatible? notes several internet sites have "How To" tutorials for side loading Android apps (apk) onto a Blackberry Playbook.

    Other option is using http://biblia.com on Blackberry Playbook to access your Logos library resources, which are available for mobile use.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Scott Longwell
    Scott Longwell Member Posts: 3

    I have no problem side loading android apps that have already been converted to bar apps for the Blackberry. I simply need someone to convert the apk file to a bar file. Then it takes just a second to download the bar file. If you read the comments on the website that have instructions for convert android apk files to blackberry bar files, it seems rather difficult and most of the comments are from people who followed the directions but had no success. I would even be willing to pay someone a few dollars to simply convert the Logos Bible Software for Android apk file into a bar file for blackberry. I know it can be done, I just don't have the expertise to do it. I am sure someone at Logos could do this and make it available to Blackberry playbook users. I don't understand why Logos would not want to help us use their software on all platforms. In the long run it would generate more interest and sales for logos.

     

  • Yader Parrales
    Yader Parrales Member Posts: 5

    I actually did it. I converted the logos app to a .bar file. I uploaded to test and it did not work at all. I just get a black screen. 

     

    p.s. If I did something illegal, it was not my intention. 

  • Hi,

    I am considering the purchase of a tablet, and one of the ones on my list is the Playbook.

    One of the considerations, is how it would work with my logos.
    Do I understand that Logos has not made their software available on the Playbook?

    Logos, are you planning to include the Playbook as a device that is usable?
    If not, please advise.
    If so, what is the expected time line?

    Thanks

  • Scott Longwell
    Scott Longwell Member Posts: 3

    Hey Dan, here is the deal. I have the playbook and if you type library.logos.com into the native browser on the Playbook, you can access all of your logos books from your library. You can also do word searches a use things like the passage guide and exegetical guide like in logos, it just looks a little different. If you want to see what it will look like on the Playbook, just type library.logos.com into your computer browser and make sure you sign in with your logos account user name and password. This will also work on any blackberry phone as well. Library.logos.com is also much better than the Biblia.com website. Library.logos.com won't be exactly running like it does on your computer, but I think it works fine and I can access all of my logos library without specific logos app for blackberry playbook. 

    My wife has a Kindle Fire running the Android logos app and it works great, however, I have used both tablets and from my own personal experience, the Playbook is a much better device than the Fire and I can read all my kindle books on my playbook as well as multi-task by having multiple programs open at the same time. The Fire can only have one program open at a time.

    I spoke with Logos and until the demand is greater, they have no interest in developing an app for any BlackBerry Phones or for the Playbook. They are blindly committed. To IPAD and ANDROID. I hope this will help you make your decision.

    Scott

     

     

     

  • Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)
    Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) MVP Posts: 23,124

    I spoke with Logos and until the demand is greater, they have no interest in developing an app for any BlackBerry Phones or for the Playbook. They are blindly committed.

    Observation: a December 2011 article about mobile device market share over past 5 years => http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/13/android-and-ios-now-control-over-80-of-smartphone-sales-in-u-s/ shows RIM going from 37 % of the market in 2006 to 10 % in 2011 (while the smartphone market expanded)

    Looking at April 2012 market share shows RIM decline continuing => http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=9&qpcustomb=1

    Another April 2012 article about mobile ad viewing also notes RIM usage declining => http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/23/android-ios-eat-away-at-rims-share-in-north-america-globally-nokia-devices-dominate/

    On 29 March 2012, RIM announced a ($ 125,000,000) loss => http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/29/riim_balsillie_leaves_quarter/

    For mobile application development, Oracle is also migrating toward iOS and Android.  An Oracle mobile blog => https://blogs.oracle.com/mobile/ already shows RIM software development (ADF Mobile Client) as archived.


    From a business perspective, Logos lacks motivation to develop mobile app(s) for RIM.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Michael Nyhuis
    Michael Nyhuis Member Posts: 8

    I have attempted to convert several Logos apps (Logos, Biblia, Faith Study Bible and Vyrso) to PlayBook compatible .bar files but none of them work. I've tried the both 2.1 and 2.2+ compatible versions but these don't work either... the application crashes every time I launch it. I've tried this on both PlayBook version 2.0 and the 2.1 beta.

    Clearly there's something that each app tries to do when it launches, but that it can't recover from. I can only assume that it might be trying to create its directories for storing its cache, plus books etc. but that something appears different to the native Android environment... this is just a hunch though.

    So for now, I'm stuck with using "And Bible" which converts and runs VERY nicely on the PlayBook. Being sword-compatible, I prefer this to YouVersion etc. as I have access to download the other commentaries and reference tools in the library.

    The thing is, I desperately want to be able to run Logos on my PB too because of the more powerful features it offers, plus access to my full paid library resources so that I can take them on the road with me. I have a first gen iPad that can run Logos, but find the PB to be far more practical.

    P.S. I think it's unfair to suggest that it's not worth Logos' time getting this going. RIM still has a very loyal following, plus BB10 is coming out next year which looks very promising indeed. Converting and testing the Android versions is a piece of cake, so surely it shouldn't be too hard to help us.

    I'd be happy to work with the Logos team to convert and debug on the PB. We just need to find out why it's crashing.

  • I too would dearly love to see a Playbook version of the Logos Bible App for Android. Meanwhile, Michael is there a place to download the converted "And Bible" Android app or must one convert it manually?

  • Michael Nyhuis
    Michael Nyhuis Member Posts: 8

    I had to convert mine manually and then side-load it into the PlayBook.  It works well, but I'd still love to have access to my full Logos library on the PlayBook though.

    One of the developers responded to another post, indicating that he'd seen my Logos crash logs come through. It's possible that because the PB doesn't run native Android code that it won't work... but I'm really hoping that they work around this (or BlackBerry OS 10 can run all Android apps flawlessly).

  • George Simopoulos
    George Simopoulos Member Posts: 60 ✭✭✭

    BB10 coming to the playbook early next year will increase the user base for Blackberry products in addition to giving developers like logos a platform more suitable for Android ports.

  • David M. Miller
    David M. Miller Member Posts: 9

    Michael,

    Is it possible that the recent upgrade to the Playbook OS (from 2.0 to 2.1) will fix the issues you had converting the Logos Android apps?

  • Michael Nyhuis
    Michael Nyhuis Member Posts: 8

    Hi David,

    No good. I had already updated to OS 2.1 Beta and then now to 2.1 Final yesterday and these still don't work. It is nice to be able to open Android apps in individual windows though

    As George suggested, BB10 coming next year is likely to bring a lot of new customers back to the BlackBerry. From what we're seeing it looks like it's going to be a sterling OS. I myself am keen to switch from iPhone/Android to BB as no doubt others will too. It's just that there aren't many decent Bible apps for the BlackBerry platform unless you want to try to convert one yourself.

    It's now back to the Logos team to try create at least a working Android port, let alone a native edition which would be even better still.