The "New" iPad: My Initial Impressions

I stopped by the local Best Buy last Friday and picked up the latest edition of Apple's iPad. I think it is officially called the "new" iPad, but in my mind it is the iPad 3.

I purchased the low-end iPad - the 16GB, Wi-Fi. My original was the 32GB, Wi-Fi. Prior to making the purchase, I checked my original iPad to see how much memory I had used. I had used only 8GB. I don't store videos or photographs iPad, so most of my usage comes from apps and resources for Logos Bible Software.

Here are my initial impressions:

• The retina display is nice, but unless you have an original iPad sitting next to the new iPad, I'm not sure you could see the difference. Part of this has to do with the fact that several of the apps I use have not upgraded yet to support the higher resolution of the new iPad.
• The new iPad is clearly faster than my original iPad. I notice this when writing an email and attempting to add an email address into the "to:" field. On my original iPad, I could touch the field and type in the first letter or two of my contact, and it would take five seconds or more to autocomplete the address. With the new iPad, the autocomplete is almost instantaneous.
• It could be my imagination, but it seems that the battery life is draining faster than it did with my original iPad. Clearly, my usage habits haven't changed in the last couple of days, but it seems the battery is draining faster. I started the day with a full charge this morning, and by mid-afternoon I am down to 75 percent. I would estimate I've used the iPad for a total of two hours so far today for mostly email, web browsing, and writing. I am using my bluetooth keyboard right now, but I've only had the bluetooth turned on for the past hour.
• Again, it could be my imagination, but it seems like the new iPad is generating more heat than the orignial. I do have a different case with the new iPad, but I can't see how the case would make that much difference, especially when I have the iPad propt up for writing. If I touch the back of the device, it is clearly generating quite a bit of heat. Is this normal?

So, my initial impression of the "new" iPad is mixed. Clearly, I appreciate the improved speed and retina display, but, if it is indeed true that the battery has less stamina than the original and the device is generating a lot of heat, those will be major drawbacks for me.

Is anyone else experiencing similar symptoms with the new iPad?

How to Determine if Technology Provides the Best Solution

I love technology. There is nothing that thrills me more than to find a really cool app for my iPad, or discover a new way to accomplish an old task. I love tracking my To Do list with technology (I use ToodleDo), reading about new technology (using my Kindle Fire or iPad), and talking with others about technology. Sometimes, however, I've discovered that using technology is NOT the best solution.

Consider note taking, for example -- there are clearly advantages to using technology when taking notes. I use a Livescribe [video] pen and notebook for longer meetings or an app for my iPad called SoundNote [video] for shorter meetings. Both allow me to take notes and record synchronized audio at the same time. Then, when I am reviewing my notes later, I can simply click on a word within my notes and listen to the audio conversation that accompanies that note. I can bounce around within my notes and only review the areas that need further clarification. Pretty awesome.

Sometimes, however, trying to scribble a note using an iPad or smart phone is simply not convenient. I've tried several apps on both my Android smart phone and my iPad that are designed for scribbling a quick note. Unfortunately, they simply do not work fast enough. If I am caught in a conversation with someone in passing, by the time I pull out my phone, fire it up, launch the app, and try to enter the piece of information I need to remember, too much time has passed. Invariably, I find myself asking for forgiveness as the person waits on my technology.

A much better method of capturing information on the fly is the old-school method of using a 3x5 card. I can whip out my 3x5 card (with pen attached) and scribble down a phone number or email address much quicker than I can accomplish a similar task using technology.

How do I decide if technology is the best solution?

1. Evaluate whether or not I am really saving time or being more productive. Techno-geeks like myself tend to favor technology simply for the sake of using some cool gadget or tool. In order to be truly productive, we must be honest about the tools we are using. Recently, someone described a colleague by saying, "he loves to use productivity tools, but he's really not that dependable. He forgets things a lot." That is an indictment we all need to avoid.
2. Examine the return on investment before making a decision. There are two factors to consider when evaluating return on investment: how much will this technology cost me in terms of money, and how much will this technology cost me in terms of time to learn. Technology that has a steep price and/or steep learning curve is usually not a good investment. A good example is the Mac OS application OmniFocus. Do a quick Google search on OmniFocus and you will read rave reviews. It's is the Cadillac of task management tools. Unfortunately, you will also read a lot of comments and reviews noting how difficult OmniFocus is to learn and master, and the fact that you will spend close to $140 to purchase the Mac OS app ($80), the iPad app ($40), and the iPhone app ($20). That is a steep commitment both in time and money to use OmniFocus.
3. Expect technology to function when and where I need it to function. We live in a connected world. In my technology toolbox I have Windows computers, Mac computers, an iPad, an Android phone, and a Kindle Fire (Android tablet). I want all of these devices to play nice with each other. With services like Dropbox and SugarSync, having access to my data from anywhere or anyplace is not a problem. What throws a kink into my workflow, however, is when I have one piece that doesn't want to play with the other pieces in my technology toolbox. A good example is WordSearch Bible Software. WordSearch offers access to a good library of Bible study resources that are not available via Logos Bible Software, my Bible study software of choice. I use the Preachers Outline & Sermon Bible to help with preparation when I am teaching, and this resource is not available via Logos, but is via WordSearch. Unfortunately, WordSearch is Windows only. In fact, WordSearch is one of the few applications I still use that is Windows only. What a pain! Logos Bible Software, on the other hand, allows me to start researching a topic at work, go home and read some more about a topic using my iPad or Android Kindle, pickup where I left off using my Windows computer, and even read my resources on my Android phone. Unbelievable. I use WordSearch only when I need to access the POSB and a few other resources that are not available via Logos, but in an apples-to-apples comparison, I would steer any new Bible student towards Logos rather than WordSearch.

How about you? What helps you decide whether or not technology offers the best solution over old-school methods?

Get a Free App for Your Church

For some time, I've searched for the right app for our church. As a temporary work around, I've created a mobile version of our site using WPtouch Pro. It works well, but does not come close to offering the capabilities a dedicated app can offer.

For example, we employ a wide variety of services to deliver content. We use SermonAudio.com, Vimeo, Sermon.Net, Liberated Syndication (for podcasting), plus a host of RSS feeds for each ministry news stream as well as the main news steam for our church. Add to this Facebook and Twitter for our social media components. A dedicated church app allows you to bring all of these diverse sources together into a single, simple interface on a mobile device.

In searching for an app builder, I first looked for a tool that would allow me to build my own app. I'm not a programmer, and don't have time to learn all of the nuances of building mobile apps, but if there was a program that made it relatively simple, it would be a win-win. Unfortunately, there is no such beast. There are the hints of early development in this area, but nothing that jumps out that help someone like me build a quality app.

My next step was to begin looking at the companies that develop dedicated apps for churches. There are several to choose from, and they all seem to be fairly consistent as far as price and features offered. The common pricing model is to charge a one-time setup fee to build the app, and then a monthly fee for continued access to the app. Once the app is built, most companies offer churches a way to access a control panel to add content and customize the app as needed.

What helped me pull the trigger is an offer by Roar App to build 1,000 apps for 1,000 churches in December free of charge. Again, most companies charge anywhere from $500 to $2000+ to build an app. Roar App is offering to build it for free. Granted, Roar doesn't have (see clients) the many of the flagship churches that other companies have, but in reviewing their list of features, it looks like they are on par with the big boys in the neighborhood. 

So, if having an app of your own is something you would like to add to your church's technology mix, this may be a good way to enter the playing field.

What are your thoughts? Do you see a need for a church to offer a way for the church congregation and community to connect via mobile technology?

Logos Bible Software & the Kindle Fire

I am learning to use my new Kindle Fire. My favorite Android app so far is Logos Bible Software. This, after all, is the reason I purchased the Fire. I’ve had mobile access of my Logos library for a year or more via my iPad, but as much as I love the iPad, it’s not my favorite reading device. When it is time to do some casual reading, the Kindle is my device of choice. I’ve owned a Kindle 3 for just over a year. If there were books in my Logos library I wanted to read on my Kindle, I had to export the text from Logos for Windows or Mac to a .rtf file, and then send it to my Kindle via Amazon’s free document service. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

When I saw the introduction of the Kindle Fire in September, I pre-ordered one on the spot. (It is an early Christmas gift.) I had two motives for purchasing the Fire: 1) access to my Logos library on a Kindle-like device; 2) the added benefit of reading with a touch screen rather than e-ink, which requires a light.

If I keep those two objectives in mind, then I am very satisfied with my Kindle Fire. In my opinion, the Kindle Fire is not an iPad killer. I don’t think Amazon designed it to be an iPad killer. The device is clearly built to consume media, and it does this very well.

With the addition of the Logos Bible Software app in the Amazon App Store, I am now set for reading nearly any book in my library. Unfortunately, the current development of the Logos app limits its value as a study tool. Before I can read a Logos book for serious research or study using any mobile device, the Android or iOS apps will need the capability to highlight text, create notes, and have my notes and highlights sync with my desktop version of Logos Bible Software.

According to the good folks at Logos, these features are on the way, but there is no mention of a timeline.

My Take on Google's Decision to Cut Churches Out of Nonprofit Program

Christianity Today reported yesterday on Google's decision to no longer offer churches a discount through their nonprofit program. Their decision is well within their rights as a publicly traded, for-profit corporation. In their guidelines Google states their decision to not offer a nonprofit discount to organizations with “religious content or proselytizing on website as well as organizations that use religion or sexual orientation as factor in hiring or populations served."

Google’s progressive leanings and activist approach towards social issues are well documented. It should not be a surprise to churches that Google would make the decision to prohibit churches from benefitting from their nonprofit program.

As a church and technology leader, Google’s decision does not bother me. Churches need to realize that corporations like Google have the right to offer their products free-of-charge or at a discount to whomever they wish. Google is a clear leader in the technology field, and I am a fan of their applications. I appreciate their vision for a new cloud-based operating system that has the potential to dramatically change how we view software and computers in general. The fact that I don’t agree with their politics or agenda does not limit me in any way from enjoying the benefits of their services.

Church leaders grousing about this decision need to recognize the weakness of their argument. If Christian leaders are going to oppose the social agenda Google embraces with one hand, yet at the same time expect a free gift from Google because they are a church, there is something very wrong.

Church leaders need to begin carefully examining the compromises they are making in their effort to receive a discount.