Android ICS and the Scriptures

Discussions around the Android version of the Gospel Library application.
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RBY7
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Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:12 pm
Location: Volcan, Chiriqui, Panama

Android ICS and the Scriptures

#1

Post by RBY7 »

With two decades of computing experience, I am thoroughly familar with MS Win7 (and many earlier operating systems), but I'm brand new to the mobile world of computing. All of this moble environment is new and confusing so please excuse what may be an easy, even a poor question, but it is very real and important to me.

I'm shopping for a new tablet and am starting to settle on one of the Asus Transformer Pad tablets that has the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) as the OS. It will be a 10.1" in a landscape format.

One of my primary reasons for getting this device will be to stop carrying around a quad set of scriptures in English plus a second set in Spanish. Along with two copies of everything else in the two languages including the Ensign/Liahona (last Conference issue plus this months issue again in both languages), and Teachings of the Prophets in two languages, my church backpack is so fat and heavy that I look like I am ready for an assult on Mount Everest.

I've got to slim this mobile bi-lingual library down.

Using the Book of Mormon as an example, my dream setup would look something like this:
An app (I believe that is the corect term in the mobile world) would display two side by side panes on the landscape screen (or maybe two apps) with The Book of Mormon in English on the left side (say 3Nephi 1:1) and another copy of the same chapter/verse in Spanish on the right. What would be even cooler would be if they could track together each with the other language version when scrolled, being able to track with the other one to the same Chapter/verse simultaneously.

If I could have all of my study materials packed in a digital form such as this in a slim (8.5mm) tablet case that only weighs 600 grams, man - would I be a happy camper on Sunday morning!

Looking forward to seeing if anyone here has a solution to my problem.

Rich Young
Panama, Central America
portersb
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Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:43 pm

#2

Post by portersb »

You can open multiple windows in separate languages. They do not track scroll positions together or anything like that, but you can view them side by side. It isn't as specific as what you have suggested (which would be awesome, BTW), but it is a decent workaround. Just click on the icon that has two overlapping squares.
dammonburden
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#3

Post by dammonburden »

I believe this is getting closer to a reality.
RBY7
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Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:12 pm
Location: Volcan, Chiriqui, Panama

#4

Post by RBY7 »

portersb wrote:You can open multiple windows in separate languages. They do not track scroll positions together or anything like that, but you can view them side by side. It isn't as specific as what you have suggested (which would be awesome, BTW), but it is a work round. Just click on the icon that has two overlapping squares.
While it's true that you can open multiple windows, it is not true that you can view them side-by-side. Wish that were true because it would be better. But you must switch back and forth between the two language versions - a cumbersome solution that never results in the two languages being available at the same time.

LDS View does do this on a PC but that's not available on an Android tablet.
portersb
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#5

Post by portersb »

Ah, this was previously possible, but in the latest version the windows are not placed side by side. Instead, there is some text where the second window would have been telling you when you last accessed the window. So, the workaround is no longer possible.
mornesmart
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Re: Android ICS and the Scriptures

#6

Post by mornesmart »

This past week a friend suggested that it would be great if it were possible to toggle languages. i.e. switch to the exact same verse in another language. We were sitting in Gospel Principles with Korean Investigators. Perhaps it could help missionary work.
portersb
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Re: Android ICS and the Scriptures

#7

Post by portersb »

mornesmart wrote:This past week a friend suggested that it would be great if it were possible to toggle languages. i.e. switch to the exact same verse in another language. We were sitting in Gospel Principles with Korean Investigators. Perhaps it could help missionary work.
I love this idea!

The current method requires opening a new window or leaving the chapter and returning to an index page, then hitting the settings menu (or the world icon, if it is a smartphone - it differs between tablets and smartphones), which for some reason has different options when you are in an index than when you are in a chapter. I would love it if it were always available, and switched the language of the content on screen.

One challenge would be that not all materials are available in every language, which is probably why they make you return to the index to present the option.
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