As much as many people would have loved to see Apple fail miserably, the launch of the iPad has been a huge success. I have no vested interest in the company and, quite frankly, dislike the way it does certain things, but you’ve gotta love what it does. The iPad, dubbed by some, somewhat scornfully, as an oversized iPhone/iPod Touch, is an entirely different animal. Not only that, it is probably bound to change the way people interact with print and visual media in the long run.

Among the cons I would not mention the lack of a camera, multitasking or Flash support (the first two will be coming sooner or later –multitasking is announced for this coming Fall), but more mundane things, like no earphones or a ridiculously short power adapter cable. Color me nit-picky, but this is being cheap.

As a “portable solution,” I think the iPad is just right for me. Neither too heavy nor too small. I can carry a full library of books, a number of Bible software programs, lots of apps, and the weight remains the same! I can even change font type and size for the most part, which is a real treat. The screen is fantastic, and easy on the eyes in my experience.

As a “multimedia hub,” I can also say I’m very pleased with it. Reading, watching photos or streaming videos is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that I recommend.

In sum, my general expectations have certainly been met, but where they have been certainly exceeded is in the area of Bible software. I will not give any names just yet, but let me assure you that the general quality of current Bible apps is quite high, and it can only get better with future enhancements (multitasking –which I am already using on my iPod Touch– being one of them). I am very impressed so far, and I think that, once more, the future is now.

1. I want a really portable solution for carrying around Bibles and books. “Around” means, basically, around the house, as well as the church or classroom settings. I’ve used notebooks and iPods, but they are either too large or too small. I thought the iPod touch would be a great deal, and it is in many ways, but I personally find it a bit unworkable for my purposes, due to its rather limited screen real estate.

For the last few weeks I’ve been doing my Bible reading off a study Bible that weighs around 1.4 Kg (nothing unusual for study Bibles). I keep it in the sitting room and also take it to church, and as much as I like the feel of a book in my hands, my wrists start to hurt after a short while, the font size appears to be increasingly smaller as time goes by, and I have to keep moving around in search of a better lighting angle. Besides, I need a ball pen and a notepad to jot things down (I know, I know…). I’m hoping the iPad, which is less than half that weight, allows font typeface and size changes, has its own light and (as far as Bible programs go) is capable of attaching notes to the text, will greatly enhance my current experience. All of it with the form factor of a study Bible and the added bonus of having dozens and dozens of other Bibles and reference books readily accessible without increasing its weight one bit!

2. I want to spend more time in the house’s common area, with the rest of my family.  The iPad looks eminently suited for this. The idea of sitting comfortably on a couch while doing what I need to do, rather than spending more hours in my study is quite appealing. Even if I have to occasionally wear earbuds, it is much better to be together. And more fun!

3. I’m tired of using a mouse. Again, I relish the thought of doing things with my fingers and taking breaks from clicking away. There is something about interacting with a device with my hands that I find more relaxing and natural than other methods.

4. Since the iPad seems to be a true entertainment hub, it should become an alternative way to listen to music and podcasts, and watch films, streaming videos and photos.

I guess what I’m looking for is something of a balance between productivity, study and relaxation. Will the iPad fit the bill? Well, I’ll soon find out. Will I discover new excuses, er… reasons I did not anticipate? Probably. Monday is the day…

Fortunately, there are some fine people whom you can turn to for news and updates on Bible software programs. Mark’s blog is always worth checking, and Kevin Purcell keeps abreast of the latest developments.

These are exciting times for Bible software, despite the current economic crisis. The recent launch of the iPad has opened up yet another study platform that looks very promising. I plan on getting one myself (it’s not available yet here in Europe), and hope to share my experience with you in due course. Perhaps I will even end up posting some mini-reviews or videos. Who knows?

I’m sorry I haven’t got better news for you at this point. My efforts to have other people join BSR and share the amount of work a site like this entails have not been successful. I’m not giving up just yet, but expect to see me more off than on, at least during what’s left of 2010.

Take care!

I’m traveling to Israel and might be able to post short updates on Tweeter or Facebook from my Pocket PC for my friends and followers.

I’ve been fighting this nasty cold for almost a week now, and have had to slow down on all pending projects. So this afternoon I thought I would do some research for a few blog posts and articles I have in mind. I was right in the middle of a Googling session when, all of a sudden (please forgive this little bit of self-indulgence) I saw that one of the search results linked to a Google Book Search with full details of my book on Bible software, including a generous preview and the ability to search the book!

When you consider that this book was published back in 2000, had a relatively small print run, and that it has been out of print for a while, you do wonder if in fact there is anything that Google doesn’t know…

So, if you read Spanish and want to check it out (here is the Preface in English), you can do so online now. It is badly outdated in the specific details and programs it makes reference to, but not so much in the general information it contains.

There are many circumstances when blog writing has to play second fiddle to other matters. All I can say is that I’ve been through a number of them. It feels weird, but as time goes by, you just begin to fear for the worst. These past few months I’ve toyed with the idea of quitting several times. I contacted a number of very capable people and tried to convince them about taking over BSR. But despite all my efforts, I had no success. So it seems that I am “stuck” with this project, and that there are lots of reasons out there to press on.

Anyway, here we are again. It’s so good to have people like you around this place. Thanks for bearing with me, and thank you to all those who have emailed and shown a sincere interest in the current state of affairs surrounding the website and weblog.