iPhone Applications

[techdude]

Anyone using iBreviary? I am thinking of buying it since it seems to download the ‘Official’ Lithurgy of the Hours. But recent comments on iTunes seems to indicate problem with regards to downloading the Daily Mass Readings and delayed Divine Office. When I tried iBreviary on my Symbian Phone (iBreviary is beta and Free on Symbian), Mass Reading downloads a blank page and Divine Office is from October 16. Is it the same on iPhone?

Despite my complaints on pricing, I bought Universalis. But wanted to compare it with iBreviary, but my experience on their Symbian application makes it hard to buy the app, even if it’s only 99 cents.

 

[Catholic_Kenpo]

Anyone using iBreviary? I am thinking of buying it since it seems to download the ‘Official’ Lithurgy of the Hours. But recent comments on iTunes seems to indicate problem with regards to downloading the Daily Mass Readings and delayed Divine Office. When I tried iBreviary on my Symbian Phone (iBreviary is beta and Free on Symbian), Mass Reading downloads a blank page and Divine Office is from October 16. Is it the same on iPhone?

Despite my complaints on pricing, I bought Universalis. But wanted to compare it with iBreviary, but my experience on their Symbian application makes it hard to buy the app, even if it’s only 99 cents.

I’ve got it and I’d say it’s unreliable at best. When I first got it, there were problems getting the Divine Office to display in English. Every other language was just fine, but English pages didn’t show up for some reason. At one point, that got fixed and the app worked just fine, but now it seems like it’s back to not displaying pages. I suppose I could re-install the app, but it honestly hasn’t been worth the effort. Sadly, I really can’t recommend you buy the app based on my experience with it.

-CK

 

[techdude]

iBreviary

I’ve got it and I’d say it’s unreliable at best. When I first got it, there were problems getting the Divine Office to display in English. Every other language was just fine, but English pages didn’t show up for some reason. At one point, that got fixed and the app worked just fine, but now it seems like it’s back to not displaying pages. I suppose I could re-install the app, but it honestly hasn’t been worth the effort. Sadly, I really can’t recommend you buy the app based on my experience with it.

-CK

Thanks. That’s what I thought. Probably the iPhone and the Symbian version are downloading the same file, so my problems with the Symbian one is probably the same as the one on iPhone. I when to the developer’s website, with the intention of asking about the app but it’s in 100% Italian. So I backed out…

I tried the one from Surgeworks too. At least their free Compline Audio. The Audio file is too large for my slow internet provider and it seldoms complete the download. The text does download, but IMHO not worth $9.99 (The full Divine Office Audio) when you have to go online everyday just for the text portion.

Guess, I will just use the unofficial Divine Office from Universalis.

 

[seopositive2]

Today i got a new iphone so that is why i am searching iphone tips on google so i found your post so this is a very interesting find indeed. I will have to check it out when I get the time though. Thanks for the nice tips.

 

[techdude]

Breviary

I tried the one from Surgeworks too. At least their free Compline Audio. The Audio file is too large for my slow internet provider and it seldoms complete the download. The text does download, but IMHO not worth $9.99 (The full Divine Office Audio) when you have to go online everyday just for the text portion.

Guess, I will just use the unofficial Divine Office from Universalis.

Take back what I said. On any decent internet provider, the audio portion of Surgeworks’ Divine Audio is a fast download (okay it does take a few minutes to complete a day worth of prayer) but the audio is great when you are praying alone and adds a lot to the prayerful ‘experience.’ The hymns are great. Well worth the $9.99 price tag. Individually, they are cheaper but I think the full app adds a little more in terms of convenience (you have to download each audio individually for the separate apps but the full Divine Office downloads all available audio for today and future dates one after the other with no additional user (name removed by moderator)ut). The text portion is not as complete as Universalis but as the app name implies, the emphasis is Audio.

My only fear for this app (and all the require online download) is whether the software provider might one day stop updating the content (as my problem with iBreviary shows). But until then, I am enjoying Divine Office Audio.

 

[techdude]

Sad to see that iHabitus had decided against releasing an 09 version of their Advent08 app. The devotions will only be available online. Since Apple takes ages to approve an app, guess there’s no use emailing the developer.

 

[techdude]

It looks like Divine Office Audio’s price has just dropped to $2.99 while the apps individually (Morning, Evening, and Night Prayers) are free. Don’t know if it’s just for Thanksgiving but at $2.99, it’s a steal. While I regret buying many apps at full price then seeing it’s price drop, I didn’t regret buying Divine Office Audio for $9.99 last week. It’s worth that price to me.

 

[LoyalViews]

iBreviary(99c), CatholicTV(free), Jesus Candle(99c), SantoRosario(free)
are all good ones.

 

[CatholicDad2010]

Hi All -

I am looking for more ideas for Catholic-focused applications for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. I currently have one Catholic app in the App Store called Art Image Rosary Classic which has been well-received and is quite different from all the other rosary apps in the App Store. I will be updating the app with a lot of new features again this summer. If anyone is interested, you can check it out at:

itunes.apple.com/us/app/art-image-rosary-classic/id309608877?mt=8

Feedback received is always appreciated and will be given a prompt and thoughtful reply.

Thanks and God Bless!

 

[Brooklyn]

iBreviary(99c), CatholicTV(free), Jesus Candle(99c), SantoRosario(free)
are all good ones.

iBreviary is now free, and I think it is a wonderful app. No bells and whistles, but it has gotten much more reliable. Once in a while the download doesn’t work, and once in a while they have the wrong prayers, but for free - hey, you can’t go wrong. And it has the entire Breviary everyday.

 

[James924]

Hi All -

I am looking for more ideas for Catholic-focused applications for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. I currently have one Catholic app in the App Store called Art Image Rosary Classic which has been well-received and is quite different from all the other rosary apps in the App Store. I will be updating the app with a lot of new features again this summer. If anyone is interested, you can check it out at:

itunes.apple.com/us/app/art-image-rosary-classic/id309608877?mt=8

Feedback received is always appreciated and will be given a prompt and thoughtful reply.

Thanks and God Bless!

I love your Art Image Rosary and use it in Church everytime I forget my Rosary in the car (quite frequently).

As for ideas: if you could create an app with two text windows, one on top with the Bible (prefereably RSV-CE or DR) and Fr Haydock’s commentary in the lower window, and when you scroll down/navigate through the bible window the Haydock commentary automatically adjusts it’s location to display the corresponding Haydock entry for that part of scripture…I would buy it in a heartbeat.
If you could tap on a word of scripture and be forwarded to a dictionary entry in a Catholic bible dictionary I’d pay even more.

 

[tipsources]

Thanks

 

[amhara]

Aps:

Answers 4 Catholics: itunes.apple.com/app/answers-4-catholics/id337082085?mt=8

Mobile Apostle: mobileapostle.com/

iBreviary: itunes.apple.com/app/ibreviary/id291505219?mt=8

iConfess: itunes.apple.com/app/iconfess/id307804649?mt=8

Universalis: itunes.apple.com/app/universalis/id284942719?mt=8

Catholic Calender: itunes.apple.com/app/catholic/id293573321?mt=8

Rosary: itunes.apple.com/app/hail-mary/id292659987?mt=8

Beads: itunes.apple.com/app/prayer-beads/id296016509?mt=8

Divine Mercy Chaplet: itunes.apple.com/app/divine-mercy/id295373066?mt=8

NAB Olive Tree Bible: olivetree.com/store/product.php?productid=16565&partner=3c40249b10aee76f4ff71c69760878c2

Chatechism: itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=321140664&mt=8

 

[envchemist]

It looks like Divine Office Audio’s price has just dropped to $2.99 while the apps individually (Morning, Evening, and Night Prayers) are free. Don’t know if it’s just for Thanksgiving but at $2.99, it’s a steal. While I regret buying many apps at full price then seeing it’s price drop, I didn’t regret buying Divine Office Audio for $9.99 last week. It’s worth that price to me.

I think it’s great it dropped. I think with the price you were supporting a religious order—so you did good! I don’t know if I have said this but as a convert (although it’s been 32 years) I don’t know all the prayers and it’s help to have the Pieta, iConfess, and the Office. I hope everyone has explored the iPieta and found the Veritas section in which you have the Baltimore Catechism, The writing of St Teresa (both I think-- Avila and Liseaux), Imitation of Christ, Intro to the Devout Life. St Louis Marie DeMonfort, St John of the Cross’ writings, Mystical City of God (abbreviated but still!), Echumenical Councils and more and more and more. My iPod is a treasure house!!! What lucky little convert I am lol!!! How rich this Church is!!!

Humerous side note—I showed the iPieta to a Priest friend of mine—who said I don’t need an iPod but when he saw the Apps…he was shaking his head and saying I HAVE TO HAVE ONE! lol lol lol.

Nydia

 

[techdude]

I think it’s great it dropped. I think with the price you were supporting a religious order—so you did good! I don’t know if I have said this but as a convert (although it’s been 32 years) I don’t know all the prayers and it’s help to have the Pieta, iConfess, and the Office. I hope everyone has explored the iPieta and found the Veritas section in which you have the Baltimore Catechism, The writing of St Teresa (both I think-- Avila and Liseaux), Imitation of Christ, Intro to the Devout Life. St Louis Marie DeMonfort, St John of the Cross’ writings, Mystical City of God (abbreviated but still!), Echumenical Councils and more and more and more. My iPod is a treasure house!!! What lucky little convert I am lol!!! How rich this Church is!!!

Humerous side note—I showed the iPieta to a Priest friend of mine—who said I don’t need an iPod but when he saw the Apps…he was shaking his head and saying I HAVE TO HAVE ONE! lol lol lol.

Nydia

I think the price drop (for Divine Office) is temporary, it’s now back to 9.99 or so. Still, a nice price, considering the developer has to pay royalties (for the copyrighted music and text), as well as, bandwidth (since this app download the audio portion each and everyday). Price is entirely reasonable.

 

[techdude]

Hi All -

I am looking for more ideas for Catholic-focused applications for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. I currently have one Catholic app in the App Store called Art Image Rosary Classic which has been well-received and is quite different from all the other rosary apps in the App Store. I will be updating the app with a lot of new features again this summer. If anyone is interested, you can check it out at:

itunes.apple.com/us/app/art-image-rosary-classic/id309608877?mt=8

Feedback received is always appreciated and will be given a prompt and thoughtful reply.

Thanks and God Bless!

For starters, why not port your app to HD (iPad). As Apple themselves said, they are using the first-movers advantage to the limit by pushing out as many ipad as possible. Since there are still no High Def iPad version of the Rosary, the first one will get the attention.

As for the iPhone app, I agree that it’s a well-made app. It’s pricier than the competition but higher price begets quality. I think it’s worth it and one of the best Rosary app on the iPhone.

 

[dbonneville]

We just released our new iPhone rosary app called “Rosary Gems”. It’s a beautiful, simple rosary that you can operate with one finger and keep your eyes closed. While most of the rosary apps have all kinds of settings and art, we decided to focus on making a beautiful rosary with one screen, so that the iPhone “disappears” so you can focus on praying, not settings and artwork. It’s very discreet, so that if you are praying in a public setting, you won’t glow from your phone like a saint

bonfx.com/iphone-rosary-app

The artwork and design is decidedly masculine, with the “gems” embedded on a dark-brown leather setting, like it was something you took out of your pocket.

We have several more masculine rosary designs in the works, as well as some other new design innovations. Having the any rosary in your iPhone is a great idea!

 

[James924]

Fellow Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians,

I would like you to all help me out in trying to get the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible available on a (primarily Evangelical but cross-denominational) Bible Study app called Mantis.

I’m already in communication with Ignatius Press about this and they sound interested. I have posted a recommendation at the Mantis Bible Study website here:

mantisbible.com/Support/DiscussionForums/tabid/112/aff/7/aft/1241/afv/topic/Default.aspx

The Mantis App is the best Bible Study app I’ve found and I’ve tried most of the good ones (including Logos and Olive tree’s Bible Reader.) What makes it great is that it has “in-line” insertion of notes, commentaries, definitions and a vast array of other Scripture study and word study tools. By “in-line” I mean that when you click on a verse and click on a commentary the commentary is inserted right there “in-line” in the text as opposed to annoying pop-up screens or having to leave the page you’re on. The same goes for definitions, word-study, personal notes, etc. And within the in-line notes or commentaries, you can click on hyperlinked verses or definitions and then you’ll have in-line notes within the in-line notes within the original scripture and all the in-line insertions are collapsible when you’re done reading them by just a tap. I recommend looking at the demo videos on the support section of their website to get an idea of how it works: mantisbible.com/Support/VideoTutorials/tabid/118/Default.aspx

I have accomplished immense amounts of Bible Study in just minutes with this app and it is truly a blessing.

Having Catholic resources like the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible available on this app would be incredibly beneficial to Catholic users of this application. I highly recommend you all try out the application. It is free with a standard KJV study package but you can download other resources, some of which are Catholic, such as the Vulgate, the Douay-Rheims, and an older version of the RSV with the deutero-canonical books.

But resources won’t be added unless there are signs that people might be interested in purchasing them, so I need your help (if you’re genuinely interested.)

If you like what I’ve just described or what you see in the demo videos or especially if you’ve actually used the app on your iPhone or iPod touch and would like to be able to have Catholic study notes/commentaries available then please go to my recommendation on their forums here:
mantisbible.com/Support/DiscussionForums/tabid/112/aff/7/aft/1241/afv/topic/Default.aspx
and voice your interest in possibly purchasing the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible on Mantis if they make it available. (You’ll need to take a few seconds to register a forum account to post on that forum recommendation.)

I cannot stress how much of a blessing it would be to have the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible available for use on the Mantis application. With the exception of the few Doctrinal disagreements we have, I know that many Eastern Orthodox enjoy using Catholic resources like this one from Ignatius and so I welcome and request the addition of support from our Orthodox brothers and sisters as well.

This could also open the doors for other Catholic resources being made available. But its all up to the folks at Mantis and whether they see that people have interest and might be potential buyers. Just to reiterate, Mantis is free and buying the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible on Mantis would presumably be the same price or cheaper than the price of the actual physical book at the book store.

Also, if you for some reason don’t want to register on their forums and post on that thread, you could send them an email “seconding” this recommendation by going to their “contact us” page here:
mantisbible.com/Support/ContactUs/tabid/113/Default.aspx

If you do that, please let me know on this thread so I have an idea of how many people are interested but people “seconding” the recommendation on the actual Mantisbible.com forum thread will be more effective I think.

Please consider helping with this effort by simply voicing your interest.

Thanks for your time and God Bless.

 

[MontfortCath]

Have any of you heard of iCatholicRadio? It seems to be a relatively new app that plays Catholic Radio. I downloaded it a few months ago, I’d love to hear others opinions on it.

 

[markandrew82]

Hello Everyone,
I am still new tothis site but I was wondering with all the talk about the apps for the iPhone, hwo about the Blackberry?

Can anyone suggest a few apps for the Blackberry?

Thanks,
Mark