Mobile Ministry Magazine

Olive Tree brings name recognition and a reputation for reliability to the game. One of the things I first looked for when I initially considered the jump from Palm to BlackBerry was the presence of Bible programs.

The fact that Olive Tree had a BlackBerry port helped make the decision easy.

Olive Tree BibleReader for BlackBerry Version 4.0 is an impressive Bible study program that provides access to an entire suite of inspirational resources.

What makes this software compelling is the ability to store bible translations and related material on the user's expansion card. This removes the natural fear BB users have when it comes to device memory. Now, with this software, the only restriction on how much resources one can carry is based on device OS and memory card size.

Genius.

I am finicky. OTBR accommodated- me. Option-wise, I had numerous options: the ability to adjust font size, font color, background colors and more. The search function was snappy; I found it to be very responsive, even to multiple words.

Of particular interest to potential users will be the Bookmarking feature. It does just that: it keeps the selected verse in memory. This is great for when you are at service or such and have a list of scriptural references, you can save them in the program before-hand. I found it very useful.

Olive Tree has a library of dozens of bible translations and related reference resources that can be stored on card. Of these, a few are free (like ASV and BBE); the rest are for sale at the Olive Tree site. The reader itself is free.

My biggest issue with OTBR is admittedly somewhat unfair; it is based on the fact that I was such a huge fan of the features on the Palm port. To be specific, I was dismayed with the inability to add notes directly into the program while studying the bible. As said early, I loved this feature on my Palm. At the risk of sounding overly whimsical, I missed the ability to "split" screens with different versions. Again, that feature enhanced bible study a great deal

Simply put, this is an excellent program. It is well-made, feature-rich and has the potential to be a valuable tool in the lives of the familiars and the curious. If anything, try out the free translations. Support is quick, updates are frequently put out, and the developer clearly aims to please.

This software is rated for devices running OS 4.2 and up.

It is also available for Palm, iPhone, Symbian, and Windows Mobile.

This software was tested (and its review written) on an 8320 running OS 4.5 on T-Mobile.

Labels: BibleTech, BlackBerry, Olivetree, review