Mobile Ministry Magazine

Was in the mist of reading some posts at Jaiku as I have been occupied most of the day, and one of the user's commented on the starting of his new website, The Thumb Report (read the entire intro at IntoMobile). Basically a tech news website, with each story no more than 160 characters long. Brilliant idea, and one where I am honestly saying that in terms of the blog, and the way its populated that it should be copied by many churches who are looking for a simple solution towards creating a place online that is not just easy to update, but easy to read and go.

Check out The Thumb Report to see what I am saying. Remember, when it comes to connecting with people, simplicity matters (yes, I am verbose, I know :P )

There have been a few items sitting starred in Google Reader that I've been meaning to post. Sharing some of those, and hopig to spark something that will get you and I to think a bit more as the week goes on the place of mobile and tech in faith.

• ESV and NJKV for MS One Note (Bible Studies nad Technological Tools)
• When Should Parents Purchase a Mobile for their Children (Just Another Mobile Phone Blog)
• Research and Note Taking Tools, and the follow-up article Bonus Items for Research and Note Taking (Bible Studies and Technological Tools)
• Mission Field Money Crisis (Chruch Relevance, Charlotte Observer)
• Blogging Ministries (Church Communications Pro)

Got any news that would be of value to the Mobile Ministry Magazine community? Use our Contact page to send it to us.

Labels: annotating, Bible, church, device, education, mission, reading, review, software

This is what happens when I sit down and begin to think a bit more about how a Bible Study Notes application can/should work. Feel free to offer your opinions, and if you are a developer, think of this as a project analysis of what I've been thinking about.

Bible Notes App/Web App

Short Description Note taking application for mobile devices, internet tablets, etc. that uses a plug-in based architecture to connect to local and online resources.

Why and Who: The reason for this program is so that casual Bible readers, students, and sermon attendees can take notes in a format that follows alongside their natural ability to take notes in a notebook whether they use a digital or print bible.

Goals

• Create notes that extend beyond the context of one particular reading to the various points of information that exist online and/or on the user's device
• Create a point of intersecting the APIs of several Bible programs, formats, and sources so that the user has choice in how to use the resources available
• To encourage the development of plugins for commercial and non-commercial resources so as to not to slight the publishing industry's licensing rights for resource materials
• To address the semantics behind studying, by putting to work the semantics of the web

What Does This Program Look Like:

• Start with the Notes Application on Nokia Internet Tablets
  • Addition of a button that adds functionality
  • Finger typing friendly
  • PDF, HTML, and XML export
  • Upload to Google Docs (download then reupload possible?)
• Title/Initial Actions Screen
  • Create, (3-5) Recent Notes, Delete, Manage Plugins, About
• Notes
  • single screen
  • bottom bar with Bold, Italic, Underline, Color Selector, Bullets, Link (Plugin), Save, Save/Upload

Limitations

• Simple formatting options
• Initially no ability to draw on screen or insert images
• If a web application, needs a server; would be better as a web application that can be launched from a bookmark in an offline mode then save when connected

Workflow

• Two screens: title/actions and notes
• Dialog boxes to confirm actions such as 'link to resource' and 'saved to local/web'

Document Structure

• XHTML
• In page CSS (initially no custom styles for users)
• BibleRef Tagger
• Semantic Bible

Program Structure

• Language: unknown, depends on native or web app
• MySQL on local machine for indexing tags and references
• UI based on writing first, tagging second
• Will NOT tie into any Bible reader program directly, plugins only

Plugins

• Must use API defined by source resource to access content
• search plugins will only pass information via a search string and open in local client's browser
• Plugins that point to local apps should be done with the GPL for user/developer customization
• Plugins that point to licensed material need to be checked for possible licensing issues
• Can plugin point to native app
• Plugin to add ability to highlight, draw on page instead of build into app (possibility)

Plugin Limitations

• Cannot create content
• Cannot pull in content from websites applications to paste into document (later functionality possibility)

This is somewhat detailed, but gives a clear idea of what I was speaking about in Sunday's post. What are your thoughts? Place them here, and let's get a push to make an application that will have some far reaching effects.

Labels: annotating, Bible, mobility, notes, software, study, tech, web application

I traditionally like to submit MMM to the Carnival of the Mobilists because of the unique perspective on mobile technology that is not always explored in the realm of mobile professionals. In following a link from Digital Sanctuary, I came to the website The Kingdom 2.0 which made note of another carnival, the Christian Technology and Media Carnival, to which MMM should be making semi-frequent, future appearances as well.

However, it will be a bit before MMM is included into the next Christian Technology and Media Carnival, so do take a read of The Kingdom 2.0 posting of the First Edition of this carnival. Several articles on the use of media and the Internet in the Body, and some great thoughts on the worldwide perspective of such endeavors.

To those accustomed to reading the Carnival of the Mobilists, #122 at Xellular Identity is the latest published.

Update/Correction: Apologies, the latest Carnival of the Mobilists is #123 at GoMo News.

If you are reading the Christian Technology and Media Carnival and would like to submit an article you have written on your blog, visit the Blog Carnival Submission Form in order to fill out the requisite information.

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists, Christian Technology and Media Carnival, media, mobility, tech

I am sitting here thinking about my upcoming schedule of things to do and realize that it would be very nice to have a better Bible application (or web application that works offline) that would just facilitate leading and attending Bible studies or listening to sermons.

If you will, I don't need something that would be a Bible reader that then does notes. I am thinking more along the lines of a notepad application that automatically links to a Bible (on the device or not), in addition to other resources.

Something where I could create a document, and it would just be an HTML document. I could add tags to it (so that its easily searchable); and it would upload to places like Google Docs so that it can be shared with others. But then again, it wouldn't have to do that so much.

The idea of automatically linking to resources though is the fun part. For example, if I write a note, I want to be able to highlight either the verse notation written, or a keyword, and then be able to select what resource that it should be pointing to. That resource would basically be the search page for that Bible/commentary/lexicon/Wikipedia/etc. website and instantly give some depth to my notes. Imagine even linking to a city and having Google Maps, or whomever is doing a Google Maps-like ancient Bible maps mash up, link to it automatically.

I think something like this would be ideal as a web application because it is something that I would want for a mobile device (most likely my N800 Internet Tablet, but also my mobile phone). The ideal thing would be for this to work offline without having to be connected first (an issue with many web applications). But I could see something like this coming in just as much, if not more in handy than having a Bible reader, and then asking for the other features to be plugged into it.

Side note: If someone is willing to build this kind of an application, either a web app or something for a dedicated mobile device; I would be glad to help test (sorry, not a app developer) and when it is done promote the application here at MMM.

Related Articles:

• Semantic Bible
• Crosswire Bible Society's SWORD Project

Labels: Bible, mobiles, sermon, software, study, tech, web application