Mobile Ministry Magazine

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

This is the meat of the MMM Mobile Experiment Report, and also where it makes the transition from being just a review of software and online services to one of looking beyond the offering to the ability that it lends. Here's an outline of what is covered in this, Part Two, of the MMM Mobile Experiment Report:

• Additional Setup Items
• Day to Day Use
• Immediate Challenges
• Accessibility versus Versatility

Given the length of this, section of the report, it will be an extra day before publishing the third and final section. This report will also be made available as a singular download (debating on the format of that now). Enjoy Part Two, and please do not hesitate to give any comments to this or Part One.

Part Two:

Having set up the Mobile Web Server application on my device, and creating the Mobile Web Server website, I had to set up some initial pages so that in coming to the site, Mobile Ministry Magazine readers would be greeting with more than just a blank page. There are two parts to setting things up for day to day use; one part is on the mobile device and the other is through a browser (that can be on the mobile device or not; but most might choose not to go that route and just use a separate computer).

Setup on the Mobile Device

On the mobile device, one navigates to the Web Server application and is presented with a series of screens. First, you are asked to insert your user name and password that was set up on the MWS website. There are a few easy to figure out section of the application that is always shown when it is opened from here: Users, Status Message, Statistics, Access Log, Folders, and Settings.

The Users section was probably the one that I spent the most time with initially. There is a default Guest account where one can set Guest access to the MWS; and then from contacts in one's address book, you can set specific users to have ability with a user name based on their name in your address book and a password that you have set for them. I quickly abandoned doing this for a lot of people and just settled on making sure that I had a user group for my family to special sections of the MWS site, and everyone else just got the Guest account.

Truth be told, I spent a lot of time looking at the Access Log. I wanted to see how many people were hitting the site, and it was kind of neat the first few days of the experiment. We averaged about 10 unique users per day and for the most part people did not have issues with logging in (user names are case-sensitive; found that out halfway through the project).

Setup through the Web Browser

There is a setup wizard that one has to access from a device that has a suitable web browser while the mobile web server (MWS) is running. On my end, I used my Nokia N800 Internet Tablet connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot at a local coffeehouse while the MWS was running on my N75.

Two parts of this allow you to set up things like the welcome screen, offline page and message, and get a badge that can be displayed on several websites. After this wizard, there is a control panel that keeps the latter items, and allows for presence updates on the status page. One can change the theme to several types; however they are nothing more than color and banner changes. Unless you want to dig in the mobile device and play, there is no way to create custom layouts or fiddle with the CSS for more customization.

From the web browser one is able to set all types of options and create content and points of contact.

• Home
• Blog
• Camera
• Gallery
• Guestbook
• Contact Me
• Presence
• Web Chat
• Calendar
• Messaging
• Phone Log
• Contacts

By default, guests only see the Home, Blog, Presence, and Contact Me sections. The Gallery has to be setup to either show (share) pictures that are shared from the phone's internal memory, memory card, or both. I found that the Guestbook was a bit of a redundant feature, but it could prove beneficial in some applications. The Web Chat section is interesting as when someone starts a web chat, there is notification on the mobile device of the chat and then an IM-like interface is given. From there chat happens just as it would in any other chat room. The Calendar, Phone Log, and Contacts are pulled right from the mobile device and gives a browser-accessible means to see and edit content. I liked this feature, but wished that there was more granularities so that some users could see "Busy" instead of the specific event. Presence tells the state of the mobile phone such as how long it has been idle, battery life, and a status message. And finally Messaging allows one to send an email or SMS message directly to you as well as see all the SMS and MMS messages that are stored on your mobile device (Inbox and those sent).

One neat feature that is present throughout is the fact that all contacts that appear in various applications such as Calendar and Messaging are linked to their contact card. This contact card shows the last call as well as links to the address book entry. Simple, but really neat.

From registration to setting up the welcome page and basic access rights it took about 30 minutes to get rolling. After that it was just a matter of running the MWS on my device and engaging with people as they visited MMM Mobile.

Day to Day Use

The Mobile Web Server is pretty much a set it and forget it type of application. I let it run most of the day, taking it down in the AM in order to use my mobile device as a modem for my Internet Tablet and desktop. During this time, I updated the status message to point visitors to the MMM Jaiku channel. In pointing people to the MMM Jaiku channel, it was my hope to engage the usual readers of MMM, and the new visitors of the breadth of content related to Mobile Ministry Magazine, as well as engage in some discussions across a social network in a slightly different function than what is normally done in blog-driven websites.

On the downside of the day to day use, the MWS was an inconvenience in terms of the other connectivity that I aspire to have on my mobile device. Usually, I run the Emoze email client and the Jaiku Mobile client. Because of the MWS, I was not able to run these and have a long functioning device. Either the MWS would take over the connections, or the applications would consume too much memory and cause one or all of them to shut down. During the experiment, I only suffered one total device crash, but this was an instance where the hardware specifications of my N75 (which has about 15MB of memory free for running programs at boot) was at the very bottom of what is needed to run the MWS.

Because of this limitation, I was not able to use programs such as widgets to keep me abreast of what was going on at the MWS without opening the application. That being said, it was quite nice to have the server running and not have to think about it unless I needed some kind of functionality that was a bit more than normal.

A small note: the Nokia N75 is a 3G phone, meaning that it has the ability to use a high speed data network called HSDPA. Because of the specifications of this network, the device is able to use applications that connect to the Internet at the same time as using voice functions. While running the MWS, there was no drop off in voice quality or phone functions except for occasional slowness for MMS message processing.

Immediate Challenges

While there were those hardware challenges, the large and more pertinent challenges to using the MWS was trying to keep the same kind of communicative presence that had been done at Mobile Ministry Magazine. Essentially, opportunities to post to the blog, upload pictures, and engage the reading community were all things that seemed a lot easier when connectivity was spread across devices instead of being centered on one device.

For example, whenever I needed to use the web browser on the N75, I had to shut down the MWS because the two applications were too large to run at the same time. This meant that I would have to create a status message saying that the server was down and point people to the MMM Jaiku channel; then initiate a discussion at the MMM Jaiku channel; and then I would be able to continue with using the web browser. Certainly, having a device with later hardware (more memory and processor speed) would have been great here.

Another issue that I found was that in order to publish to the blog, I needed some type of dual connection. Using the MWS made situations of traveling to WI-Fi hotspots a bit of an adventure as now instead of using them just as a rest place, I wanted to be strategic in making sure that I could create a conversation piece around the use of the technology. It was not until later in the experiment that I realized that there would be times that I would be able to use the web browser on the N75 in order to populate the blog. This stretched the mobile device, but creating a blog post where I was able to live blog a sermon and have my notes created on the N75 instantly appear online was quite exciting (mental note: taking a T9 typing class before doing this should be a prerequisite).

Accessibility versus Versatility

This challenge of balancing multiple devices, multiple input methods, and then just the plan fact that a web server can really go with you anytime makes one feel more accessible than ever. The granular level of being able to assign contacts or groups of contacts to various parts of one's mobile device presents a solution that is present already in some enterprise applications such as SharePoint and even commercial ones like Movable Type. But those are PC-focused solutions. Nothing wrong with that, but as mobile devices become more versatile, one should not just assume, but see that a lot more of what we do can be driven from a mobile platform.

The Mobile Web Server is an answer to a question that is not yet asked so loudly yet though. Its not so much an issue of how does one stay accessible, as many connected devices open to you; but it allows you to determine how you want people to connect to you based on the social network that you have built - your phone book. This is more powerful and empowering when combined with a communications strategy and a personality that invites people to want to connect to you. That being said, its not accessibility that is the focus of using the MWS, its versatility. Versatility meaning that you are empowered to take your social network with you, and how they connect to you is determined by you, not by the service that you subscribe to.

This is if you where using the software and service makes a change from being just a piece of software or just another online service. It would be easy to just put the MWS into one of those categories and then judge it based on its benchmarks; but there is nothing to just it against. Nokia's Mobile Web Server is a canvas that if given the network and the hardware (and economies) becomes a canvas that enable the kind of personal computing that was dreamed about in the 1950s when the foundations of the Internet began, and now realized with the fast and (nearly) open wireless networks that most of the world has access to.

Flash Sideshow of MWS Screens, via Share on Ovi

Labels: accessiblity, browser, community, device, internet tablet, Jaiku, mobile, Mobile Web Server, mobiles, mobility, N75, Nokia, review, SMS, software, tech, usablity

Greetings all; thanks to all of you who have visited and commented on MMM Mobile in the past week. It was certainly a new experience for me to use a mobile device as the web server and I have a greater appreciation for a lot of aspects of server administration that I had not had before.

Seeing what my mobile device could do under the pressure of being a communications platform in every sense of the word was tough as well. From blogging, to the web chat on day one, to just making sure that I would keep the MMM Jaiku channel going with back-chat; it was both a pleasure and a challenge to do something that (to my knowledge) has not been tried before.

What's next is a report of things that I found, as well as why such an experiment has relevance in this highly connected world. With talk of net neutrality, the new digital divide, and Christian digital responsibility, there's a good deal that this experiment opened that I will be bringing to you in a three part report.

To give you a heads up, here is an outline of what you can expect in my next three posts:

Part One:

• Reasons and Goals of Experiment
• Explanation of Nokia's Mobile Web Server and my Device
• Social Networking Component

Part Two:

• Day to Day Use
• Immediate Challenges
• Accessibility versus Versatility

Part Three:

• Lessons Learned
• Current and Future Applications
• Why This Is A Model for the [Digital] Church

I am trying to take my time with this, and I do encourage you to ask questions along the way towards parts that need to be better explained or clarified. Like I stated earlier, making sure that you (this audience) understands why such an mobile experiment has relevance for you today is a big goal of this report. Keeping in mind of the Word to always encourage one another, its my hope that this would encourage you to not just think about how to use technology, but how your innovative use of it will give people a chance to view Christ in ways that they never imagined.

Again, stay tuned, Part One is just about finished being written and edited. Looking forward to your comments.

Labels: Bible, browser, community, mission, Mobile Web Server, mobiles, mobility, tech

Image via Wikipedia

In reading Matt Miller's latest post about a sub-$1000 ultraportables, I was wondering, how many of you use a laptop/ultraportable (not smartphone and keyboard) in Bible studies, meetings, etc.?

Considering devices like the HP Mini Note and Asus Eee PC that are well under $1000 (under $500 in some configurations), it would seem that its very possible to have a capable note-taking solution?

Of those of you that use ultraportables (that is, laptops with less than a 12in screen), do any of you orchestrate special programs or usability features for those in your communities that also use them? If so, what do you share/do?

Labels: Asus Eee, community, Hardware, Laptop, mobiles, software, study, tech

Image via Wikipedia

A friend of mine has been debating when to get the Nokia N810. He basically wants it to replace his laptop for the lighter ministry tasks that he does. He's been doing his homework, looking at his budget, and basically learning all that he can about it before he makes the jump, but the question that he has is "when?" You see, for him it is not so much that its there, but when should he get it is the more important question.

For those who follow technology of any kind, you know that there is planned obsolescence for all of it. Nothing seems to be meant to last forever, and in some cases, not much longer than the 5 minutes that passed since your purchased it. However, being a good steward over our resources means that we have to take a proactive approach towards attaining mobile technology, and for many of us that leaves us in a constant wait pattern.

So how do you decide to pull the trigger? Here are some things that have helped me in the past on this side of decision making:

• Have you prayed about it or just told God that you wish that you had it?
• In investigating the device or software, have you noticed complaints for basic functionality or advanced features?
• Has the device had a major recall during its product life? Or is there a standing glitch that has not had any communication from the manufacturer that it will be addressed at some point and time?
• What devices/services are planned to come after this? How long from this point until that new device/service is released?
• Have you checked the Buy/Sell threads at the fan sites for this item (usually used, but the price is a lot lower than purchasing new)?

What about you, what kinds of decisions do you go through before making a purchase?

Labels: mobile accessories, mobiles, mobility, N810, Nokia, purchasing, tech

I was sitting here thinking about the Nokia N-Gage platform and their new Get Out and Play campaign and how it takes the online aspect (think X-Box Live and World of Warcraft) and brings that community to mobile devices. I wonder, much like some ministries have gone into virtual worlds to start ministering to people there, could the same thing be possible within N-Gage?

Labels: community, mobiles, mobility, N-Gage, Nokia, software, Video game

A great post on Jaiku and how it speaks towards the social nature that mobiles and the internet has become is up over at SMSTextNews. Here is a snippet:

...All this so far has been about the utility. The product. The usability. The benefits. In my next (and last) Jaiku-themed piece I’ll cover off the final piece of the puzzle. The thing that, in my opinion, truly makes Jaiku special: The Community...

Labels: community, Jaiku, mobiles, mobility, networking, phone, tech

One of the most involved questions that comes this way is how to attain a solid mobile device or service, and do so without breaking the bank. And while one can easily find devices and services on any kind of search, what kinds of principles are in place that help guide these purchases?

God's Ownership Policy

The overall policy that one should understand that finances of any kind are the Lord's. What we do with those things are a part of how we honor and respect those things that He's given us to steward. While the allure of modern devices and services is strong, we have to first establish and understand that God's best is not always that we get the thing that we want - especially if in what we have we are not serving Him well.

The What and Why

After that, we look at our usage. Many people see my setup and say that they have no need for a smartphone, or the use of a bluetooth keyboard. I say that I have a vested interest in having the immediacy of solid calendaring and contact options (and the immediacy of turning them off [wink]); that I have a vested interest in an ergonomic solution when typing (rather than relying on that ole health care system to fix my wrists). If the technology can in the short and long term prove its usability, then its a solid purchase.

Addressing the Cost

After that, its a matter of setting a budget, and not running towards the most expensive thing. For example, Nokia recently announced a model called the 6220 Classic. This model has all of the same features of the N95, but will cost less once it is introduced. So instead of getting the high end now, when it is most expensive, one can wait until later until it, or another better version, comes out that is cheaper.

Consider that You Are A Steward, Not Just A Consumer

Part of being a good steward over newly acquired mobile tech is knowing how to place boundaries on its use. For example, I used to be a big fan of showing everyone that I have something new to play with. Unfortunately, this is pride and causes strife and envy amongst the brethren. If what I am doing is to be a reflection of God, then I have to allow God room to exhalt Himself and not the new device. This is difficult for many of us because we are accustomed to "showing off the shiny." But just as we are called to humble ourselves, we should also be willing to just use the device, and allow its use to make God more evident than its new gleam.

Meditate and Consider

So as you can see, there is more to making a new purchase than just having the funds for it. As a believer, we have to consider that our actions will have an effect on the Body and people around us in areas more than just getting something new. Being a good steward means evaluating all those things, and then responding to God with obedience and wisdom towards Him in it.

Labels: community, devotion, mobile accessories, mobiles

Cynthia Ware has taken a look look at how Christian missionaries are using new media as parts of their efforts to connect and share news of their connections when away from their "roots." Here's a snippet:

...Today's missionaries are using blogs, facebook, shutterfly and other social media to extend their connectedness, reward their supporters and create archived memories of their unique adventures. Whether missionaries are serving on short term teams or serving in long term posts, they need no longer be disconnected from their points of origin, hometowns, partners, sending churches, extended families, etc. In fact, if they have internet access, there's virtually (no pun intended) no reason they can't be very connected...

Labels: accessiblity, Bible, church, community, email, gospel, mission, mobile, mobile accessories, mobiles, networking, phone, podcast, software, tech, usablity, worship

So I finally have been able to get a Bible onto my N800 Internet Tablet. And this is a good thing, except that I should have done this Monday when I made the decision that I wanted to blog a bible study. In thinking about how to expand the ability to spread the wealth (so to speak) when it comes to a Bible study; I wanted to blog the study and then go back and link the verses and highlight the notes in order to have something that is not just good for me, but for any who decide that they are studying on a particular piece of the Bible and wanted to have some modern commentary along with their study.

So instead of a study that was done with Rapier and posted via Wordply; I just rolled along with a simple study using BibleGateway and the browser, along with the built in Notes application. Simple on both accounts and mostly effective. The following are the lightly edited notes of the study as I intended to post them:

Title: Blogging A Bible Study Via A Tablet

Tool: Maemo WordPly beta

Purpose: To investigate the ability to blog a Bible study, and the hypertext social constructs of meeting in a place where mobility is now an assumed cultural norm.

Some goals: To outline, write personal and community notes (annotated properly), and to later insert links to relevant verses that pertain to the discussion; to then share the entire study as a blog posting on Mobile Ministry Magazine

Ironically, I am starting this offline because I am having issues getting connected via the network here in the coffeehouse (It's A Grind). Not that I am complaining, because I have a really good drink. But this doesn't bode well as a start.

Study of Leviticus
Chapter 8 to (hopefully) the end

Where did it take place: Sinai
How Long; About 14 months
Types of offerings (he used candy analogies to describe these): chocolate and bitter
- what was also required on a guilt offering: pay the person back 120%
- Some sins have different consequences, but all are sin in the same weight

Chapter 8-10: The Priesthood
Chpt. 8: do this, o
Chapter 9:1-7, 22-24
- one of the signs to be completed consumes means that it was accepted
- There was a specific order, and now instead of there just being Moses as the priest, now Aaron and the sons take over those responsibilities
- the theme of Leviticus being holiness
Chapter 10: incorrect offering by the sons of Aaron
- how we do things is more important than what weee do

Clean and Unclean (Chapters 11-19)
- usually those things temp clean or unclean had to do with humans
- this was done for distinction from other cultures
- an aspect of hygiene that was not observed (personal note)
- What did God have in mind about this that it was not so much the rules, but the consequences behind what we do that effect other people
- year of jubilee
- these principles are in place for a specific order; are we distinctly set apart as Christians because of these

Chapter 19
v9-19: the justice of God; this hierarchy is for order

Chapter 20
penalties for social and family disobedience

Feasts
- there were seven feasts
- God was a hands on God who engaged the senses of the faithful
- passover; feast of unleavened bread; feast of first-fruits; Pentecost (50 days after the 7th sabbath); feast of the trumpets; day of atonement; feast of booths/tabernacles

Chapter 24, Year of jubilee

Chapter 26:
v3-5: if you do these things then you will prosper; the reason to bless them was to display God's holiness, for them to be distinct and bring fame to God not themselves
- cannot have the mindset that the blessings is for you, but meant to make you distinct for God
[end]

I should mention here that the study we are doing is a light OT survey. For such a study, its good to have the ability to annotate/tag items for reference, but also relate them to other resources so that one is adept in discussions later. My setup with the IT did not maximize on these points, but the building blocks are there for such integration.

A big thanks too DWatts and all the rest who have been very encouraging in helping me to get Rapier installed on the IT; now let's see what can be done to change things up a bit.

Labels: Bible, community, internet tablet, mobile accessories, mobiles, N800, software, Sword Project

One can argue that this has probably been the first time since the late '90s that mobile devices have captured so much attention. In many ways, its flat out been the "year of the mobile" for a lot of areas:

- According to a recent report, over 1/8 of USAmerican households are totally mobile
What that means is that more often than not, people are choosing accessibility that is not based on a fixed location. Sure, wireless networks in the US are comparatively horrible, but considering the speed of innovation, that won't be the case for long. Are ministries equipped to roll with this trend?

- The iPhone has spurred several innovative approaches to mobile applications and mobile device usage beyond the techie-influencer cross-section of users
After years of life being stagnant for mobile users, the iPhone has come in to bring a measure of fresh air to several aspects of mobile technology. The really neat part is how the Body has responded to this. The next questions to be answered though are more far reaching, yet if reached have the potential to change a lot more than what's in our pockets.

There's always a ton more that can be said, but the point is pretty clear that there is more attention that's being paid to being mobile, and then making sure that being mobile is no more of an invasion of personal space than any other technology. In an upcoming article, I'll speak towards this attention to mobile, and what it means for the Body in more detail.

Labels: accessiblity, community, iPhone, Laridian, mobiles

When people are out and about in a place that they have never been, its pretty much normal to consult a map. Occasionally, people will look at a map before they even take a trip, getting an idea of the lay of the land and important places.

But what about those of us who just do things on more of a whim. Where we use our GPS and mobile devices to find not just what is around us, but where we are in relation to those places/people? Take a look at the updated Google Maps Mobile application today had me asking the question "where are you in relation to me" rather than just "where are you."

The latest version of Google Maps Mobile acts a lot like a GPS, except it is not extra hardware, and it uses your mobile phone. The MyLocation feature is the new aspect and basically its a "blue dot" that shows roughly where you are. It basically uses cell tower information to approximate where you are. Cool right? I like it, and for the cost of free it is a great way to get out of a jam.

There's a discussion at GigaOm that's talking on this, and why it is great for consumers and the mobile industry as a whole. But what if you are a ministry that is looking to attract people who are looking for a place to fellowship, or a place to call a solid, Christian church-home? Is your contact information updated and easy to find on your website so that search engines such as Google can pick this information up and make you findable on such a mobile map? Have you invested in any directory services that will assist you in putting your information on search engines for churches and other non-profit organizations?

Because, as it stands now, if you are not easily findable on the map, a person might not make your "blue dot" a home for them.

Note: The MyLocation feature of Google Maps Mobile is available in version 2.0 of the Google Maps Mobile application. At this time, not all mobile devices are supported. To download the latest version for your mobile device, visit http://www.google.com/gmm.

Labels: mobile accessories, mobiles, networking, software, tech

I was reading an article on my Treo a bit ago and it made a whole lot of sense to me for reasons that were not totally related to the article itself. First let's brief on the article, and then get into the application.

The article was a piece published at Publishing 2.0 that spoke on innovation. The premise of the article simply states that disappointment leads to innovation. Not necessarly need. An example was given of a developer who has been disappointed at how the mobile web is used and is developing a different solution that one that has been commonly gone for. If you will, the problem is the same, and yet the road to the solution was justa bit different.

Many times, I look at Bibles and Bible software and really wonder why it is such a stagnet field. In light of this article, its dawned on my why I think the way that I do, but why others might not. For me, going mobile was a means of lightening my backpack and making me more organized. I was disappointed at the adivce and means that others had used, and took another route. That disappointment led to where I am now with mobiles and Bibles. However, I am still not satisfied. Because, for as much as the tech has gotten manageable, there is still no easy means to tie all of the information from online and offline sources together on various devices.

Others don't have this issue. In fact, adding tech to the equasion is the disappointing aspect. From adding notes, to adding a particular Bible version, to doing something totally different, the technology is an issue that many don't want to deal with, and they are disapointed enough in it that they will not use it. If its not used, then why develop it more, right?

Therein lies a good reason why Bible software remains in the rut that it is in, and will remain there for a long while. The tech is too complicated, and therefore BIble publishers will not be forced to change if the tech cannot make it easier. With books you have a system (people want to read, the text has to be mobile and legible, and then problems solved). The same thing needs to happen with tech before we can address why digital Bibles are not popular.

Unfortunately, I don't see enough disappointment in mobile tech to change things on this end. And so we just might lie in a digital dark age for a bit longer.

Labels: Bible, mobiles, tech

I cannot speak for most, but I tend to do a lot less shopping during this time of year. Maybe it's because I tend to shop online and get the deals all year around. Nevertheless, this is a great time of year to go shopping, especially if you are looking at mobile devices.

If you are looking for a smartphone, start by looking at all of your needs. I like to use the smartphone compairson tool as a starting point. And then from there look at whatever deals a carrier is offering (if you want to go that route).

On the laptop and tablet PC side of things, I tend to use the resources at Notebook Review.com and TabletPCReview.com. Both of those sites have price compairson pages and tons of product page info that can just make a nice difference in making a solid purchase.

From the software side of things, I recommend you take a look at the various newsletter offers that might be going on. While there are sales everywhere, there might be other offers that can be combined for better savings.

Lastly, the who...
Give to those who need, not just to those who already have. Its great to get new things, but its also better to give a piece of tech to someone who might have a greater use for it than you or I.

Labels: mobile accessories, mobiles, tech

The crew of websties that makes up Smartphone Experts has been rolling along with a Smartphone Round Robin for the past three weeks or so. I initally had not thought to post about it here, but after a quoted comment in a look at the BlackBerry 8310, I just had to post this:

...Let me adapt an idea from Italian writer and semiotician Umberto Eco, writing about the DOS vs. Mac divide in the 80s:

The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counterreformist and has been influenced by the “ratio studiorum” of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach - if not the Kingdom of Heaven - the moment in which their document is printed. It is catechistic: the essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a right to salvation.

DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the baroque community of revelers, the user is closed within the loneliness of his own inner torment.

In this case, the Catholic smartphone is the BlackBerry, the Protestant Smartphone is Windows Mobile. Basically, the BlackBerry takes all the work of setting email up and moves onto the priests of BlackBerry - the BIS servers. You punch in your email address and your password, wait about 20 minutes (actually, I never waited more than 5), and your email magically starts getting pushed to your BlackBerry. Compare this to most Windows Mobile setups - where everything is handled device-side. Sure, WM can often (usually) auto-detect your email settings, but everything is pretty such client-based...

Labels: mobiles

If my history on the printing press is not obscured, one of the first books printed for mass consumption was the Bible (the NT I believe). Books and Bibles have pretty much had a solid relationship. Much like newspapers though, Bibles have felt the digital pinch to be more streamlined, digital, and versatile for all types of studying/reading and users.

Today, Amazon has released the Kindle. This is an ebook reader designed to usher (again) the idea of reading eBooks to a wider audience. While this follows a subscription-based model, one has to wonder what the advent of such "book services" means for the Bible.

- Will Bible publishers move towards subsctition-based publishing methods (like iPocketBible) for connected devices?
- Will Bibles ever adapt a common format for those electronic books (making reader applications the differing factor)?
- Will the Bible be the last major basteon for paper books?

As much as I am a digital nut, just visitng a church this weekend reminded me about how far ahead of the minds of many that having a digital Bible can be. This is not to say that there is a long road ahead, but before devices like Kindle can catch any fire, there needs to a good deal of education and collaborative work.

- thanks to Mobile Read for the tip

Labels: Bible, Kindle, Laridian, mobile, mobiles, tech

Far be it from me to keep everything a secret here for long, but I am working with one of MMM's partners on a task that will change MMM's backend from being Blogger-based to using Movable Type. Of course in this kind of change, doing a redesign was also a part of the equasion and I even found a website whom I wanted to emulate their design (it was just that clean and effective).

I've decided not to use their design, however, in speaking with that site's owner, I was given an idea for a segment here at MMM that would really be effective in helping all of us do a bit more with our mobiles and time as it relates to living the Gospel around us. So call this part one of a (hopefully) five-part series where we will be covering two items (software, hardware, and/or services) and how they can help you be more effective in sharing and living out the Gospel. So with that all said, let's get into the first two items:

Software: Laridian's MyBible Bible Reader software for PalmOS, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Windows desktops, and (soon) iPhone.
Sharing and growing more intimate with God is the name of the game with Laridian's offerings. From being able to read the Word anywhere, to doing comparative studies of difficult passages, Laridian has some of the most comprehensive offerings out there. Download at the Laridian website (www.laridian.com).

Service: Email. Short of talking face to face, email is the most ubquious aspect of a service that we use to connect with one another. From Google, Hotmail, and Yahoo, to smaller offerings, to Exchange hosed offerings, email is a big mover of the Internet, and using email effectively can bolster relationships with those you might not have face time with. I do caution, there is nothing worse than sending a ton of forwards and never a personal note; keeping items personal, to the point, and withou excess fluff makes email a more usable and less a burden to the reader.

Ok, so that is part one of our look at software/hardware and services that help better share the Gospel. In part two we'll take a look at two more items.

If you have software, hardware, or a service that would be effective in talking about in this series, please use our contact form to let us know. In the meantime, get out there and share Christ with someone.

Labels: Bible, Laridian, mobiles, reading, tech

Normally speaking, when a company sets out an email talking about their entire software suite, its usually because there is a sale or something major is happening. Well, in Olive Tree's case, I am not sure that there is a sale, but there is a lot happening with the Bible Reader application across several devices that are worth taking note of.

For Palm and Pocket PC BibleReaders:
- Customizable toolbar
- Table of Contents Navigation
- Personal notes display on the main screen
- Autoscrolling
- Updated verse chooser
- Updated Search range options
- Bookmarks improved on Pocket PC
- 5-way navigation support has been enhanced on Palm
- Cascading Library list on Palm

For Windows Mobile Smartphone and Symbian Cell Phone BibleReaders:
- Updated Verse chooser
- Table of Contents Navigation enabled
- Topical bookmark support on Windows Mobile Smartphone
- Personalized Shortcuts
- More available resources

Olive Tree can also be downloaded on Blackberry smartphones, the Apple iPod (not iPhone), and any normal cell phone that has a Java client (meaning just about all of them). So, visit Olive Tree and get ta readin da Word ma'.

Labels: Bible, community, mobile, mobiles, Olivetree, phone

One of the things that I've liked about the N95 is that its let me get back into just browsing the Net, not just reading info. Granted, browsing is fun when there is nothing to do of dire importance and there is just loose time. So what did my rabbit hole bring tonite...

- I started at Jaiku. I wanted to see what some of my contacts were up to. I still think that an Opera widget and a mobile client for every other phone would make this an awesome application for a lot of folks.

- I peeked in on Darla Mack's blog via her Jaiku channel when I saw a post about Nokia's mobile web server. Now this got me thinking that I should move to a Symbian device, and then host MMM on the device. Besides accessible as all get out, it would really kick the mobile notch up a good bit.

- Continued on Jaiku and saw that there is a TUAW channel (for the Apple fans, they should know that site).

- Clicked there and read Robert Scoble talk about giving up the N95 and appreciating the iPhone.

- had another tab open stil to TUAW's Jaiku and got the idea via ijustine and The Remix of Children's Ministry (found via Robert Scoble's site) that its not the tech nor the availabilty that is the issue, just how we want to imagine using it to reach an audience and just going there.

- I managed to come out of the hole though to reinitate the full posts in RSS feeds, and at take a bit more of a thought to moving MMM completly mobile. If the right Nokia device were to come along (the N95's battery and memory issues are the only real hold up for this one), I'd probably do it; which would make that whole planning for MMM to be reinvented in MT4 go to waste a bit...sorry LJ.

- There's not much else that I can say other that since moving to Charlotte God's been heavy. God's been just moving a whole lot, from temporary residency to a job to a possible apartment. God's been extremely gracious and hence my heart being heavy for doing well with MMM. There's a whole lot out there, and God's saw fit to lead me this far - lead YOU this far. It's not like we deserve this, but He's so, so gracious. A few friends can testify to the fact that today I've never been more in awe, thankful, gracious of God's hands in my life. He says, "I know the plans I have for you." I've been walking towards Charlotte and more for 8+ years... there's just a whole lot that just browsing doesn't capture....things that God hands and flow just happen to roll with. I am so not ready for this IMO, but God has saw fit to just dump some grace notes on me. Heavy stuff.

Labels: accessiblity, children, devotion, iPhone, Jaiku, mobiles, N95, usablity

There was a recent report at Textually about an effort where Nokia is working with New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc. to extend the ability to learn to mobile devices.

My first thought of this was "wow, neat." More people will have access to educational materials (considering that there are over 2.5 billion mobile phones worldwide). But then my second thought was sure there, but why not all over.

I know that many who do missions usually take the approach of going to teach in schools and other areas of need so that the community is not just edified with the Word, but they have an ability to sustain themselves economically. Could such an approach with mobile tech be done in other areas of the world besides China? And if so, what effect could that have on making the mission experience/field relevant for more than just the Gospel, but for giving life to communities?

Labels: China, community, mission, mobiles, Nokia

Given that I am at a place where I can finally compose my thoughts, I want to share some more about the N800 and why I think its a nearly perfect device for the connected, believing set of folks.

First of all, the N800 assumes nothing but that you will be connected. Sure, you can get things done offline like a few games and the occasional note. But this device is really intent on being used online. The connection settings are so easy to set up and use its pleasing to go online. The Wi-Fi is absoutely fabulous and finds connections that other devices have no clue about. I frequently connect it to my Treo 680 via Bluetooth and Dial Up Networking (DUN) and have nothing but a pleasing browsing experience.

I've gotten used to using a combination of finger tapping on the screen, stylus tapping, and button pressing to get things done or viewed just right. It really neat how you can hit a button to zoom in and out of a screen. However, those settings for zoom are only for tht window and not the entire device (unline a few tablet pc devices I know of).

I haven't downloaded any software, but I did add my (prevously unused) 2GB SD card. I place a boatload of music and docs on there and those read nicely. And the fact that it will connect to a computer to put files on the SD card without extra software needed is also great.

I am not running the latest update (Internet Tablet 2007) and so I am on some occasions experiences some issues with freezing and rebooting. Nevertheless, it reboots extremely fast (10-15 sec), and so no complaints when it does happen.

I really wish that there were some sort of hybrid bible app for the N800. One that worked online and offline would be perfect for this device. The screen is excellent for reading, and the usablilty of the device is perfect for both casual reading and studying.

I like it. A lot. Now I just need to figure out how to type better on it, so that I can post to MMM from there since the browser likes the MMM design so :)

Labels: internet tablet, mobiles, music, N800, Nokia, usablity

Just a few notes as we are entering the top of the hump (EST time anyways).

The ESV Blog reported about the podBible, a ESV downloadable reading Bible for your iPod. Very neat.

In using the N800 and Treo 680, I am having similar thoughts to others of whether the laptop needs a revolution. But if you look at another story, it just might be that the revolution has happened already (it's just not priced right everywhere yet).

One thing is for sure, if we do see that revolution continue towards mobile tech, the change to how we approach community and worship cannot be far behind.

Which, if you think about it, would be neat. especially if we can have praise and worship parties regardless of location.

That's all for now, but isn't it neat to have a though of how God can and will influence tech at this point of the week?

Labels: Bible, church, community, ESV, mobile, mobiles, music, Nokia, praise, Treo 680, worship

One, I love the title.
Two, I agree with the posting on so many accounts, not the least of which is "why cannot people understand how to turn off their cell phones (or at least the ringer)?"

Here is a snippet of KP's post:
...We got to church early to get a seat and proceeded to watch all the people trickle in. We watched a caregiver lady assisting an elderly lady into the pew in front of us. “That’s nice,” I thought.

Until the caregiver lady’s cell phone started ringing. And this was like 2 minutes before the service was about to start. The phone rang once before she even realized it was ringing; she picked it up, then watched it ring again… like “who’s calling me?”…. then realized she shouldn’t have the phone ringing in church. Genius...

Read the rest of the post, and please, please, turn off the ringer before going into service or meetings.

Labels: church, mobiles, usablity