I'm curious about the performance on Android and iOS devices using Bible software (other than TW which isn't available for ARM-based devices):

* Launch time (first time and subsequent times)

* Changing Bible translations (such as going from KJV to unencrypted WEB to encrypted version like NIV or NKJV)

* Reference lookup, such as John 3:16 (should be very fast)

* Simple one word searches (like how many times does “and” appear, or less common word like “jerusalem”

* More complicated searches with multiple words like exact match of “meat eat” (should find 35 matches with KJV)

* I have almost no experience with Android/iOS devices.

* I've briefly watched people using them, and the devices seemed to have at least decent responsiveness.

IMO, if the performance of current mobile software is acceptable on iOS and/or Android devices, then it might be “re-inventing the wheel” and/or poor stewardship of time/effort for TW to be developed for ARM based devices. I could certainly understand Costas' lack of enthusiasm for "porting" TW to mobile devices.

Do you have an Android device?
In general, the performance is very good

No .. perhaps that makes me something of a Luddite ?

Do you (Costas) have an ARM-based mobile device? If so, iOS or Android?

IIRC, you used to work for a telecommunications company.


That was my impression from just watching a few people use their devices ... for very simple verse-reference-lookups and then a very simple search like "jerusalem".

However, I would ask them to do an exact search for something like "meat eat", and they typically wouldn't know how to proceed. Or a generic search for "grace faith" in the KJV NT (should find 14). Or "jerusalem" in the NT.

Then a "verse spanning" search like "grace boast" (should find Eph 2:8-9). Then a "regular expression" search as "evening.+morning" or "^but god". AFAIK, TW is among the very few Bible freeware desktop apps that can accomplish the last two advanced searches.

If I knew the person beyond being an acquaintance, and we had a bit of time, I would ask to let me try some searches. It's been several years ago, but I recall having trouble figuring out just how to do simple and then more advanced searches.

I have an Android device, yes.
These devices in our days may be faster than desktop PCs. Some are have dual-core CPUs...

There is no comparison with the older handhelds
Costas

Have you had the time (and interest) to try out Bible apps on your Android device?

If so ...

What were your impressions?

How do they compare to your original TW release in terms of features? Search flexibility?

How do they compare to your latest TW 4.x as far as being a desktop replacement for a seminary student?

BTW, some of the latest/greatest ARM devices now have FOUR cores, PLUS a simplified core for low-compute-intensive activities. If I read the AnandTech article correctly, the "wimpy core" helps with battery life so the primary cores can be powered down almost all of the time. (TMI?)

Well, it's just a different 'computing' model.
Users do different things with the mobile devices, apps are different.
The best way to get answers is to install windows 8 and play with the Metro interface. You will see what MS did with the Metro apps there
Costas