Which Device to take into the field?

[OzBassman]

Dear fellow Accordance forum members,

 

I will shortly be undertaking studies to become a Chaplin with my military motorcycle club.  I am ex military as well, now retired.  Our club is national club, Australia wide and has many sub-branches.  We do not call them chapters as the 1% motorcycle clubs do.  I will be the Chaplin for one of the sub-branches.

 

As I will be going into the field and undertaking studies both at home and away I will be requiring a portable device for personal study and possibly having to answer questions presented to me on understanding scripture plus personal one on one with PTSD, other mental issues and lifestyle choices.  I am also a PTSD sufferer and have self medicated for some time.  This will be a nuts and bolts type of ministry.

 

My current workhorse is an Apple iMac.  Wishing to stay with Apple line of products, may I be advised whether to purchase an iPad and which model or a Mac Book Pro and which model please.

 

I will have to make some measurements of my tool box/top box on the motorcycle.  Though I feel safely at the moment to say that I will not be limited to size.

 

Warm regards,

 

Mitch from Oz.

[ukfraser]

Mitch, I am still on 9.7" screen, first ipad 2 then 1st gen ipad pro and these have been replaced by the 10.2" or 10.9" or 11" varieties. I find this a good screen size for personal use and sharing with others. For example we regularly had some refugess attend our church who only spoke french and i could use the french translation in accordance with them. It is also good in small groups as even those with aged eyes can see. Obviously the larger 12.9" screen ipad is better but if you are concerned about space and dropping it, sticking with the conventional 10+" ipad would be good.
 

for me the plus advantage over an mac book pro is that you just need the ipad and dont have the extra bulk of a keypad getting in the way of the screen and i really notice this when my wife and i pass our 15" macbook pro around. The ipad is also very easy to use in most situations though i prefer to use a mac book when sitting more formally at a desk.
 

the major disadvantage of an ipad is that you dont get the analytics or multiple screens or some of the clever functions and resources like accordance maps, timeline and some of the original laguage mapping tools dont work on ios yet . Though again, are you likely to be doing that sort of study or sharing screens with the bikers? My thoughts are no but it so depends on what you mean by studies. If it is indepth, then the ipad may not be the ideal solution.
 

screen size and budget and space and features are all important in the descision making so make a list of must haves, nice to haves and what features in accordance you think you can live without.

 

For me, attending conferences and note taking and sharing screen in groups, the uncluttered ipad is ideal. I wouldnt get the smallest screen version. Are you able to go into a store and hold them to get a feel?

 

if you really want a mac book, why a pro? What about an air if you are travelling?  Accordance runs fast on basic equipment. Im sure others will have their thoughts but there is a thread posted by rick on someone who has moved back to mac from an ipad. 
https://forums.accordancebible.com/forums/topic/30054-back-to-the-mac-brian-davidson/

Edited December 29, 2020 by ukfraser

[Gary Wissel]

Mitch, I am still on 9.7" screen, first ipad 2 then 1st gen ipad pro and these have been replaced by the 10.2" or 10.9" or 11" varieties. I find this a good screen size for personal use and sharing with others. For example we regularly had some refugess attend our church who only spoke french and i could use the french translation in accordance with them. It is also good in small groups as even those with aged eyes can see. Obviously the larger 12.9" screen ipad is better but if you are concerned about space and dropping it, sticking with the conventional 10+" ipad would be good.

 

for me the plus advantage over an mac book pro is that you just need the ipad and dont have the extra bulk of a keypad getting in the way of the screen and i really notice this when my wife and i pass our 15" macbook pro around. The ipad is also very easy to use in most situations though i prefer to use a mac book when sitting more formally at a desk.

 

the major disadvantage of an ipad is that you dont get the analytics or multiple screens or some of the clever functions and resources like accordance maps, timeline and some of the original laguage mapping tools dont work on ios yet . Though again, are you likely to be doing that sort of study or sharing screens with the bikers? My thoughts are no but it so depends on what you mean by studies. If it is indepth, then the ipad may not be the ideal solution.

 

screen size and budget and space and features are all important in the descision making so make a list of must haves, nice to haves and what features in accordance you think you can live without.

 

For me, attending conferences and note taking and sharing screen in groups, the uncluttered ipad is ideal. I wouldnt get the smallest screen version. Are you able to go into a store and hold them to get a feel?

 

if you really want a mac book, why a pro? What about an air if you are travelling?  Accordance runs fast on basic equipment. Im sure others will have their thoughts but there is a thread posted by rick on someone who has moved back to mac from an ipad. 

https://forums.accordancebible.com/forums/topic/30054-back-to-the-mac-brian-davidson/

I agree with ukfraser that an air would be great if you want a laptop and that an ipad is way easier to share.  If you go with the ipad I personally would get the largest screen available since this will be your primary way of using accordance. 

[OzBassman]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

Thank you very much for your recommendations as they have enlightened me towards what my requirements might be.  The only studies that I would be doing on the road would be N.T. Wrights For Everyone and have a few bible versions and commentaries along side in parallel columns if this is possible.  My favourite parallel bible versions and commentaries are NAS20S, NLT-SE, NRSVS, CCSS NT-11, NIB-NT and Picture The New Testament.

 

Would it be possible to replicate what I have on my iMac as stated above onto an iPad please?

 

Warm regards,

 

Mitch.

[ukfraser]

I only have a few of the resources you mention but the short answer I think is yes but you wouldnt be able to have them all open side by side at the same time, only 2 of them at any one time.. 
If you regularly use:

Accordance atlas

Accordance timeline

accordance parallel resources

Hebrew constructs

Live click

Stacks

Papers

Graphical analytics

Research pane

 

You will need the macbook air as these are not currently available on an ipad. If you dont use the above or can live without them during your trip, then you have greater flexibility in what you decide to go for.

 

below is the nrsv with nivac commentary on a 9.7" ipad pro Together with the instant details. (I have a number of resources on my ipad including a couple of very large image ones and it still only takes about 6 gigs.)

 

but you cant display more than:

two texts or

a text and one resource,

or just the resource such as a commentary on its own.

 

but i have included a shot of how easy it is to change bibles or resources by just clicking their title and one of an atlas as its more visual than a commentary and the map is stunning full screen But you can see from the two lists some of the resources i do have and  i would have included tom wright instead if i had any in accordance rather than as dead tree. 
 

because of the relatively small screen, most of the time i tend to have either two texts or text and study bible or single volume commentary like the oxford, or text and atlas open in two pane mode. 
because wbc and nivac (and wright) include a translation in the notes, i tend to open a commentary or theological or writing on their own in a single pane.

Edited January 10, 2021 by ukfraser