HebrewBible Release 3.0 now available on App Store

I've made a number of significant enhancements to the HebrewBible iPhone app. I'm particularly excited about the "Hebrew (reader)" Bible version that is introduced with this release. Since I programmatically generated this Bible version from Westminster Leningrad Codex XML sources, I can dynamically add new functionality to it quite easily in the future (the other Bible versions are static texts that I can't easily enhance). Since these changes are significant, I've made this the 3.0 release of the app. In addition to the enhancements, I've also fixed a display issue that several people encountered when changing the iPhone orientation from portrait mode to landscape mode. The new version is now available on the Apple App Store and I recommend that all current users download the upgrade (it's a free upgrade for existing users of the app). The changes:

1. Enhancement: Added "Hebrew (reader)" Bible version (it is based on the Leningrad Codex and is designed for those who are learning Hebrew and wish to read a Hebrew-only version of the Bible but still have access to English-language definitions of words. While reading this version, if you touch any Hebrew word, you will be presented with a pop-up English definition based on information from the Strong's Concordance. The "Hebrew (reader)" version is stored entirely on the iPhone and no Internet connection is needed in order to use this Bible version. This version displays cantillation marks to the extent that is supported by Apple's current fonts.).
2. Enhancement: Added "Hebrew (with cantillation)" Bible version (displays cantillation marks to the extent that is supported by Apple's current fonts).
3. Enhancement: Changed root word lookup functionality to access local word definitions rather than the 2LetterLookup web site, speeding word lookup functionality significantly. Having a local set of word definitions also makes future enhancements (both content and presentation) easier to do.
4. Enhancement: Added popup showing all verses in Hebrew Bible where a particular word is found. This is accessible from either the root word lookup or from the "Hebrew (reader)" word lookup functionality.
5. Enhancement: Added callout detail disclosure to show all verses in Hebrew Bible where a particular map location is found.
6. Fix: Fixed bug that was causing intermittent Bible text display issues on rotation to landscape mode.

HebrewBible Release 3.0 submitted to Apple for approval

I've made a number of significant enhancements to the HebrewBible iPhone app. Since these changes are significant, I've made this the 3.0 release of the app. I've also fixed a display issue that several people encountered when changing the iPhone orientation from portrait mode to landscape mode. The changes have been submitted to Apple for approval. Usually, changes take about 2 weeks to be approved for release on the Apple App Store and I'll post here again when they're available (it's a free upgrade for existing users of the app). The changes:

1. Enhancement: Added "Hebrew (reader)" Bible version (it is based on the Leningrad Codex and is designed for those who are learning Hebrew and wish to read a Hebrew-only version of the Bible but still have access to English-language definitions of words. While reading this version, if you touch any Hebrew word, you will be presented with a pop-up English definition based on information from the Strong's Concordance. The "Hebrew (reader)" version is stored entirely on the iPhone and no Internet connection is needed in order to use this Bible version. This version displays cantillation marks to the extent that is supported by Apple's current fonts.).
2. Enhancement: Added "Hebrew (with cantillation)" Bible version (displays cantillation marks to the extent that is supported by Apple's current fonts).
3. Enhancement: Changed root word lookup functionality to access local word definitions rather than the 2LetterLookup web site, speeding word lookup functionality significantly. Having a local set of word definitions also makes future enhancements (both content and presentation) easier to do.
4. Enhancement: Added popup showing all verses in Hebrew Bible where a particular word is found. This is accessible from either the root word lookup or from the "Hebrew (reader)" word lookup functionality.
5. Enhancement: Added callout detail disclosure to show all verses in Hebrew Bible where a particular map location is found.
6. Fix: Fixed bug that was causing intermittent Bible text display issues on rotation to landscape mode.

HebrewBible Release 2.2 now available on App Store

I've made a number of usability enhancements to the HebrewBible iPhone app. These are primarily enhancements that a number of users have requested that I add to the application. This update is a free upgrade for existing users of the app and I recommend that all existing users take the update. The changes:

1. Enhancement: When in the Bible text screen, swipe-left will hide the tab bar and swipe-right with display it. This makes more room available for reading the text when you're reading the Bible.
2. Enhancement: When playing the audio in the Bible text screen, the Play button now changes to a Pause button when pressed (instead of the Stop button previously displayed). This lets the user pause and resume audio playback.
3. Enhancement: The Translate functionality (in the Words tab) now has an additional button for "Swap Languages" to allow the source and destination languages to be reversed. For example, if the user had selected French as the "from" language and English as the "to" language, pressing the Translate button converts French to English. Pressing the "Swap Languages"button reverses the two languages so that the translation will be from English to French.
4. Enhancement: The languages that are used for the Translate functionality (in the Words tab) are now "sticky" (e.g. - once a translation has been done between 2 languages, the selected languages are the defaults the next time the application is started).
5. Fix: Moved the "i" button on the Bible screen further from the tab bar (to prevent accidental touches).
6. Fix: Corrected positioning of popup box in the Hebrew Torah with Commentary version (in certain cases, the popup would not appear on the visible screen).