Bible apps can be clunky. Bloat can become a reality as everything in the world gets crammed into the Word: reading plans, notes, social media, share options, etc. Sometimes it seems we can’t see the Word for the words.
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Ridding physical Bibles of the extra notes and numbers was what propelled the Bibliotheca project into the stratosphere in 2014. Think of NeuBIBLE as the digital Bibliotheca. It’s a lite app, not as much in the “get this app and buy everything you really need” sense as in the “you get just what you need” sense.
I rarely buy apps but got NeuBIBLE for my iPhone this morning. For the current price of $1.99 you get three Bible versions: the World English Bible, the KJV, and the American Standard Version. The NASB is available for a $1.99 in-app purchase. Various different color schemes are available for .99 cents each. If you are ok with red, those purchases are not needed.
The screenshots below were taken from my phone.
Only three menu options, font choices, search and settings, keep the homepage clean and uncluttered.
Genesis 1. Font is darker than the optional verse numbers. One of the few settings choices is to turn off the verses for a true “reader” experience.
There are four font selections, five sizes, and three spacing options.
The search function (in this case the word “power”) is very quick. After selecting the verse from the search results, the page-find is almost immediate. The verse is highlighted long enough to get your attention, then it fades away.
Scroll for books, swipe for chapters. When reading the text, a swipe left reveals a very thin chapter menu bar on the right (not shown).
This is a good app. (Am I really planning to criticize the Bible? Hardly. ;^) One of the few extras is an included reminder that uses the notifications option to remember to read your Bible.
Though I’m not artistic I’m appreciative of the aesthetics in projects like this and Bibliotheca. Surely a simplified version of the great cathedrals, the purpose seems the same. That which is of God deserves more than a passing thought in the design and appearance phases.
NeuBIBLE is available in the App Store.
