Periodically customers enthusiastic about BibleWorks suggest that the company market an implementation of BibleWorks on a handheld device, such as a smart phone (Android, Blackberry, iPhone, etc.) or tablet (iPad, etc.).

We don't intend such an implementation that would be limited to a subset of BibleWorks function.  Development and maintenance of a subset implementation would increase BibleWorks staffing and hence costs to our customers.  And we don't think customers familiar with full BibleWorks would be satisfied with it.

We note concurrently that products of near-handheld-size, such as mini-notebooks (netbooks), already have the capability of running Windows and hence full BibleWorks.  We foresee such products soon migrating to handheld size, making a port of BibleWorks to existing handheld devices of only temporary utility.

For the reasons cited above, however, it is necessary that the Windows implementation on such devices handle all device functions adequately without requiring BibleWorks modification (i.e., the separate BibleWorks implementation we wish to avoid).  For example, ZDNet's James Kendrick, commenting on a certain "Windows 7 Tablet," writes as follows here:

"The problem with this [Tega v2] tablet, as with all Windows touch tablets, is quickly discovered when you run a program. As my ZDNet colleague Mary Jo Foley is fond of pointing out, Windows 7 is touch capable but not touch-centric. This is evident when running programs; any Windows program can be used on the tablet, but few of those are written to handle touch operation properly. Most Windows programs don't handle touch at all, and these can be tough to run without a mouse and keyboard. This will have to be addressed in future versions of Windows designed for touch. It is not just the operating system that must be written for touch, the apps must also be optimized. This is not unique to the TEGA v2, it is the same for any touch tablet running Windows 7."

Therefore, BibleWorks customers will probably be dissatisfied with BibleWorks's performance on current-generation Windows 7 tablets; these, to our knowledge, all require apps to handle touch operation.  Future Windows systems are expected to correct this deficiency, permitting BibleWorks at last to run natively on these Windows handheld devices.

Last update: RRG/August 10, 2011