the gadget pastor

Keep it simple: Organization by text file

Mon, 17 May 2010 21:07:27 -0500

Being organized doesn’t have to be complicated. Folks have gotten just fine without an iPhone or netbook or GTD. True we can organize analog-ly (think pen and paper); yet, you may be yearning for a digital way that doesn’t complicate your productive self in analog mode.
Enter the text file. A simple and efficient file to organizing your tasks, projects, ideas, and whatever else you want to track digitally. Sure you can purchase a fancy program with tons of bells and whistles, but what about the cost? does it work on both Mac/Windows? will it work with me or me with it? Will I actually use it?
Here are five great reasons to use a text file to stay organized/productive.
1. Cost - most operating systems that I have used come with a text editor for free. Guilt free organization.
2. Creativity - That digital white space is yours to organize the way you want it. Use bold fonts, bullets, number lists, include some wingdings for fun. Make it fit and work for you.
3. Clean - A text file does not have a ton of settings, buttons, features, etc. It’s clean and simple. No long systems to learn, you already know what to do.
4. Compatibility - Doesn’t matter if you have a Mac, Windows, or Linux computer. You can edit the text file on all of them.
5. Comfortable - A text file is probably the closest thing to real paper on a computer. Try it out.
I use a text file at work on my Windows PC. It provides me with all the above conveniences. If I need to open it at home on my Macbook, no problems. It does exactly what I need. I may not have all those reminders, fancy looking programs, but what I have I actually use. That’s the best reason why I use a text file.
If you still want a program and use a text file, you should check out the programs below:
Taskpaper by Hogbaysoftware (Mac)
Todopaper by Widefido (Windows)

iPhone/iPad app: Solar Walk

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:33:02 -0500

A couple weeks ago I received an email from Vito Technology about their latest app called Solar Walk. Being one that enjoys outer space and looking up at the stars at night, the app needed to be on my iPhone. Solar Walk puts the entire solar system in your pocket much better than those other solar system models. You can zoom into planets, check out facts about them, and even see moons of planets. It affords a great experience on your iPhone or iPod touch. My oldest son really likes being able to view the solar system on his “Pod.”
While it can be a great learning tool for Christian families, Solar Walk’s facts and figures on the planets does not account for a young earth (Creationist view, Genesis 1:1), but uses mainstream figures. Case in point is the Sun’s age is stated to be 46 billion years old as seen from the picture on the right.
Solar Walk sells for $2.99 and is available for the iPhone/iPod touch now with a universal releasing coming later for the iPad.

Press release below (a bit behind, I am).
Solar Walk - a 3D Solar System Model!
Alexandria, VA., -- April 9, 2010 -- Vito Technology today announced its Solar Walk App for iPhone is available on the App Store. Solar Walk is a nice addition to Star Walk that shows a 3D model of the Solar system with detailed info about each planet. Solar Walk will be released soon as a universal app for both iPhone and iPad! Purchasing an iPhone edition you get an iPad version for FREE!
Solar Walk lets you find out more about our neighboring planets in the Universe, play around with them selecting the speed of circulation, time, choosing a particular planet to become the center of the Universe, watching the moons of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Urano. The 3D model in the Solar Walk app is the exact reproduction of the real Solar system.
Solar Walk stands out among other astronomy apps having a very beautiful and smooth graphics and animations. The Earth as well as other planets looks so realistic that you can even see the clouds together with the relief of mountains, lakes, oceans. Solar Walk was developed by virtue of the good knowledge in astronomy and mathematics and at the same time perfect skills in mobile development.
Benefit greatly from using Solar Walk for interactive learning and getting closer to the Universe by learning how it functions!

Solar Walk features:
3D SOLAR SYSTEM: play with the 3D model by moving around the Solar System. Zoom in, zoom out, investigate it from different angles.
FLY to the PLANET: having chosen a planet from a far, tap an image of a "rocket" to fly straight to the planet. Enjoy a beautiful and realistic image of a planet!
READ INFO about the planet: learn general info about the planet, its name, its mass, radius, distance to the sun, internal structure with the picture and science missions.
TIME MACHINE: You can observe not only the current position of planets in our solar system but also learn their position at a definite period of time in the past or in the future! For this use slide your finger on the scale and the sky will start moving accordingly.
MOONS of DIFFERENT PLANETS: select a planet like Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars or Urano and observe how many moons they have and their track around the planet.

Start your week in Space IV

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:31:20 -0500

Here are some more great pictures from space! I love viewing these galleries. I am often reminded of Genesis 1:16 where it says “...and he made the stars also.” Is it not interesting that God only devoted a few words to this beauty of the night sky? He is more concerned about you and me, then about the stars. What a great God!

iPad App: PlaybookBball

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:20:09 -0500

One of my past duties was coaching a boys high school basketball team. If I would had have an iPad back then, I would have definitely used PlaybookBball [iTunes]. Animated plays, emailing as PDFs, jotting plays down step by step is the iPad not one of the best gadgets in the world?! OK, I’m getting carried away. I’ve used one and it does impress. Apps like PlaybookBball demonstrate the usefulness and power of the iPad.

“If you’re a basketball coach, player, or just a devoted fan, you can now use your iPad as a playbook. Use the PlaybookBball app from Daren to create step-by-step plays on a court drawn to scale. Select high school, NCAA, FIBA (Oct. 2010 rules), or NBA courts; select the number of players per team and their positions, and choose...”
Source: The Gadgeteer

Sharing your sermons.

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:33:14 -0500

You pastor a church of 75-100 people and you want to start sharing your messages. What are your options to sharing your sermons? CDs are a bit old school since most people use portable media players like iPods. Digital downloads are the norm. Assuming you can record your sermons in a digital format like mp3, should you upload a sermon to a sermon sharing service (Sermon Audio comes to mind)? Do you try to host the file yourself, how much more trouble/costly will that be? Is there a simpler way you can share your sermons and make it convenient for your congregation?

A great way to accomplish sharing your sermon is to use a file sharing service like MobileMe or Dropbox and send a simple email with a link to the file. Email is probably the most common form of communication we have today. It is quick, simple, and you can email a large group of people the same message at one time. Of course you can dress up the email by adding a nice graphic or church logo at top, perhaps a picture of you if you like, a devotional, a short church update, or mentioning up coming events. Starting off it would take a bit of time, but eventually you can easily have this done in just a few minutes. Later you could even add your sermon link to Facebook or Twitter if you are so inclined.

Like I mentioned before, there are other ways you can share your messages, but if you are not interested in using them, this trick may be the gem you’ve been looking for. Share your thoughts or how you share your messages below.

Gtdagenda releases an Android app

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:50:24 -0600

A while back I reviewed Gtdagenda, an online management tool. It helps you implement your method of reaching your goals and completing your tasks. Adding to their features, the folks behind Gtdagenda released an Android app for all you Android users. I’d encourage you to take a look at what Gtdagenda offers and give their new app a go.
Features:
- Import your Tasks, Projects and Contexts from your Gtdagenda account.
- Add, edit, delete Tasks, and mark Tasks as done.
- Set Next Actions
- Inbox
- Sync your device with your Gtdagenda.com account. With a push of a button, what you executed on your device will be transferred to the server. And what was modified on the server from the last Sync will be transferred to your device.
http://www.gtdagenda.com/android.php

Brando releases two new products: USB power station & wireless, slim keyboard with trackpad

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 06:22:46 -0600

Opened my inbox this morning and looks like Brando, one of my favorite online gadget stores, has a couple new products. The USB power stations looks great! I’ve got it pictured on the right. The other new release is a super slim keyboard with a built-in trackpad much like what you would find on a laptop. Two cool gadgets that are definitely worth a look, especially the USB power station. I’m really interested in it.
Here are the details and links for each product:
USB Power Station (5,000mAh)
Product Code: ULIFE033200
Have you ever had experiences that devices are running out of battery while in use? It is disturbing when you are enjoying your MP3 or chatting happily with friends on the phone, etc. Now! USB Power Station (5,000mAh) won't let this situation happen anymore! You can charge your devices in a flash before battery exhausts! In addition, the huge power storage - built-in 5,000mAh rechargeable battery and dual USB power output. Now, you can charge your *iPhone, Handheld PC, Cellphone, DV, iPod, MP3 and PMP PSP and any other applicable devices.
Price: US $46.00
Rapoo 2900 Touch Slim Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad
Product Code: UKEYB004300
Rapoo 2900 Touch Slim Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad is a 88 key enhanced layout Wireless keyboard with a built-in high precision touchpad. Its weight only has 240g and built-in rechargeable Li-ion Battery. The portable and slim design can be used for travel, school, or any other working environment. Perfect for Media Center use!
Price: US $86.00

My favorite pocket tool -- Leatherman Freestyle CX

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:25:15 -0600

I am a big fan of multi-tools and Swiss Army Knifes (mainly because of MacGyver). As a kid, I grew up with a knife in my pocket. My first one I lost in a swamp somewhere, but my next one was a Swiss Army Knife that I had for many years.
Nowadays, I carry a Leatherman Freestyle CX in my pocket. I like its minimalist design, small weight, and the pliers. It’s easy to carry in my suit pants with its side clip. This is my fourth Leatherman that I own. No, my other ones did not break, I just have them stashed in helpful locations.
I picked up the Leatherman Freestyle CX at Amazon for a great price. Here is the specs sheet, short, but that’s the beauty of the Freestyle CX.
Tools:
154CM Stainless Steel, Clip Point Knife
Needlenose Pliers
Regular Pliers
Wire Cutters
Hard-wire Cutters
Features:
DLC-coated Stainless Steel Handles with Carbon-fiber Handle Insert
Stainless Steel Body
Outside-accessible Blade for One-handed Opening
Locking Blade
Removable Pocket Clip
DLC Coating for Scratch and Corrosion Resistance
25-year Warranty
Measurements:
3.45 in | 8.76 cm (closed)
4.5 oz | 127.57 g
2.6 in | 6.60 cm (blade length)

SermonHack: What makes a bad illustration?

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:53:37 -0600

Ever used a bad illustration or picked one up last minute that fell flat? Been there done that- got that “look” from your wife? Every preacher has been there and knows they don’t want to go back. So what makes a bad illustration? Read on my friend...

1. When an illustration doesn’t have a point, you served up a bad illustration. You spend all that time telling the illustration only to not have a point?! The point of an illustration is that it drives home a point in the message. Make every illustration count.
2. When an illustration leads away from the message, you’ve lost the congregation. An illustration should be clear. If you lose the sheep, you message is lost. Keep the illustration within the boundaries of your sermon.
3. When an illustration is confusing, you’ve confused your congregation-- perhaps yourself! If the illustration doesn’t fit, don’t use it. Stay away from an illustration that confuses you. It doesn’t matter who you heard it from or what book you read it in, if it is going to confuse your people, save for another time.
4. When an illustration lasts longer than the message, you’ve not been a good steward of your time. Your illustration may make people snicker, giggle, even howl with laughter, but if you spend all your time on it and very little on the message, what will the people learn. We are to illustration the Word of God, not illustrate for the sake of illustration. Our time is precious and short in the pulpit. Let’s make the best of it.
5. When an illustration pops into your head during your preaching, you better beware. To this day, I remember Winne the Pooh being told to “beware” of heffalumps and woozles. It ought to be the same for you and I as we preach, a quickly added illustration that has not been thought thru can end up causing a mess. Consider it our heffalumps and woozles. Beware, preacher, beware!
6. When you have too many illustrations, people forget your points, but remember your illustrations. It’s a delicate balance between illustrating a point in your message and losing your people to the illustration. People often remember your illustrations, but sometimes miss the point in your message. Repeat the point clearly before and after your illustration. Keep the emphasis on the point in your message.

Update: GoodReader adds .txt editing

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:55:34 -0600

Since my review of GoodReader, the folks at Goodiware have added a great new feature-- text editing. You can know edit small and medium sized texts. This can be handy for those who use .txt files for notes, sermon brainstorms, and the like.

If you haven’t had a chance to look at GoodReader start with my review and then go download GoodReader Lite.

2.6 update brings...
• Text Edit - edit small and medium TXT files
• Page Slider for PDF files - whisk across big files with a single gesture
• importing/exporting pictures from device Photo Album
• added Encoding option to FTP servers, now FTP servers with non-ASCII file names can be accessed
• support for .ai files saved with PDF Compatible option
• fixed the issue with incorrect downloading of spreadsheets from Google Docs and MobileMe iDisk
• various bug fixes for e-mail attachments downloading

Review of File Magic (iPhone app)

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:35:04 -0600

Having a computer at work and at home is a mixed blessing. You can work on your documents, projects, and whatever else at either place. The problem is when you forget to bring your file to your other location!
Sure you could load it on a USB drive (who has forgotten one of those at work or home!) or you could upload it to one of those cloud services, but if it is a sensitive document, you may not want to do that. Since I have my iPhone with me practically all the time, it makes a great candidate for holding my files. If you’re like me, transferring files to my iPhone needs to be a simple, no-nonsense process. Nothing complicated. There must be an app for that and there is-- it’s called File Magic from Splash Data.
File Magic provides you with a simple, no-nonsense method of transferring your files to your iPod touch or iPhone. In order to transfer files from a computer to your iPhone or iPod touch, you will need to download the free desktop companion software (available for both Windows and Mac OS X) and a local WiFi network.
How’s it work?
Once you have installed the desktop software and purchased File Magic (only $2.99), you can transfer files with ease. Open both programs and be sure your computer and iPhone is connected to the same WiFi network. Then simply drag and drop the file to the desktop software, and you can watch it move it’s way to your iPhone. To move them back, all you need to do is click on the download icon. You can also delete items from the desktop software, especially helpful after you downloaded a file that you don’t need on your iPhone anymore.
You may notice your battery does drains fast if left connected or after transferring a lot of files (may be because I am still sporting the original iPhone with the original battery). It is to be expected as you are using WiFi which is a batterymonger. File Magic will prompt you to disconnect if left idle for a spell.
That’s the sum of transferring a file. Now, you can transfer just about any file type, but only certain files are able to be viewed with File Magic. While the Pages format was not listed among the supported types, a Pages document would show in the Documents section as a folder. I could then navigate to the Quicklook folder and view the PDF version. Thought this could be handy sometime down the road.
What files are supported?
Supported files that you dragged and dropped onto the desktop software are automagically organized for you into their respective folders (pictures sent to Images folder and so on). Non-supported files are sent to the Others folder. Here are the supported formats:
Documents -- .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt and .rtf (text & rich text); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)
Music -- Non-DRM files only (no copy protection): .mp3; .aac; and .wav
Video -- .m4v - Open a video in QuickTime (7.5 or later); Go to File > Export > Movie to iPhone. Then drag the resulting m4v file into File Magic.
Images -- .jpg and .jpeg; .gif; .png; .tiff
Some other standout features are device-to-device transfers on the same WiFi network, sending files as attachments via email, password protection, exporting your iPhone or iPod touch’s contacts to .csv format (a great way to backup your contacts), and creating emails with File Magic and then send them to your iPhone to be emailed (very helpful when your laptop is offline).
A few needed improvements.
I did see a couple areas File Magic could improve in and maybe I am nitpicking. When sending a file via email, you have to type the From email, To email, Subject, and in the email body, a terribly small font is used which could be difficult for those who are sight challenged. I would really like to see the font size change.
Another quibble with emailing, the From email field is listed at the top of the screen instead of the To email field like the Mail app where the To field is listed at the top. For the sake of uniformity, the fields should match the Mail app UI. It would also be great for File Magic to link to your contacts email addresses, so you don’t have to type or copy and paste them in and be able to designate a default From email rather than typing it in.
One last area would be the large font on the main screen of File Magic. It does not fit well the overall UI of the app. Looks really out of place and needs to be smaller. I know I sound like I cannot be pleased- larger... smaller...smaller...larger!
Conclusion:
In the end, File Magic makes transferring files a cinch. You can finally eliminate that extra gadget, USB drive, or having to remember your login information to upload your file to the cloud. With File Magic moving your files to your iPhone really is magic!

Record your messages with your iPhone

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:54:33 -0600

Recording your messages can be a real help to your congregation. They may wish to pass it along to some relative or listen to it again. That’s why having a digital recording is helpful. The main problem for a lot of pastors and churches is it takes time and can be complicated. TUAW takes a look at Blue Microphones, Blue Mikey. It’s a device that attaches to your iPhone and provides you with your own portable recording studio. A add-on like this could provide you with simple recording and minimal effort.
Well, as long as you don’t forget to tap the record button! Enjoy the read.
“Blue Microphones are on the show floor here at Macworld, and they invited us by their booth to take a look (and a listen) at the newest version of the Blue Mikey iPhone microphone. And with most of Blue's products (I have a Snowball that I use for podcasting, and it works and sounds great), it's quite impressive, producing excellent sound in a well-designed and easy-to-use form.
Earlier this year, Blue announced the second revision of the Mikey, with enhanced features for $20 more than the first $79 version. That's the one we used, and it looked and worked great. They've added a line input (for recording guitars), and a USB passthrough, as well as put the entire body on a swivel (so it can even swing all the way around and point forward while shooting video on the 3G.”
Continue reading...

GoodReader giveaway. [UPDATED]

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:29:28 -0600

Contest is over. Congrats to our winner, Colin!
I recently reviewed GoodReader (here’s the link in case you missed it) and I have kindly been given a free copy to giveaway at the Gadget Pastor. You have three ways that you can enter this contest:
1) Email me using the link at the top right corner of this page with the word CONTEST in the subject line telling me what you like best about GoodReader.
2) Follow me on Twitter, sending the following tweet and posting your twitter name in the comments below: RT: Win a free copy of GoodReader for iPhone. Full review and details @thegadgetpastor -- http://j.mp/8XPvkQ
3) Post a comment in the comments section below with your email address and how you would use GoodReader.
All entries must be submitted between now and Tuesday 02/16/2010 9:00PM CST. Only one entry per person please. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will be disqualified.
Prizes:
1 copy of GoodReader - (a $.99 value)
Rules:
1. Only one entry per person.
1. Contest is open to US folks only.

A big thanks to the Good.iWare team for giving me a free copy to give away! I will use www.random.org to choose the winner and the winner will be notified by email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, then another entry will be selected.

On the verge of snow? How prepared are you for a disaster?

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:20:20 -0600

It’s hard to believe that we may see snow here in the Florida panhandle. It’s got to get a little colder in order for it to snow- perhaps some flurries. Being prepared is essential whether it is a snow storm or a hurricane. Over at FrugalDad, he details important items to have in a bug out bag, a popular term for a survival kit/emergency bag. I am working on one for our family just in case a hurricane comes this year. It never hurts to be prepared.
“Imagine the following scenario. You are awakened in the middle of the night by the jolt of a powerful earthquake. Your house is leveled, but thankfully you and your family are uninjured. However, the roads are impassable, your utilities have been cut off, and many of your neighbors were injured or killed in the earthquake. The only thing you have to survive is what you have on hand, and because you are a Frugal Dad reader, your bug out bag.”
Continue reading...

Review of GoodReader for iPhone

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 21:59:17 -0600

I deal with a number of PDF documents at work and home. For the most part, they are purely for reference (I do receive some monthly newsletters in PDF I read), but I may refer to them while on the go, meeting with prospective students and their families, studying for my Sunday school lessons, and so forth. Since my wife and I share one laptop having access to these PDFs is important to me. The solution that I found is using GoodReader [iTunes Link] on my iPhone.
Top features:
The main feature to GoodReader is its claim to handling large PDF documents. I have done my best to throw large PDF documents at the app and it has handled them all just fine. My largest PDF document was about 50 MB which is the largest I would likely use. On their website, users have reported “flawless performance with files over 1 gig in size.” You can also search a PDF document, add bookmarks, or go to a specific page.
GoodReader can read other file formats like MS Office .doc, .ppt, .xls, iWork'08/'09, HTML and Safari webarchives, images, audio, and video. This makes the app rather versatile and not just a one trick pony.
Files are organized via a folder hierarchy. You can create folders, move files or folders, cut, copy, paste, zip, email, rename, protect, star items, paste links to files, create new files from your iPhone’s clipboard, and even integrates with Appigo’s Todo app. One nice touch is when selecting a downloaded file from the Web Downloads folder (yes, you can download files to GoodReader more on this later), GoodReader doesn’t just open the file, but shows you where the file is located screen by screen. I really liked that!
Downloading/Transferring Files
I mentioned the ability to download files earlier. Thru additional add-ons, GoodReader can access your POP3/IMAP email accounts, google Docs, MobileMe, FTP servers, and more. Just the other day, I used GoodReader to access my Gmail account and download a password protected PDF that I needed. GoodReader downloaded it and allowed me to enter my password and read the PDF. Worked perfectly!
There is a web browser built-in so you can navigate to a web page to download a file you need. I have tried it out, but found it to be a bit clunky to use. Each time you tap on a link, it asks you if you want to follow the link, download the file, or cancel. It does show the link for you to help you determine whether to follow or download, but not very smooth when surfing to your download. I also couldn’t access my Safari bookmarks either which would help with downloading some files. You can paste a URL and GoodReader will download the file.
You can also transfer files via WIFI using your internet browser or using your iPhone as a network folder (WebDAV).
For those who don’t like pinching to zoom and sliding documents around to view the text, you can use GoodReader’s PDF reflow. The reflow takes your PDF down to just the text and formats it to fit your screen (how does it know the size of your screen, it’s just that good!). Seriously, it’s a handy feature when you are reading thru a lengthy newsletter.
Conclusion
GoodReader is the best iPhone app for reading PDFs, MS Office files, iWork files, text, audio, and video files. I have found it to be robust and fast even on my 1st generation iPhone. The Help topics give you all the info you need to learn to use GoodReader and its features.
GoodReader currently sells for $.99 in the App Store and the additional add-ons are $.99 each. The add-ons are Accessing E-mail servers via IMAP or POP3 protocol, Server-style access to Google Docs, and Accessing FTP servers. I bought GoodReader when it sold for $4.99 and I still feel like I got a good deal. Featured packed with a clean UI, GoodReader provides the best PDF viewing experience on my iPhone. Try out all the features of GoodReader with the lite version.

GOODREADER GALLERY: View my screenshots of GoodReader

Some great tips to better listening at church

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:15:23 -0600

We’ve all been there. The pastor is preaching and we’re falling asleep. That pew never felt more comfortable and you have never felt more ready for a nap than right now. You begin to resemble that bobble head on your desk at work. And... next thing you know people are beginning to move around you. The service is over! Been there and done that?
There are many reasons we fall asleep, but we should certainly do our best not to. God has given us so much, the very least we could do is pay attention at His house. Here are some great tips from the folks at Answers in Genesis on staying awake at church.
“Let’s face it—sometimes your family doesn’t get much out of the Sunday sermon. But with a little work, dads can greatly improve the family’s listening experience.
Try these hearing aids:
Get more sleep. The Sunday service is not for sleeping; the night before is. This requires planning, especially for young people, who like to use Saturday night as an opportunity to stay up as late as possible.
Sit closer. Almost without exception, the best listeners are in front. There are some valid reasons to be in the back, but it will usually impede your listening.”
Continue reading...

Learning old-school financial lessons

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:40:05 -0600

Being in ministry usually means not having a lot of money. If you thought ministry meant having lots of money, it’s not true and you probably look for a new vocation (ministry is people, not money). That said, we serve a great God and He does provide for all our needs, but so often folks become consumed with the things below and not the things above spending above that which God has given them.
I recently read this article from FrugalDad and felt it was important to share it here. Pastors, evangelists, and Christians should an excellent financial reputation with those we do business with. Leaving unpaid debts or ignoring your bills for frivolous things exhibits a poor testimony. It is not also easy, but perhaps this old-school philosophy, think our grandma and grandpa’s take on money, can be an excellent help.
“You ever notice how there are older people that don’t know the first thing about the world of personal finance, yet they seem to be experts at saving money? These people have also not heard of personal finance gurus, such as, Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman, or even Frugal Dad. Yet they still save money. They don’t read personal finance blogs nor do they ever want to listen to a full personal finance podcast.”
Continue reading...

My thoughts on Apple’s iPad

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:24:51 -0600

I must admit that I was very excited yesterday about the iPad being announced and the potential within this new gadget. That said, I am struggling with the question whether I will purchase one or not. I do not travel a great deal and if I am out and about, my iPhone serves as my go to for internet use on the go.
The iPad does not, at this point, provide a solution for a problem/need that I have. Yes, I have already thought of a dozen or so uses for it, but I think a Mac mini could be more useful in my home computer system. It would free my laptop from being connected to my monitor and provide a far more useful mobile device, albeit without built-in 3G.
The other side is this device would make for a beautiful minimalist setup on your desk. No huge equipment sprawling over your desk, but a slim and sleek setup that is portable and not despairingly small. You could even use it in the pulpit with your sermon notes on it. I find that most attracting of all, that I could have a device that shows my notes and could be able to flip thru them like real paper.
Imagine apps like Goodreader, BibleReader, Things, HanDBase, Sketches, etc., I think these apps and others could really take advantage with a larger screen. That alone may drive undecided gadget lovers to the iPad if their favorite app adds some killer iPad-only features.
It’s too early to call this a hit or a miss as we do not know what can be done with this device. For you all that are making a call already, you could find yourself quite wrong in the weeks to come.

Practicing what you preach, when you least expect it.

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:28:05 -0600

Today, I have to say this phrase echoed in the back of my thoughts. In the business of this weekend and preparing for a Sunday school lesson, I had to live out the very lesson that I spoke on for Sunday school. I cannot say that I practiced what I preached with great confidence, rather shaky at best. (Perhaps, I am being a bit too harsh.) As the day comes to an end and I am looking back, I do wonder if I passed the test.

Quite often, Satan comes around not long after we preach and tests us to see what kind of preacher we are. It seems that each time he strikes, I am caught unawares or miss the coming shot. It would be nice to have a sign posted stating I was in a testing area. However he attacks, we must be on our guard knowing that he seeks to bring us down in defeat. At our weakest moment, at our most vulnerable position, he will cast his wiles.

I would not claim to be a perfect man, nor would I say that I am wise beyond my years. Yet, I know I have an enemy who wishes nothing less than to see me surrender in defeat. You and I must never let this be, we must not give the victory to Satan. Too many have already done so, but we must remain steadfast.

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
1 Corinthians 16:13

Looking for college textbooks? Here’s a tip!

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:54:15 -0600

Many colleges are starting or already in full swing for the spring semester. For those of you who have yet to start, here is a great money saving website for finding cheap college textbooks.

They’re also offering a contest where they will pay for your semester’s text books (value up to $500.)

“We will search dozens of online merchants and show you the cheapest prices. We can often find prices 50-75% cheaper than campus bookstore prices.”

Textbook Price Comparison via Lifehacker

Make your tie more useful.

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:42:07 -0600

One missionary told me that ties we a result of the fall of man. At times, I would almost agree with him. My work attire consists of a tie (for many years I might add) and many preachers wear a tie on a daily basis. So instead of having a boring, regular tie, why not tech it up? After all this is The Gadget Pastor blog isn’t it?

Blue Commuter Woven Men's Tie
New Blue Commuter Tie from Thomas Pink. Our sophisticated design incorporates 100% silk woven tie and useful media player storage device in one. The design features a small yet subtle pocket on the reverse of the tie. The music player is placed in the pocket and extra fabric loop keeps all wires out of sight and close to the body, leaving your hands free. Dry clean only. The width of the tie is 8.5cm. Made in England.
Colour: Blue Price: $105.00

Source: The Gadgeteer

Start your week in Space! III

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:24:11 -0600

Pocket Tools: SOG Micro Toolclip

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:43:34 -0600

I love a good knife. I have a number of fixed blade knives, pocket knifes, and multi-tools that I have purchased over the years. My goal this coming summer is to put together a hiking bag or maybe turn it into a bug out bag.

Since my work attire consists of a suit and tie, it is hard to carry a large multi-tool on my belt. It just doesn’t look nor feel right to me, so small and mighty is a must.
SOG has a number of great knives and tools. This coming March they are releasing one that I am interested in. It is called the Micro Toolclip. It offers several useful tools including small pliers, philips and flathead screwdrivers, knife blade, and nail file. The only downside that I can see from the picture is the philips screwdriver looks to be in an awkward position.

Looks cool and may just end up in my pocket someday.

“Micro ToolClip (Black) TC-01
The newest member of our tool family - this collection of small pocket tools is functional fashion. The Micro ToolClip is a formidable compact plier - it has the precision to cut paper, the power to cut wire and the determination to grip screws. It does it all with a spring return. The blade and tool components, knife blade, two screwdrivers, and a file, will surely come in handy many times a day. Carry it in your purse, pocket, briefcase or clipped to a jacket. Micro ToolClip... it’s bigger than you think.  Available March 2010
Price: $20.00”

TGP Download: Mobile Sermon DB for HanDBase

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:39:45 -0600

One of the greatest challenges I found when I am preaching is remembering what I have preached and where. Sometimes I would write the place and date on my notes, but I was inconsistent and would often forget. Plus, I’d have to refer to those notes just to figure out where and what I preached! There must be a better way... and I have found one.
Enter HanDBase (my review). With it, I have created a Mobile Sermon DB for logging my sermons. It allows me to log all my messages with their Scripture, title, date, place I preached it at (My Pulpit, another church, etc), service type (church, chapel, youth rally, etc.), topics, and notes. With the topics, I have already added plenty of them to get you started.
You can also sort your sermons by date, place, Scripture, title, My Pulpit, and topics. These is a great way for you to find a message you are looking for or to make sure you are not repeating a message. The database already holds about 10 example records to give you an idea of how it works.
HanDBase makes it easy to add more fields, edit popup lists, and tailor the DB to match your needs. Depending how you archive your messages (paper file, notebook, or whatever), you could add a field that would allow you to know where the paper version is located. You might even what to add a time field of how long the message is and add a filter for that. There are plenty of possibilities for Mobile Sermon DB.
If you don’t keep track of your messages, you are really missing out seeing what you have done and being able to find messages easily. You might have another one of logging your messages and if you do, please share in the comments below.
Download Mobile Sermon DB from the HanDBase Applet Gallery

Bible Memory giveaway. [UPDATED]

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:52:59 -0600

Contest is over! Congratulations to Jason from TX for winning the free copy of Bible Memory.
I recently reviewed Bible Memory (here’s the link in case you missed it) and the folks at Mobilize Faith have kindly given me a free copy to giveaway at the Gadget Pastor. You have three ways that you can enter this contest:
1) Email me using the link at the top right corner of this page with the word CONTEST in the subject line telling me what you like best about Bible Memory.
2) Follow me on Twitter, sending the following tweet and posting your twitter name in the comments below: RT: Win a free copy of Bible Memory for iPhone and read the review! @thegadgetpastor Full details at http://j.mp/4wu3yd
3) Post a comment in the comments section below with your email address and what you like best about Bible Memory.
All entries must be submitted between now and Tuesday 01/19/2010 9:00PM CST. Only one entry per person please. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will be disqualified.
Prizes:
1 copy of Bible Memory - (a $3.99 value)
Rules:
1. Only one entry per person.
1. Contest is open to US folks only.

A big thanks to the Mobilize Faith team for giving me a free copy to give away! I will use www.random.org to choose the winner and the winner will be notified by email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, then another entry will be selected.

iPhone App Review: Bible Memory

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:48:03 -0600

Memorizing Scripture is an important part of our Christian faith. Unfortunately, we often do not spend time memorizing Scripture like we should. It may be time, it may be forgetting to study, it may be a lack of determination. Whatever your reason Bible Memory for the iPhone can be the tool that will help you stay on track to memorize Scripture consistently.
How it works!
I am impressed with the features Bible Memory offers especially as a first release. The folks behind this app have brought to the iPhone a well thought out system to memorizing Scripture. Using a combination of reviews, missing word quizzes, and an accountability option, you work towards memorizing each verse.
Bible Memory gives you 265 verses to memorize and several categorizes each of them to help build your faith. Unfortunately though, you cannot add your own verses or categories in this version. However, the built-in verses and categories are not just some random or commonly memorized verses. You can tell that some thought and time went into choosing these.
To memorize a verse, you begin memorizing each verse by reading the entire verse. As you become more familiar with the verse, you can proceed to the next step where you focus on sections of the verse. At the last step, you take a missing words quiz 3 times. Using a rotary style list, you choose the correct words. A correct word will be highlighted in green while an incorrect word is highlighted in red.
Each time you start the app, you are presented with an overview of your progress. This overview shows your progress by percentage, number of verses completed, and by category. Bible Memory will review your memorized verses to ensure you don't forget what you memorized. Another way Bible Memory works to strengthen your faith. The app will also rate your retention of the verses giving you a goal to work towards.
Two best features of Bible Memory
Probably the two best features of Bible Memory is being able to have study buddies and daily notifications. The study buddy feature can help you stay accountable to other people and share your progress with them. You simply add their email address from your contacts to your study buddy list. Having a daily notification reminds you to work on your verses. The notification does not make a sound only an on screen alert. To make this really useful it needs to send a notification with sound.
Future features I’d like to see
Some improvements I'd like to see are more variety of words missing in the quizzes. Often the end of the verses remain more visible then the beginning of the verses. It may just be me here! I already mentioned being able to add your own verses. This would help with my personal studies, my kids Master Club verses, and so on.
Conclusion
Bible Memory offers a full system to help you memorize the Word of God. With notifications, an accountability system, and review quizzes, Bible Memory gives you the best opportunity to succeed and retain what you have memorized. You may also find your self being an encouragement to someone else!
View my Bible Memory screenshot gallery
Cost:
$3.99

Pros:
- reminders are great
- including study buddies
- perfect UI for verse memorization
- offers several versions of the Bible

Needs:
- option to add my own categories and memory verses
- Change the amount of time one has when quizzing
- a notification with sound

Start your week in Space! II

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:33:26 -0600

Here are some more great pictures from space! I love viewing these galleries. To this day, I have always dreamed of being able to go to space. I think it would be incredible to see the earth from space. One can dream and who knows maybe one day I will...

What is a pastors schedule like? One word...

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 22:18:30 -0600

Busy. That’s right, your pastor’s schedule is busy. His calendar, if he has the time to keep one, is loaded with events, meetings, hospital calls, visitation, family time, and study time. Lifeway did a survey of pastors and their schedules and below is a portion of that article. When you finish it, be sure to say thank you to your pastor.
“LifeWay Research: Pastors long work hours can come at the expense of people, ministry
Written by Mark Kelly
NASHVILLE, Tenn., – Protestant pastors in America are working long hours, sometimes at the expense of relationships with church members, prospects, family and even the Lord.
A telephone survey of more than 1,000 senior pastors indicated a full 65 percent of them work 50 or more hours a week – with 8 percent saying they work 70 or more hours. Meetings and electronic correspondence consume large amounts of time for many ministers, while counseling, visitation, family time, prayer and personal devotions suffer in too many cases.
The results of the LifeWay Research study “How Protestant Pastors Spend Their Time” show the typical pastor works 50 hours a week. Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research, pointed out, however, that this average actually understates the number of hours because it takes into account bivocational pastors (11 percent of survey participants), part-time senior pastors (5 percent of survey participants), and volunteer pastors (2 percent of survey participants) – the majority of whom work, by design, less than 40 hours for their church each week. “
Continue Reading...
via: charles stone on twitter

Transform an iPhone into an iMac with a stand...

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 22:09:48 -0600

OK, it only looks like a mini iMac, but this stand is so cool. I know many of you probably think that $30 is a waste on this stand, but to have my shiny iPhone looking like a cool mini iMac, well... that would be awesome! What can I say, I’m an Apple Fanboy. :)
“Description:
Enjoy using your iMac and iphone 3G & 3Gs at the same time!

Now let's equip your iPhone with your "iClooly Aluminum Stand", it will look more attractive for apple manias with its small size and shape. Pleasure as for an Apple user will multiply when you work on your tasks with your iMac, and listen to music and watch movies with your iPhone.
Product Name : iClooly Aluminum Stand for 3G & 3Gs • Material : Aluminum • Dimension : W120xH113xD47 • Weight : (Net) 75g/ (Gross) 150g • Made in Korea
Features:
• Make your iPhone 3G & 3Gs looks like mini iMac
• The Pivot function allows you to rotate your iPhone 3G & 3Gs horizontally or vertically.
• Easy to detach with one simple push button on the back of the stand

Product Details:
Product Length:
0.69 inches
Product Width:
0.48 inches
Product Height:
0.2 inches
Product Weight:
0.35 pounds”

Source: The Gadgeteer

It’s beyond Awesome: Awesome Note (iPhone)

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 22:01:13 -0600

The productive power of Awesome Note for the iPhone is almost overshadowed by it's surprisingly great and sleek user interface. While many note apps attempt to make organizing your notes cool, Awesome Note not only succeeds in making notes organization cool, but also provides great themes and syncing options, too.
When you first open Awesome Note, you are not presented with a traditional list view of your notes. Instead, you see a group of file folders with an icon and a label for that folder, a small notebook, and a quick memo pad. I have found Awesome Notes setup to be a familiar and simple method of organization. Those of us working in a jungle of cubicles or answering the ringing of a telephone know the role of file folders and stickie notes. I cannot help but wonder if the developers themselves had spent some time in a cubical! With such a familiar and easy to understand organizational method, you'll find Awesome Note fun and convenient.
Tapping on a folder reveals your notes displayed in thumbnail view (my fav), the common list view, and a handy todo view. The todo view helps make aNote quite versatile. Any note can have an image inserted, font changed, or be made a todo. You can email a note or search all your notes- very helpful!
aNote offers many other great features like making notes read only, a quick memo feature, several themes and folder icons, password protection, sort options, and quite a bit more.
Probably one of the most popular features is the ability to sync your notes with Evernote. I'm not a huge Evernote user, more casual at best. With aNote, that may just change. For those Google fans, you can also sync with Google Docs.
Overall, Awesome Notes is one of the best notes applications I have used for the iPhone. I'd like to see some format options like lists, bold, underline, etc. added in future versions. However, it ranks high enough on my iPhone to be on my home page. Awesome Note sells for $3.99 on the Apple App Store.

Pros:
Great looks, syncs with Evernote, sharp themes and icons, lots of sorting and entry options
Cons:
Needs notifications, automatic sync on startup option, some basic formatting features

Mac Software: WeatherCal

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 22:01:16 -0600

I love checking the weather and knowing what is coming in the next few days. When I had my Palm Lifedrive, I would use 4cast and Datebk6 to feed my weather cravings. Now with my iPhone, I use WeatherBug Elite and WeatherCal.
WeatherCal by Barebones Software automagically adds a 5 day forecast and weather conditions into iCal as an all day event. You will also have a Weather Underground link added to your iCal event. The all day weather events work great for me and with my MobileMe service, it pushes updates to my iPhone. There are lots of cities available and you can have several cities’ weather sent to your iCal.
WeatherCal costs $10 and needs Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

Keeping your sermons and studies fresh.

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 20:55:59 -0600

Give it time and anything can get old, stale, or routine. When happens to your sermons or your Sunday School lessons, people notice. I remember teaching a lesson to my youth group and thinking this is a boring lesson- it wasn’t the material, it was the messenger! I was not at all excited by what I was doing. What can we do to avoid being stale in the ministry?
Stay fresh. My wife makes homemade bread a couple times a week (we don’t buy bread from the grocery store). To keep the bread fresh, we will put the bread in a sealed container to keep the air from getting to the bread. If we left it out on the counter the bread would go stale and it tastes horrible! Sometimes we need to “seal” ourselves from that which makes us go stale. Perhaps it’s a football game, internet surfing, a hobby, or whatever it may be we cannot allow an activity or a person to make us stale.
What are some ways for us to stay fresh? This is not a comprehensive list (it’s actually rather short), but it should help remind us what we need to do to stay fresh. Well, at the very least point you in the right direction!
Keep yourself in good health. - This may mean getting to bed earlier, taking a run or walk, going to the gym, or eating better. Remember, Paul said bodily exercise profits little; he didn’t say it never profits!
Read material outside ministry material. - I think it is good to read the local newspaper, a fictional book, a productivity blog, something that takes your mind outside the realm of ministry for a little while. Our minds are a marvelous computer and every once in a while it is good to run another program to challenge our minds and let it process new data.
Don’t settle for the same old same old. - A lot of times we don’t change because it’s a lot easier to keep things the same. Now, I am all for keeping the right things the same (i.e. doctrine, Bible, etc.), but our methods, our messages, our ministry can we improve or make changes to better these areas. At the college, I search for better ways to handle the data and the phone calls I receive/make. I study up on different approaches and see what others do to manage their contacts. Settling for the same old leads to staleness and can be avoided by looking to improve what we do.
Be open and listen to people. - It never hurts to listen to those in your church. You’ve got to be ready for some tough criticism, but your deacons, youth pastor, and other staff may have some great insights. One church staff member will ask me what would you change or how would you improve it? I think that is great as you may find a gem!
Be fun! Have fun! - A merry heart doth good like medicine goes the proverb. So be sure in all that you do, you have some fun. God made us to laugh and smile for a reason. Don’t be so stale you forget to smile and have fun!

Start your week in space!

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 07:42:42 -0600

God has made an incredible universe for us to admire and appreciate His handiwork. FoxNews a couple weeks back ran their 50 favorite space pictures. I thought they’d make a great start to your week as you begin this full first week of 2010.
“And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.” Genesis 1:16
May the Lord bless your week!

My Palm Addict review of HanDBase for iPhone

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 13:26:23 -0600

I do some blogging for Palm Addict. It has actually been a while since I last reviewed software for them. However, when I had the chance to review HanDBase, my inner geek demanded I do a review. So here is a portion of that review.
“HanDBase, a popular database manager for Palm, has been on the iPhone for sometime now. I have been using it for the last few months creating new databases and attempting to bring some order to the non stop flow of information in my life. Can a mobile database app, specifically HanDBase, succeed in storing data on the fly with your iPhone? Let’s tackle this question shall we?
Why do I need a database app, like HanDBase, on my iPhone?
Mobile data management and storage your way that is the short of it. Information comes to us for all sorts of places. We try to use this app or that app to organize and store our information, but the app’s structure doesn’t always fit us just right. It’s a little like being Goldie Locks looking for that chair that is “just right”. HanDBase gives you that “just right” database organization that you need. HanDBase allows you to design your database from a few fields to up to 100 fields in a single database. You are the designer and the manager. “
Continue reading...
For what it is worth, the folks who develop HanDBase have an excellent product. You will not find a better data managing app for the iPhone. I’d highly recommend HanDBase for the iPhone.

Post of the Past: The Achan Attitude in Christianity today

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 13:09:54 -0600

As part of the end of the year, I am highlighting posts of the past from the Gadget Pastor blog. They’re basically my favorites! I hope you enjoy seeing them again. Here is the last Post of the Past!
When Joshua confronted Achan after the other Israelites had been cleared from being guilty, he asked Achan for the truth. Achan recounted his transgression going so far as renaming what God had called accursed to something "goodly." Because of Achan’s sin of taking from what was devoted for the Lord, he was stoned with his family, and all of his belongings. What a sad story, but a great warning to all of us. God does not overlook our sin.
While we can draw out many great truths from this story, one stands out to me that shows a similar trait of Achan’s by Christians today- a complete disregard for the Word of God.
It states in Joshua 6:17-19 "And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD." (KJV)
God’s commands were clear, but Achan blatantly disregarded them. He coveted and then took of the accursed thing, essentially bringing the wrath of God on him.
I believe some Christians today are having a blatant disregard for God’s Word, the Bible. (For one, they don’t know their Bible like they should.) They view the ten commandments as suggestions. They ignore the clear commands of Scripture. They view drinking, smoking, immorality, a lukewarm relationship with God as acceptable. They live in sin and expect God to bless and when He doesn’t, they wonder why.
God has called us to be holy because He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). We are to be different from this world and be like Christ (Rom. 12:1-2). It is high time that Christians begin to act like a Christian following the commands of Scripture and avoid the Achan attitude. What do you think?

Post of the Past: 8 tips for leaving messages on an answering machine.

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 13:06:52 -0600

As part of the end of the year, I am highlighting posts of the past from the Gadget Pastor blog. They’re basically my favorites! I hope you enjoy seeing them again.
When you call someone in your church and they are not home, leaving clear and understandable messages on their answer machines is important. For me on a daily basis I leave messages on families phones and my applicant’s cell phones. It’s important that the point of my message is communicated. Here are some tips for you to make an answering machine work for you!
1.Leave your first and last name. Identify yourself right away. Make sure people know who is calling. Don’t wait until the very end to say your name or people may just think you’re a telemarketer.
2.Speak clearly and slowly. Just as when we first started preaching, we spoke too fast, often when leaving a message it is spoken so fast that important information like the phone number, your name, etc. is not understood. Slow it down a bit and enunciate your words.
3.Be ready to leave a message. Don’t have a dramatic pause when the message first starts! Your messagee may delete your message because you paused so long! Think about what you are wanting to say in case you do need to leave a message.
4.Include the needed details, don’t babble. If you are needing folks to prepare meals for another church family, say something like this, “Hello Bob and Mary, this is Pastor Josh Burdick from Faith Baptist Church and I wanted to see if you could prepare a dinner for the Smith family this next week. Please give me a call at 123-456-7890. Thank you!” It’s brief simple and contains the needed details. You don’t need to explain every detail as that will waste your time. It is only a message! Remember your church families are busy too!
5.Have a courtesy ending. I’m not one for good byes. It’s just too hard for me to say it, probably not a good trait about me. So when I finish a message, I simply say, “Thank you!” It’s short and better than me saying mmm-bye-bye, that’s it, see you later, etc. :)
6.Practice leaving a message to yourself. Most of us hate listening to our own voices, as we believe we sound much different than we really do. Take the time to practice, you might think it is a weird idea, but it will produce positive results.
7.Smile. Smile. Smile. Nobody likes listening to someone that just took a bite out of a lemon. A smile changes a lot more than the way you look, it changes the tone of your voice! You should be able to tell just by this point. I was smiling the whole time I typed it!
8.Speak up. Some of us speak to softly to be heard on a phone. And some of us like leaving messages while we’re driving with the window down on visitation. Speak up and speak in a quiet environment.
Well, that’s it. You master these and every one will return your messages. OK, wishful thinking. It will though make you a better communicator when you’re leaving messages and your church family will appreciate it!

Post of the Past: Use Google Calendar on your church’s website

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:34:12 -0600

As part of the end of the year, I am highlighting posts of the past from the Gadget Pastor blog. They’re basically my favorites! I hope you enjoy seeing them again.
“Here is a really good tip that will help you effective communicate with your church congregation about upcoming events. If you already have a church website, you can easily add a Google Calendar to your church's website with some simple html code. Here are the steps:
1. Setup your Google Calendar if you do not have one. If already have a Google Calendar, add another calendar and call it Church Events making this a public calendar. Go ahead and add some events like Sunday services, midweek service, prayer breakfasts, home Bible studies, etc. Make sure these events are label with Church Events.
2. Once you have added some events to your Church Events calendar, go ahead and click on "Manage Calendars".
3. Click on your Church Events calendar or in my case, Somewhere Baptist Church.
4. Towards the bottom of your Church Events details page, you will see a Calendar Address section. In this section you will see a HTML button. Click on this button.
5. Now once you have clicked on the HTML button, another window pops up and from here you want to choose the HTML configuration tool. From there you can customize the look of your calendar to fit your website. Take a look at this church's Google Calendar implementation.
Now you can add other events as they are scheduled and your church can quickly see what is coming down the road. All this is done free with Google Calendar.”
If you have a neat way of helping your church members stay up-to-date with your church calendar be sure to share in the comments below. I can’t help but wonder if anyone uses, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or some other social networking site to update their church calendar.

Post of the Past: Will you still be attending church in 5 years?

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:28:47 -0600

As part of the end of the year, I am highlighting posts of the past from the Gadget Pastor blog. They’re basically my favorites! I hope you enjoy seeing them again.
“Inevitably, people leave their church, not to go to another church or serve somewhere else, they leave church and their faith for good. The reason for this is quite simple, but complex all the same. It is sin, the pleasures of this world, the falling into temptation, and the entanglements of Satan's wiles. As pastors, missionaries, deacons, church leaders, it is our ministry to go after these lost sheep as best as we can and try to see them return to the fold of God. Some do and some do not. While our churches go thru this, we continue to reach the lost and saving them from the fire. I have found that more people seem turned off by religion, especially Christianity. I'm sure this is not true everywhere and it is certainly not an excuse to quit evangelizing, but it is a reality that we all face in our ministries. What do we do at these times? We are stedfast. We continue abounding in the work of the Lord. Our labor is not in vain in the Lord. The devil does not stop from battling and neither should we stop battling for lost souls and wayward believers.
The question still remains. Will you still be attending a midweek service in 5 years? Will you as a pastor stop the midweek service because of lack of attendance? Or will you continue to fight the good fight? I would like to share with your some statistics that I came across today. I cannot account for their accuracy, nor do I agree with much that they have posted, but if they are accurate, it is a scary reality for us, Christians.
• The percentage of American adults who identify themselves as Christians dropped from 86% in 1990 to 77% in 2001. This is an unprecedented drop of almost 1 percentage point per year.
• The percentage of American adults who identify themselves as Protestants dropped below 50% about the year 2005.
• Confidence in religious institutions has hit an all-time low.
• There appears to be a major increase in interest in spirituality among North Americans. However, this has not translated into greater church involvement.
• Mainline denominations have been losing membership for decades in the U.S.; conservative denominations have been growing.
• At the present rates of change, Islam will become the dominant religion in the world before 2050 BC.
• At the present rate of change, most Americans would identify themselves as non-religious or non-Christian by the year 2035 BC.
• The numbers of "unchurched" people has increased rapidly in the U.S. These are individuals who have not attended church in recent months.
• Agnosticis, Atheists, secularists. and NOTAs (none of the above) are growing rapidly.
• Interest in new religious movements (e.g. New Age, Neopaganism) is growing rapidly. In particular, Wiccans are doubling in numbers about every 30 months.
• The influence of the central, program-based congregation is diminishing as more cell churches are being created.
• Many Christians have left congregations and formed house churches - small groups meeting in each other's homes.
No doubt some of these trends are not at all positive for Christianity. For a moment think of what we have tried over the past couple decades to bring folks into church, Christian contemporary music, dramas, Christian movies, less focus on the Bible and more opinions, home services, power point presentations, etc. These things have not helped the cause of Christ like they were intended to help. No matter how good the intentions, they have not helped Christianity as a whole, but they have only made Christians more like the world, so the people are looking for something different. Isalm. Wiccan. They are different and people are be drawn to them because of that. I believe we ought to good back to "the old paths". Back to basics if you will. The disciples turned the world upside down and they didn't have music, dramas, movies, etc. They had the Word of God and it is more than powerful to change the sinner. Let us heed the Lords call and not say, "We will not walk therein."
Jeremiah 6:16
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."

Post of the Past: Bible Software what do you use?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:11:22 -0600

As part of the end of the year, I am highlighting posts of the past from the Gadget Pastor blog. They’re basically my favorites! I hope you enjoy seeing them again. Here’s my first....
“Being an effective user of time can be a difficult task. As pastors, missionaries, and others serving the Lord in ministry, we have to manage our time carefully. I know for many the biggest part of their time is usually spent studying for their sermons. So with that in mind, I wanted to share some Bible programs I have used to help me study more effectively.
Power Bible - This is probably one of the easiest Bible software programs to use. "The Power Bible CD-ROM includes 22 Bible translations, six Bible dictionaries, 11 topical references, 20 commentaries, and over 700,000 cross-references, all for only $19.00*, including postage!" What I like best about Power Bible is being able to have the original languages interlined with the English translations. Power Bible will also give you a preview of a verse or Hebrew/Greek word if you rest your mouse on it. A bubble window pops open with a mini preview of what that verse is or the meaning of the word you are looking at. That helps you be more effective as you don't have to click to go to that passage or reference book and come back to where you were.
Online Bible - I used this program a lot when I was a student in college and seminary. The main reason why is because it was free! And it still is. Their Basic package contains:
- the Online Bible Edition 2.00.04
- King James Authorized Version Bible
- Easton's Dictionary
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
- Greek and Hebrew Lexicons
- OLB Theme Index
- Morning and Evening Devotional.
Nelson's eBible - I just recently purchased this software and from all that I have done with it so far, it may replace Power Bible for me. One feature that I really like about this software is it has the student in mind. When you copy and paste information from it, eBible will automatically include a footnote for your paper or message. It has several different formats like Turabian, etc. The nice part about this is you can also add more books and reference materials to it. Meaning it may cost more, but you do save space on your bookshelf.
Why use a Bible program? I think the main reason that I have used a Bible program is it decreases my time searching thru reference books like Strongs, Vines, etc. With these programs that kind of flipping pages searching is over. What could take several minutes now only takes a few seconds. This so it makes me a better manager of my time and more effective as a pastor.
I realize their are more Bible programs out there (i.e. Quickverse, e-sword, swordsearcher, etc.), but these are the ones I have used and can speak with some knowledge. I definitely recommend looking at the ones I mentioned and search for others as well. I never payed more then $20 for the above software I mentioned. However, with some demo-ing and testing I'm sure you will find a program that will suit your needs. It would also be great for you to share your Bible program with us. You can tell us in the comments below.”
End of the Post of the Past.
I know there are a lot of options out there with Bible programs. Logos, MacSword, Accordance, e-sword, Swordsearcher, and so many more I could name. For what it is worth, I am currently using Quickverse for Mac, but I am looking towards Logos as being my future Bible software replacement.
If you have a favorite, be sure to share in the comments below.

Merry Christmas!

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:14:14 -0600

Yes, it may seem like I’m only posting at the holidays, but life has been busy! With our latest addition, it has really changed our schedules and I don’t have as much time to post. However, I am working on some things, so hopeful things will resume soon.
In the meantime, I will be highlight some of my favorite posts from yesteryear! It should be fun and I am looking forward to them.
I truly hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a great new year. I know things may be unsure in our world today, but one thing we are certain of is that our God never changes. What a great confidence and surety that brings in our lives both spiritually and emotionally.
Remember to keep the light of Jesus shining brightly where you live! As has been my tradition here to post the Christmas story, I’ve included it below.
“1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxeda. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxedb, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxedc with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watchd over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherdse said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
Luke 2:1-20

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:42:28 -0600

In case you haven't heard, pumpkin pie filling is in short supply. That's right; too much rain this year and last year is to blame for the shortage according to Nestle who “is the largest national brand for canned pumpkin products, with 80 to 90 percent of the market.” (Any Morton, IL fans out there?!)
As an avid eater of pumpkin pies, I’m stockpiling my cans of pumpkin pie filling! I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin rolls…. I could go on and on. If any of you have a favorite pumpkin recipe that you’d like to share let me know. My wife loves cooking and my 4 boys and I love eating, so we’d be glad to try them!
Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful for all that God has done for us, but it shouldn’t be the only time we give thanks. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” We may have a shortage of pumpkin pie filling, but we ought never to have a shortage of praise to our heavenly Father.   I pray that this Thanksgiving will be your best Thanksgiving yet!

Software Saturday: Google Chrome (developer version)

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:06:48 -0500

I have been using Google Chrome, the developer version for Mac OS X, today and thought I’d offer my thoughts on the browser.
Overall, the browser is quick and much faster than Safari on my MacBook. Opening Gmail, gVoice, etc. is very fast. I like the UI of Chrome and it does have a lot of buttons, toolbars, other bells and whistles to distract from your web surfing.
When you look at the preferences, they are rather bare. Not a lot to look at, so I’m not sure how great or not so great that is. Since I don’t mess around with the settings that much, it doesn’t bother me. Google is trying for a simplistic approach when it comes to web browsing and looks like they’re making good with that goal. In reality, how many people really want to click on an advanced tab and scroll thru a bunch of checkboxes with descriptions of what it turns off or on like Internet Explorer.
The themes are fun to try, but most do not improve the look of Chrome. They make some of the tab’s title text difficult to read when you are not on the . Hopefully more themes will come out soon with better designs. My personal favorite is Minimal but the lunar lander theme is really winning me over.
Searching the web was also a bit awkward for me since you are suppose to use the same field that you enter a web address.
One shortcut that I really like is the Full Screen short cut. This allows to to quickly maximize Chrome. Chrome with even hide the menubar and moving your mouse to the top of the screen makes it reappear. This feature really needs to be include in Safari.
I also like that each tab has its own web address field rather than one. I think this might make tabs a bit easier to understand for some.
If you are looking for a fast and easy to use web browser that is lite on fluff and big on speed, then Google’s Chrome is your ticket to the world of great web browsing. You can visit Chrome’s website here.
Features of Chrome:
Speed: Fast to launch, fast to load web pages
• Quick to start up from your desktop
• Loads web pages in a snap
• Runs web applications faster than ever
Simplicity: Designed for efficiency and ease of use
• Search and navigate to web pages from the same box
• Arrange and organize tabs however you wish — quickly and easily
• Get to your favorite websites with just a click, from the thumbnails of your most visited sites in the New Tab page

On the soapbox: In the beginning God created...

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:28:03 -0500

For Christianity, the book of Genesis is at the very foundation of our faith. It accounts Creation, the entrance of sin, the Promise of the Savior (Gen. 3:15), and so much more. There are ministries (another here) that have been started with Genesis as its foundation even starting a Creation Museum. Over the years, creation has been questioned again, again, and again. There is even a movie in the works about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution called Creation.
As a Christian, it is my belief that the Bible is true and without error. Some may scoff and howl at that statement, but as much as you believe it is not, I believe the Bible is true and without error including its account of creation. Mankind has not evolved, but has been created in the image of God and given a freewill. You can choose to live your life as you will, but we will all give an account to God after our deaths. You can choose or reject the gift of salvation through God the Son, Jesus Christ, and his death, burial, and resurrection. The choice is yours.
So what got me on this soapbox? This article from Fox News entitled “Comic-Strip Artist R. Crumb Mocks Book of Genesis.” Now understand I am not commenting about Mr. Crumb’s work, but rather a statement he made in reference to the book of Genesis. I have that quote below.
“Not an atheist like his father, Crumb describes himself as a Gnostic, a member of that ancient movement searching for spiritual enlightenment.
"I've spent a lot of time studying different religious traditions and I meditate," he says. "I think that all humans have that need for some spiritual meaning. But," he adds with a hearty laugh, "I don't think you're going to find it in 'Genesis."' [Emphasis mine]
Mr. Crumb’s view on Genesis is probably more common than the average Christian would like to think about. Some Christians may even agree with him.
As for me, I believe one can find spiritual meaning in the book of Genesis and one verse that has profound spiritual meaning is Genesis 3:15...
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
This verse is called the Proto-evangelium or First Gospel, a reference to promise of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The promise of Jesus Christ, the “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (2 Cor. 15:3-4) who gives salvation freely to all who would receive it, and that loves us so very much.
I make no claims to be the smartest person, but my dear, Mr. Crumb, there is Good News in Genesis.

New study shows 1 in 4 people are Muslim

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:54:29 -0500

Here is an interesting article from The Christian Post on a study that shows 1 in 4 people are Muslim. Very interesting.
“Nearly one out of every four persons in the world today is Muslim, according to the results of a comprehensive demographic study of more than 200 countries.
Though estimates on the size of the global Muslim population have ranged widely in the past, from one billion to 1.8 billion, the new study by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life puts to rest the uncertainty, pinning the number of Muslims of all ages living in the world today at 1.57 billion.”
Continue Reading...

The Achan Attitude in Christianity today

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:59:21 -0500

When Joshua confronted Achan after the other Israelites had been cleared from being guilty, he asked Achan for the truth. Achan recounted his transgression going so far as renaming what God had called accursed to something "goodly." Because of Achan’s sin of taking from what was devoted for the Lord, he was stoned with his family, and all of his belongings. What a sad story, but a great warning to all of us. God does not overlook our sin.
While we can draw out many great truths from this story, one stands out to me that shows a similar trait of Achan’s by Christians today- a complete disregard for the Word of God.
It states in Joshua 6:17-19 "And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD." (KJV)
God’s commands were clear, but Achan blatantly disregarded them. He coveted and then took of the accursed thing, essentially bringing the wrath of God on him.
I believe some Christians today are having a blatant disregard for God’s Word, the Bible. (For one, they don’t know their Bible like they should.) They view the ten commandments as suggestions. They ignore the clear commands of Scripture. They view drinking, smoking, immorality, a lukewarm relationship with God as acceptable. They live in sin and expect God to bless and when He doesn’t, they wonder why.
God has called us to be holy because He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). We are to be different from this world and be like Christ (Rom. 12:1-2). It is high time that Christians begin to act like a Christian following the commands of Scripture and avoid the Achan attitude. What do you think?

Free version of GooSync is being discontinued

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:56:16 -0500

I received an email today from the developers of GooSync which explained that the free service of GooSync will be discontinued on October 19th. In its place they are offering GooSync Lite which will have all the same features of the free GooSync for roughly $10 a year. I am sure some will be disappointed with this news, however, don’t forget about Google Sync which is free and may be a workable alternative for your needs. If not, $10 a year is not that much.
“Since the first release of GooSync back in early 2007 GooSync has gone from strength to strength. Both the Premium and Free versions of GooSync have become market leaders in the over-the-air synchronization market. We have shown our continued commitment to our users over the years with a new infrastructure, further product development and enhanced support services.
We are also now happy to report that version 2.1 is now ready for release. Features from this new version will soon be rolled into the Premium version of GooSync. We also have 3 further updates planned for release over the next 9 months.
It has always been our goal to provide a professional service to all Free and Premium users. Given the exponential demand for GooSync over the last 12 months, it has become increasingly more difficult to continue this high level of service to both Premium and Free users.
It is therefore, with regret, that we are now discontinuing our Free service. For all of you that have come to love and rely on our free offering, we will be migrating the Free GooSync service into a new product “GooSync Lite”. This new lite version of GooSync will have all the same features as the existing free version.
The Free version will become unavailable and synchronization will be suspended on Monday 19th October. To continue benefiting from all the great features of GooSync you will be able to purchase GooSync Lite for a yearly fee of just £5.99 (approx $10). We are confident that this is priced very competitively and will allow us to continue to offer the professional level of service and support you have come to expect.
Alternatively you can upgrade to our GooSync Premium service. This allows full contact syncing with contact backup, multiple Google calendars with appointments up to 365 days in advance, appointment attendees, task synchronization, multiple device support, AutoSync and iGoogle gadgets. Also included will be GooSync’s new features from version 2.1, such as Google contact group synchronization.
GooSync Premium is available for as little as £19.95 per year, £29.95 for a two year subscription or a lifetime option for £39.95.
We hope you continue to use GooSync and we look forward to working with you in the future.”

iPhone App Review: Living Word

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:19:27 -0500

Whether you are a new student to the Bible or a long time student of it, the Living Word iPhone app will be a help in applying the Word of God to your everyday life. The app organizes over 320 verses into practical topics that will help you as you study the Bible. I will tell you right away that this will be my #1 app for topical verse reference.
The first element you will notice with Living Word is the sharp and vibrant backgrounds of the app. They caught my eye right away and provided a very pleasing and colorful display. However, in the latest update emoticons were added. Unfortunately for me, this emoticons did not add to the eye-appeal to the UI, but seem a bit out of place. You do have the option to turn on or off the emoticons which is much appreciated. I think users will definitely appreciate the great looking backgrounds.
The organization of the verses and their respective categories is superb. You can tell that the developer spent some time choosing the right verses for each topic and I really appreciate that. For instance, when I am looking up a topic like “When you need Money and Prosperity”, I expected to find verses from God’s Word about money and prosperity. Living Word does exactly that. Here are two verses taken from that category:

Deuteronomy 8:18 “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

Too many times other programs I have used provide you with a list of verses that share the same word which leads to you taking a verse or two out of context and then emailing a verse to someone that in light of the verses around it, doesn’t make sense at all! (yes, that happened to me) An app focusing on God’s promises must foremost provide appropriate verses for each topics. Living Word hits a home run here.
Another unique feature to Living Word is the Morning, Afternoon, and Evening meditations. This feature highlights a verse for you specific to your time of day. It can be a good way to have a quick reminder from God’s Word. While this is a useful feature, I would like to have the option to turn it off, so I can quickly get to the topic list.
Even though I have a great love for the King James version, I know that others may wish to use a different version. Living Word provides 7 translations including the NIV, NKJV, and Amplified versions. You can also quickly change versions when viewing the verses to compare with other translations with out going to a settings page.
As far as the app’s navigation, initially, I did have some troubles learning the navigation of Living Word. It would be nice for the developer to add a help button or bubble to help new users with this. As you do navigate thru the verses, when you come to the end of a group of verses, Living Word rolls you back to the first verse in the section. Much nicer than swiping back to the beginning!
Overall this app is well worth the $1.99 price tag. Any student of the Bible would do well to have this app on their iPhone as it will provide you with a reliable and well thought out topical reference for God’s Living Word.

Pros:
Great UI
Carefully chosen verses for each topic!
Developer is open to additional verses/topics

Cons:
Emoticons are distracting
Needs a help guide for inexperienced users

Christians couples keeping accountable online.

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:20:00 -0500

Staying accountable with your online activities is a must. The internet is a wonderful and helpful tool, but it can easily become one’s master and cause even the strongest of marriages to fall apart.
My wife and I watch each other’s online activities making sure that we keep each other accountable. It amazes me how many couples do not know what their spouse is doing online. FoxNews recently posted an article about “Christian Couples Staying Faithful on Facebook, Twitter”.
One quote that I wanted to mention here on TGP is "Whenever you have a place where you can keep secrets, the tendency is to keep secrets." Satan would love to see another Christian couple fail with their marriage or at the very least see that it does not live up to its fullest potential. We must as couples maintain our guard knowing how determined our adversary is.
The article is worthy of bookmarking, Evernoting, or printing off for future reference.
“Lance Maggiacomo was out of work, bored and lonely when he started hiding his online relationships from his wife.
There was no affair, only chatting through e-mail, yet it felt like cheating just the same.
A few years later, a reformed Maggiacomo has an in-house check on his impulses. He and his wife Lori, like other Christian couples around the country, share one e-mail account as a safeguard against the ever-expanding temptations of the Internet.
"There's not a Gestapo, KGB quality to it, like I have to check in with mother before I do anything," said Lance Maggiacomo, a 40-year-old surgical nurse from Beverly, Mass. "It's what we believe as Christians: We are our brothers' keepers. It's about biblical accountability."
Continue Reading...
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For the mobile productive pastor: Dual-screen laptop

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:28:15 -0500

Yes, they are coming- laptops with two screens. Forget the extra weight or the bulk added by a second screen, or the drain on your battery life, you can now have two screens on the go. I cannot imagine having someone open one of these on the airplane!
However, if you’re the want-to-have-it-all type, this laptop could be yours at the right price (a mere $3,000), some potential compromises, and some back pain by Christmas this year.
“The pioneering PC, known as the Spacebook, is the brainchild of Alaska-based technology firm gScreen.
While growing numbers of office workers – especially in the financial industries – use several desktop monitors to track many programmes and information sources at the same time, no manufacturer has yet released a portable equivalent.”
Telegraph via Gizmodo

ColorSplash for iPhone

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:19:19 -0500

I picked up a really fun photo editor app for my iPhone. It’s called ColorSplash. The program will take a picture make it black and white and let you brush back the color. You can create some great eye catching photos with it.
Take a look at the photo to the right of some pinwheels in our front yard. I brushed back the color to them and it looks really good. It’s not hard to learn and once you do, you can quickly add a splash of color.
ColorSplash is available in the iTunes store for $2.99 US.
App description from the developers website:
“ColorSplash lets you quickly and easily give photos a dramatic look by converting them to black and white, while keeping your chosen details in color. This effect - known as a "cutout" or "selective desaturation" - draws the viewers' attention to the colored areas.
Use your finger as a brush to remove or bring back the original color from regions of your image. Quickly zoom in and out using the two finger pinching gesture.
Features
• Undo any number of accidental brush strokes.
• Save multiple sessions.
• In-program help.
• Alternative view mode shows colored regions tinted red to make it easier to see and adjust the boundaries between color and black & white regions.
• Choose from 4 different brushes (hard or soft edged, opaque or transparent)
• Work in landscape or portrait orientation.
• Switch to and from full-screen with the tap of a finger.”