After much anticipation YouVersion 2.0 has launched! Here’s a look at what’s new, as well as some things to look forward to in the coming months:
- A new design: We have given YouVersion a facelift, making the Bible reader the first place you land. Anyone can browse Scripture immediately upon hitting the site, giving people direct access to the Bible with fewer clicks.
- Widgetized: The right window pane now contains contribution, daily reading, and journal widgets that can be organized within the pane. See what you want, where you want it!
- Tag, Bookmark, and Link: Now found in one area above the widgets, this new location gives you the ability to organize your thoughts and readings without ever having to leave the Bible Reader.
- Parallel Readers: Want to see the what two different versions have to say about Matthew 5-7? Now you can compare NIV and The Message without having to grab two different Bibles. It can also be used to read two different languages – read in English on one side and Korean on the other. Or if you want to read the Sermon on the Mount in Mark and Matthew, you can un-sync the parallel readers and browse separately. [keyboard shortcut = control + option + p]
- My Page: Take a look at the contributions of those you are following, and see your likes, bookmarks, contributions, and journal entries.
- Community Page: A global view of YouVersion user activity, the community page is your place to engage with the YouVersion community. See what people are contributing, liking, and tagging!
- Mobile Pages: Access the mobile apps (iPhone, BlackBerry and other mobile devices) through these specific mobile pages. Download instructions and compatibility specifics are found within these pages.
They say seven is a symbolic number… so we’ll stop there, but be on the lookout for much more to come as we turn our attention to mobile, tying in user interaction from mobile to web to give you seamless integration from your mobile device to your home computer or laptop. Also look for an updated <a href=”http://m.youversion.com”>m.youversion.com</a> in the coming weeks, with the ability to log-in and add journal entries from your phone.
We’re excited to get this update out the door and in your hands! It’s been an exciting few months here at LifeChurch.tv as we’ve spent many hours designing, tweaking and developing this release. YouVersion first launched in September 2007, promoting online Scripture engagement through a community of dedicated users. Our desire was to make the Bible accessible and spur users to engage with Scripture through their contributions of text, links, photos and videos. With the addition of the iPhone Bible app in July 2008 and the Blackberry app in October, it has become evident that YouVersion was experiencing momentum and plans to enhance YouVersion began to fall into place.
We want to take a moment and give praise to God for the awesome opportunity He has given us to further Biblical interaction using the Web! We also want to thank you for the valuable contributions you have made (and will continue to make) to YouVersion. With every contribution, you show that engagement with Scripture is valuable to your spiritual journey!