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Special Webcast on November 16

Please join us Tuesday, November 16, at noon CST for a very special webcast about YouVersion. Here’s what you can expect:

  • News about a huge milestone that YouVersion just reached
  • An inside look at some big things coming up, and
  • Vision for where we believe God is taking YouVersion in the future, and how you can play a part.

We’d be thrilled if you could join us and invite your friends.

We’re going to have some fun, and we’ll even be giving away three iPads. YouVersion will send a tweet to announce the webcast, and we’ll automatically register you to win if you retweet that tweet, post about it on your Facebook wall, or if you tweet about the event with a mention. Visit http://webcast.youversion.com for all the details, and then add it to your calendar!

You can follow what YouVersion’s up to in all of these places:

We’re really looking forward to this opportunity to share all the exciting things God is doing through YouVersion, and say a big, “Thank you!” to all of you who’ve helped YouVersion come so far, so quickly in making the Bible part of people’s everyday lives.

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Windows Phone 7: The Bible App is Coming!

One mission drives us here at YouVersion: Helping people worldwide engage with God’s Word. We do that by making the Bible available digitally in as many versions and on as many devices as we can. So when the online store for Microsoft’s smartphone platform, Windows Phone 7, launches in the U.S. on November 8, 2010, our Bible app will be there.

Industry analysts predict Microsoft may spend up to half a billion dollars to promote Windows Phone 7, so you’ll likely start hearing a lot about it soon. To us, all that advertising and press represents a tremendous opportunity to connect even more people with the Scriptures. While the special features for our initial release of the Bible app on Windows Phone 7 will focus on social networking and connections, we’re still actively developing it, so we’ll continue rolling out more and more of the functions that YouVersion users on other platforms have come to count on. We’ll keep you posted about new Windows app features as soon as we release them—stay tuned here and on Twitter!

For those of you who choose Windows Phone 7 as your phone, we want you to know… We’ll be there.

Screen shots of the forthcoming Bible app for Windows Phone 7:

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Last Week in Review

Last week was a banner week for the Bible app on multiple platforms, one we expect to look back on as historical in many respects. It was packed with developments to help you and millions of others engage with Scripture, no matter where you are. You won’t want to miss these, so let’s jump right in…

Offline Bible Versions Available on Android
The #1 feature that Android users have been asking for is finally here! To date, offline Bible versions have only been available for iPhone and iPad, but now millions of Android users can also read the Bible anywhere, anytime—whether they’re connected to the Internet or not. As the Android platform grows, literally hundreds of millions of people worldwide will be able to engage with the Bible, even offline. The Bible app for Android was already fast, but versions stored directly on your device now make it faster than ever. (Read more here…)

Multiple Bible Versions Now Available Offline
Several copyright owners of different translations of the Bible are now partnering with YouVersion to allow our awesome users to download their Bible versions to your device. With any of these offline versions, as long as you first download that particular version, then you’ll be able to read it anywhere, anytime—whether you’re connected or not.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) – Thanks to the partnership of Broadman & Holman, for a limited time (until January 31, 2011), you can download the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) for use offline on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Learn more about HCSB here, here, and here. (Read the original announcement here…)

English Standard Version (ESV) – Crossway is allowing us to make the English Standard Version (ESV) available for use offline in your Bible app on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Learn why ESV is so popular at http://www.esv.org/. (Read more here…)

Contemporary English Version (CEV) – Through the continued partnership with the American Bible Society, now you can enjoy the CEV, a version “easily read by grade schoolers” and marked by “uncompromising simplicity,” anywhere, anytime on your device. Use it to help children or second-language English speakers engage with the Bible more easily. (Read more here…)

Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR60) – Also from the American Bible Society—and from the United Bible Societies—we can now offer you the Reina-Valera 1960 Bible for offline access on iPhone, iPad, and Android. The Reina-Valera 1960 is one the best-known Spanish versions of the Bible in the world. (Read more here…)

Good News Translation (GNT) – The fruit of another generous partnership with the American Bible Society, we’ve also added the Good News Translation (GNT)—also known as the Good News Bible—to the list of versions you can access offline on iPhone, iPad, and Android. (Read more here…)

Czech Bible21 – Just two months ago, Biblion first made the Czech Bible21 available for Bible app users, and already they’re allowing us to offer it to you for offline download on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Learn more about the Czech Bible21 here. (Read more here…)

So as you can see, it was a crazy week for YouVersion… and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ll keep doing everything we can to help keep you engaged with God’s Word. Happy reading!

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Czech Bible21 Now Available Offline

It’s only been almost two months since the Czech Bible21 was introduced to YouVersion for the first time and now we’re making it available as an offline Bible version for iPhone, iPad, and Android. We’re very excited about offline access to the Czech Bible21 because it’s one more step toward meeting the needs of the international YouVersion community.

Making the Czech Bible21, and many others, available offline means faster loading times for Scripture and access to the Bible when and where you need it. The goal of YouVersion is to increase Scripture engagement around the world and this is one more step in that direction.

We’re thankful to Biblion for partnering with us to make the Czech Bible21 available offline. You can read more about the Czech Bible21 here.

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Contemporary English Version [CEV] Now Available Offline

Today we’re adding to the growing list of offline Bible versions with the Contemporary English Version of the Bible. Now, anyone can enjoy the CEV, even when they are out of network coverage. We’re excited for this addition to the offline lineup because it means the list is gaining a version that’s focused on cross-generational Bible engagement. The American Bible Society describes the CEV as being “easily read by grade schoolers” and marked by “uncompromising simplicity.”

This “uncompromising simplicity” also helps second-language English speakers read the Bible in English more easily. With our passion for reaching internationally with the Bible, that’s a highly valuable trait for a Bible version to have. Plus, with the popularity of offline Bible usage in other countries, the addition of the CEV to this list is a perfect match.

It’s only by the continued partnership with the American Bible Society that we’re able to make this Bible version available offline. So if you get the chance, leave a comment to let them know how thankful you are.