The Inside Scoop: August 2022
Hia Folks 👋🏻,
This month we got some big announcements and updates, but little to show in terms of product (sorry). As always. Patience and then some more patience. Here we go:
SKIA and the OLD WAY
We finally started with implementing SKIA.
So what is this SKIA thing? It's a technology for web browsers, phones, and tablets to handle graphics quickly and efficiently (that is how I understand it at least). In other words, it makes animations feel smooth and responsive. Exactly what we need for a drawing app like Pencil Bible!
Some context for when building apps for Apple or Android (if coding and technical stuff bores you skip this part 😉):
You can either build an app natively with the developer tools (language) each platform gives or use other software that is not maintained by the platforms. In Apple’s case, the language is called SWIFT and with Android, it’s called Fusion (I think).
If you built your app in SWIFT (iOS) though, you can’t export it to Android. So to have the App on your Samsung tablet you would have to completely rebuild it in Android's own native language.
That’s where “modular” software comes in like React Native (this is what we use). This allows you to build once and then use it everywhere.
Each of SWIFT and React Native has various advantages and disadvantages. Lots of applications you use in your iPhone are built on React Native (RN) including Facebook and Shopify. Those are big brands. If it works for them. It should work for us — I believe.
The difference is they have some of the best engineers in the world with budgets of billions of dollars. We have one engineer currently with a budget of $1000 — $2000 per month. So in that context, I think we are doing pretty well.
The big issue with these modular solutions like RN — is performance. When you use RN — it’s just not as fast as the native languages. Finally, this is where SKIA comes in. SKIA for RN was developed/funded by SHOPIFY and in a nutshell, helps make graphics and drawing very fast (almost as fast as using a native language like SWIFT). SKIA also allows us to separate the Apple Pencil from skin touch so now we will have palm rejection as well as the ability to scroll with your finger while you draw.
It has been a mission to get SKIA to work, but we succeeded. It really is a next-level feeling when it rejects your palm and you can scroll with your finger. Now you can even write with the toolbar minimized. It basically replaces the whole PB canvas. This leads us to this point👇🏻
I’m terribly sorry…
So as I mentioned we are still busy implementing SKIA. This means all the old tools and the canvas will be replaced by it. Even the Pencils, erasers, highlighter, and even some of the database logic has to be re-invented.
Here is the problem though: I don't think we will be able to bring over the old annotations (your drawings and notes) to the SKIA canvas.
It’s like having a VHS tape with a VHS player (Google if you don’t know what that is) and then suddenly going to digital 4K video. You simply can’t just transfer the VHS tapes to digital and have the same quality and feel that a 4K video would have.
So it is highly possible we will have to start fresh. You will most likely lose all the annotations you already made. Everything new in SKIA will save 100%.
With so many issues in the past with saving your notes and now losing everything you made (possibly again) — how is PB a trustworthy product? I have been pondering this question a lot. I don’t have any answers — only a shrug emoji 🤷♂️. The users are so important to me and I want the whole PB experience to be magical and effortless so that all attention can go to the Bible and your creations.
We are still investigating and maybe it won’t be such a big issue. Let’s wait and see.
Translations (Great News)
Some very good news. We basically have all the premium publishers on board (the ones I know of).
To summarise here is where we are and what translations are coming very soon:
- Lifeway: CSB translation (Contract Signed, converting files to JSON, adding to PB)
- Broadstreet: The Passion Translation (Contract Signed, converting files to JSON, adding to PB)
- HarperCollins: NIV, NIrV, NKJV, NET, ICB (Contract was very complicated — waiting for a new one as well as UK/EURO rights, this has been ongoing for months now)
- Tyndale: NLT (Made contact, applying now)
I’m incredibly thankful for this.
So in the next couple of weeks, you will hopefully have two new translations to use with the current version of Pencil Bible (CSB & TPT).
Talk soon.
Erin
P.S. I really appreciate every email I receive from you all — be it encouragement, ideas, tips, prayers, or even complaints. Keep them coming.
P.S.S. Oh and please remember to give us 5 stars on the app store 👇 😄 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pencil-bible/id1612587185
