Gospel Library for Android

I currently have version 2.6.1.7 and have heard there is a newer version. How do iI download the newer version. James Urry

Typically if you go to the play store, and select "my apps", you'll see all the items that have updates waiting for them. Just select the GL app and click "update". There's also an option to automatically update.

Gospel Library 3 is currently in Beta testing.
See this post for more information:
https://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=18001#

I am running it and the only problem I have seen thus far (personally) is some of my conference talk shortcuts changed unexpectedly so I had to re-establish them.

Could you share apk or link to apk of GL 3.0 Beta please?

https://plus.google.com/u/0/#communitie ... 5251519476
(sign in to google+ and then search for "Gospel Library" to find the community)

You have to join the community, then "Change Testing Status" (on the right side of the page). After that, you are now considered a "tester" and the Beta will be available as an update from the Play Store. You don't have to actually do any "testing" if you don't want to...

GL 3.0.0.4 Beta is now out. PM me an e-mail address and I will forward the e-mail that provides instructions on how to get the apk file if you desire that option (instead of signing up as a tester as listed above). Note: My e-mail address starts with "4ward..."

I have not updated to 3.0.0.4 yet, so cannot comment on the stability/bug fixes/improvements.

How do I keep the earlier version of Android Gospel Library? I do not like the new interface of version 3.0 and would rather stick with what I prefer. I also do not appreciate it being updated without my approval.

haneyrj wrote:I also do not appreciate it being updated without my approval.

Your phone is where the preference for auto-update resides. For my phone, that preference is for all apps. There is no individual, or by app, setting. I have all my apps set for manual update but with a notice when an update is available.

jdlessley wrote:

haneyrj wrote:For my phone, that preference is for all apps. There is no individual, or by app, setting.

On my phone there is a setting for all apps as well as setting for each individual app. The settings can be found in the Play Store.

russellhltn wrote:The settings can be found in the Play Store.

That's right - I forgot about that. I had changed those settings for those undesirable bloat apps that came with my phone that can't be fully removed without rooting and voiding the warranty.

Does anyone know how to go back to a previous version of Gospel Library on Android?

LDS.org > Resources (menu) > Media Library (right-hand column); in the right column, Accessing Media > Mobile; scroll to the bottom of the content and choose Android; in the right column, there's a blurb with a link about sideloading - choose that; under the icons for the different apps, is a link for other versions. That takes you to this page: http://www.ldsmobiletester.com/android/ - and from there you pick your app and click the version type you want (you want "Other Versions") and that will give you links to the apks of the previous versions.

You'll have to load the one you want manually, which may require disabling settings which prevent that, but a lot of devices will prompt you to disable the security setting when you try to install.

Liz

I also do not like the new interface. I am sure I am in the minority, but I don't like having the icons and GUI stuff, at least if there was a way to turn all of that off and have the old plain look I would be happier. I am going to install the older version and thanks for providing it here. I would love the additional content that is provided with the new version, I just can't stand the eye candy, especially if there is no way to disable it.

kennychapman wrote:I also do not like the new interface. I am sure I am in the minority, but I don't like having the icons and GUI stuff, at least if there was a way to turn all of that off and have the old plain look I would be happier. I am going to install the older version and thanks for providing it here. I would love the additional content that is provided with the new version, I just can't stand the eye candy, especially if there is no way to disable it.

Maybe I'm missing what you're talking about but I simply switched to the list view (using the second to leftmost button on the toolbar at the bottom - the one that looks like three horizontal lines) and then the interface is seems almost exactly like what it was except for a few font changes and some reorganization of how the content is grouped.

eblood66 wrote:Maybe I'm missing what you're talking about but I simply switched to the list view (using the second to leftmost button on the toolbar at the bottom - the one that looks like three horizontal lines) and then the interface is seems almost exactly like what it was except for a few font changes and some reorganization of how the content is grouped.

Just to be clear, the icon view looks like this: Clicking on the circled button (upper right corner) puts it into list view, which as eblood66 said, is quite similar to the older version:

aebrown wrote:

eblood66 wrote:Maybe I'm missing what you're talking about but I simply switched to the list view (using the second to leftmost button on the toolbar at the bottom - the one that looks like three horizontal lines) and then the interface is seems almost exactly like what it was except for a few font changes and some reorganization of how the content is grouped.

Just to be clear, the icon view looks like this:

Clicking on the circled button (upper right corner) puts it into list view, which as eblood66 said, is quite similar to the older version:

On further experimentation it looks like the location and contents of the toolbar changes depending on orientation and screen size. On my phone in portrait mode the toolbar shows at the bottom of the screen. I'm assuming aebrown's version is from a tablet or a larger screen phone in landscape mode. When I look at my phone in landscape mode the toolbar is in the top left of the screen but it only has two buttons. However, in that case there is a 'View as List' option on the menu (accessed via the menu hard button).

So look for the icon that aebrown circled either at the bottom or in the upper right of the screen or look for a menu option 'View as List'.

But the list view is a big, long list of practically everything. The old way had only 9 categories on the home page. From there, you drill down to what you want, which is (at least to the perception of some) a much faster way to get where you're going than to scroll through long lists. Everyone I've talked to who doesn't like the new layout, doesn't like it for this exact reason - scrolling through lots and lots of stuff.

(NOTE: researchers have determined that in a list of 7 or fewer items, a human can pick the one they want instantly, more quickly than they can read each individual item; but as soon as the list gets longer than that, the human has to read each item and say (to themselves, subconsciously) "that's the one I want" or "no, not this one". This may well be why some of us prefer the short lists & drill-down option.)

FWIW,

Liz

lmcguire wrote:But the list view is a big, long list of practically everything. The old way had only 9 categories on the home page. From there, you drill down to what you want, which is (at least to the perception of some) a much faster way to get where you're going than to scroll through long lists. Everyone I've talked to who doesn't like the new layout, doesn't like it for this exact reason - scrolling through lots and lots of stuff.

(NOTE: researchers have determined that in a list of 7 or fewer items, a human can pick the one they want instantly, more quickly than they can read each individual item; but as soon as the list gets longer than that, the human has to read each item and say (to themselves, subconsciously) "that's the one I want" or "no, not this one". This may well be why some of us prefer the short lists & drill-down option.)

FWIW,

Liz

I agree. This problem with too many categories is in the content itself and shows up both in Android and in iOS. It is hard to navigate.
– Samuel Bradshaw

To be fair the recent changes to the Gospel Library App are not useful, but the app icon changing from the nice golden Moroni to the weak white one shows us that this app is becoming a shadow of what it was... It is nice to have the new content and that the app doesn't crash as much as it used to, but too many categories and things are not intuitive on where to find what you are looking for...

Used to be that things were easy to find, now I hunt and hunt and eventually give up most the time... But then changes in the Church are probably having an effect on the changes in the app...