Dear List Members,
We are excited to tell you that the BARD mobile iOS app is out! There are
several things which we thought those of you interested in the app would want
to know before you download it, and things you might want to do in order to
ensure that you'll be able to use the app right away without frustration.
BARD Mobile will work on any iOS device running iOS 4.3.3 or later. This
includes the iPhone 3GS and all later iPhones, all iPads, and fourth generation
or later iPod touches. If you have one of these devices, be sure it is running
iOS 4.3.3 or later.
You can't use a temporary password when logging onto BARD from the app, so be
sure you have a working BARD username and permanent password before you attempt
to log in with BARD Mobile. The app also will not work if you need to agree to
the BARD pledge. If you have a temporary password, log into the BARD website at
https://nlsbard.loc.gov
to create a new password. And even if you have a working password, it's a
good idea to log into the website and take the pledge if requested. Note that
you can log into the BARD website using Safari on an iOS device if you like.
The BARD Mobile app allows you to download items from the Recently Added
Books and Recently Added Magazines sections of the BARD site and from your wish
list. So if there are books you know you're going to want to read right away,
add them to your wish list. It is also easy to add books to your wish list from
within BARD Mobile because when you browse the site either from within the app
or from Safari on your iOS device, the Download link following every book title
changes to an Add to Wish List link.
BARD Mobile must be open while books are downloading; if you switch to a
different app, downloading will stop. Also, the screen must be unlocked
throughout the download process.
We encourage you to take a look at the BARD Mobile user guide. You can find
it at
https://nlsbard.loc.gov/apidocs/BARDMobile.userguide.iOS.1.0.html.
The manual is also available in the app, in the Help section of the BARD
Mobile bookshelf.
If you want to read braille books with BARD Mobile, you'll need a braille
display. Be sure to read Section 7 of the user guide, as it explains how to
configure your display and provides keystrokes that make reading braille a
smooth experience.
If you have BARD books or magazines on your computer, you can use iTunes file
sharing or Dropbox to load them into BARD Mobile. Load them as zip files; BARD
Mobile will unpack them automatically. When you open a talking book or magazine
that you have loaded in this way for the first time, be sure BARD Mobile has
access to the Internet, as the app will need to download an authorization file
from the BARD website. This step is not necessary for braille files.
This should be enough info to get you started. Enjoy the app!
Sincerely,
The BARD Technical Support Team
NLS BARD Technical Support
e-mail: [email protected]
Read the BARD FAQ at: https://nlsbard.loc.gov/NLS/FAQ.html
_______________________________________________
ATI (Adaptive Technology Inc.)
A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind
http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
