Family Christian Releases First Christian Tablet, Edifi
Written by Lauren Hunter // July 18, 2012 // Church Mobile // 3 Comments
The internet is all a-buzz with news of the world’s first Christian tablet, offered by Family Christian, called, Edifi.
“We wanted to be able to offer our customers the ability to use our Holy Bible application, which has 27 different English translations of the Bible,” Brian Honorable, Family Christian spokesperson told FoxNews.com in an interview.
“It goes along with our mission: trying to get people closer to God … through a tablet.”
In case YouVersion’s 100+ Bible versions weren’t good enough–available on any mobile or computing device for free–and you have an extra $150 to shell out, Edifi, might be for you.
The Android-based tablet is manufactured by South Korean firm Cydle, and sports a resistive touch screen (480×800 resolution), 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable storage. If it sounds like the Kindle Fire, it should: Honorable said the company has Amazon squarely in its sights.
“We basically stacked it up to [Amazon’s] Kindle Fire,” Honorable said. “Only theirs is $199.99. Ours is $149.99. The battery is actually stronger than everybody else out there on the market.” – These quotes were all from Fox News as there is no additional info available on Family Christian’s website.
Mixed reviews can be read on Family Christian’s site here along with specifications on the device itself. Edifi is more of an eReader than a true tablet, hence the affordable price.
If you don’t already have an ereader or an iPad, this might be for you. Just check out all the options before you forgo the true tablet for this Christian eReader.
3 Comments on "Family Christian Releases First Christian Tablet, Edifi"
Resistive touch isn’t a good choice. That means you can’t do multitouch gestures. I also noticed that they don’t say which version of Android they’re using. There’s no 3G or 4G either.
The Google Nexus just came out for $199 with the same amount of storage, a capacitive display and the latest version of Android. I’d go with that.
For $100, you can get a tablet like this without the “Christian” wrapper from China. I’m concerned that this is just another example of something that’s not that good, but more expensive than the competitors.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for adding your two cents. I know CTT’s readers will appreciate your feedback on this new device. Thanks for weighing in! Sincerely, Lauren
Family Christian just sent me their official press release to include in this blog post for additional information. Apparently, Fox News took a few things out of context, so hopefully this will clarify:
Family Christian Announces the Debut of the edifi eReader
Grand Rapids, Mich. July 16, 2012 – Family Christian announced the debut of the edifi, a reasonably-priced e-reader that provides great value for the person looking for a device that can also play a full range of audio and video media, surf the internet, check their email, and run many Android apps.
Digital product consumers, whether in the general market or at Christian retail, expect ease and flexibility in the way they carry, use, purchase and store their digital products. Family Christian’s customers have an even higher expectation. They expect Family Christian to assist them in filtering through the overwhelming selection of ebooks and downloads in the marketplace. “They expect us to simplify the experience by helping them curate the search to the titles in which they have an interest. Plus, they expect us to offer a safe environment for their kids, whether in store or online.” said Amy Garrigan, Family Christian’s Vice President, Marketing & Brand. “By introducing the edifi, we take the extra measures to meet and exceed their expectations.”
The edifi is an e-reader device that not only serves as a platform for ebooks but can play a full range of audio and video media. It allows its user to surf the internet, check their email, and run most Android apps. “Our edifi e-reader is one tool that responds to our customers’ needs and expectations.” stated Ms. Garrigan. “It offers a pre-loaded YouVersion Bible app with 27 translations, some free ebooks to get started, safe internet search functions, and more.” Even with all these features, the edifi is reasonably priced at only $149.99. It is available at all of Family Christian’s retail locations and online at http://www.familychristian.com.
Family Christian (www.familychristian.com) is the world’s largest Christian specialty retailer and is located in the United States. As of 2012, the retail chain has approximately 281 stores in 261 cities. The retail chain offers a variety of Christian-themed merchandise, including books, Bibles, children’s products, gifts, music and more.