Jen Haganey has written a very interesting article in Catholic Mom about the iPhone/iPad app, Shroud 2.0, which gives us finger-scrolling access to the HAL9000 image files clocking in at some 72 Gigabytes, the equivalent of 16 DVDs.
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While I imagine most of the 75,000+ users who have downloaded this app are lovers of our Lord, along with some who are mere curiosity seekers, Shroud 2.0 has potential to become a crucial tool for students and researchers in many fields who want on call access to in-depth scientific information about the Shroud of Turin.
There are in-app upgrades for purchasing HD magnified images at $3.99 per image. Upgrades include extra content covering such subjects as: Historical Outline, the Cloth, Forensic Analysis, Hematology, Chemistry, Botany, Carbon 14, Mathematics, Computer Research, Conservation, Photography and HD Digital Photography. I can imagine curators, art conservationists, writers, educators, students, archeologists, and scientists being able to employ this fantastic and interactive app in their respective specialized fields.
I’m not sure the price is $3.99 per image. I think it is a one time only upgrade charge for the high definition access via Wifi. I paid for the HD access for my iPhone. Later, when I installed the app on an iPad, the app sitself wouldn’t let me pay again and instructed me to access the HD image for free.
Reviews over at iTunes are mixed and average about 3 out of 5 stars. And the app has limited value for serious study because of watermarks dynamicall6 added to the image in many places.
Dan, poor post title. Maybe 75000 people downloaded the app after it was written about in the news. Of that, I bet only a few paid $4 for access to the HD file. Of that, I bet only a few have ever used it after the first use. Frankly, it is a big disappointment.
Is there a reason why the HD images are not free on the internet?
I am little concerned about the commercialization of the Shroud (says he who is working on a manuscript). But if you accept that the Shroud is authentic (spoiler alert: I do) than selling an Apple app becomes problematical in my opinion. It limits access to those who can pay for app and then, as I understand it, Apple charges for downloading????
Does “simony” still mean something.