Shakespeare App Reviews

The crashes reported in my original review occurred after I tried to download the app, but the download failed because over 100MB and not on WiFi. Appears the failed download may have left the already existing app in a corrupted state.

I am not able to post quotes to Facebook anymore, even after I bought the app

Since purchasing the pro edition, Ive not been receiving the nightly scheduled quotes. Would like that feature to be fixed. Many thanks. :) *update* Thanks for fixing it! Fantastic! :D

Its just blank. Its only worked twice in a few weeks. Otherwise, good app.

Clicked on Love Labours Lost, then Scene Breakdown, once here you cant navigate back to the menu. The top of the screen is covered with the Upgrade to Premium option, which I dont want before testing the free version out.....

I downloaded the basic, free app three times. I did this because each time Id open it the app would immediately crash. I tried to tell this to tech support, but I had to sign up and they never sent my email the activation code to validate my user name. I had them resend it twice, and checked my spam/bulk mail each time, but nothing. I want this app, and would pay the $10 for the Pro version if I knew it would work on my phone, but for now I dont know what to do.

This used to be a nice complete resource that has gotten marginalized over time. Instead of the complete database search its gotten downgraded to a sampling with in app purchases to give you the "complete" results. Bad move.

Other than the lack of line numbers, this app is fantastic and does a stellar job.

This was a wonderful app for the occasional Shakespeare read. Alas, its now been "upgraded" to include a distracting large red banner across the top of the screen, one that stays in place while you are reading the plays. Thats both visually irritating and distracting, but also interferes with reading in the evening or at night when one wants to have a darker screen. They were much more professional, and aesthetically pleasing, before when they simply had a small red upgrade button in the upper right-hand part of the screen when you were looking at the titles of the plays. Whats more they took away the ability to search ALL of the plays for particular terms, phrases, or words. Instead now, it only searches so far, and then it stops with an advertisement for you to upgrade. Theyve also now filled the settings screen, where you could select different fonts, font sizes, and colors and instead, sprinkled it with many other features with upgrade notices and again red bold screaming buttons. Sure, the original settings choices are there but you have to scroll way down the screen. This is simply tawdry! Instead of encouraging people to upgrade, its driving many of us to look for other Shakespeare play apps. I understand the reasons for doing this – wanting to capitalize on their Shakespearean app – but taking away features and adding irritating ad banners cheapens it all. Even the upgrade at $10 is too steep. By the way, if they were going to entice people for that kind of money, they should at least have options for how to turn pages – meaning that we wouldnt have to scroll up and down the page, but could instead simply tap on the right side of the screen to advance by page (or the left, to go back).

Im the first one

Really, what could be better? Great little app, for both pleasure & reference.

The best app if you love Shakespeare. Very well put together. Lots of nice art for each play. I really enjoy just checking out the nice features. Can be upgraded for extra features.

I used to love this app, but the latest update has a giant red banner at the top of the page wanting me to upgrade to their paid version. Very distracting/annoying. Ruins the app, in my opinion.

Best way to keep Shakespeare with you at all times. Just how the bars would want it.

Contacted support and they responded to my concerns accordingly. I do recommend upgrading to Pro.

This used to be one of my favorite apps. Now the aggressive and obnoxious red banner prompting me to upgrade interferes with the viewing of text and functionality- making it harder to navigate.

This apps pop-up offer to upgrade constantly blocks its navigation buttons! "Oh judgment thou art fled to brutish beasts!" -- Antony

5 cause its Shakespeare, 1 cause the quotes of the day repeat monthly -surely there are more than 30 worthy quotes within the complete works? ...and the frequent banner is bothersome...and the widget fails frequently... Whod a thunk Shakespeare could be done wrong?

So, it’s now “Shakespeare™", is it? Unimpressive. Most unimpressive. Originally bought this very app, years ago, at full price here, for a retired friend of mine’s original iPad 1. It was good at the time. Now, while setting up a newer iOS device for her, I learn that this same app of hers has since been converted by the developer into a freemium one, “upgraded” to remove, and paywall, features she previously had access to, and been turned into nagware asking her to pay for it _again_, to access a “Pro” version with the standard features she previously had. This, unnecessary banditry! Inexcusable! Boo! BOOO! Hiss! … Sure, we’ll reluctantly pay the toll again — because, theres _currently_ no better Shakespeare iOS app, since the rest are hopelessly less than mediocre. But, there’s no excellence here. This app, including its “Pro” version, is most certainly not a superior example of app quality: its continuing, numerous software failings are too many to repeat here, and definitely do not justify its $10 asking price — much less paying it twice! Furthermore, its novel app content is poorly proofed in places, and Shakespeare’s works themselves are certainly not under copyright. When this app has proper competition — perhaps the renowned Folger Shakespeare Library scholars will step up? — it’ll be fairly easy for them to blow this app completely out of the water. I look forward to that day, and recommending that Shakespeare app to folks, over this shell game swindle. I recall when Steve Jobs chose to simply include a fine edition of all of Shakespeare’s then available works, for free, with a certain operating system of yesteryear. If one wants to put Shakespeare on a iOS device, don’t waste your time and patience with this freemium claptrap nagware version — just go fork out the coinage to these gaping deevils to buy and download their standard, so-called “Pro" app version outright. But, don’t be surprised if they try to repeat the same scam again at some point down the line. And, don’t be surprised if someone comes out with an app that outclasses this tenfold. Developers have a right to generate fair revenue — but this is neither fine, nor fair. As the ides of February approach and Bowie passes beyond the veil, mark one black star for their cupidity. Might they redeem themselves? Sure. One can hope! But the passage of time and affairs, indicate certain areas lacking in sufficient consideration, earnest striving, and/or, simple competence. We can only resign ourselves to this, until better appears in some fashion. Original app: 5 stars. Current “Pro” version, on its own merits: 3 stars.

Very frustrating. I just want to read plays, I dont need a glossary and additional features. The notification to upgrade is disruptive and completely blocks navigation.