Apple user feedback...my 2 cents.

Sacked off Genius (free) http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/13938 coz it doesn't do multi-sided cards.

Just downloaded the trial of iFlash ($14.95) http://www.loopware.com/iflash/. Promising so far. Offers a customizable spaced repetition feature.

But just came across Studycard Studio ($29) http://www.digitalmeadow.com/. Looks like it might be better than iFlash. Anyone got any experience with it?

Cheers,

+1 for iFlash. I loved the N-sided cards, and the ability to black out all the other apps and the desktop so I can focus solely on the flash cards.

When I started RTKI in earnest, I put all my flashcard software away and switched exclusively to kanji.koohii.com, at least until I finish. I don't want to over-drill the cards and burn out like I did the last two times I attempted RTKI.

--Z

Same here with Genius. The non-multi-sided card thing didn't help.

I have bought iFlash and used it frequently until I found this site. Now I only
occasionally use it. Probably not the best way to use a flashcard program

I remember trying Studycard Studio, and I didn't like it but I can't remember why.
I think I may give it a shot again to remember...

My big hang up right now is from the Supermemo zealots. I'm envious of the Supermemo spaced repetition algorithm. It seems much more helpful than Leitner. However, I can't find a Mac program that does it. So everything is kind of in limbo now.

That's my $.02, anything else from the mac crowd, I'd love to hear.

I really like the way Genius effectively retains vocabulary words in short-term memory. Good thing I'm not bothered by the fact that it only supports two-sided flash cards.

There's also ProVoc, but I don't think it has n-sided cards either. But it has a neat Translate entry in the Services menu. In any Cocoa app, type in any keyword, highlight it, and summon ProVoc Translate, and it'll insert the corresponding kanji. It's REALLY neat.

Thanks for the feeback. Rather than spend too much more time deciding what package to use, I'm going to go with iFlash. The multi-sided feature being the essential thing I was after. The customizable Leitner feature may also come in handy.

Even though I haven't quite got through RTK1 yet, I've got the JLPT coming up in 2 months so really need to get some compound readings memorised asap.

If other iFlashers are up for it, we could share our lists...

Cheers,

I have the same dilemma. I've been using iFlash on and off for a while now. The main thing that turns me off is it's lack of an advanced algorithm like supermemo. Another thing that bothers me is that you have to finish an entire 'session' before the scores are updated and because of this it doesn't repeat a troublesome card until the next 'session.' I may be wrong on this however, please correct me if I am.

Genius does seem to have a more intelligent algorithm; however, the fact that you have to type the answer and not 'flip the card' is quite cumbersome sometimes, especially with long definitions.

I have never heard of studycard studio, but I will have to check it out.

I use this site exclusively for my kanji studies, but I use the flash card program for vocabulary, etc.

I think I will just stick with iFlash for now and try to tweak the interval learning to be a bit more powerful. Does anyone have suggestions as to what values to use for score or inverval modes?

synewave: what level JLPT test are you taking, if you are taking level 4 I would be happy to share lists.

snozle Wrote:Does anyone have suggestions as to what values to use for score or inverval modes?

This is something I have been thinking about recently too. Research that I've read so far (not that much) seems to talk more about the theory of spaced repetition rather than explicitly saying something like "reviews 1,2,5,10,etc", or whatever, works best.

snozle Wrote:synewave: what level JLPT test are you taking, if you are taking level 4 I would be happy to share lists.

I'm going to give JLPT2 a bash. But if you make any lists for JLPT4 it is worth publishing them via iFlash. Why not share what we have? If you're not already using it, have a look at this http://japaneselearningtools.com/. It is being developed by a couple of guys from this community.

Cheers,