I have the 'official' app for RTK. It's user friendly, but there are a lot of missing kanji. I am studying from the 6th edition of the book, and the included kanji are from an older version. I do not think the user of this app has an option of adding the new kanji, so its benefits are limited to those studying an earlier RTK edition.

I have also started using Anki and its app, mainly because of the strong following I have seen on this site and its Google user group following. You couldn't ask for a more supportive crowd. The app is expensive, but I do expect to use it enough. The only problem I have found with the app is its complexity. I am not an IT expert, nor am I comfortable using any Internet based technology, so in that regard it is not very appealing. However, its difficult interface does provide needed flexibility and options. I hope that I'll become more comfortable using it as time goes on.

Well, my dream of the ultimate app is one that allows us to 'test' our knowledge of the kanji by scribbling it down on the screen. I usually study with these flash card programs by reading the keyword and then I write the kanji on paper, or even use my finger to write on a bare surface. I have found several apps that allow users to write kanji on the screen and they determine if it is accurately written. If so, it gives an okay "O" if not a "X" appears. Unfortunately, I have not found any RTK apps that have this technology built in. Are any available now or will this sort of option be available soon? I guess my question is directed to app developers or someone with such insight.

You can install the traditional chinese handwriting recognition input method on the iPhone and get most of the Japanese characters that way, and I believe (although I haven't done it) that you can also install Japanese IMEs for the iPhone to add a Japanese handwriting input method.

However, having used both the iphone input and mouse-input on the computer, I have to say... you're better off for learning purposes writing on paper. What it takes to convince the IME to generate your character and what looks good on paper are not the same thing. I can't believe that such low-volume programs (compared to IMEs) as kanji-quiz software and such would have a better input method than... well... input-methods, so I haven't even tried to find one.

SomeCallMeChris Wrote:...I believe (although I haven't done it) that you can also install Japanese IMEs for the iPhone to add a Japanese handwriting input method...

You could then convert your cards to cloze deletion ones to have Anki check your handwriting that way.

But I'd instead suggest to ignore the handwriting quality issue right now (just draw kanji in the air or with your mind's eye) and focus on it later at your leisure. The vast majority of people rarely even write in English outside of filling out medical forms at the doctor's office, so you probably don't need to rush it.

Normon, what you are looking for is found at http://www.skritter.com. The service the folks over there supply allows you to write characters and words on the screen. Their application checks for stroke order and other levels of correctness. You can study from various textbooks including RTK 1 & 3. You can even enter your stories for each character. On the PC, you can use the mouse or a Bamboo writing tablet to write the kanji. Or if you have a touchscreen on your PC or a Tablet PC, you can use that. The developers are working hard on an iOS app which should be available in a few months. Since the website currently uses Adobe Fash, you can not currently access it on an iphone/ipad. But if you have an android tablet you can use that but it will be a little slow and laggy.
The only issue you may have is that it is a pay by month service. It's usually $9.95 a month but I think right now it is $6.95 on a special. This won't change ith the iOS app's release. You need to subscribe. I like the service and will probably copy my stories from here to there. I think there is a one week trial so be sure to check it out.

Thanks for all of the great advice. I know that it may be best to just continue to write in the air or on paper; that is, until the app developers can catch up with creating and RTK input screen. Anki still seems to have a solution for everything, but it's far too technical for me to go beyond the basic functions. I'll continue working with my old way of doing things. I'll also keep an eye out for the app that Potbellypig recommended. Since I work mainly from my ipad/itouch, an app will continue to be my preferred means of studying.

This is under development...

Still in beta mode, so you can still ask for any feature you want. The interface might be more complex than you are comfortable with, but I'd be happy to iron out any problems.

Currently free....

But only available for WINDOWS! So might not suit you after all.

You can study any list you want, including RTK, though my RTK list has some out-of-date numbering at present, I'm told (This will be fixed). Multiple study modes are available including keyword-to-kanji or Japanese vocab-to-kanji. Shows you usage of the kanji if you want, and can test you on vocab as well as kanji. Mnemonics can be imported from other users, or you can reach the RTK story page for the kanji being tested with a single click. Uses SRS principles but does not rely on self-rating - it keeps track of your knowledge based on your errors.

Wow! Thanks torrential. That's quite amazing work. I personally would like the more mobile ipad/itouch app, but your software might just be good enough to convince me to go back and work from my computer. I also have a Wacom that could be put to some productive use with the software.

I do have a few suggestions that might be helpful. I have noticed that different RTK users have a particular preference for a certain edition of the book. I personally prefer the latest 6th edition, but apparently there are quite a few students of the 5th, if not 4th editions. Providing an option for users to select their preferred edition would make the audience much larger. Also, if an import option of favorite stories were available, it would make things much easier on learning.

Don't know what phone you have, but the anki android app has a whiteboard feature that lets you draw your answer on the screen. It doesn't do any sort of recognition, but you can easily check your answer visually. Maybe a little bit of an upgrade from using paper or writing in the air.

There's a plugin for Anki which inserts a Kanji-writing-pad-like square into the card templates you specify, and the writing pad thing works perfectly on the iPhone. I used it with my RTK deck. The plugin is called 'Embed scratchpad for AnkiMobile', you download from Anki (Desktop version) File > Download > Plugins..

It doesn't check how well you wrote it, but if you have a decent font (perhaps the stroke order one) then you can easily see for yourself how well you matched the character.


edit: hmm I see above you say you're struggling with the technical complexity of Anki, which might make it difficult for you to set up the scratchpad. I strongly recommend trying it, but if you run into troubles ask back here. Trying is the best way to learn

Norman Wrote:I have noticed that different RTK users have a particular preference for a certain edition of the book. I personally prefer the latest 6th edition, but apparently there are quite a few students of the 5th, if not 4th editions. Providing an option for users to select their preferred edition would make the audience much larger.

This is a good idea... All I need is a list for each edition, and I can offer these at start up. If you know where I can get them, please point me there. In the meantime, it can import any colon-delimited custom list in the format:
kanji1 : keyword1
kanji2 : keyword2

Norman Wrote:Also, if an import option of favorite stories were available, it would make things much easier on learning.

I plan to provide a list of pre-made mnemonics for the 2000-odd kanji. In the meantime, you would have to ask another user (I think only one user has finished the joyo kanji with this app, so far). The stories here on this site are only one-click away, on a per-kanji basis, but I do not want to plagiarise them wholesale - unless the moderators here indicate they don't mind. I actually direct my users to this site, so it's a two-way street I guess.

PS. The main Kanji Sketch Pad website was down yesterday, for reasons beyond my control, but it seems to be back up again. If you had trouble checking it out, you can try again.

Torrential,

Here's a link to a thread about a request I make for an RTK word list about a month or so ago.

http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=9095

One of the board members, Katsuo, provided a link to a well-organized list of kanji in several formats. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the latest editions of RTK. Still, it's a valuable list to have and I think you can find some good use for it. This seems that it will take some leg work to find everything. I have also just sent a request to another board member, Isbilenper, who offered providing a list of the 6th edition. I will contact you if I am able to obtain the 6th edition list, or any others. Maybe we can just ask the site administrator to place all of these lists on a special permanent thread. It's unfortunate that a lot of time is being wasted searching for these valuable items we need for study.

Blahah Wrote:There's a plugin for Anki which inserts a Kanji-writing-pad-like square into the card templates you specify, and the writing pad thing works perfectly on the iPhone. I used it with my RTK deck. The plugin is called 'Embed scratchpad for AnkiMobile', you download from Anki (Desktop version) File > Download > Plugins..

Blahah,

Thanks for the information. I will take a look at it, although you did mention a slight learning curve. I already have AnkiMobile and an itouch/ipad, so hopefully I can figure out how to set this up.