| Note | Date |
I submitted version 2.5 today. Below are the release notes. I wanted create some sort of "cram" mode, but every time I thought about how it should work, I came back to my Leitner mode as a good base. Leitner has been renamed to "Short Term Goal", as I think it's more descriptive for the average persion.
I made the following updates to my original Leitner mode:
- Repeat missed cards more often. In effect, you cycle through 10 cards (by default) until you get it correct, at which time a new card takes its place. A major issue with the my old Leitner is that you could go through 100 cards before reinforcing a missed card.
- Created a "goal", which defaults to a streak of 10 for each card. You can see progress as you practice... with a overall progress % and with flashing green bars when you answer representing how well you know the card. I think these make the process more fun and motivating. (The green bars can be turned off.)
- Cards that reach the goal are automatically removed (by default) so that you can focus on the remaining cards.
I can now start working on my "performance" update. I'll be trying to get this app working as fast as possible. This will mainly benefit users with large amounts of cards in their decks. This update will also include 5 sided cards and more categories.
2.5 Update Notes
• iOS 4.0 - supports multitasking and fixes scrolling problem
• Leitner is now called "Short Term Goal"
This card order option has been updated with new functionality:
- A target goal is created and you can see progress as you get cards correct
- Missed cards are repeated sooner than before
This card order now has customizable settings.
If you aren't using "spaced repetition" (good for long term learning), I recommend you use "Short Term Goal" for simple yet effective studying.
• Added the ability to finger-draw on the screen. This can be used for spelling tests or practicing special characters. Self graded. To turn on, go to "Study Options" screen, then "Drawing".
• See overall progress by deck. From the card list screen, tap "View", "Deck Statistics".
• Spaced repetition updates:
- Four new settings than can be adjusted (e.g. Max Cards in Round)
- Can manually set next interval. While studying, tap card icon at bottom-middle, then "Next Review"
| 6/25/2010 |
Multitasking – I just realized today that I need to make a change to my app and submit a new version to Apple in order for multi-tasking to work. I will be submitting a new version this weekend so hopefully you’ll have a multi-tasking flashcard app in your hands in a couple weeks. Sorry for the delay.
| 6/22/2010 |
A new version with iPad support will be available any day now. Other than iPad support, there isn’t too much new in this new version. Sorry about that; I’ve just been swamped with other responsibilities. I currently have so much I want to do with this app, but not sure what the next step is going to be exactly. In the next couple days I’ll be going over my to-do list and laying out a solid plan for myself. I think it will pan out like this: next update will include a new short term study method, more feedback on progress, card listings by % correct/streak/interval. I might even try to fit in multiple-choice here. The following update will be my major backend overhaul which will speed up loading of large decks and support 5 sided cards. Somewhere around here, I’m going to want the ability to import/export through USB (using new OS 4.0 functionality) and perform better full backup/restores. I’ve got lots of smaller user requests that I’ll fit in over time. Well, there is my current rough plan. I hope everyone’s studying is going well.
| 5/9/2010 |
I just wrote my first simple iPad program this evening... testing out the waters and getting familiar with it. I will be making a universal app (meaning that it will run on both the iPhone and iPad) and expect it to be available in 2-3 months. My first version won't have any unique screens for the iPad (e.g. combining two iPhone screens for a single large iPad screen), but improvements will come over time. The actual study screen should look great with the first version.
| 4/11/2010 |
I submitted a new verion today. Hopefully it will be available in a week or two, given that Apple is probably pretty busy with iPad apps at the moment.
Update Notes 2.4
• Quizlet.com integration. Browse and download any of Quizlet's 2 million decks from within the app.
• Practice only cards with a % correct or streak less than a certain value. See "Cards to Study" in Study Options.
• Export all decks at once by email (email does not export pictures/sounds)
• Option to turn off summary info at end of round (Main Options : View)
• Option to show both Wrong and Browse icons at the bottom
• Most Study Options can now be set for all decks at once
• If using own server/dropbox, you can now use UTF8 file names (non-Latin characters)
• Spaced repetition updates:
Max New Cards - allow any number 1-100
10% randomness added to next interval (+/-)
• Fixed crash when loading large amounts of pictures/sounds
• Many other small improvements
| 3/28/2010 |
Progress update: I thought the next app update would include 4 sided cards and a complete re-vamp of my loading/saving system to speed up very large decks. This has been pushed back for an update or two. For the past couple weeks, I’ve been adding Quizlet support. Quizlet.com is a great online flashcard site with over 2 million decks, and my app now can search and download any of these decks quite easily. I’m excited about it. I’ve got some more minor updates to make and I’ll be submitting a new version in about a week. I really want to add a new “cram” card order / study mode to the a app, so I’ll either be working on that or get back to my 4+ sided cards after the update, depending on how things go.
| 3/21/2010 |
I just want to quickly thank all of you who’ve written such great reviews for the app over the months in iTunes. Some of you have gone so far as to re-post your reviews for the current version, which I really appreciate. I hope all your studying is going great!
| 3/3/2010 |
I submitted the new update today. I assume it will be available in a couple weeks, around February 10th.
Update Notes 2.3.1 (ugly version number, since Apple won't let me change it now.)
• Folders - organize decks into folders
• Combination decks - group multiple decks for studying together
• Copy/move cards between decks. Use "Mode" button in card listing screen
• Increased max number of categories from 50 to 100
• New "Media Directory" setting, which makes it easy to keep your picture and sound files on your own web space (like Dropbox), while using the convenience of our text upload. See the website's upload page.
• Allow full URL paths for picture/sound files (another option for external media file sources)
• Export flashcard text as an email attachment (without going through our server)
• Can now lock landscape orientation
• Add photos directly from camera, and added option to crop/edit
• New flag graphic in study view for flagged cards, and option to turn off
• Options to turn off auto-correct and auto-capitalize for card edits. See "Other" section in Main Options.
• Option to disable the bottom study icons when hidden in full screen
• Spaced repetition updates:
Due cards in non-selected categories are now excluded
The 10-card new deck size now has larger option settings (30+)
Added interval factor settings (to override default values)
See due counts for the next 7 days: Card listing screen, View, Deck Statistics
• Fixed: when re-downloading flashcards without text, statistics should now be carried forward
| 2/24/2010 |
The update is coming along. I’ve got “combination decks” done, which allows you to study multiple decks together. I’ve got lots of smaller updates I’d like to make for this release, so I’m going to take a little more time to make these changes and get it tested. I’m shooting for an availability date by the week of March 8th.
| 2/16/2010 |
Sam from Korea helped me realize that my new feature of specifying full URL paths for sound files is not working. Pictures work, not sounds. Sorry about that. This will of course be fixed in the next update. Related to this, I think I'll add an option to specify a "Media Directory" location at the deck level so that you don't have to duplicate the full path for each picture. Oh and folders are done! I'm working on "combination decks" now where you can combine multiple decks for studying.
| 2/1/2010 |
I finally submitted a new version today, and it should be available for download within a couple weeks. As for my new text scrolling functionally, one user noted that having to go to a separate "zoom" mode to scroll text may not be ideal. I agreed. While the default is to touch and hold the text to enter this separate zoom mode (so that swipe up/down still function as strong/wrong responses), there are options to allow you to scroll text immediately within the flashcard. To allow immediate scrolling, you'll need to use taps to signal strong/wrong.
I met with some Flashcards Deluxe users here in Taiwan yesterday! Thanks Dave for the invite; I had a blast.
Update Notes 2.3
• Large amounts of text can now be scrolled up/down, either in a special "zoom" mode, or immediately within the flashcard (depending on settings). See website or "Swipe / Tap" settings help for more detail.
• Added minimum font size option
• Allow full URL paths for picture/sound files (so you can download directly from an external website)
• Spaced repetition settings are settable by deck. Added minimum interval setting.
• App now works in upside-down orientation
• New cards added within the app will now be saved without having to go back to card list screen. Pictures and sounds can now be added to these brand new cards.
• New fonts available
| 1/20/2010 |
Hi all. Updates have been going slower than usual recently because of a busy schedule. I will be submitting a small update (scrolling of large amounts of text, font options, plus other small items) in about a week. When I get back to the states, I’ll be working hard on other updates, such as folders for decks, studying multiple decks together, etc. Happy New Year!
| 1/4/2010 |
I'd like to support scrolling text so that more text can be shown on a side. The complication is that swiping up/down (which would normally be used for scrolling) is already used for right/wrong. My plan is to do something like I do with picture zooming, touch and hold to enter "text zoom" mode. There would be a minimum font size setting. If there was still too much text to show on the screen, it would just show as much as possible, chopping the bottom part off. If you wanted to read the rest of it, you'd touch and hold the screen for a half second or so, and you'd go full screen with scrollable text. There'd be an "x" at the top right to exit and go back to normal view. If anyone has any opinion on this, feel free to let me know. If you don't like it for whatever reason, please provide as much information as to why and what you might do differently.
| 12/13/2009 |
I just submitted version 2.2 today, which will hopefully be ready for download within the next two weeks.
2.2 Update notes:
• Spaced Repetition changes:
- Don't change interval when in "Active (Leitner)" sub-mode
- Allow user to learn new cards even when "due" cards exist
- New options in the "Card Order" setting screen (where you choose Spaced Repetition):
-- Cards moving from pending to new will now do so in random order by default, rather than in order. Option to change.
-- Option to postpone new Due cards until a certain hour of the day
-- Option to go through either 5, 10 or 20 new cards at a time (current default: 10)
-- Option for new cards to become active after getting correct 1-5 times (current default: 3)
• Added option to hide statistics and/or icons in full-screen mode
• Added the ability to use all taps for input (if you'd rather not swipe) by assigning commands to tap left/right/top/bottom/center.
• Option to control flip/slide animation speeds, or even turn them off
• Double-tap sound play button to toggle Auto-Play on/off
• Added sound option to auto play sound more than once, plus set delay between repeats
• Use custom background colors on a per-card basis with <background-color> tag. See website for more info.
• Use sound files from another deck (for practicing the reverse direction for decks with sound files)
• If deck code is a URL (for people using their own server), you can now export to my website without removing directory from URL
| 12/6/2009 |
Wow. Someone pointed out that my app is in the Staff Favorites section! I have tears in my eyes. For those of you who wrote such wonderful reviews and who have supported me with your encouragement, I am extremely grateful. I will continue to do what I can to make this app even better. Here’s hoping our brains will remember our dang material.
| 11/27/2009 |
I changed the default input commands on people with this new version and regret not including a popup message when users open the app to hit them over the head with the idea that you CAN put things back the way they were. With the introduction of a 3rd response (“strong correct”), I think my new input swipe commands are the best choice for most people, but change is a sensitive thing. Silly me for thinking that people read update notes carefully! I’m learning. (Oh, and you CAN put things back the way they were.)
| 11/25/2009 |
2.1 Update Notes:
• New study mode: "Spaced Repetition". This is similar to Leitner (which is still an option) except cards are scheduled at timed intervals. New cards are also introduced slowly (10 at a time) to help learning of unfamiliar terms. Choose this in the "Card Order" setting from the study options screen. (You can read more about it here.)
• In addition to a wrong/correct response, there is now a new "strong correct (I know this very well)" response. This new response will affect scheduling of cards in Leitner and Spaced Repetition modes.
• Completely customizable input/gesture controls
• New and improved default input method:
Swipe down = wrong
Swipe left = correct (with some hesitation)
Swipe up = strong correct (know very well)
Swipe right = prior card
Tap = flip
These are the new defaults, but you can restore the old behavior in the Main Options screen.
• Enter and leave browse mode quickly using the new browse icon and the card icon in the study screen.
• Statistics are now shown even when in full-screen mode at the bottom of the study screen
• Added more statistic information to the individual card screen. (In a future version, you'll be able to sort/group cards by correct %, Leitner box/streak, etc.)
• Export and restore statistics
• In the card list screen, added option to show sides above/below each other instead of in columns. This can be useful for viewing longer text. (see Card List screen : View : Options)
I suggest you download the latest "Introduction" deck from the shared library (featured section) to familiarize yourself with some of the new features. I also updated the "Details" section of my website with new information you might find useful.
| 11/22/2009 |
| Version 2.1 should be available for download within a week. The main new features are a new "Spaced Repetition" mode (~improved Leitner) and a new default input scheme with a "strong correct" response when you know a card well. You can read about the new Spaced Repetition mode here. | 11/21/2009 |