I have not been active for some time now, and my subscription has expired.
When I first tried skritter about two years ago, I really liked the idea, and had great hopes for the future. However, it seems like not much has happened. Iphone users get favored and android users (me) gets the shaft. The weird thing is that we still are supposed to pay the same fee.

So, as an android user that mostly has been using skritter on his phone, is it worth renewing my subscription, or is it time to say good bye?

I would say it's up to you. I'm still quite new to it, and am loving it, and find it really useful and have noticed an improvement in my knowledge and retention which I want to continue. I think if I stop now, I will lose that, so I've just taken out a 2 year subscription (via my ipod) as the iOS prices are cheaper if you buy in bulk.

I think the team could do somthing with pricing as I couldn't get the same deal through the website and that felt unfair. I take your point about android as well. I'm sure the team will read this, so guys, what do you think?

DaXia - do you still want to learn Chinese? Do you have access to other ways to learn which you like and use? Of course, you can continue to review without the subscription, and that may be enough for you?

I really liked Skritter before the iOS app, but I didn't use it all that regularly. With the app I Skritter way more and have way more fun doing it. If I were you I would get a refurbished iPad or iPod Touch-- not that different from plenty of people (including myself) shelling out for Wacom tablets back in the early days of Skritter. Runs fine on 4th gen hardware. If you like Skritter, I doubt you would regret it.

you have to set priorities in life!

i bought my first ipodtouch some years ago BECAUSE of skritter :)

of course you have to practice regularly.
no pain - no gain!

i am using skritter regularly every day. its self discipline but i am sure it will pay off.

so stop complaining, buy the suitable gadgets and lets skritter!

I was in a similar boat to you, and there were so many words to review (>1000) I simply made a new account.

still in my trial at the moment, and I'm making up my mind as to whether I continue after the week is up. I'm also an android user, and apparently, they will not make an android app. I'm not willing to buy hardware purely for Skritter either. (especially as the future is clearly android, not longer phones and broken maps apps ;) hehe joking)

see how you find using it on the PC, it kinda sucks with a mouse. with a graphics tablet it might be worth it anyway (android phone with better specs than an iPhone + writing tablet costs less than an iPhone). Otherwise, you could do it the old fashioned way. Get Anki on your phone and install a some deck. when a word comes up, write it on paper. Look up the stroke order on the internet if you need. Mark it right or wrong on anki depending on whether or not you could write it and away you go ;)

Renew it if you like it and are willing to get PC graphics tablet, or an iDevice.

Don't renew if you're happy with whatever study options are available on Android.

I don't have a smartphone at the moment but when I'll do, I'll surely go the android route, so it's a bummer to read that current android users are unsatisfied... and I don't want to pay for an iPhone just to use Skritter on it, even if I'm a heavy user. In the meantime, I just Skritter from my laptop.
Luckily though, I might get an iPhone for free when one of my relatives do the upgrade.

Still, it would be nice to have more visibility regarding what the Skritter team holds for future android developments or not.

There are more iOS devices than just the iPhone. A Skritter-capable iPod Touch can be had for less than $150.

Do you really intend to learn Chinese and to be as efficient as possible in your learning ?
Do you think, as many of us do, that Skritter is an excellent and most efficient way (one of the best methods, perhaps the best one ?) of memorizing a great deal of Chinese ?
Do human rights allow us to require from the Skritter team they be on all fronts at the same time ?
If you answer twice "yes" and once "no", you should perhaps consider to spend a bit of time and money for Skritter. As far as I am concerned, it's quite sure I should not be studying Chinese without Skritter. So, I think it"s worthwhile venturing into some (painful) investment (besides the fact your are a collateral victim of the technological and commercial war between Android and others).

@DaXia, I think you've answered your own question already. You said you haven't been active and you're waiting for future developments that haven't happened.

If you're not using it, then don't pay for it.

You can still check back in to see if they've made the updates you want without paying and waiting for them to happen. Plus you can still review, though it seems you've recently wiped your account so it wouldn't be as beneficial as if you'd had thousands of items already added to review.

I think I have decided to NOT renew my subscription. I have studied Chinese for a long time (10ish years), and I started to use skritter in 2010 (I believe). I used to have pretty great stats with around 4-5 thousand known characters etc, but with skritter being the way it is, I sadly had to remove everything and start all over, since that was the only way I could control how much was in my review list. I have not had the same motivation since that happened, and about 6 months ago, I stopped using skritter.

As you might understand, skritter has never been a tool for LEARNING chinese in my case, but only for REVIEWING stuff to keep fresh. And I will not buy an i-whatever device for hundreds of dollars just to be able to skritter on it, as some people suggested.

Skritter is a great idea, but because of some weird functions that only feel "clunky", and the lack of other, imho, vital functions, it has kind of lost it's former luster.

I will use PLECO on my android phone, and I advice others to do the same. It has pretty much the same functions as skritter, and a lot more that skritter does not have.

I may hand around a bit here in the forums, but as far as skrittering goes, im out.

@ DaXia

You sound like a grumpy old man. I don't think anything would make you happy. Skritter has evolved rapidly since I first started using it and I forsee it continuing to do so in the future.

BTW: It's not "I advice others" it's "I advise others". The two words are not interchangeable.

Very grumpy indeed! Voicing your dissatisfaction and decision to leave is one thing. Suggesting others leave too based on Skritter not meeting your particular usage needs is absurd, childish and a rather distasteful way to leave the community.

everybody has to decide its own business.

i think what we need here is mutual support for studying and not depressing and selfpitying news from somebody who cant or isnt able to use the tools that are provided here.
bye!

sorry that you feel you got the shaft. I don't think Skritter has had a price increase since adding iOS functionality, so I think its needless to feel that way. Frankly, If I knew 4 ~ 5,000 characters (instead of 4 ~ 500) I'm not sure I would see the utility in renewing either. Especially if you have lots of chances to read material that will keep most of those characters fresh for you. Maybe it takes too much time the remember how to write all those characters, which detracts from time you could spend actually using them by writing things or reading things. At my level I can't imagine anything better than Skritter for doing what it's best at. If you have a list of specialized vocabulary that you need to recognize but not write then Pleco might suit your needs. (Actually I know you can test handwritten responses on Pleco but I really don't think it can compare with Skritter in that regard.) Best wishes on your continued studies. Its always good to have a well informed "senior student" as a member of the community. I hope you will hang around and keep in touch.

The ios version isn't clunky at all- it's very smooth and makes reviewing wonderful. If you have a different way to review, then use that. Pleco (while wonderful) is not the same. Though on ios there is some snazzy skritter/pleco integration.

From what I heard the skritter guys didn't make it ios exclusive to spite android users - but because it wasn't economically viable. Android users don't like to spend as much money. How can you possibly hold that against the skritter team?

And yes, an old ipod touch (4th generation) is all you need for a good experience. Around 100 UK pounds, I think, or probably even less now there's a new generation.

it is true that despite android devices being more popular now, android users spend far less money on apps interestingly. Still, although its not a current plan, I'm sure an android version will be made eventually, as android's popularity continues to increase.

I don't think he is being particularly grumpy. A lot of android users feel a bit left out. The fact that Skritter's price hasn't increased since the iOS version is a very good point though.

Isn’t the iOS app free anyway? What does it have to do with Android users not liking to spend money on apps?

I guess the iOS app is there to bring Skritter to a new audience who had never tried Skritter on the desktop, an audience that are more willing to pay, whether it's up front or via in app purchases. Though saying that I do wonder how much money is spent in total on in app purchases on Android versus iOS, can't seem to find any info on that so far...

If it is not suitable for your needs today does not mean it would not in the future.

That is the reason I am sticking around. Me too have stopped using it for four months. I have just cleared my backlog waiting for the new updates on iOS.

Flash seemed to be dieing out so they will need to do something. Hopefully that something will be able to run on any OS.

I would have subscribed to Skritter if there happened to exist Android support, but there doesn't. DaXia might sound like he is whining, and maybe he is, but the sentiment I am sure he shares with quite a lot of people.

To add my 2 cents, I bought a Motorola Xoom at the beginning of the year as a cheaper alternative to an iPad but was disappointed when skritter didn't work as it does on the desktop version. I just accepted that fact and continued using my desktop+wacom.

I was recently given a company smartphone, Galaxy S3, and skritter is still sluggish. I also have an iPhone 3GS and skritter works wonderfully smooth and responsive and I think iOS still King.

It's true iOS users will pay. I've bought dozens of apps for my iPhone, but none so far for my Android devices. Why? Because all the best apps are ported from iOS.

Although I'm learning Chinese as a hobby, I'll probably get the Gen 5 iPod just for Skrittering. I feel it's only a small cost for learning a major language such as Mandarin.

«I feel it's only a small cost for learning a major language such as Mandarin.»

But for many others, not being able to use Skritter on a phone is one disadvantage against many advantages. Those of us who use and like Android will continue using Android while Skrittering on PC with a Wacom tablet.

Another thing is: haters gonna hate (including me). Some people don’t like Apple Inc. and are not willing to give them money if it’s unnecessary.

You make it sound like you *need* an iOS device for learning Chinese but that’s not true.

I personally think using a tablet is good enough for now, but also would be happy to see an Android app. Any comments, Skritter Team?

They have commented on it before, and there is really no need to keep beating a dead horse.
When they started developing this service, they chose flash, and they probably had their reasons for that. Flash support on Android has been an added feature that may have prompted an effort in support of iDevices, which never supported flash. The decision to invest resources on an iOS app was made while there was still flash support on Android phones, that does not necessarily mean that the team has the resources to spare to make a new app for Android, as soon as Google decides not to support flash any longer. They have their plates full, and it is very respectable that they are sticking to their iOS commitment, even as Android support disappears.

It's really no use complaining about it. If it seems feasible, and if it's possible, then they will probably end up developing it. But for a former user to be going any further than raising his hand in request is really of no use, and just comes across as obnoxious.

In any case, you will never make everybody happy... beside the Android users, first Windows 8 users are already asking as well (so somebody actually DID get a Surface? ;) ) and maybe next year the first users of the next BlackBerry will pop up as well...
I'd say, stay with one platform and keep improving it.
Still a long way go to :) (iphone 5 support, finally an ipad version etc.)

AFAIK, this hasn’t been discussed since Android dropped Flash; sorry if I’m wrong.

If the lack of Flash was set the development of the iOS app in motion, and Android doesn’t support flash anymore, why would it be wrong to bring it up?

I imagine there are many ways to use Skritter. I don’t have an Android phone so I don’t know how it used to work, but if some users’ primary means of Skrittering was to use their Android phone, I understand if they feel a bit left out.

I don’t personally care so much about a new app. I don’t want to practice writing with my fingers which is why I use my Wacom tablet and pen. I’m just in favor of discussing it. I don’t understand why some users get in the way of discussing features just because it’s not what they need personally (like the last time when Japanese audio samples were discussed).

The Skritter Team has shown that they care for their user base before and I’m sure just a short comment («No plans,» «We’ll discuss it in the next meeting,» etc.) would be a good enough answer for now (I guess).

So, the horse is back from the grave; there are people who want to beat the zombie horse, others please stay away from the thread.

Schnabelhund - I would respectfully suggest that if you don't want to hear views which do not correspond with your own, then an internet forum may not be the best place for you to be. Anyone can comment on any thread in here, and to tell people to stay away from a thread is at best rude, and at worst dictatorial.

I, for one, live in a free country, so will comment where I like. I have no strong feelings on the matter in hand, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in the topic and I want to read it to understand the issue for my own education.

You’re right of course, which is also the reason why I said what I said and I’m sorry if it comes across as a bit harsh.

I suggest to people to stay away from a thread if it’s about a topic they don’t want to read about because they think it’s obnoxious. But that’s because it’s not an opinion on the matter. If it were, I’d be OK with reading about it, opposing to mine or not.

Again, I don’t have any strong feelings towards the Android app one way or another, but when I read something along the lines of «stop talking about things I don’t care about!», I’d say that’s hardly helping in any way.

I'm I the only one here thinking that, even if the iOS app looks awesome, it's still much better to use on a real big screen + a Wacom?

I pay (well, I haven't since this summer as I was busy, I'll buy one next week) Skritter because it helps me to learn/retains more characters not because it is available (or not) on some platforms.

Schnabelhund. I am not saying that the discussion does not have merit. I encourage it, but suggest that it be done in a more civil matter than calling for a boycott, which is obnoxious.

Hey guys; thanks for the effort in keeping this topic civil. I know it's something that tends to bring up strong feelings.

I had a long discussion with George about this just this weekend. Skritter on other platforms is something everyone wants to see (including us), but unfortunately it doesn't mean that it's something we can make happen. It takes a ton of work to make a good Skritter client for a new platform. It makes more sense for us to save our development efforts for the two platforms (web and iOS) that we currently have rather than to stretch ourselves too thinly over a third.

If Flash support ever dwindles to the point where normal desktop web browsers aren't supporting it any more, we may be forced to rewrite the web version in a language that can support more platforms, including all these mobile devices. Maybe by then there'll be a really good solution for that.

In the end, kanji learning on other platforms will happen. The question of if it's something the dev team of Skritter in particular is interested in is a separate matter. Someone will pick up the stick, and some are already doing it, see "Obenkyo", "JA Sensei", and probably a bunch of chinese alternatives I am not privy to. It is a shame that the Skritter team thinks it's a platform they won't　benefit from supporting, but that is how it is.

As to the point of flash support: If there ever comes a point when flash support on desktop (this is 4-8 years from now) is bad enough to warrant a new implementation across the board, it will be too late to capitalize on Android users, because they will already have other means to their methods. Skritter seems like a very solid solution, and I think it's a shame I won't have the opportunity to use it on the platform of my choice.

I appreciate the teams openness about their decisions, and I applaud their efforts to please their current clientele. There certainly is no lack of people using "the internet" and iOS and I have no doubt that they have picked a winning strategy.

na adroid support - that's sad to hear. i was hoping the boom of android would make you change your mind. did i get that right that skritter is not just suited for ios, but it is cheaper via apple store? so the android user gets less for more money? i don't want to choose the gadgets i use because of an app like skritter though. i like skritter a lot and it helped me a lot so far, but i will definitely keep my eyes open and look for alternatives that support the mobile os of my choice.

But I am a little confused about Flash, isn't it clear from some Adobe's announcements that support for it will end soon, in the next few years.
So does it not make sense to plan ahead, like right now, for a Flash-less version of Skritter.

Though I'll be able to get my hand on a 3GS for free, I'm still asking because I am mostly (and prefer) skrittering on my laptop which runs Ubuntu, and Flash is discontinuing support for Linux as well.

Which announcements, balsa? I know that Linux Flash isn't getting any more updates outside of the Flash that comes with Chrome, but we're not planning on requiring any new features from more recent Flash players that Linux won't support--if we use any, they'll be optional.

Yes Flash is being phased out but most android platforms actually support flash so why cant it be ported to android. If it is a pure html/avascript based app then you can use phoegap or some other app to create it for you in minutes. I would never have an apple device and android market is far bigger than apple anyway, it makes more sense to support it more on android than apple devices anyway as apple share off the market is getting smaller and smaller too.

@molondon, I've only limited use with "write it once and deploy to all" services. From my experience and chats with others they work really well with navigational apps that don't have to many unique custom features. Though even those commonly run into issues. But bigger more complex projects can be a nightmare and require more than a few minutes of tweaks to deploy bug free.

I find it odd that on the PhoneGap featured app page half of the apps are only listed as being available on one platform. Seems if it was so easy that all the featured apps would be available on all platforms. Seems like it would make more sense to feature apps that are uniform across all platforms since that's what the gap the service is claiming to bridge.

I haven't used PhoneGap though and would be curious on hearing you take on it. Any comments?

Skritter never worked for me on Ubuntu.

I got the new (second hand) ipad in part because of Skritter but there were other reasons.

The lack of Android support is a super bummer and the line that "Android users don't buy apps" is pointless when you are developing a free app that is subscription based.

At the same time, I know what it's like to be super busy and I respect that the Skritter team is focusing their effort on making one product well. It's just, I would have preferred not to buy a new device just so I could use my favorite app with full functionality.