Hey,

I woukd to buy a tablet PC to skritter anywhere I want. Primarily, I'm considering to buy an ipad. Is an iPad as such skritter-compatible?

Best

Junjie

It wont work at the moment, but there's a Skritter app being written presently for iOS which will work great. However it's not released yet..

See here: http://www.skritter.com/ios

Regarding "anywhere I want", if I understand correctly, the forthcoming Skritter app for iPad is the only one that will work when you are offline. So if being able to work offline is critical, you should probably get an iPad. However, no release date has been set yet for the Skritter app. If all you imagine doing on the tablet is Skritter then you should probably look for a cheap second hand one. I'm assuming the Skritter app will be compatible with even the oldest iPads.

thank you guys! sounds great that one can use the skritter app offline. Now I can't wait for the release. As I'm going to China this summer for an academic year, I'm looking for ways to train myself as much and as often as possible before leaving.. So your info helps me a lot with the planning.

take care

If you're only going to use an iPad for Skritter, consider an iPod Touch at $199 which should be more than adequate for Skritter. However, the features of the iPad might be worth the price if you will be in school.

As far as iPads, the latest iPad has been announced and can be ordered at the same price as the iPad 2. The price of the base iPad 2 has been lowered to $400.

MaJunjie, where are you going to spend your academic year? :)

Same for me, spending the summer in shanghai, hope the app is released before may :)

The iOS app that is being developed is made for the smaller screen of the iPhone / iPod Touch and so you won't gain anything by having the larger screen of the iPad (not initially at least).

I have been testing the iOS app and it is really good, but the most useful thing for me is that, as I use it on an iPhone, I can easily keep the phone in my pocket and practice whenever I have 2 minutes free. If I had an iPad, the larger size would make it harder to carry around and use on the tram or bus.

As for compatibility, the app will need at least iOS 5 which means it will work for the iPads and iPhone 3GS and upwards (not 100% about that, check first) , not sure about the iPod Touch version, but if you are looking at an older model, make sure it can run iOS 5!

The app will work offline, but you will still need some sort of connection to the internet to upload your progress and also to download your latest word lists and words that are due - you can only add words when you are connected somehow, but you will be able to study without a live connection.

There is always the option of using an Android tablet, that will work with Skritter as it is, but will only work online and there are a few problems I have heard about - search the forums and you will see the pros and cons of Skritter on Android.

You will probably find that if you get a tablet you will probably use it for more than just Skritter so you can take that into account when you are looking at buying one. Personally, I prefer to have the app on my phone for easy Skrittering on the move and use a laptop for everything else, but that's just me :)

The iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation both run iOS 5.

Hey all, thanks for your help! I think I go with an iPad, also because I find it practical to surf in the internet and read news paper articles etc.

So, did I understand it correctly that the app is just for convenience/ skrittering offline and that currently, I can already use skritter service with the iPad, but just online by means of a browser, as I did with my laptop so far?

In that case I would buy an iPad right now and start practicing online like hell to prepare for my year in Beijing..

@MaJunjie I don't think at the moment you can use Skritter at all on an iDevice, because they don't support flash (even using the browser). Which means if you get an iPad now you'll have to wait until the app if released to Skritter in any way shape or form.

Though from the sounds of it, it'll be worth the wait.

If Nick's playing around with sound-fx and practically all bugs are fixed (at present time) then the app must be due for launch soon!

Fingers crossed!

I really hope the app will be launced soon! I'm looking forward to using my extra time at school with Skritter.

p.s. Where and when to get the iPad3 in China?

"The iOS app that is being developed is made for the smaller screen of the iPhone / iPod Touch and so you won't gain anything by having the larger screen of the iPad (not initially at least). "

They're going to be making an ipad layout.

And just to confirm, as ipads don't have flash, you can't run Skritter on it at the moment in a browser (despite some attempts..).

Just to take part in the fortune telling about the app...

@malaili2: Do you know when Nick will be in NY?

@tarya92 see post http://www.skritter.com/forum/topic?id=150484426

Actually, I really want to get some video of using the app in China, so we're going to wait until after I get back from my September China trip to release it.

Psyche!

D'oh, Nick.. that one was not funny at all, eh!

I agree with malaili2... forget the pink coloured and Chinese hand-painted skins, the disclaimer, the background images, the sounds and all the other un-essential stuff and bring it on :) Pleaaaase.

I only buy an ipad for you guys, but if Skritter isn't available soon, I lose my own little excuse for wasting so much money on a tablet! ;)

Hi Nick, when you mention not releasing the app before September, are you talking about the iPad one or the one that can be used on iPhone/iPod ?

Yes, pleeeease release an app that will work on ipod touch! I will immediately become your member! I've just begun with Japanese, so I am still at the kana level, but in a month I'll be ready for kanji! <3

@malaili2 @zhangyanglu @mw.. @MMarina

I think you've missed the sarcasm in Nick's post, denoted by "Psyche!" at the end - this implies what he said prior is not true. Thus the app could reasonably be expected before September.

Really? Is that an Americanism? I'm British and I missed it!

@Byzanti - Same here, and I wasn't sure, but I guessed based on the post I mentioned earlier saying that they'd be doing the final video in NY in march.

I don't know the etymology, but saying "Psyche!" is definitely an indicator of sarcasm/non-seriousness. Just letting you guys know not to get up in arms over a comment that was likely made in jest.

"Psyche" in Hanzi? What would that be...?
anyway, like everyone els, I'm looking forward to this long awaited app.

Wow, I never realized Brits wouldn't understand "psyche". It's very commonly used in the States, or at least it was when I was growing up. See http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Psyche

Well, we normally get most of your slang due to the internet, films etc, but that's a new one for me in any case :p.

When I was 7 or something, in the playground everyone would end sentences with "not!!"... I can relate!

And Catherine, I was wondering too, but only as I was struggling to see how he had another 6 months of work left on it!

You'd be surprised how our to do list seems to regenerate itself like a hydra. We could easily spend another six months on it making it more complete but we're trying to carefully limit how much we're putting into the initial release, sticking to the most important bits. This beast will be tamed!

Where's the "I like" button here?

Good post, Scott... I feel a bit more hope now :o) Nothing is perfectly at initial launch, and nobody expect's it to be :) Just a good old "work in progress"...

Hello, I just wrote this in another old topic ( http://beta.latest.write-way.appspot.com/forum/topic?id=134637345&comments=16 ) but sadly the forum list doesnt seem to update it to the top of the first page in the forum. So I copy and paste it here, so writing this wasnt a waste of time :)

"
Hello Skritter Team,

I am a student of Japanese and am struggling to learn how to write Kanji. Up to now all the books and programs I bought couldnt teach me how to write them.

Now I found out about Skritter. I had never heard of Skritter up to now, what a shame! I did the small demo of your online-Skritter version on your website and am pretty psyched about it now. What a great way to learn the Japanese Kanji. I have been looking for such a tool for ages now. The only problem is: I really dont like paying monthly fees. I even buy my phones for the full price instead of using the "+10€ over 2 years and get a phone cheap" provider contracts. The only subscription besides mobile phone and internet I have running is a newspaper subscription. I try to keep my monthly fees as low as possible (as a general rule)

That is why I have 3 questions:

1. I was very happy to find out that you plan to release an Iphone and Ipad app of Skritter "in the near future". Will I need a monthly subscription for these apps, or can I just buy the itunes-app for a one-time fee and be free to use your great product on my Iphone and Ipad whenever I like?

2. The Iphone/Ipad app will be for learning Japanese too, not only for Chinese, right?

3. If the Iphone/Ipad version is ready, and both Japanese and Chinese are included, could you split Chinese and Japanese into separate apps? I'd never use Chinese, so maybe splitting the app in Chinese and Japanese versions would decrease the size of the apps.

Thanks for your effort. Looking forward to your reply.

Best Wishes
dc (Germany)
"


Thanks again.

@dc1

To add new words you'll need to have an active subscription. To review words previously added you won't need to have an active subscription, just the app or a web browser.

I guess you could subscribe once and then add thousands or words in one go and then cancel, although this would essentially negate the benefits of SRS and controlling the pace of words being added (to something manageable).

Alternatively you might be interested in the Pleco app for iPhone; it has a 1 time payment for its flashcard functionality (and, separately, its handwriting functionality) which may better suite your preferences. I personally dislike using that app for *handwriting* practice, but it is very functional with other standard flashcard types.

Edit: Rereading your prompt I realized Japanese is your target language, so Pleco won't meet your needs. Good luck in finding a reasonable, flat-fee alternative.

Hi dc, I just responded to the other thread, guess I'll paste the response here too!

1. We're planning on continuing to use the same pricing system for the app as the site. Please be aware, though, that you can easily cancel your subscription at any time through the site (and the app, when it's ready), so you could subscribe and cancel immediately to effectively purchase a month, and also you can pay for six months a time through Paypal or Google Checkout. And if your account is expired, you can continue to study. You just can't add more words.

2. Yes, it will be for both, though the Japanese version will be out slightly later than the Chinese one. The delay will be minimal.

3. That's already planned. It's a big, big app as it is now, and largely because of the embedded sound files. So by splitting it we should easily fit into the 20MB maximum for apps available for download over a cell phone network.

Hope that helps!

Hi dc1,

Skritter is only $4.95 a month for the first year. I do not like monthly subscriptions either but when you think about it 3.75 euro a month (45 euro a year) is peanuts considering what you get in return: an extremely helpful and effective learning tool with a proven track record, used by many people here for hours a day.

Having an active membership would not only enable you to start studying the 3000 Remembering the Kanji characters immediately (the list is already in Skritter), but also to add words of your own as you go along. If you are using a textbook, the vocabulary of that textbook is likely already present in Skritter.

Wow you are a fast group. Thanks for the fast answers, very helpful and informative. Highly appreciated.

The $4.95 price was a sale that we were trying out, but our normal price is $9.95 a month.

Well, I decided to join after the trial and the $4.95 price for the first year certainly played a role in that decision. Especially with the upcoming release of your iOS app you might want to consider lowering your price to $7.95 a month. $100 a year is a psychological barrier that many - especially students and other people with less disposable income - will not be able to pass. $95.40 a year would be a much less bitter pill for them to swallow in comparison. You would probably more than make up for it by the expansion of your user base.

Will you be offering the $4.95 price again? Could you offer that price for college students? My textbooks this semester was already over $500. Thanks.

At some point we might experiment more with offering a lower-priced, more-basic version of the service that is more affordable for students that only need access to one textbook or two, but we are not sure yet.