Comments on: iFlipr Review

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 17:43:38 +0000

Nice and accurate review.

I’m adding some comments, although the thread is stale, because it was this review which tipped me towards trying the app.

I find the export of data a serious weakness as it loses formatting (including new-lines). For example if one exports a set and then imports them they will not look the same – the text will all be on the same line. This makes it non-portable and in itself is reason to look for an alternative.

I found the Interval Study (Leitner mode) to be an annoyance as my cards require some thought when answering (e.g. name 8 properties of X) – if I got an answer wrong it would usually be re-displayed on the next but one flip because the recycle period is just 30 seconds.

A plus point is the ability to enter cards via the web-interface using a regular keyboard.

I hold my iPhone in my right-hand such that it rests on my little finger. In this position I can reach the bottom and right-hand side of the device easily. The hardest part to reach is the top left-hand corner. So for your empirical test include me with Drew. He makes a good point about the keyboard being at the bottom of the screen in apps that use it.

By: Vincent

Vincent — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:08:24 +0000

Thanks for the review. Still trying to find a flashcard program that is not connected to web at all because it’s for my kids on their iTouches (which have monitored web usage). Maybe Mental Case does? I also read the discussion about screen real estate for buttons and think you’re both wrong, haha, just kidding, but in all honesty, the easiest area for me to access with my big hands are mid screen, low buttons cramp my thumb and high ones are a stretch. However I don’t think it’s a good graphical place for buttons… How about user defined!!! This would be the best bet for positioning and animation, no?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:06:12 +0000

ok that didn’t show either. in the quotes just put in the code for a line break in html.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:04:59 +0000

It took out what was in the quotes it should be =A1 & “” & B1 without the spaces between the Hope this helps

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:03:48 +0000

I figured it our if anyone wants to know you do this =A1 & “” & B1 This will merge the two cells together and make a line break. This works on the import function of iflipr.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:01:24 +0000

Just ran across this review and I have to say that I agree with most of the points made in the review, esp the flip animation. Can’t imagine that it would be too hard to have the option to turn that off in the menu. I am currently using iflipr to learn 2000 Chinese characters. Ideally I would like to see two fields on the front (one for a traditional and simplified characters) and two fields on the back (romanization and definition), so what Mark wrote is intriguing. I have all I need in an excel file but I don’t know how to use string handling. Can you show an example Mark?

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:30:14 +0000

In addition to my previous comment:
There is a way to deal with the cycle elimination problem by reviewing the set in ‘first to last’ mode and using it to reset the card mastery count for those card that are causing problems. Switching back to Leitner mode these cards will now be at the ‘front’ and can be reviewed in a focused way without the interference of well memorized cards. This works particularly well for larger sets (say 1000 cards).
For more than 2 fields it’s possible to create the fields in excel and then use excel’s string handling functions to create 2 fields that combine the source fields in the way one needs them (introducing html tags for formatting if needed).

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:24:40 +0000

I use iFlipr all the time and it is excellent for study over the short term. What’s lacking for me it a long term study interval system. I want something that understands the difference between short term memory and long term memory.
Once an item is in long term memory there needs to be some mechanism that creates a study curve over increasing time intervals (ie 1 day later, 2 days, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year etc) I currently have maybe 40 different card sets of different sizes, and I have no real sense of when I last studied a particular set, or if my memory needs to be reactivated with respect to that set.
Also the organisation of sets is very clumsy – they are simply placed in alphabetical order. I’d like some sort of filing system so I can link sets together.
Also a system for shifting cards from one set to another would be useful, or if iFlipr itself could created a daily study set based on previous study success/failure or it’s own predictions about which cards need to be studied based on expectations of forgetting over time.

By: A

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:10:59 +0000

This review really articulates a lot of what I was thinking about iFlipr. I love the program and it has already helped me immensely, but it certainly has room for improvement. Like you said, the flipping feels too slow and I never understood the point of the “deck mastery number.” I didn’t realize it was connected to “Leitner mode” until now, since I didn’t even know what Leitner mode was. Anyway, good review, and I hope some of your feedback is incorporated in future versions.

By: Drew McCormack

Drew McCormack — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:46:16 +0000

Firstly, Konrad, I’m not disappointed in your reviews. They are very useful. That was not the intention of the post.

I just wanted to point out that in some cases you take the high ground, where you really cannot claim it. The iPhone holding issue is one such instance. It is your opinion that the top is easier to reach, but it is no more than that. It’s an opinion. To the best of my knowledge, you have no scientific arguments for this, other than the rational that you have presented. But that still doesn’t constitute a ‘proof’ of any sort.

I’ll give you the counter argument: most of the time, the thumb is busy at the bottom of the screen when using the iPhone. For example, when you are typing, the keyboard is at the bottom. So most users hold the phone in such a way that they can type at the bottom, or hit toolbar buttons, as required. So I suspect what you say is true of how you hold the phone, but not true of how the majority of people hold it.

For example, when I use the iPhone one-handed, I type place my little finger under the bottom edge. That way my thumb can easily type and hit the bottom. It is actually more difficult to reach the top like this, and that is why I say it depends how a user holds their phone.

Incidentally, Mental Case, and most other iPhone flashcard apps, allow you to tap or swipe to navigate. Mental Case actually assigns areas of the screen to navigation: you can hit the right or left of the screen to move forward/backward. This does away with the top/bottom issue all together.

Sorry I may have seemed to come on strong. I just wanted to point out that some of the issues you bring up are your opinion, and not set in stone. Your tone sometimes leads one to think we are dealing with facts, when it is not always the case.

Drew