Source
r/Android•
tanger

Request for feedback for my flash card app

I would really appreciate if anybody checks out my flash card app and tell me what they think about it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pocketcram or through a QR code here: http://pocketcram.com

The list of features is long but here are a few highlights:

  • The ability to create and edit cards on a web page and synchronize them with the phone in both directions.
  • Automatic e-mail backups to keep the cards in safety
  • The option to choose a learning interval manually if you don't like the SuperMemo proposal - useful in case you half-fail at answering a card

I really need some opinions. I like using the app myself and some people use it pretty extensively but it seems that many people dislike something that I overlook and they silently uninstall it. It got worse in recent months but it does not seem to be related to a particular release version.

Nobody is giving the app bad reviews, nobody is seriously complaining through other means. The little feedback that I received was positive. I don't get it ...

Posted May 22, 2013, 1:50 PM UTC

1812
JanusWords•

Honestly, it really doesn't look like it holds a candle to SuperCards

4
tangerOP•

Do you mean the support for images ? Or that it looks better ? I will check SuperCards out.

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JanusWords•

Your app looks like it has really, really cool data metrics to provide learning feedback to people, which is super-useful and an awesome way to make flash cards more than just digital index cards. But the UI is so confusing, cramped and cluttered that it's almost impossible to make use of those features because of the difficulty that comes with actually studying.

To me, if I'm going to be motivated to use flash cards then I want to enjoy the experience, or at least have a UX that doesn't constantly remind me that I'm in an app on a phone trying to do things. Something like SuperCard, which presents everything neatly, integrates out-of-the-box with Quizlet, and has good support for drawings and images and other forms of input, works much better for me because of that.

The data you collect and present is incredibly valuable, but if a user doesn't invest the time it takes to extract meaning from that data then it's all for nothing. That's my perspective anyway. Everyone studies differently, so I could be speaking completely out of my ass.

3
tangerOP•

Thanks. I really tried to make the GUI helpful but I guess I am unable to truly look at it through the eyes of a newcomer. Could you give me one example ?

My app integrates (syncs in both directions) with flashcardexchange.com and my own server. Maybe it is not visible enough. I will definitely look at SuperCards.

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JanusWords•

I wouldn't say it's not helpful, necessarily. The descriptions, confirmation dialogues, helpful popup reminders, and highlighted "come here next" tutorial process are very well done. It's just difficult (for me, at least) to manage constructing decks (or topics?) and keep track of all of the different things I feel like I need to select to actually effectively test myself.

For instance, when actually launching a test, it took be a good minute to figure out that the texts describing the testing types themselves were the buttons that launched the different types of tests. In the topic section, there are two buttons next to each other that could represent a delete function, but the trash can (which one would think would be the delete button) leads to what would be a recycling bin on windows(?). It's obvious that a ton of effort went in to making everything usable, and your attempts to make help available are thorough, but I still find it very confusing.

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ikjadoonMoto G 2014 8GB (XT1068), rooted stock 5.0.2•

It's definitely usable! :D School is ending for many in the U.S. and they might not need it anymore. Also, compare your app to other flash card apps..they may have switched as others have updated UIs.

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tangerOP•

I guess you are right that the aesthetical part could turn people off. I always sucked at making things pretty :) By "updated UI" do you mean the ICS style ?

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ikjadoonMoto G 2014 8GB (XT1068), rooted stock 5.0.2•

Bahaha, it's all good. :D It's a lot of work and sometimes it's harder to see the benefit of making it look nice when you could add a feature.

Yeah, ICS/holo style or anything that's a little spruced up. Solid app, though, :)

1
NotATurdBurgler•

Just installed on my Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the text is too small. Ill have a play and leave a more thorough review later

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tangerOP•

You can choose the font site in Settings. But maybe the default should be different. I like it but that's just me.

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richardborcsik•

It's not available in Hungary, is that intentional or just an oversight?

So without actually using the app here's what I think:

  • It's ugly. Seriously this is 2013, ICS came out in 2011, we have a wonderful design guideline. There's absolutely no excuse for not using the default holo styles if you can't design anything better.

  • Why choose this over the competition? What can it do that the other's can't? You need an elevator pitch.

  • Does it support importing anki decks? I have tens of thousands of cards and if I can't bring them with me without losing progress and stats then I'm staying. Or are you looking for new users?

  • Email backups. How about Dropbox or Google Drive? My inbox is already crowded.

If you're looking to add features to differentiate yourself from the others, I'd recommend image cloze deletion. This is what I miss from Anki the most.

2
tangerOP•

Thank you.

  • All countries are selected, including Hungary...

  • Why choose it ? From what I saw in a review of a big number of these apps, very few of them are able to synchronize cards between the app and a website in order to allow you to easily create cards on the web. Or the sync is primitive like in Anki, at least the last time I checked.

  • You can import csv, supermemo, mnemosyne but it seems that Anki is only compatible with Anki, at least from what I found, and there is no direct support for Anki.

  • Maybe e-mail is not the best but everybody has it and you can keep multiple versions in case you delete cards inadvertently. Or just sync with the pocketcram.com server.

1