My list of suggestions for improvement

[Benja]

I wrote a lengthy review of JMW for the App Store but for some reason
my review won't post because it says I don't own the software. I
bought it last week though, and I use it every day!

Well, I didn't want my review to go to waste so I have decided to post
it here for further discussion. I hope that it is useful, because I
really like the software and I would like to see it become even
better.

----------------
I moved to Japan about 6 months ago and I am married to a Japanese
person. Theoretically, those two things should have helped my Japanese
come a long way this year, but unfortunately that isn't so. I work
full-time as an kindergarten teacher at an English-language school, so
I have neither time nor the opportunity to sharpen my Japanese skills
at work, and the only chance I get to study is on my iPhone or iPad
during the daily commute.

I must have spent nearly 200 dollars on Japanese study apps for iOS,
so I feel qualified to fairly compare Japanese My Way to the swathe of
other learning apps.

What struck me as fantastic about JMW is the full screen stroke
recognition. Being able to practice writing kanji from the meaning or
reading is its strongest feature - one that overshadows all of the
other offerings.
The dictionary is usable but average. Considering that Midori is the
only other affordable J-E dictionary on iPad (yes, I am aware,  that I
can use iPhone apps in low res), there aren't many winning options
yet.

Functionally the software is great; it never crashes, it's not
bloated, and it's actively being developed. However, I have a few
suggestions:

- there is a suitably annoying buzz when a kanji is drawn incorrectly,
but the volume is too high and doesn't mute properly on ios5

- there is no "success" sound when a kanji is drawn correctly.

- the settings screen is only on the main menu of the software, and
would benefit from being a drop down menu accessible in every screen
of the app. (top right corner is my suggestion, see the iWork apps)

- graphically it could be far better. Text is fine but the photos used
on the main menu are kind of "clip-art" / "stock photo"-ey. The
software has a nice icon yet the graphic is not seen anywhere else in
the app. Some nice unobtrusive branding would give the app a more
professional air.

- it would be fantastic if there was a statistic system. There is a
hint of it with the option to use SRS repetition in the options menu,
but no way of seeing its effect explicitly. I want to see how well I
am doing, like in StickyStudy.

- the software needs the option to allow the user to study multiple
sets. Perhaps by using a checkbox system in the unit/deck selection
screen. Currently a user can only study lesson X or ALL - with nothing
in between.

I look forward to further updates from the developer and hope that he/
she can respond to my review positively. This is truly a great app and
despite any shortcomings the kanji drawing system is the best I've
ever used. I often get comments on the train from Japanese salarymen
that say "that's useful, isn't it!", and my Japanese workmates love
testing their own knowledge on the higher level challenges.

[Raeldor]

Hi,

The new version of Japanese My Way will have some of the features you requested here.  Namely...

1. A graph of your progress based on the leitner statistics.

2. The ability to select one or more sections in a deck, rather than individual cards.

Regards

Ray