Best iPhone flashcard app for inputting own cards?

July 1, 2009 10:31 AM

I am looking for a flashcard app for the iPhone, but there are a dozen options and not sufficient reviews or screenshots to really pick one, so hoping someone has experience. I am wanting a program where I can input my own cards (on a full computer, not just from the phone), one that allows creation of lists and has some sort of randomization/memorization scheme. Bonus if it allows cards to have audio, video or pictures in addition to just sound. I am fine with the cost of any of the apps and am not considering that a factor. Detailed parameters of what I'm looking for below.

Parameters I'm looking for:
1. Have no problem spending on the app if it's good. Price seems doable on any of the ones I saw in the store.
2. Want a way to input the cards on the big computer, not just the phone. Bonus if I can input a video or audio or picture rather than just text
3. Really want a way to put cards into lists. Perhaps tagging them would work? But way to quickly grab a "playlist" of cards that allows individual cards to appear on multiple lists.
4. Some sort of way to indicate when I answer a card whether I was confident or not that affects its likelihood of appearing again. Or a "memorization scheme", just something other than all of them with equal likelihood.
5. Related, definitely want randomization.
6. I will be inputting my own card sets exclusively. Size of the library of decks available for download is thus not a factor.

So, which app is my best bet?

posted by ewiley28 to technology (5 comments total)

I really like mental case - give the desktop client demo and the "lite" client a try (free). It supports pictures but not audio and video.
posted by bigmusic at 10:58 AM on July 1

That does bring up a good point. My main computer is a Macbook Pro, but it has an XP virtual machine on it and I have a separate PC machine, so can use either for the desktop client input.
posted by ewiley28 at 11:11 AM on July 1

Having looked through some of these in more detail, I've revised my desired parameters downward:

1. The ability to input the cards using a full-size computer rather than just the iPhone
2. The ability to put cards into "playlists". Specifically, the ability to put one card into more than one lists. The interface to do this can be tags, dragging, etc., but looking for a way to use a card in more than one review
3. Some sort of "memorization scheme" that takes into account whether I indicate that I was correct or incorrect on the card
4. the option of in order or randomized on a list

Bonus for:
Ability to put audio/pictures/video/things besides text on cards (not a necessary feature, but pictures particularly would allow me to incorporate equations more easily)
posted by ewiley28 at 12:28 PM on July 1

Anki should have all you need.

Anki Download - Mac and PC versions

iAnki for iPhone
posted by Nerro at 12:31 PM on July 1

Anki is looking really promising! The spaced repetition approach seems really appropriate to what I'm learning. It's a little more build-it-yourself and figure things out, but it offers tags and everything else I'm looking for including allowing Latex!
posted by ewiley28 at 1:42 PM on July 1