PraxisPod - software for the iphone

baillies
January 15, 2009, 06:47 AM posted in General Discussion

Just wondering if anybody is using this or if it is still in beta. I am very interested in buying an iphone if this works as well as it appears to.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=fl0GE-NHlrA

Great work Praxis.

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user76423
January 15, 2009, 07:55 AM

Seems to be a great piece of software.

Some questions remain:

- why no trad. character support?

- how can I delete a lesson?

- where are the downloads stored, and may I transfer those data to a pc or mac?

- how much will that app cost?

- what type of subscription is needed to use the software?

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jamestheron
January 20, 2009, 03:57 AM

I've never submitted an app, but in the AppStore I did see apps with "Pod" in the name.

Also, speaking of directly downloading audio content, now there is the ability to download podcasts directly to the iPhone/iPodTouch over the wireless connections. Unfortunately, it only works the the podcasts subscribed to via iTunes.  So, it doesn't work with our personal feeds.  :( 

Hopefully, at some point in the future, we'll be able to download and use CPod materials on such mobile devices without needing to always be on-line.

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antony73
January 15, 2009, 09:21 AM

Nooo! I've just shelled out on a Samsung Omnia (i900)... what a looser!

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user76423
January 15, 2009, 11:55 AM

@calkins: "there was an "Extras" button you can select for traditional support."

Yes, but in my understanding only for the flashcards, not for the lesson text and expansion sentences.

Otherwise, a really great thing for learning while traveling.

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calkins
January 15, 2009, 12:14 PM

hape, I just looked at it again and you're right.  I certainly hope it has traditional support for the entire software, otherwise it's useless for many of us.

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goulnik
January 15, 2009, 01:51 PM

Nice, but short-sighted if limited to an iPhone/iPod (TM) application as opposed to platform-independent, web-based or otherwise.

Cool and popular as the iPhone may be, Apple only has part of the smartphone market (30% of US market, probably less than 25% world-wide), Google's Android is around the corner, with cut-throat competition anticipated from other platforms, including WM (see recent HTC Touch HD launch, with an 800x480 3.8" screen,  I wouldn't trade mine for an iPhone).

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artinchengde
January 16, 2009, 04:37 PM

I didn't find it in the iTunes Appstore. Looks great!

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henning
January 17, 2009, 05:10 PM

Sorry, I don't want to sound harsh, but I am mildly surprised.

I know that Praxis is definately losing paying customers due to the quality of the exercises and the rudimentary nature of the flashcards. And particularly Cpod is probably also failing to win some new customers because of the disfunctional search functionality that buries lessons until you don't even find them if you know title and content.

Meanwhile, the CPod developers are - building an iPhone app! Another toy project to be abondoned after a few months? And why not iron out the deficiencies of the existing "iphone" site?

Or find the time for incrementing that year in the ranking tab?

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Joachim
January 17, 2009, 11:56 PM

henning:

Maybe there could be some "open source" approach with certain approved users being allowed to correct typos etc. This could solve things like the above mentioned 2008 tab.

Next there'll be a CPod dev kit - huh?

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calkins
January 18, 2009, 01:00 AM

Nicely put Henning.  I would agree.  We all know that Cpod is a language-learning innovator, but sometimes it seems to try too hard to innovate when it should be paying more attention to the basics.

The iPhone app would be really cool, but I agree that it could become obsolete in a year, and that resources are much better used on the more basic (important) features and shortcomings of Cpod.

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calkins
January 15, 2009, 09:15 AM

That looks pretty amazing!  iPhones recently made their way to Taiwan, and once this application is released I'll have a great excuse to get one.  Nice work.

hape, there was an "Extras" button you can select for traditional support.  I'm very happy to see that.  Can't wait for the website to have it...apparently it will by Spring.

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mju765tgb
January 18, 2009, 06:14 PM

I wonder why all those software guys at Praxis are "playing around" in all areas, but it seems to me that they are doing nothing completely "right" from the user perspective. Everything seems to me like a "75% (or even less)" solution: poor forum, poor seaching, poor ergonomics, poor trad. character support, etc, etc, ...

If you don't pay, that's OK, but for a paying customer who expects value for money, that must be frustrating. And potiential customers - like me - will refrain from subscribing.

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boran
January 18, 2009, 07:33 PM

I stopped regularly coming here a few months ago.  Now I just download the great podcasts, listen to them and use other resources for my learning. I have very little interaction with the website nowadays.  Mainly this is due to my continual frustration with CPod's user interface and their lack of communication in addressing user concerns.  Plus, I felt like all of my comments were turning into complaints - like this one ;).

I agree that from a technical standpoint many of the things introduced on CPod are only half-done. That's fine if there was some sense of continuous improvement but I haven't seen much in my 14 months here (the ability to edit comments is the only thing that comes to mind).  Even worse is that we have no idea what CPod is working on until it's released.  Shouldn't the customers have some say in prioritizing the features we want? I get the impression that CPod is more interested in dictating "this is how you should learn" and proving to themselves that they are still innovative - points already made by many other folks. 

In reality, all I wanted for the past 14 months was the ability to search for lessons and tagging that works.  No that feature isn't innovative and won't get articles written about you but it's something I, as a customer, would find extremely useful.  Instead, I get partial video lessons and iPhone applications.

I added a request to "Increase Transparency" on CPod's UserVoice site.  My hope is that communication between CPod and us will become more obvious and that our needs will become CPod's priorities. With regards to transparency, CPod also has this notion that they need to protect their "ideas" thus divulging very little about their future plans.  Please, folks, ideas are meaningless without the determination, resources and ability to implement them.  Who cares if someone steals your ideas.  Be confident that you can execute them 100 times better.  It's not too late to turn this ship around.  Fortunately, you don't have too much competition :).

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RJ
January 18, 2009, 07:53 PM

Lots of good comments from the veterans but they have been ignored before and I suspect they will be ignored again. Either someone doesnt know what to do, or somebody in a suit wont let them.

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boran
January 18, 2009, 08:03 PM

Yeah, RJ, I expect that's the case.  Just had to get that off my chest.  Will be going back into my hole now :)

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RJ
January 19, 2009, 05:40 PM

Well boran you could hang out with the rest of us users, we still love you :-).

Think back to when you first found cpod and what a refreshing quantum leap up it was from whatever else was available in a world pretty unfriendly to those of us "crazy" enough to want to learn Chinese.  Now we have developed a sense of entitlement that allows us to bristle at any little thing. CPOD can not be all things to all people. I now view it as my responsibility to find the tools I need to satisfy me, and CPOD covers 80 - 90 % of it. The rest, I find a way. I used to have to find a way to do all of it.  Dont get me wrong, there are things that need attention, and cpod should communicate better, but Im ok, and I think youre ok too. Time to come home prodigal son ;-)

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mju765tgb
January 19, 2009, 07:37 PM

Amen.

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John
January 20, 2009, 03:08 AM

This iPhone app is definitely impressive, but it's actually not our work. It's the work of an independent developer named Zane. He created this app in his free time, with the goal of possible collaboration.

Unfortunately, Apple is unlikely to accept such an app, because (1) the name contains "Pod," and (2) directly downloads audio content (which competes with iTunes).

We've had our own headaches dealing with Apple already. We submitted a very simple dictionary app last year, and it's been in app store purgatory ever since.

So, the bottom line is that it's uncertain whether people will be able to use this app in the future, but it definitely demonstrates the power of mobile learning, which is an exciting area we will continue to focus on, and you guys can expect to see more in this arena in 2009.

I personally am working very hard to fix "the basics" which you guys mention (search, character display, vocab functions, etc.), and I agree completely with many of the comments stated here.

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henning
January 20, 2009, 03:36 AM

Thanks, John, for clarifying this. Please understand our reactions as caring concern for this site. :)

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goulnik
January 18, 2009, 05:13 PM

calkins, language-learning innovation is one thing, and no doubt a Cpod/Praxis forte. the stream of ideas and projects, and an environment that is open and responsive to user-input is another strength.

but software development clearly is on the critical path, I don't know how the team is staffed but s.o. really seems to underestimate the effort, we've seen time and again QC issues, there are still security loopholes in the editing process and a number of others...

they're talking integrating video and mobile... all cool stuff, but there's quite a gap from prototype to realiable, multi-platform development. just look at how Pleco handles that side of things, I know it's different but they have a clear and transparent process.