Studying Chinese

Why to use the new Skritter app?

Skritter for iPadVideo of the app is uploading as we speak

Skritter app was launched today and there will be a lot of blog posts, tweets and status updates about the app. But why should you consider using the app yourself?

I started using the app in my iPad in the beginning of May and now it’s the time to see what use Skritter app have been for me. I’ve always thought that the website version is great, but the app is even better! Lets take a look at my learning stats. It’s easy to notice at what point I started using the app.

Skritter statsI have a table to go with my computer that allows me to use electronic pen to write, but for a lazy student like me, it felt like a huge task to get the tablet and pen ready to use. Skritter app have solved this problem as it’s very easy to just grab the iPad and start learning!

The best part is that you can use the app offline. I often take my iPad to the university and practice while waiting classes to begin or during my lunch break. At home I can lay on the couch and Skritter away! With an iPhone or iPod studying would be even easier while on the bus for example.

How much does Skritter app cost?

The first week is free so you can try the app out. After that it’s 9.99USD per month or even as low as 4.99USD per month if you buy a longer subscription. If your subscription runs out, you can still review for free. Only when you want to add new words you have to pay again!

Why would you like to use Skritter app?

  • Skritter makes managing you vocabulary much easier, it tells you what to study and when
  • With your iPhone, iPod or iPad you can take Skritter app everywhere with you, study offline in the bus, at school, during lunch break…
  • Writing with you finger or stylus is real writing and helps with your hand writing
  • With the app learning is like playing a game and you will always learn more when you feel it’s fun!
  • It works great both for full-time students of Chinese and expats who want to learn a few words while they live in China
  • The app is easy and fast to use

These are my reasons to choose Skritter and their app. Why not try the app for free for a week and see if you like it too?

Note! This blog post includes affiliate links. If you register to Skritter on their website through these links, I will get a small commission. I would really appreciate it! You can also pay through the app itself and that way Apple gets a percentage of your purchase.

More news and reviews (and a video!) will be published at my How Can I Learn Chinese website.

9 Comments

  • Jacob Gill (高健)

    Glad to hear you like the App! You have really made some great progress over the past month! Thanks for all the support and happy Skrittering!

    [Reply]

    Sara Jaaksola Reply:

    I think I’m a good example of an average learner who is lazy and gets bored easily, when I’m excited about this app, then a lot of other people will do :) It’s great for us who want to Skritter while laying on the sofa!

    [Reply]

    Nick Reply:

    Me too! I can’t bring myself to study anything that’s not interesting, which is why I was always getting behind on my characters before Skritter. The app lets me easily turn boring experiences (public transit) into fun ones.

    Do you have any suggestions on ways we could make the app even more fun?

    [Reply]

    Sara Jaaksola Reply:

    Hi Nick! I don’t know anything about making an app, but here are some ideas that have popped into my head.

    Everyone knows Angry Birds and I think one reason it’s so addictive is that you get more levels and more new games all the time. Could making Skritter more like a game to make it more addictive and fun? Could there be a way to offer something to skritterers?

    Your newsletter always mentions the top skritterers of the month, maybe something like that could be on the app too. Like a ranking list for tops skritter of the day/week/month/all time. Lot of online game sites have this and it’s great to see your own name there.

    Now you get 加油’s when you’ve studied certain length of time. Maybe the user could select a target time or number of items she want’s to do in a day/week and the app would work like a personal trainer to help skritterer reach her goal.

    I also read that at some point there will be example sentences. It would be creat if the words to these example sentences are among those words a skritterer have already learned.

    I’ll let you know if I get any more ideas :)

    [Reply]

    Nick Reply:

    Thanks for the suggestions, Sara! Good ideas. I’m not above addicting people to my app if it’s for learning Chinese… ;)

    [Reply]

  • Katie Kenney

    I love skritter– I’ve been using it for quite some time, my only question is that you mentioned in the app description that you can get it for as low as $4.99 a month for longer subscriptions– how would you go about doing that– I’m a Chinese major so I expect to continue using skritter religiously for at least the next few years. 

    [Reply]

    Sara Jaaksola Reply:

    Hi Katie. You can pay through the app or use Paypal if you don’t wish to give 30% to Apple. See more information on this Skritter forum thread: http://www.skritter.com/forum/topic?id=182456286&

    [Reply]

    Sara Jaaksola Reply:

    Here’s what Nick said on the Forums:

    “There are two ways to purchase the longer subscriptions. You can let your web account expire, and then when it’s fully expired, you can purchase from within the app itself. Or, as Henryfon said, you can just PayPal the equivalent subscription price to scott (a) skritter.com [change (a) to @] and include your username in the message, after which we’ll extend your subscription. Here are the options:

    6 months: $39.99
    1 year: $69.99
    2 years: $119.99”

    [Reply]

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