inZania

20 Questions for the iPhone!

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Another project I've been working on - 20 Questions for the iPhone! Available now in the AppStore.

Think of any object in the world, and the funny and charismatic character will attempt to guess what you are thinking of. The AI gets smarter as you play, learning from your answers and adding them to his digital brain online.

Can you outsmart a computer? Try and see!

MadLibs on the iPhone!

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:51:00 +0000

Today, a small MadLibs application I've been working on is now available in the AppStore! If you have any MadLibs you'd like to submit to appear in the application, use the Email link to the right. If your MadLib is added, you will receive a free promotional code, good for any inZania application of your choice :)

StudyArcade AppStore Update

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:48:00 +0000

I've been going back-and-forth with Apple for a few weeks now regarding StudyArcade. About 36 hours ago I received an email stating that it was "taking longer than expected to review," and server logs from about the same time show a heavy degree of testing by the Apple crew. Hopefully we'll see some results soon :)

Version 0.0.8 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:57:00 +0000

Version 0.0.8; released on Saturday the 21st :)

Improved ChinesePod synchronization to support pinyin characters properly
When downloading or synchronizing facts, a new filter will now automatically be created for each package downloaded
Tweaked the Flaschard settings page GUI to be a bit more intuitive
Added internet connectivity detection for improved user interface

Version 0.0.7 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Well, you all know the drill by now :) Version 0.0.7 should appear in Cydia shortly.

Further improved memory management and speed when Sorting Facts
Fixed a bug with the flipping of flashcards
Fixed a crash bug when returning from the Flashcards screen
Fixed a bug with some iPhones that did not have the Documents directory already created which caused the app to crash before it finished loading

What's in store for StudyArcade?

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Happy Valentines Day and President's day!

I just wanted to take a moment to pause and tell everybody what is in store for StudyArcade in the coming days, weeks, and months - as well as address a few questions. Firstly, StudyArcade is not an open-source project - the source code will not be released. There are a number of reasons for this (some security related), but suffice to say that the project was not designed to be open-source. If you would like a more in-depth explanation as to why, please contact me directly. Secondly, a lot of people have been asking about the fact packages in the Discover section of the application and what needs to be done to continue expanding the facts which are available for download. Myself and others have been working to make different learning resources available (such as for the GRE, MCAT, SAT, HSK, TOEFL, etc.). Eventually, I'd like to see the Discover section expanded to include many more packages for a variety of different topics. If you'd like to contribute, please contact me directly using the email link on the right side of this page.

Regarding the AppStore, I've gone back and forth with Apple a few times now ironing out small quirks in the application that they requested fixed (mostly UI-related). The Apple staff has been very helpful so far, and based upon what I've seen so far I have every reason to believe that StudyArcade will be in the AppStore within the week.

In the coming weeks, a number of changes will be released to StudyArcade. Here's some of what is in store:

A new game, called QuizMe, which generates multiple-choice style questions. Again, this isn't very game-like to be truthful, but StudyArcade will soon move in the direction of providing games for studying.
A new smart fact selection technique, which will intelligently adjust to your needs.
StudyArcade will soon have the ability to synchronize with the inZania server, allowing you to save and backup your progress remotely. This also sets up for the next feature...
A web / desktop version of StudyArcade is in the works (developed using Adobe Flex/Air). It will look and operate exactly the same as StudyArcade for the iPhone. It will connect to the inZania server to retrieve all the facts saved from your iPhone, meaning you can continue your studies from any Mac/Windows/Linux computer, even if you don't have permissions to install applications. For example, you could sit down at a public computer in a library and be studying your StudyArcade content within seconds of opening an internet browser.

I hope that you have all enjoyed using StudyArcade so far. To everybody who has submitted feedback and suggestions, I appreciate your help getting this far. Hopefully these upcoming changes give something to look forward to :)

Version 0.0.6 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:13:00 +0000

I just pushed another update to Cydia, in attempts to fix all remaining synchronization bugs (it should appear in Cydia within 24 hours, as usual). Here's the only major change:

Completely re-worked Anki synchronization; stress-tested it with many many users provided Anki accounts with thousands of facts each. If you still have trouble with synchronization, please contact me.

Version 0.0.5 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Version 0.0.5 of StudyArcade is now in Cydia. This is a mid-week release, and contains some bug fixes and minor improvements. The next scheduled release (for this weekend) will contain more new features and larger improvements.

Flashcards have been improved to allow up to 10 lines of text/definition
The time spent 'Shuffling Facts' has been GREATLY decreased
Crash Bug when synchronizing has been fixed
Crash Bug (when adding new facts) has been fixed (hopefully!)

Version 0.0.4 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:50:00 +0000

I just sent version 0.0.4 off to Cydia; here's the changes you can expect from this version:

Minimized the Flashcard GUI and made tweaks to improve readability and usability
Added a loading/splash screen on startup
Added Tools in the Settings page, which can clean up HTML from facts and batch-change information on facts
Added a new system where every 500 flashcards studied earns another download from the Discover section.
Improved the Discover section GUI and general usability.
Fixed a bug where deleting a card would, instead, duplicate it.
Fixed a crash bug after previewing a fact package in the Discover section.
Fixed two crash bugs when scrolling through knowledge quickly.
Improved the stability of synchronizing with Anki

**EDIT**
To answer some questions:
When synchronizing with Anki, StudyArcade downloads ALL Anki decks locally, using the name of the deck as the topic. Next version will include a tool to change the topics of facts, so you can change topics like "mydeck" to "Chinese."

As for the AppStore, the acceptance process was delayed by the fact that I decided to re-submit the latest version, since it is far more stable than the original versions and I do not want an unstable version to hit shelves. I'll let you all know as soon as we have word from Apple.

Version 0.0.3 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Version 0.0.3 of StudyArcade was sent to Cydia this morning; it should appear therein within 24 hours. I released this version mid-week because I am rather confident that it will fix most (if not all) outstanding crash bugs, and generally provide a stable build for everybody to work with. Here is the change log:

Improved GUI in the Discover section, which now allows for previewing fact packages before downloading
Improved crash detection and logging
Fixed a crash bug with flashcard settings
Further memory improvements, bug fixes, stability improvements, etc.

Creating Facts in StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:43:00 +0000

Once you have StudyArcade up and running, the next thing you'll want to do is to make some facts in your Knowledge to study. There are three different options to do this:

Create Your Own: Press the "Knowledge" (green) bubble on the main screen. Then use the + button next to the search field to add a new fact.
Discover: Press the "Discover" (blue) bubble on the main screen to open up a list of fact packages available for download from inZania.com
Sync: If you use other study services, like Anki or ChinesePod, you can use the synchronization features by opening up the "Settings" (brown) bubble on the main screen. After inputting your username and password for one or more of these services, pressing "Synchronize Now" will download facts from these services.

Getting Started with StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:09:00 +0000

Thist post is intended as a reference post for StudyArcade. Please consider the following links:

Current Version Information
Creating Facts in StudyArcade
QuickStart Information (videos, screenshots, etc.)

StudyArcade is under constant part-time development.

StudyArcade relies on the feedback and contributions of users to help keep it going. Please consider donating (using the button to the upper right).

Once weekly (by Sunday of each week) a new version of the application will be published into Cydia. Major changes (such as 0.0.x -> 0.1.0 or 0.x.x -> 1.x.x, approx once every 1-2 months) will be published to the AppStore for approval. The intended result of this cycle is to provide more up-to-date (and consequently experimental) builds to users with Jailbroken hardware. Some updates will also include new videos or help sections on this blog, YouTube, and eventually StudyArcade.com

Version 0.0.2 of StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:42:00 +0000

I just sent version 0.0.2 of StudyArcade to the hosts of the Cydia repository; it should appear therein within 24 hours. There are still a few features high on the list that were not implemented in this version, but I wanted to push out an update in order to fix some key bugs and address some common problems. Here are the changes in this version:

Download Section: The "discover" section (accessed from the main screen) will allow you to download facts from the inZania server. Already there are thousands of facts, and more are added all the time!
Crash Detection: StudyArcade will notice if the application was not properly shut down and recommend that you use the contact button to report the bug.
Flashcards: Added some pretty flipping & sliding animations
"Review" Fact Selection Technique: The "Review" technique selects the fact which it has been the longest since you have last seen
Memory Usage: Fixed a lot of memory leaks which should significantly improve performance and reduce footprint
Performance: Flashcards will be queued in the background in order to ensure that the next card is always available
Crash Bug Fixed: Pressing the player on the home screen while starting up will no longer cause a crash
Sync Bugs Fixed: One or more bugs have been fixed while synchronizing with Anki; if you're still experiencing crashes when syncing, please report a bug.
Tags: Bug fixed with the "add tag" button being hidden by advertisements

Best,
- Zane

Trouble with StudyArcade? Here's how to file a Bug Report

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:59:00 +0000

If you're having any trouble with StudyArcade, please click on the "Help" bubble on the home screen and then use the "Contact the Developers" button. Doing so will provide me with not only an email address to get back to you at, but it also attaches your crash-log so that it is easier to debug the application. If you can't even start the application, use the "Email" link on the right side of this website.

If you only post a comment on this website, I have no way to respond to your question or otherwise follow up to help solve the problem!

Otherwise, enjoy using StudyArcade!

StudyArcade available in Cydia!

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:46:00 +0000

Great news! StudyArcade is now available for download in Cydia!
Even better, I got a response from Apple today - there was a small tweak I had to make and re-submit the application, but hopefully this means that it will be appearing in the AppStore very soon!

Here's the screenshots of the application in the repository.
As you can see, the package ID is com.inzania.studyarcade in the ModMyiPhone repository.

Enjoy!

StudyArcade 0.0.2: Planned Release & Changelist

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:04:00 +0000

Even as StudyArcade version 0.0.1 is making its way to iPhones everywhere, I am already working on version 0.0.2. There are a number of features and topics I'd like to address with this latest version.

First, I'd just like to point out that if you have the application, you can use the "Contact" button in the "Help" section to contact me directly. Any suggestions submitted will be seriously considered. Of course, I also read all comments posted on this blog.

Next, some people have asked if synchronizing with Anki works both ways - that is, is progress made on the iPhone recorded on the Anki server? The answer with version 0.0.1 is no, but with 0.0.2 I expect full synchronization to be a reality.

Also high on the agenda:
* Media: pictures and sounds associated with facts (flashcards) are not currently fully implemented. This will be completed in version 0.0.2

* Importing Facts: There will be a number of options for importing facts from other sources, including a variety of "prepackaged" packs of facts to download. For example, if you're studying for the standard Chinese test (HSK), there will be packages of HSK flashcards available for download.

* Further integration with websites: I'm looking to integrate with more websites for synchronizing and downloading facts. I'm mainly looking at flashcard databases, such as FlashcardExchange.com

* Fact Selection Techniques: At least one more fact selection technique will be available; possibly two.

* Another game: StudyArcade will slowly grow with more and more games added. One more simple game will be added in the near future, if not in 0.0.2 then in version 0.0.3

If you have any other suggestions or requests for features, please leave a comment or contact me using the application.

The projected release date for version 0.0.2 is the 2nd weekend of February.

StudyArcade for Jailbroken iPhones / iPod Touches

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:44:00 +0000

By popular request, I've submitted the StudyArcade application to the Cydia installer in MMi' repository. We're still waiting on the Apple AppStore confirmation for now.

If you're technically-savvy, you can install the application yourself right now. You'll need a Jailbroken iPhone / iPod touch with SSH installed. For more information on how to use SSH, check out the gizmodo post here; I'm going to assume you know how to transfer files to your iPhone and how to execute SSH commands.

Download the StudyArcade zip file here.
Unzip the file to extract StudyArcade.app
SSH to your iPhone / iPod Touch and copy StudyArcade.app to the /Applications folder
Execute the following command using SSH:
chmod 775 /Applications/StudyArcade.app/StudyArcade
Restart your device or respring SpringBoard. StudyArcade should appear!

I look forward to hearing feedback!

Troubleshooting

If you manually installed the application and it crashes before even showing the main screen (it begins to open then immediately crashes), the problem is almost certainly that you forgot to execute the chmod statement. If you're sure you did this, please contact me using the "Email Us" link (to the right) and we will work through the problem.

Here's a video showing how to install the application:

QuickStart Guide for StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:02:00 +0000

This QuickStart guide will help you get started using StudyArcade for the iPhone / iPod Touch. For release information, check out this entry.

StudyArcade, at its heart, is a Flashcard application; it is also much much more. Flashcards are referred to as "Facts." After opening the application, pressing the "Knowledge" bubble opens a list of facts.

Creating a new fact is accomplished by pressing the plus button or clicking any of the facts, which opens the Edit Fact page. Facts can contain a topic, phrase, definition, pronunciation, part of speech, tags. Additionally, you can select a picture or record a sound file.

Choosing the magnifying glass on the Knowledge page (instead of the plus button) opens the filter selection menu. Filters limit the facts which are shown in the knowledge. Choosing "Create New Filter" or the blue arrow next to any filter will open a page which allows you to customize which facts are shown. Clicking on a filter will apply it.

The settings page (accessed from the home page) allows you to enable one or more synchronization services. These are remote services (websites) which you may download facts from using StudyArcade. There are also a number of Fact Selection Techniques which are available. Selection Techniques determine how StudyArcade chooses which facts to study. In other words, "Test Cramming" is conceptually different than reviewing old words.

The play page (accessed from the home page) allows you to select from the available games (at present, only a simple Flashcard application is available). Clicking on the Flashcards game will first open the settings page. There are a number of options available, including customization opens (which side of the card the text is on vs. the definition). Also, you may select a filter to use, so that you only study facts of a certain type (just like the filters used in the Knowledge screen).

The flashcard (front and back) are depicted here. When on the back of the flashcard, you are prompted to to specify how hard you felt the fact to be. This data is used by the Selection Techniques in order to choose cards in the future.

There you have it - an easy approach to studying flashcards with the iPhone / iPod Touch.

Current Version & Info for StudyArcade

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:19:00 +0000

This page will be updated periodically; here is a static link for bookmarking purposes. This post will detail release information for StudyArcade for the iPhone / iPod Touch and link to useful resources.

Version

Currently Available in the App Store: N/A
Current Version Available in Cydia (MMi Repository): 0.0.7

StudyArcade is currently under review by Apple to be included in the AppStore.

Installation

There are two options for installation:

Apple AppStore: Not yet available
Cydia (for Jailbroken iPhones): search for "StudyArcade" or "inzania"

Help

Current Games

The games which are available in the current version include:

Flashcards: a simple game reminiscent of flashcard studying.

Current Fact Selection Techniques

These fact selection techniques are used when playing any game. They choose how facts are selected to be used in the game.

Random: Chooses a fact at random
Test Cramming: Chooses the facts which have the lowest overall comprehension levels (as determined by the overall history / score)
Review: Chooses the facts which have not been seen (tested) recently.

Anki for the iPhone - Screenshots & Release Info

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:23:00 +0000

**EDIT** This application is now available; view the QuickStart guide here or the application information here.

I'm happy to say that the iPhone study application is essentially on-time and about ready for release. I am submitting the application to the App Store, as well as creating an instructional video for how to use it. For those of you who have Jailbroken iPhones / iPod Touches who do not want to wait for Apple to approve the application, I will upload instructions for installing the application on your own (without using the App Store) within a couple of weeks (please note that those of you without Jailbroken hardware will, of course, still be able to download the app for free - you will just need to wait until Apple approves it). As of now, the application allows you to manage all your "Knowledge" (or "facts," or "cards") as well as synchronize with 5 different learning services, study using Flashcards, and choose from a number of different "selection techniques" (which determine how the application chooses what cards to show you when studying).

Here are some screenshots of the application running:

The home screen:

Using the flashcards (by pressing the "Play" button on the home screen):

Searching through the facts available (by pressing the "Knowledge" bubble on the home screen):

Editing one of the facts (by clicking on it in the above image):

Changing the settings, by pressing the "Settings" bubble on the home screen (currently 2 card selection techniques are available, and 5 services can be synchronized - Anki, ChinesePod, FrenchPod, SpanishPod, and ItalianPod):

One of the final things I am doing before the application "hits shelves" is to test Anki synchronization with a variety of different languages, accounts, etc., so hopefully your knowledge downloads seamlessly on the first try :)

Happy New Year!
- Zane

Neurogenesis Prequel

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:46:00 +0000

For the past few years I have been working on a creative writing project large in scope, collectively called "Neurogenesis." I rarely have time to work on it, but once in a while when there's no internet connection available, it is a good shift in creative energy. I have completed several different pieces of the narrative, but recently I went back and wrote a prequel which takes place long before the main body. It aims to develop the history of one of the main characters as well as to set the landscape of the world in which it takes place. By making the assumption that the Greek Gods actually existed, it uses these mythological elements as a metaphor for the problems which humanity faces today. This prequel is one of two parts which precede the core of the storyline.

Here's the PDF file.

This short story follows a young man as he learns the truth about the Gods, and ultimately why they need to be destroyed. In core of the story, which takes place thousands of years later, the actions this protagonist sets into motion forms the centerpiece of the plot, as others join (and oppose) his cause. All that said, I don't want to ruin any more, so I will leave it there. If you enjoy the story (or even if you do not), please drop me a line at Zane@inZania.com

A final note - I just discovered that Facebook lets you automatically import your blog into notes in Facebook by linking it to your blog site. Its nothing new, I'm sure, but its pretty slick nonetheless.

Anki for the iPhone - Status Update

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:13:00 +0000

**EDIT** This application is now available; view the QuickStart guide here or the application information here.

So, it's been some time since the last status update on the iPhone application. Now that I have overcome some of the more frustrating barriers to entry for programming the application (learning Objective-C as a native C/C++ programmer, making heads and tales of the API, and so on), things are moving forward. The application is being developed as a highly-extensible program, rather than just a simple flashcard application. It will have the ability to sync not only with Anki, but other flashcard/online learning systems, as well. Furthermore, instead of just a flashcard application, it will provide a framework upon which other study applications can be built (think: games). The initial version will require an internet connection to use, but this necessity will be phased out in future versions.

While I am reluctant to absolutely commit to an exact timeline, I would still like to say that I belive a good, working version will be available by the new year. More polish will, of course, be added after that point. I'll also leave you with this screenshot, which illustrates the (in progress) splash screen as you start up the application. The "play" link already allows you to "play" several different study games (such as the flashcard application, as described above). The "Knowledge" link lets you syncronize and edit your flashcards. The "Market" link will allow you to trade flashcards with other users (this feature may be excluded from the initial version, depending on time constraints).

More to come soon, now that progress is moving along more quickly.

Learning Part 4: A New System of Memory

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:28:00 +0000

This is Part 4 in a series on learning; you can go back to Part 3, if you like.

In continuing with the series on learning, today we're going to begin introducing exercises to improve the function of the mind. First, we're going to look at how to create a new system of memory. While a daunting task, if we begin establishing good habits now this system will help us greatly in later exercises.

We will continue to draw upon research from a number of fields, but rather than simply throwing information at you, I hope to lay the foundation for a system which will become increasingly useful. The purpose of this extends far beyond remembering facts, names, and dates. It is an organizational system which will ultimately improve the very manner in which the brain functions. Functionally speaking, the purpose of the brain is an information storage/retrieval machine. The more efficiently we can organize the information, the more efficiently the entire system will operate. We will be using a tried-and-true system as our basis for this new system, called the Method of Loci (aka a "memory palace"). There are several great books on this topic, but in this and the subsequent parts of this series we will take the system above and beyond simple usage by adding a series of exercises.

For sake of an analogy, consider that you have just purchased a new computer. Perhaps you have always used a PC computer, but this time you have bought a brand new Linux-based computer. The new computer will be more effective from the beginning (as it is newer, and presumably contains faster hardware), however as you learn the specific ins-and-outs of the new technology it will become increasingly more efficient. Eventually, if you make a habit of using the new computer, everything becomes "second nature": from high-level tasks like using software on the computer, to basic tasks like being able to type. With its increased storage space, the new computer has the potential to improve your productivity in a number of ways.

This is essentially what we are doing to our minds. We are creating a new system, one which will be used on a daily basis in order to organize our lives, and make even the most simple tasks even easier. But for now, we must be content to lie the foundation and develop habits which force us to use this system.

Our foundation must be strong. It must be capable of holding the many different psychological and experiential memories, as well as arbitrary facts and information. That is to say, it needs to classify how we feel about something, what has historically happened with that thing, as well as specific facts which may be only conceptually linked to any tangible objects. To accomplish this, we will create a mirror of our physical reality within our own minds. Daily we will walk through this physical reality. The beauty of this approach is that as our setting changes, the system will adapt to our new understanding of the world in concert with our changing emotions. We will add data to this internal image constantly, but first we must learn to walk through it.

Close your eyes, and imagine being in your bed. The bed is a great anchor point in most scenarios, because it is where we start and end each day. We will build our existence outwards from this point. This anchor is important and flexible; even if you are currently in a tent in the woods, the sleeping bag will serve perfectly well. We will walk outward from this point, exploring those places which seem important to us. Feel yourself waking up in the morning; feel yourself slipping out of bed. You are nowhere and nowhen, so there is no need to think about the day or what must be done. Instead, we will simply explore. We are creating a second reality, an internal reality, which contains the information we are looking for.

What does the room look like? How does the floor feel as you walk on it? What is on your desk? Is your home quiet or loud (it doesn't matter what season it is, but choose a consistent and ambient sense that accompanies this portion of your world). Do you smell anything? Walk out the door and down the steps.

Where you go from here is not arbitrary, but it may seem so at this point in time. To begin adding more “anchors” to our “scene,” we will begin adding new memories during our daily lives (rather than attempting to “import” the old memories into our new system). We will begin small, by looking for simple and identifiable bytes of knowledge which we wish to internalize throughout our daily lives.

An easy example is a combination to a gym locker, a pin-number of some sort, or any other situation where a number needs to be memorized. In the case of an ATM machine, for example, pin numbers are frequently 4-digits long. To add to our scene, we could put calendars above the image of the ATM machine in our minds. If our combination number is 0201, we might have two calendars opened to February and January (the second and first months, respectively), side by side. This is a very simple example of adding visual or sensory imagery to the scene in order to improve memory.

So we have now learned how to insert arbitrary facts into our scene, but let us consider that these facts are also useful in remembering future events. For example, if we need to remember to withdraw money from the ATM on the way home, we can use the scene again. By creating an image of the ATM machine sitting in the passenger seat of our car, we create a visual trigger for ourselves. Adding this image to the scene will cause us to see the ATM machine in our car when we leave the office at the end of the day, and thus remember the need to visit the ATM.

Of course, do not be concerned if you do not develop perfect memory from the beginning. Our purpose here is to begin creating a scene and to add small, manageable amounts of information to it. Over time, our confidence and ability to use the system will grow. With practice, we can develop a way to store more and more information using this system, and make our recovery of this information faster and faster. It may seem complicated now, but the system is really a simple one. According to recent memory competitions, all successful memory is based upon this technique. Its potential lies far beyond retrieving simple facts, as we will see later. Our brains do most of the work for us, due largely to the unique and magnificent way which neurons are structured. If we remember these calendars atop the ATM machine in our scene, it is rare that we will panic at a separate ATM machine that does not look exactly the same as the one in our mind. Instead, our minds will search for the information ("pin number for ATM") and find a large number of neuron connections between the idea of an “ATM” "pin number" and this mental manifestation. Besides, we can always use our conscious mind to intervene and draw up the image of the ATM near our house – because we walk through this scene each day - and therefore recall the information.

These are the building-blocks of something which will give us an astonishing amount of power over our own reality. For now, begin by creating one such memory ("anchor") in your mental scene. It does not matter what the object is, but place the memory of it into your scene before you move on to the next exercise – and begin walking through the scene each day. You can choose to follow a strict schedule or walk through when you have a moment; consistency and frequency of your “explorations” (when you walk through your scene) are important, but can be suspended in the face of great need. Creating a schedule for yourself will help some people and hurt others. We must each simply decide for ourselves how we work best.

In the next part, we will build upon this system by introducing fun exercises into our daily lives and using the memory system to store the information we learn.

Beginning Anki for the official iPhone App Store and a Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:37:00 +0000

**EDIT** The application is now available; view the QuickStart guide here or the application information here.

I come to you today, for the first time, from a rare (but increasingly less so) perspective: that of a computer programmer who has just made the switch to a Mac. To say that I am using the Mac OS alone would be a misnomer (I plan to triple-boot, as I love Ubuntu and cannot yet entirely get rid of Windows), yet it is relevant because I will now be able to proceed to create the Anki software for the official iPhone store.

To those of you who made this possible, I must put forward a whole-hearted thank you. All said and done we raised $340 towards the project, and family members as well as myself contributed the remaining sum. Things are tight this month while I work and hit eBay with my old hardware, but all said and done it is exciting to be on the road to creating this software. I must state that my timeline is difficult to predict, and I will not be completing the project with the expediency I would have once expected of myself (before I was required to hold a job and other responsibilities that keep my life together). Nonetheless, I am excited about the project and sincerely wish to see it to fruition. As a pleasant side-note, this computer seems to be capable of maintaining a much more stable connection to the local University wireless networks (it will be interesting to determine if this is because of hardware or software/drivers/OS possibilities... the hardware seems more likely an answer, to me).

Finally, a note to all of you who have emailed me for help using the current (unofficial) version of Anki for the iPhone (which appears in Installer.app in BigBoss' repository):

No, the current app version will not work with the 3G (that I know of; if you have got it working, please send me an email so that I might post instructions)
Yes, there are bugs in this unofficial version
No, I am not continuing development on this (outdated) version, since I am now developing the application for the App store. While I really appreciate what the iPhone jailbreakers and underground coders are doing and wish to see their projects flourish, I feel that this flashcard project deserves the attention and stability of a mainstream application.

That said, I always intend to keep any developed software free of charge, even though it will be in the iPhone App Store. It is a principle I believe in implicitly, and will go to all lengths to avoid ever being forced to restrict access to software (as long as I enjoy what I'm developing and need not entirely join the corporate masses).

On a more personal note, I've made the journey back to Los Angeles and settled in. Life is fast-paced, but pleasant. I'll leave you with this photo (of Windows hanging entirely as the Mac chugs along) that I took while transferring files from my ThinkPad/Windows to my MacBook Pro... an appropriate picture which would feel at home in a "switch" advertisement (though, as an amusing counter-point, my phone calls kept dropping on my iPhone whilst inside the Apple store, and 3G/Edge all around Los Angeles is a sad joke, and Mobile Safari crashes every other page refresh):

Brain Training – Bad Habits = Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (inZania) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:19:00 +0000

I'm fascinated by the idea of “brain training,” or basically replacing existing thought patterns with new, crafted patterns in order to better one's life. Research on the topic of neuroplasticity has revealed that it is possible to, in this manner, actively replace bad habits or unwanted reactions. The implications of this are huge, because if properly harnessed, it means we can consciously make ourselves more happy, intelligent, friendly, productive, and... just about anything. There are many self-improvement guides out there, but what many of them lack is the research and understanding to make the process truly effective. The following process is one I created for myself by reading both technically-oriented and self-help material, and has worked extremely well for me.

Identify a negative thought pattern

Brain training is essentially an exercise in replacing one thought pattern with another (it is much easier to replace a bad habit with a good one than just get rid of a bad habit). So, in order to succeed, the negative pattern must first be clearly identified. I speak in terms of “thought patterns” because what we are really talking about is a trained reaction our brain has to a certain situation (such as getting overly-defensive when criticized), which is a pattern our brain has be taught to follow. It is important to choose only a single thought pattern to replace, lest we overwhelm ourselves.
For sake of an example, “Ken” attempting to get rid of unnecessary negative or critical thoughts of other people. Once this habit has been “cured” (to whatever level of satisfaction he requires) he can then move on to another habit. His goal in doing this is to become a more compassionate and friendly person who is more open to the thoughts and feelings of others.
Be on the lookout for the negative thought pattern
The hardest part of brain training is metacognition, which basically means constantly assessing when you are guilty of the negative thought pattern identified in the first step.
For Ken, certain things like hearing his voice raise or using certain patronizing words are good identifiers of the negative thought pattern. Being self-aware enough to identify these patterns is difficult, but the good news is that it gets easier with practice. A good way to improve your metacognition skills is to set some sort of schedule: perhaps every day before going to bed, think back on any negative thought patterns you identified, and look for those you failed to identify as they occurred. Generally, recount the successes and failures of the day. Ultimately, though, you need to identify the negative thought pattern as it appears, so that you can perform step three...
Replace the negative thought pattern
Identifying a negative thought pattern is good, but replacing it with a positive one is much better. Ken can replace the critical thoughts he has of someone by asking himself the question “what are they doing well?” In other words, when he has a critical thought about someone, he can change it up by thinking about those things he can admire them for.

A “grounding technique” can also be useful here – when replacing the negative thought pattern with the positive one, perform some sort of physical action, such as snapping your fingers. The action helps the brain in the replacement process and make the new thoughts more “real,” in a sense. So when a negative thought pattern is identified, you perform the simple physical action and then immediately change your thought process to reflect the new pattern.
Measure your success
Just as it is important to know when you are doing things wrong, it is also important for motivational (and other) purposes to identify your progress. If you keep a log of how many negative thought occurrences you have replaced each day, it can serve to help you keep up the hard work. Finally, once you are (relatively) happy with your success, you can choose a new negative thought pattern – but it is important to occasionally re-evaluate old negative thought patterns so that you don't have a relapse.
Stay motivated and positive
The bad news is that no process will work if you do not adopt it as a part of your lifestyle. If you view your “brain training” as a chore, success is unlikely. Likewise, if you get discouraged with yourself whenever a negative thought pattern appears, you will not accomplish anything but to resent the situation more. The brain is trained to continue following the negative thought patterns – they have been ingrained into the mind as a standard reaction, so it is not surprising that your mind will resist any change. Remember to laugh at your failures, enjoy your successes, and stay with it.

I am no expert in the mind and learning/training, but rather a passionate study-hobbyist. These tips are not a "end-all be-all guide," but a compilation of ideas I put together from my reading. Let me know what does and doesn't work for you!