I really like the fact that the LingQ window now shows the notes & tags.
I like jungleboy’s fifth suggestion. Maybe at the top of the course list, there could be an artificial ‘course’ made up of the previous 30 lessons studied. On the issue of the course bar and the dashboard bar, the following is my suggestion.
I don’t think the course menu should ever be permanently on the screen when in a lesson. The only reason I would want to always be able to see the course menu when reading a lesson is if I am quickly going through a load of really short (50 words or less) lessons. The way it is done now when the iPad is held vertically is really good. You can bring up the courses menu by simply pressing the ‘My Courses’ button, and when you don’t want to see it, you can easily get rid of it.
So what about the dashboard? On the website, you can go through a text on the website in two ways. You can either have the dashboard permanently open, or have the dashboard mostly closed, and when you put your mouse over a blue or yellow word, a little bubble appears. I suggest that the app has a similar option, but this time, the mode is decided by how the iPad is being held. When the iPad is held vertically, the dashboard is not normally visible. When you press a little yellow word, you get a bubble with the information, just like on the website or the old version of the app. When you press a blue word, you get a bubble with the choice of user hints, just like on the website, and the dashboard on the right only appears if you choose to look the word up in the dictionary, just like on the website (though this time it can cover some of the text). When the iPad is help horizontally, the dashboard is always open on the right of the screen but not covering any of the text.
What do other people think of this?
The app is much improved - it’s great to be able to add new words on the go. I like the sentence view - great on the iPhone. Thanks!
I have the same opinion as the others about the lingq panel covering the text. A permanent panel would be better. I often LingQ a word and set a level at the same time.
I’ve had some instability, freezes and crashes with large lessons or perhaps sentence view. If I find a pattern, I’ll send a report.
Button placement could be improved - the numbers 1-4 at the bottom of the LingQ panel are small and far from the hint selection choices. Also some finger gymnastics are needed on Flashcards - bigger ‘oops’ and ‘i know’ buttons on the edge of the screen would be more convenient.
I want to add to the conversation about the app and the new design is great. It is a bit hard to read with the popup word on the side(maybe put a permanent toolbar at the bottom that will not disrupt the readers view of the text); however, not having to use my computer in order to open new lessons makes lingq completely mobile(That’s something I have been waiting for a long time to do). I like this a lot and I can’t wait to se what the developers can add to the app in the future. (Maybe a way to add lessons within the app).
App is really great but I agree with others regarding then new permanent toolbar. Popup was much better solution.