The iPhone Can Actually Make You Smarter

&offeridEveryone knows the iPhone can make you look cool... but can it make you smarter as well? A new iPhone app in the iTunes store from developer Componica shows it can, and has some pretty impressive research to back it up. "Using the theory of Spaced Repetition," says Componica CEO Dr. Steven Mitchell, "someone using the Memorize Words for Spanish app can learn up to 10,000 words over the period of a year to such an extent that they will never forget them."

So what is Spaced Repetition? Whenever you try to learn a new concept like "corbata = necktie," the likelihood of you remembering this fact decays over time exponentially. However, if you're reminded later that "corbata = necktie," the concept becomes more cemented in your mind and likelihood of you remembering will not decay as rapidly. Using a special algorithm within the iPhone application, Memorize Words tracks the progress of the user and adjusts itself to the optimal learning conditions of that student.

"Because the iPhone is with the student each day", says Dr. Mitchell, "it gives us a unique opportunity to reinforce the language learning curve in a manner no other device in history has ever allowed, much like being in an immersion environment.


Some of the additional features of Memorize Words include:
* Over 6,300 frequently learned Spanish Words with pronunciation professionally recorded by a native Spanish speaker
* Four interactive puzzle games to reinforce the lessons
* Search-able Spanish / English dictionary for on-the-go translations

Memorizing words efficiently is all about timing. Review a word too often and you'll waste time; review a word too infrequently and you'll forget it. Memorize Words tracks your rate of forgetting individual words, reminding you that "corbata" means "necktie" when your Recall rate for the word "corbata" has dropped below 90%.

"Because the iPhone is with the student each day", says Dr. Mitchell, " it gives us a unique opportunity to reinforce the language learning curve in a manner no other device in history has ever allowed, much like being in an immersion environment. I hear a lot about programs like Rosetta Stone being used by people in the military stationed in a foreign language environment - that social interaction is the spaced repetition. This iPhone product helps people who are not able to be emerged in that same environment build the same vocabulary strength".

Componica plans on releasing versions of the Memorize Words application for additional languages in the near future, with a version for Russian and French already in the works. The application is available in the iTunes app store for $6.99 with a free version available to those wishing to try before you buy. Additionally, a video demonstration can be found on YouTube.



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