The app version (Android, although any android app can be downloaded to Kindles as well) is exactly what I’ve used for this reason, pretty much. I couldn’t get through the site when I tried later afterwards as a refresher. It felt comparatively poorly formed, awkward, idk…
You’re welcome! ^^
Didn’t realize Tae Kim made an app. Interesting to note that they can go on kindles, too (even games?!). You’re a wealth of information today! ^^
Take your time with Genki. I do about 1 chapter a month. I practice the vocab in Memrise initially and then onto Rensguu to take it to a higher level. Both have Genki vocab courses. I do the exercises with a Japanese tutor on Skype.
Another tip I would give you is Japanesepod 101 using the lesson list recommended on here Redirecting...
Screenshot of Renshuu practicing Genki vocab:
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What are your favorite vocab and grammar apps (unless they’re apple… I only have Android/Google Play stuffs)?
@AnimeCanuck Absolutely. Tbh it’s been a long while since I did it. But it’s possible to download any .apk file onto a Kindle (or Android), regardless of the source, random internet, email, Google Play, Kindle market, onto any Android-using device, which technically Kindles are, even though they don’t have access to Google Play.
Here’s an example, say you want this app:
You can Google an APK downloader… this is the one I used to use.
https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
And this is what it’ll look like.
So here’s the finished result (different app than the previous example, sorry)
From there you can probably just email it to yourself, but I always transferred it via USB for some reason, don’t remember.
Huh, interesting.
I had access to a specific .apk for a game I wanted before, but it wouldn’t install on my device. I found out later (because doing it this way didn’t tell you) that my phone wasn’t good enough for the game in question. The .apk was emailed directly to me from a friend, and when it initially didn’t work, they tried and got me a few various versions of it and/or re-sent it. Don’t forget that you have to have your phone in developer mode and have that “allow non Google Play” programs box checked in the settings. ^^
Thanks!
Oh I don’t have a smartphone, just a tablet. It doesn’t have to be in any special mode, but even if you don’t check the “allow ___ apps to download” (it has weird wording in my head), it’ll pop up when you try to and you can click “just this once” if you want, which is neat… my kindle didn’t have an option like that!
We’ve had a couple Kindles over time where the screens broke. One has a totally shattered screen but still works, years later. My son recently got a cheap-ass tablet at this thing that gets kids presents (I totally told him not to), he barely cracked the screen, and now he can touch like two areas… such a difference in quality.
But yeah, I’m happy now to have a refurbished Samsung Galaxy… 7? tablet. (And holy crap the difference in price between new and refurbished is ridic, and this seller/company had high reviews/ratings, 'cause I’ve heard some refurbished sites/items are questionable?)
Ooohh, I see! I have it checked already because I make indie games sometimes and want to use unnoficial stuff occasionally (whether I make it myself or a friend has).
The thing with refurbished… is you want to make sure it’s FACTORY refurbished. It goes back to the original creators and gets properly fixed. (I got my first drawing tablet from Wacom that way, and we had ordered it specifically from Wacom.) If you do that, you’re safe as long as it’s a reputable company. Even if it doesn’t work, you can send it back again and they’ll send you another one (or fix it). It’s even possible that your factory refurbished purchase works better than one you pick up new in a store, because during the refurbishing process it might go through additional checks and QA that could possibly have been skipped on the line.
The Galaxys are nice. nods Ah, and that’s when it stops being so slow (the 2 or 3 Galaxy Tabs were really slow… painfully so… pretty, but sooo slow).
I didn’t know that but I got a 2 year plan with it for fixes and replacements that covers a lot. It was my Christmas present splurge thingy.
Sweet!
I do that for myself when I get my tax refund instead (my Christmas present to myself is usually much, much less expensive…)
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I spent most of my money and gift money on presents for kiddo, a couple presents for housemates, lots of essentials, meds, car stuffs, and so forth, spread over three months, and yeah, normally as a poor person I would not spend $175 on anything unnecessary or anything, because I generally don’t have that money period, can’t save it up. But it was both something I wanted and felt I needed and kinda an impulse thing. But I’ve found it massively useful for tracking things, appointments, meds/supplements, Japanese study, some social stuffs, screenshots for things I need out of the house (like I said, I don’t have a smartphone), and screenshots for things to save paper (and because the printer sometimes goes bizarre-berserk), among other things. So while I initially felt guilty-as-heck, I’m glad I got it.
You need little fun things for you sometimes, too, anyway.
(But I totally relate to the so broke you can’t save… I’m living that basically all the time.)
So much interesting stuff here guys! I have gone through a lot of the things you have posted and It’s absolutely wonderful! Thanks a ton for taking your time in sharing your thoughs and ideas on this post! Made my day!
hmm favourite apps. well memrise i find i remember the most from and works the best for my long term memory. i also like that i can recap grammar on it. I also like ‘JLPT practise N1-N5’ app as it has timed questions on it for grammar, vocab and kanji. I suck with time limits and they make me panic, by having to get used to them on the app, i am hoping it will help me with exam time limit panic. I have recently downloaded ‘ohayou’ which is a listening app, haven’t had chance to use it much yet but it looks really good. how about you?
Same, so far I’m liking Memrise, HiNative, Tsukiji (it’s a JLPT kanji and vocab list, you can click on kanji to get words it’s used in, and you can do quizzes on Kanji of one or more levels of JLPT. It’s decent for what it does, anyway, could be better). Just downloaded Obenkyo at another’s recommendation but haven’t had time to try it out yet, but it certainly looks decent. I feel like I used it in the past, but there’s one I just downloaded called Kotoba that’s open source and trains/quizzes you on common words, JLPT words, or Mainichi Shinbun most frequent words. It doesn’t divide into kanji/vocab and seems to not have a lot of options. There are a few on my to-try list, but I don’t like to download a whole bunch at once, y’know?
Off topic but, omg I read these back when they posted, big fan of Yatta-Tachi 
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Really?! Aaaaah, thank you so much! You have no idea how happy that makes me! Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ
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Best advice I can give you is to be consistent.
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Just have to say that it was a really great article, and it sort of explained a bit of the fears of failing and the obstacles that I have too. Seeing all the effort you put in with your studies, makes me both really motivated and a bit nervous at the same time. I’m not the best when it comes to organizing my time, or to stick with studying schedules. In school I did well, but the weaknesses I had in specific subjects haunted me like crazy during my school time.
So I guess, that’s where my fear comes in the most. It’s also been a while since I was in school, and learning languages has never been a strong suite of mine, even though my motivation back then was a lot worse than now (I didn’t find studying or school that fun, but in later years I enjoy learning and studying a lot more! Especially when it comes to things I love, like Japanese).
But reading your article was a big reminder for me to start getting way more consistant, and to actually have a schedule that I can work into my daily life. I hope you find your way back, and that you move forward all the way! I sure hope I can reach there too someday!
In any case, I just wanted to thank you for linking those articles and I will make sure to read more of them, cause they were really good 
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Thank you so much! I’m glad it resonated with you. To be honest, I’ve
fallen off the wagon a bit when it comes to my schedule…
I’m currently in Japan right now as part of JET, so I’ve been trying to
study as much as possible. But, as more time passes without my speaking or
listening improving, the more discouraged I’m becoming…Next week I’m
going to work with a university tutoring club for foreigners, though, so
I’m hoping that will help.
I’ll offer another piece of advice for the thread, since I’ve been
struggling with it for a few months: if trying to communicate in Japanese
is difficult, do your best to remain positive and determined. It’s caused
me to avoid talking with people whenever possible, which only hurts later
down the road. I know speaking is a struggle for a lot of people
(especially self-learners), but if it’s a skill you want, you have to keep
pushing yourself, even if it seems like you keep failing. A tough but
important lesson (that I keep trying to teach myself).