“I have to get through every due card before I get to review any that I got wrong (often 30 minutes or more)”
I may be misunderstanding something here, but this has not been my experience. Invariably, all wrong cards (from the previous session, ie. the day before) always show up first, before reviewing other due cards, in due mode.
I was very resistant to the new app at first, and for quite some time continued to use the legacy app. I especially disliked the learn mode as the only way to add new cards. And I am still waiting for voicing of individual characters within words and other good legacy features to make it into the new app.
Now, however, I’ve changed my mind, especially with improvements to the app. I changed my habits somewhat to do so, and frankly they are better and more efficient now.
I still use the legacy app daily, but never for review!
I use it to enter all new words for the day in whatever list I am currently studying. I do this because apparently it is still not possible to add words that are not yet in Skritter’s database via the new app, whereas you can through the legacy app. Since I add multiple words to the database weekly, this is more efficient for me. So I keep both app versions on my phone.
I used to interrupt my reviews in legacy to delve into pleco and study each new vocab as it came up, modify definitions, and create my mnemonics. Thinking back, that wasn’t a very good study habit.
Now, my daily routine is as follows:
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Read new material
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Insert new vocab in legacy Skritter list.
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Switch to new app and first step is to complete all the due cards on the lists I am studying
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Only after due cards are done do I enter learn mode.
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There, I slow right down and proceed down the list of new vocab, prior to clicking the “learn” button. I do all of my Pleco study for each new vocab, enjoying the dictionary’s example sentences and familiarising myself with usage, components, etc. I copy and paste to update my personal definitions, and create my character mnemonics if needed.
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Then I click on “learn” and as I go through I choose whether to “relearn” old words i already have that I may have forgotten, and of course all new words.
Then I’m done for the day.
The change is excellent. Reviews are speedy without interruptions. And while I at first resented learn mode, I now find it important to slow down and do all my busy work at that time.
I’ve also found the habit of reserving new vocab, after I’ve learned it, for the next day’s review is a much better routine.
I’ve already studied them in detail with Pleco etc. while in learn mode. The due cards review then always functions solely as a memory aid.
Sorry for the long note! I thought perhaps detailing my routine might interest or help someone.