I'm seeing that it's time to start updating my original memory-training program, Train Your Brain and Entertain (TYBE)!

The original is still available at Lybrary.com and from various magic dealers. However, it was written in 2005, which doesn't seem that long ago. Quite a bit has changed since then, especially considering that this was 2 years before the word “iPhone” would enter our vocabulary.

I'm already getting mail from OS X Lion users about the incompatibility of the original version of TYBE. This isn't surprising, since Lion no longer offers support for the old PowerPC chip systems, for which the original TYBE was written.

The solution is not only to update it, but to bring it to mobile devices! That's my current project, so TYBE 2 is not available yet. However, I am making some great progress, and wanted to give my readers a peek at what it's going to be like.

Like the recently-released Verbatim, I'm writing TYBE 2 for mobile devices, as well as any browser with HTML5 and CSS3 support.

In the screenshot below, you'll see the index, where you can select all the original memory challenges:



If you're wondering about the difference between the light and dark bands, the dark bands are sections I haven't completed programming yet. In the final version, the entire menu will be the same color.

Another thing you'll notice absent from the screenshots are the preferences and help sections. Those will be included, I just simply haven't programmed them yet.

The biggest change so far is that the sequential noun/verb list challenge and the sequential abstract word challenge, which were originally two separate listings, have been merged into one.

Here's some screenshots from that section. On the left, you'll see the main settings for the list, and on the right, a sample list generated with the timer running. Even while you scroll through that list, the timer remains at the bottoms of the screen.



Just as with the original TYBE, I will be selling this program. However, if you've purchased the original TYBE in the past (either the hardcopy in stores, or the download from Lybrary.com), I will be making arrangements for you to get it at no extra charge.

If I'm going to get this ready, I'd better get back to programming it, so that's all for now. If you have any questions about the upcoming release, or any ideas for requested features, let me know in the comments!