New iPhone app: Japanese

[danieru_s]

There's a new dictionary program available for the iPhone called Japanese (from http://codefromtokyo.com/japanese). It has some nice features:

1. Entries are searchable in English and Japanese, and include a A-Z scroller for quick navigation.
2. Includes several lists to group words: biology, color, computer, counters, expressions, proverbs, etc.
3. Contains JLPT word lists.
4. Contains hiragana and katakana tables.
5. Lists the 1945 Jouyou kanji (12,000 kanji in total).
6. Search kanji by radical, stroke count, or school year.
7. Words can be put into your own custom lists.
8. Kanji stroke order animations for 2,300 kanji.

For each word, it shows the word, furigana, romaji, translation, and individual kanji. Verbs include conjugations.

Kanji include the readings, radical, strokes, animated stroke order, translation, and popular compounds.

It really is a cool app. Well worth the money. Check out their website where you can watch a QuickTime movie that shows the app in action.

[johnpa]

Never mind my previous favorable review... There seems to be a serious glitch with the "Make your own word list" function. Sometimes previous entries are deleted when you add a new word. The only way to make sure this doesn't happen is to log out of the app after entering each word. (Which is a big pain.)
I'd say, either wait until the price goes down or this glitch is fixed.

[mark_gaensicke]

Never mind my previous favorable review...

Hello everybody. My name is Mark Gaensicke and I am the developer of "Japanese" for the iPod/iPhone.

The bug which johnpa mentioned has been fixed immediately after the first bug report came in. I've then submitted the updated version to the App Store, but the problem with the App Store is that Apple needs to review each and every submission to the store. Due to popular demand they are currently very busy doing so which means that an updated version will be available SHORTLY.

[jkid]

If only I had an iPhone. Does anyone know if an iPhone purchased in Country X will work in Country Y? I did a little "research" and seems I am out of luck.

[MichaelMcDonald]

If only I had an iPhone. Does anyone know if an iPhone purchased in Country X will work in Country Y? I did a little "research" and seems I am out of luck.

I think it will only work if you 'jailbreak' the phone. Otherwise they're carrier-locked and can't be used with other carriers. But you could buy an iPod Touch and enjoy everything else except phone calls & SMS.

Just wanted to say after reading the first post and checking out the website I bought the program right away. It seems expensive at first ($20) but it's worth it considering everything that's packed in it (JLPT vocab lists, Kanji stroke order videos, common compounds for kanji and - the deal closer - no internet connection needed to use it) and the fact that it's 100% portable and usable anywhere. The only possible thing that could still be considered missing would be audio clips for pronunciation. When the word list glitch is fixed, my only complaint will be answered.

Hats off to the developer for packing so much into one app! And iPhone/ipod Touch users, please go vote on my poll for iPhone apps in another thread! Only had 6 votes so far...

[jkid]

MichaelMcDonald,
Thanks so much for the fast response.

[reboundstudent]

Great, now I'm seriously, seriously, deeply tempted to get an iPod Touch. I do not need more gadgets! (I already have a DS, Macbook, and am eyeing a Japanese-encoded PS2!)

Incidentally, I haven't tried ordering anything online while in Japan. I do not have a credit card, but I have a bank account in America with a debit card, and a bank account in Japan (114 Bank.) The Apple store in America does not ship to Japan, and obviously the Japan-Apple store will not take my debit card because the money is in $, not ￥.
(My Kaies Denkei is also kinda pathetic, so ordering online may be my only option.)

Any suggestions?

[gryffindor]

If only I had an iPhone. Does anyone know if an iPhone purchased in Country X will work in Country Y? I did a little "research" and seems I am out of luck.

I think it will only work if you 'jailbreak' the phone. Otherwise they're carrier-locked and can't be used with other carriers. But you could buy an iPod Touch and enjoy everything else except phone calls & SMS.

Just wanted to say after reading the first post and checking out the website I bought the program right away. It seems expensive at first ($20) but it's worth it considering everything that's packed in it (JLPT vocab lists, Kanji stroke order videos, common compounds for kanji and - the deal closer - no internet connection needed to use it) and the fact that it's 100% portable and usable anywhere. The only possible thing that could still be considered missing would be audio clips for pronunciation. When the word list glitch is fixed, my only complaint will be answered.

Hats off to the developer for packing so much into one app! And iPhone/ipod Touch users, please go vote on my poll for iPhone apps in another thread! Only had 6 votes so far...

Bro, not all iphones are carrier locked. Those sold in Hong Kong are not locked.

[Javizy]

Wow, I was trying to decide what portable device to get, but I think it's got to be the iPod touch now. This has way more features than the Longman's dictionary, and it is cheaper (if it's $20). I don't think that is close to being expensive; I paid £18 each for my kanji dictionary and 16,000 word furigana dictionary, and what features do they have? If it had example sentences and a means to export the vocabulary lists, or a built-in SRS, then it would literally be perfect.

[jkid]

Bro, not all iphones are carrier locked. Those sold in Hong Kong are not locked.

Interesting... so if I bought one from a country that does not have "carrier locking" then I should be fine.

[untmdsprt]

http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/vie ... php?t=4133

Please refer to the above link for future comments/questions.

Thanks!