IPhone App Review: Wordbook Dictionary App

Having an iPhone makes your life easier. For writers, someone studying English or those who just want to keep their minds sharp, the Wordbook Dictionary app produced by TranCreative Software is an excellent choice. MacWorld website reporter, Ben Boychuk says, "Wordbook leads the parade of free and low-cost dictionary options" (see iTunes ad).

Purchasers of the Wordbook Dictionary app will be pleased the app includes a dictionary and a thesaurus. This app contains over 150,000 entries, 220,000 definitions, and 120,000 pronunciation guides (see iTunes ad) and fits in your pocket or purse. Now that's convenient.

Wordbook Dictionary App Features and Descriptions

The Wordbook app has several features and operates intuitively. Five features appear across the app screen's bottom: "words," "bookmarks," "search," "definition," and "more." Brief descriptions of these options follow:

Words--

-This option features "Words of the Day." That's right, every day, the Wordbook Dictionary app randomly selects words from its dictionary to stimulate vocabulary development. Today's words are, "arboretum," "deport," "intend," "squatty," "marker," and "ratel."

What's a ratel, you ask? All you need do is tap on the word and voila! Its definition appears. According to the Wordbook Dictionary app, a ratel is a "nocturnal badger-like carnivore of wooded regions of Africa and southern Asia." Synonyms, phonic and pronunciation information, and the type of speech of words are also shown.

Bookmarks-

The bookmark feature allows users to bookmark words researched, for future reference. Also included in the bookmark option of the Wordbook app is a "history" function. This function shows the entire list of words that have been searched by the user. The user can scroll back through his list to re-look up particularly troublesome terms.

Search-

An expected option, the search function, presents the keyboard at the screen's bottom and the space to type in words of interest at the screen's top.

Definition-

This feature accesses the definition of the last word searched. If the "W" choice is then tapped, the online Wikipedia site appears with information about the word, if available.

More-

Now, the Wordbook Dictionary app moves into the entertainment realm. You are presented with two choices: "Puzzle Solver" and "Pronunciations."

If you are a puzzle solver, you know how frustrating it can be when you cannot complete a puzzle. Selecting the puzzle solver option allows users to type in partial words from crosswords or anagrams, leaving empty blocks for unknown letters. Next, users tap "crossword" or "anagram" and tap "search." A list of possible words to fit in the crossword or anagram will pop up. Is that fun, or what?

If you tap on "pronunciation," two options appear: "notation" and "audio." On the notation page, it says, "select a notation system." Notation systems are used to show the pronunciation of words in a dictionary. In the Wordbook app, you have a choice of 3 common systems: International Phonetic Association (IPA), American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (AHD) and Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (M-W).

Selecting "audio" prompts you to "select a voice". This part is awesome-you can select either "Sue," "Alex," or "Cindy" to-drum roll please-pronounce every word you look up! Yes, every word searched in the Wordbook Dictionary app provides an audio pronunciation in the voice you choose.

Cost of the Wordbook Dictionary App

$1.99. Wordbook offers a free version but this review does not apply to it.

ITunes Reviews of Wordbook Dictionary App

With nearly 60 reviews, the Wordbook Dictionary app received an iTunes average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Comments from iTunes reviewers include "impressive, "tons of features," and "great price."

Recommended Users of the Wordbook Dictionary App

Recommended users for the Wordbook Dictionary app are anyone taking English or a writing course, all writers, avid readers, and people who just want to expand their minds by learning new words and meanings. Other recommended users include word puzzle freaks-especially those who like crossword puzzles or anagrams.

Disadvantages of the Wordbook Dictionary App

This reviewer, a writer who has been using TranCreative Software's Wordbook Dictionary App for the last few weeks, can find one disadvantage to the Wordbook app-its use of Wikipedia, which is not considered a reputable resource by many in academic settings.

Final Words on the Wordbook Dictionary App

April Lentini of College Times rates this app as one of the "best 15 iPhone apps for English Majors" (see iTunes ad). Imagine being able to look up a word anywhere, anytime, in an instant. Get a definition, a synonym, even a pronunciation using the Wordbook Dictionary app. Writing articles on the run? No problem, you have a thesaurus in your iPhone at your fingertips. Most iPhone users know the locations of their iPhones at all times. Now, that's where you will also find your dictionary and thesaurus.

With a slick, user-friendly interface, and quick access to other web dictionaries, the Wordbook app is one of the best reference apps. It makes it all happen, when it comes to looking up words. With a simple tap, you can access the thesaurus for each researched word. Discover antonyms, synonyms, and parts of speech. The audio pronunciation feature, along with the exhaustive word listing, thesaurus, and puzzle solver, offers a full package for a dictionary app. The only drawback to the Wordbook Dictionary app is its use of Wikipedia as a valid ancillary resource.

Rating for TranCreative Software's Wordbook Dictionary App

4.75 out of 5 stars

Sources

ITunes App Store

Wordbook Dictionary App