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+--- Thread: Help - Suggestions needed for mobile dictionary app (/thread-8630.html)
Help - Suggestions needed for mobile dictionary app - aphasiac - 2011-11-11
Hi peeps, earlier this year I got a Windows Phone 7 as a b-day present from my girlfriend. It's quite a nice device, though the appstore is a bit lacking, especially when it comes to language learning apps.
My biggest problem is dictionaries; I need to lookup Chinese, Japanese and English words offline, and frankly all the current ones aren't great. They're either too expensive, or have issues compared to the nicer ones I've used on iOS. For this reason I've decided to have a go at writing a dictionary app myself.
The app framework will be pretty general so can be adaptable to many languages. Of course I have to base them on free open dictionaries like edict, but eventually I hope to make a generic blank version that will be able to load stardict files, therefore bypassing copyright issues.
So, of all of you who use dictionaries on your mobile devices (iPhones, Android, DS), what the most important features for you? What made you choose app X over app Y? Anything that all apps you have tried were missing and you'd like implemented?? What do you use mostly use your dictionary for, and how could using it be made faster and better?
I have a few ideas already, but would like the input of people on here before adding my input (to prevent bias). These dictionaries will be released free of charge, so your input will help everyone who has a WP7 phone! Cheers
Help - Suggestions needed for mobile dictionary app - partner55083777 - 2011-11-11
There's no EPWING reader for WP7?
I guess it wouldn't be that hard to write one. Just look at the code for eb4j and that other epwing library (http://www.sra.co.jp/people/m-kasahr/eb/).
I'm thinking about writing an EPWING reader for Android because I don't like DroidWing or any of the other applications available. It probably wouldn't be too hard because eb4j already exists. Three functions that I think are indispensable are Forward Word Search Lookup, selectable text in the entries, and being able to create dictionary groups.