Noah Webster's ghost happily haunting your iPhone

With the availability of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, for the iPhone and iPod touch, Noah Webster must be a happy ghost. His namesake dictionary, converted to Apple's handheld platforms by Paragon Technologie GmbH, now gives teachers, writers, and students a fully searchable reference at their fingertips.

This is a pocket version of the best-selling dictionary in the USA, featuring over 225,000 defined words. Since it is a self-contained application and not a web front-end to an online dictionary, it can be used in situations where your device is in airplane mode.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary isn't cheap -- it sells for US$24.99 in the App Store (click opens iTunes). However, carrying this app on your iPhone is a lot lighter than lugging around the US$23.95, 3.6 lb. (1.63 kg.) printed version.

The other major competition to this application, Webster's New World Dictionary (click opens iTunes) from AcroDesign, is a bit less expensive at US$14.99, but is less complete with only 163,000 entries.

What's the favorite reference you'd like to have on your handheld device? Leave us a comment!

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Source: http://www.penreader.com/iphone-software/Merriam-Webster.htm…

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With the availability of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, for the iPhone and iPod touch, Noah Webster must be a...

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Keitai Goddess

The American Heritage dictionary for iPhone is fantastic. This website should review this one!!

I am also in japan and have found the Longman English - japanese dictionary (by the same developer of the American Heritage dictionary) and it uses the same fantastic engine it seems.

I can't believe some of you guys have spent $70 on a dictionary. I know it is MW but really - that is outrageous.

November 18 2008 at 4:39 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sherlock Asimov

the interface looks weird. I still don't know why and how someone could make the search field that ugly. Â¿ If you couldn't make it prettier, why not just use the template search field ?

November 13 2008 at 10:52 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Silver

"A new, physical Audio CD is usually $20 to $25 bucks, whereas an iTunes album is $10." - Jeremy

$20-25 for a CD? Dude, you need to shop elsewhere. Try WalMart. Best Buy. Target. Almost any other big retail store.

October 23 2008 at 11:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

thinktwice

How is it that Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary in book form is $16.29 on Amazon and $23.99 for the iPhone version? Makes no sense. Aren't these things supposed to be cheaper when we don't have to print them on paper?

October 23 2008 at 4:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

cecil morton-crump

theres only one english dictionary i would pay for to have on my iphone- OED!

October 23 2008 at 10:41 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jason

WordBook.

October 23 2008 at 1:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

budparr

I'd like to have the Merriem-Webster Unabridged, or why not the whole OED! Seriously, there must be a market out there for people that are serious about their dictionaries. And by the way, you didn't mention the American Heritage dictionary, which I use (the dictionary is just okay, but the app is great)

October 22 2008 at 10:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tom A

If I were to get a dictionary I'd get something with "Oxford" in the name, and nothing with "American" in there. But that's just my violent dislike of American "English" talking :P

Seriously, I very rarely find myself in need of a English dictionary, but Jisho is a daily life-saver living in Japan. I also wouldn't mind a front-end for the urban-dictionary website...

October 22 2008 at 7:31 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Michael Becker

I'm sold on the New World College Dictionary. I have to use Associated Press style every day, and that's our official fallback dictionary. It'll be handy to have a portable version of it. Now, all I need is a portable version of the AP Stylebook...

October 22 2008 at 5:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

BillF

I'd prefer to have the OED, at about $10

October 22 2008 at 4:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply