American Heritage Dictionary – Fourth Edition
By The Impulsive Downloader | September 2, 2008
The idea of having the American Heritage Dictionary – Fourth Edition on my iPod Touch and in my jeans makes me finally feel like there’s finally something thick in my pants. Having easy access to a well-endowed book of knowledge like a dictionary with almost 300,000 words, including reality show contestant favorites “bitch” and “slut,” can come in handy while playing Scrabble or helping your socially-inept child practice for a regional Spelling Bee Championship instead of playing with kids their own age and learning social skills that won’t make their high school and college years awkward.
It’s not just about text with this dictionary app. Some of the entries have pictures to enhance the definition and almost every definition has an audio file that tells you how to properly pronounce the word, including the previously mentioned “bitch” and “slut,” which allows your iPhone to insult for you. The voice is either male or female, but you don’t get to choose, and each pronunciation sounds somewhat like an automated phone message. If your iPod Touch’s volume is low you’ll have a hard time hearing the enunciation and there’s no way to turn it up in the settings while the app is running.
Speaking of settings, which deserves ONE sentence because there is only ONE setting you can toggle, it consists of turning on or off the background, which is a small American Heritage logo on the bottom of the screen.
Starting the app took about three seconds and the interface was pretty responsive. When it comes to finding words, you have two options: You can either scroll through an index of all 300,000 words, which is as efficient as a car without an engine, or you can search for the word. If you take the search fork in the road, it will give you partial matches, but it won’t give you possible matches for those times you’re not sure how to spell a word, which pretty much leaves you S.O.L. if you need to find a word.
Just like the N.S.A. does with people named Hussein, the American Heritage Dictionary app keeps track of what you’ve looked at so that you can easily take a trip back into time when you looked up the word “discrimination.” The app also allows you bookmark your favorite words, like “crackhead,” just in case you want to remember that it’s one word or hope that an update to the software will include a picture of Amy Winehouse next to the definition.
At first, I thought this dictionary was too expensive and it is for iPhone users, since they have access to many online dictionaries, but for iPod Touch users who aren’t always around a Wi-Fi network, it’s decently priced. I’ve come to this conclusion because I thought about the Webster’s Dictionary I own and how long I’ve had it. The initial price was high, but dictionaries are one of those things you keep for years and years. Sure there will be newer editions with added words, but unless you enjoy being a brainac douchebag who likes to use words in your everyday conversations that normal people only hear during the National Spelling Bee, you probably won’t need to buy an updated version. Besides the actual hardcover version of the American Heritage Dictionary retails for $60 and is going for $40 on Amazon.com.
With all of the definitions, images, and audio files, the app is a little over 300 MB, which could be used for a 30-minute TV show or the entire New Kids on the Block discography, including any solo projects and all Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch albums. However, those 300 MB are much lighter than the 7.6 pounds the actual American Heritage Dictionary weighs.
Item: American Heritage Dictionary – Fourth Edition
Company: Enfour, Inc.
Version: 1.0
Category: Reference
Price: $29.99
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: No internet connection needed. Cheaper and lighter than actual American Heritage Dictionary. Nearly 300,000 words, including slut and bitch. Responsive interface. Ability to hear the pronunciation.
Cons: May seem pricey to some. Search doesn’t show possible matches with incorrect spellings. Limited settings options. Takes up space that could be used for a TV show or 100 boy band songs. Pronunciation volume is troublesome to change on an iPod Touch. Children without social skills.
Filed Under: 7 Rating, Dictionary, Reference, iPhone, iPod Touch | | 9 Comments »
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September 2nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
You’re branching out. Great! Love the reviewww!
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
P.S. I’m so proud of you.
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:36 am
@kagai – I’m now one step closer to taking over the internet.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Well, more like a microstep to taking over the internet. There’s still boobies and “hootenannies”. Those are the titans.
September 6th, 2008 at 7:58 am
This is an awesome idea. You totally missed the boat on the “I Am Rich” application though.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
It’s the dawn of a new blog. It will be interesting to see how this market of downloadable software for wireless devices evolves. However, since I am Iphone-less, I will not be participating in the first phase of teh revolution.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Great review – we are pleased that you like it. I just stumbled across this while googling the app.
Just a few notes:
Don’t forget the wildcard searches for when you don’t know the spelling.
eg use a ? for one unknown letter or use a * for multiple unknown letters.
See the “How to use” guide on line or in the “about” section in the app for more details. http://www.enfour.com/iphone/support/help.html
We have updates planned with some added features – like any word searching and links to other Enfour products you have installed – but more on that when they are ready. Sadly the spell check algorithm is really bulky so it is not feasible at the moment but we are working on it.
Plus there will be more settings coming along. This is a product that will keep growing in features and the good news is that all updates will be FREE to people who have purchased this once.
Tracey Northcott
Vice President
Enfour, Inc.
September 11th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Great idea, this. Good review too. Nice of them to comment on it as well. Only one question: when will you post more?
September 14th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
@Reprobate – I will never climb over boobies.
@Stacey – I really think someone needs to make an “I Am Poor” application with a cardboard box or stolen shopping cart or something.
@Chuck – You will buy an iPhone. You will buy an iPhone. You will buy an iPhone. You will buy an iPhone. Marvo commands you.
@Tracey – Thanks for the info! You folks really do have a nice app and I look forward to future versions of it.
@the_wakeful – I want to post maybe two a week, but that might be hard with most of my focus on my original blog, but who knows. I might be able to whip these review out pretty quick.