Searching the dictionary?

[ApK]

Looking up the definition of a word that appears in a book or document is as quick and easy as I'd expect on a Kindle, but directly looking up a word by searching for it in the dictionary is a slow and painful experience.

Surely there is a better way?

ApK

[osnova]

No. Kindle Fire has no support for mobi dictionary/index functionality, the way all other Kindles do. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[salsaguy]

Yeah I was surprised its so slow. It works fast when just hitting the word you are reading on the page but if searching in general to help your kid with homework, and not reading a book and using the built in dict, its sloooooooow

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by salsaguy

Yeah I was surprised its so slow. It works fast when just hitting the word you are reading on the page but if searching in general to help your kid with homework, and not reading a book and using the built in dict, its sloooooooow

Open the Oxford American Dictionary which comes with the Kindle Fire. Tap in the center and then tap the magnifying glass at the bottom.

Type in the requested word using the virtual keyboard. All occurrances of that word appear IMMEDIATELY.

Tap on one of those occurrances. Then use a long tap on that word and the definition appears IMMEDIATELY.

[jduck]

At first I used simaru's method. Then I got tired of it and installed an app called Offline Dictionaries to use as an actual dictionary. Works much better. There are quite a few free dictionary apps out there.

[osnova]

Originally Posted by jduck

There are quite a few free dictionary apps out there.

I am using a non-free GoldenDict from the Market (Google Play). Yet, so far it does not integrate with the Kindle reading software.

I use the Merriam-Webster dictionary app pad version. It is somewhat pricey at $20 but well worth it. There is also a free version with ads. I also have it on my Android phone and there I can use voice to look up a word.

[Blossom]

I use ColorDict which you have to sideload from the Market (Google Play) but it's free. It integrates into Mantano too. There is a free version of GoldenDict at the Market but I have not tried it.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Open the Oxford American Dictionary which comes with the Kindle Fire. Tap in the center and then tap the magnifying glass at the bottom.

Type in the requested word using the virtual keyboard. All occurrances of that word appear IMMEDIATELY.

Tap on one of those occurrances. Then use a long tap on that word and the definition appears IMMEDIATELY.

This seems like what I'm looking for, but I can't get it to work. When I type into the keyboard, the only words that appear immediately are the predictive word choices in the keyboard top line. If I tap one of those it, it just goes into the search box. Long tapping there does nothing, and clicking search there is what takes forever.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by ApK

This seems like what I'm looking for, but I can't get it to work. When I type into the keyboard, the only words that appear immediately are the predictive word choices in the keyboard top line. If I tap one of those it, it just goes into the search box. Long tapping there does nothing, and clicking search there is what takes forever.

Go to Settings \ More \ Kindle Keyboard. Turn OFF Auto-capitalization and Quick Fixes.

Then use the other steps I outlined above. I can get a full definition of any word in less than 3 seconds from the Kindle Fire Oxford American Dictionary.

By the way, this dictionary does NOT require WiFi access. Most of the other dictionaries either require that or download HUGE databases of words and meanings. The Kindle Fire standard dictionary is very compressed.

You can get short definitions or very long ones.

Remember, when you uninstall any of those other dictionaries, first go to Settings \ More \ Applications. Then tap on your application. First clear Storage Data and then clear Cache. Only then uninstall the application.

Otherwise, your Application and Internat Storage could fill fast. Always follow those steps to uninstall any App or orphan data WILL be left behind.

On the Kindle Fire most Apps have very little data in relation to the total space available. Thus, even though most leave orphan data, it is irrelevant. However, if one is installing and uninstalling Apps frequently or with large App databases like Dictionaries or the Logos Bibles, going to the Application Management Page and first deleting data is the best way to go.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Open the Oxford American Dictionary which comes with the Kindle Fire. Tap in the center and then tap the magnifying glass at the bottom.

Type in the requested word using the virtual keyboard. All occurrances of that word appear IMMEDIATELY.

Tap on one of those occurrances. Then use a long tap on that word and the definition appears IMMEDIATELY.

Originally Posted by jduck

At first I used simaru's method.

Here's a video of me trying this method. Please explain what I'm doing wrong:

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by ApK

Here's a video of me trying this method. Please explain what I'm doing wrong:

Your video did not show you pressing the Yellow Go Key in the lower right after typing the selected word in the search field. Press that key and all occurrances of the typed word will appear on the screen.

Then tap one of the occurrances of the typed word appearing below. It will appear in context of its displayed phrases.

Finally do a long hold on the word outlined in yellow and its short definition will appear with Full Definition allowed by typing in the lower right corner.

Also, under Settings \ More \ Kindle Keyboard you can leave Sound on Keypress to ON. It has no effect on obtaining definitions.

Once you get the procedure correct, it would be helpful to lots of others to make another youtube video and post it in this thread. Thanks.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Your video did not show you pressing the Yellow Go Key in the lower right after typing the selected word in the search field. Press that key and all occurrances of the typed word will appear on the screen.

Ah...well, that would be because your instructions didn't TELL me to press Go!

Indeed, I see what you mean, but that is exactly the same as clicking the magnifying glass at the top, just in a more convenient location.

The success of that work around depends on what word you are looking up, presumably based on how it's indexed..
Type the word "test" and results do indeed appear immediately.
Type the work "research" and it takes a couple extra seconds to appear.
Type the word "pathway" which, as it happens, is the word that inspired this thread when I tried to show my son how to look it up, and it takes forever!

I guess I'll try a dictionary app, but I'm with osnova...this was dumb implementation for for a device with the Kindle name it!

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by ApK

Ah...well, that would be because your instructions didn't TELL me to press Go!

Indeed, I see what you mean, but that is exactly the same as clicking the magnifying glass at the top, just in a more convenient location.

The success of that work around depends on what word you are looking up, presumably based on how it's indexed..
Type the word "test" and results do indeed appear immediately.
Type the work "research" and it takes a couple extra seconds to appear.
Type the word "pathway" which, as it happens, is the word that inspired this thread when I tried to show my son how to look it up, and it takes forever!

I guess I'll try a dictionary app, but I'm with osnova...this was dumb implementation for for a device with the Kindle name it!

It took me 68 seconds to search for "pathway." Its true all my other tests were instaneous.

That may be because "pathways" had only ONE instance of being mentioned in the Oxford Dictionary. Still 68 seconds for a rare word still does work. Its highly probable that folks will never even look for that particular word.

It appears that the words to be defined are not indexed. Only the words in the meanings are indexed. Thus, if a word is not mentioned in many meanings, it will take longer to locate it. Its still far better then requiring WiFi access which most of the other dictionaries require. Its also much better than using a large amont of the small disk space up for a mere dictionary.

If you go to Settings \ More \ Application and tap "User Dictionary," you will see it uses only 20 Kb for its database. I doubt if any other dictionary app uses that little.

Frankly, I rarely use a dictionary separate from reading those words in eBooks. Thus, the Kindle version of the Oxford Dictionary is more than ample for my uses. In eBooks locating a dictionary definition is instantaneous.

I use Osnova Bibles on my Kindle Keyboard. However, that is NOT an Android device. Osnova will have to port his indexing strategy over to Android. I get rapid searches and verse location with the Tecarta NIV and the NIV Notes in my Kindle Fire since it is an Android application. Every word is instantly indexed there. I can get to any verse there with just 3 short taps. However, I did search for "pathway" in the Tecarta Bible and it is not present in the NIV both Old and New Testament. It took under 2 seconds for the Tecarta NIV to tell me that.

By the way, the Tecarta Study Bible only uses 22.29 Mb and does not require WiFi for use. The Kindle User Bible (Oxford) also does not require WiFi for use.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Frankly, I rarely use a dictionary separate from reading those words in eBooks. Thus, the Kindle version of the Oxford Dictionary is more than ample for my uses. In eBooks locating a dictionary definition is instantaneous.

Funny, the dictionary is one of my favorite books! Seriously, when I was a kid, an uncle of mine got me into browsing the dictionary for fun, and it's always stayed with me. I have a shelf full of dictionaries, including the micro-graphic OED.
The dictionary was one the things that drew me to ereaders. I had several of those pocket electronic dictionary devices back in the day.

ApK