Dictionary

[deferredreward]

I'm interested in what people think about the dictionaries available on the different devices, as well as the ease of getting to a word for the definition & back to reading (in particular, on a device without a touch screen).

[HarryT]

The Kindle and Sony devices have extremely good dictionaries of both British and American English; the nook has an extremely poor dictionary. I'm not aware of any other devices with built-in dictionaries.

Pocketbook and BeBook Neo/Onyx Boox 60 devices have an interface for a dictionary, but no dictionary is supplied with the device. With those you're basically stuck with using public domain dictionaries. I understand that Pocketbook either are, or will be, making a range of commercial dictionaries available, but you'll have to buy them.

The Bookeen CyBook devices can use commercial Mobipocket dictionaries, provided that the device is used with the Mobipocket, rather than ePub, firmware.

All the dictionary interface work well.

[Sweetpea]

I must say I rather like the interface of the K3 dictionary. You simply move your cursor at the start of the word and the dictionary entry is shown. No extra button clicks required. Haven't tried the dictionary on the Sony yet...

[HarryT]

The Sony's interface works very nicely. Just double tap on a word and you get a brief definition at the bottom of the screen. Tap that to see the full dictionary entry. Very similar to the Kindle in that respect.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by deferredreward

I'm interested in what people think about the dictionaries available on the different devices, as well as the ease of getting to a word for the definition & back to reading (in particular, on a device without a touch screen).

Personally, I don't see the need for a dictionary. I read books for pleasure, not assignment.

I also don't need 3G, WiFi, web browser, keyboard, LCD navigation panel, underlining, highlighting, search, etc. I never used those functions when reading DTB's, so don't see why I suddenly need them with an ebook.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Personally, I don't see the need for a dictionary. I read books for pleasure, not assignment.

It depends what sort of books you read, I suppose.

I am very partial to 19th century novels, in which one encounters all sorts of words that are no longer in common use. Although one can sometimes guess the meaning of these from context, it enriches the reading experience to be able to look them up.

Here's a sentence from Anthony Trollope's "Barchester Towers":

Thus clad she peered out into the tent, went to the ha-ha, and satisfied herself that at any rate the youngsters were amusing themselves, spoke a word to Mrs Greenacre over the ditch, and took one look at the quintain.

Now, without looking in the dictionary, do you know what a "ha-ha" is? What about a "quintain"?

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Personally, I don't see the need for a dictionary. I read books for pleasure, not assignment.

I also don't need 3G, WiFi, web browser, keyboard, LCD navigation panel, underlining, highlighting, search, etc. I never used those functions when reading DTB's, so don't see why I suddenly need them with an ebook.

Really?
you've never ever come across a word you don't know the meaning of?

[deferredreward]

Harry, the older books are exactly why I want the dictionaries. Thank you HarryT & Sweatpea.

[HarryT]

You're very welcome. Personally I consider the dictionary to be one of the most useful features of an eBook reader. The Kindle 3G also offers the nice feature of being able to look up a word in Wikipedia.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Really?
you've never ever come across a word you don't know the meaning of?

Nothing that can't wait until I'm on my computer.

I want a simple ereader, not a tablet PC.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Nothing that can't wait until I'm on my computer.

I want a simple ereader, not a tablet PC.

Devices such as the Sony and Kindle are simple. The presence of a dictionary doesn't make them more difficult to use.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Devices such as the Sony and Kindle are simple. The presence of a dictionary doesn't make them more difficult to use.

I realize that and I know I'm in a minority on this issue. These are just features I don't need.

I can't do Kindle though. I need library books, so I'm waiting for Nook 2.

[HarryT]

Fair enough - but you do know that the nook, and presumably the nook 2 - have a dictionary?

[soondai]

did they ever fix the nook dictionary?
I was told at least half of the N (or maybe M) words were missing

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Fair enough - but you do know that the nook, and presumably the nook 2 - have a dictionary?

I know; and it'll go unused.