Quite a few readers let me know that Dictionary.com has released a free dictionary and thesaurus app for BlackBerry. They claim to be the first free dictionary app for BlackBerry and look pretty positive so far. The app just formats the Dictionary.com website results to work on your BlackBerry with features like recent search terms and the ability to sign up for the Word A Day service. It has some cool integration into the email client for looking up words and synonyms. I was waiting for Dictionary.com to release the app outside of App World but so far it looks like it is only available in the App World at this link.
From the description:
The free Dictionary.com app for BlackBerry delivers trusted reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com including more than 500,000 terms, definitions, and synonyms.
The app also features phonetic and audio pronunciations, spelling suggestions and Dictionary.com’s popular Word
Features
- Dictionary and Thesaurus
- Word of the Day (English and Spanish)
- More than 325,000 terms and definitions
- More than 275,000 synonyms
- Spelling suggestions
- Phonetic and audio pronunciations
- Recent history
- Social networking functions
- Email integration
Tom ( View Profile) - Posts: 388
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 7:27 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9630
Direct download http://dictionary.com/blackberry/download
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 8:30 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9530
App World offered Version 1.0, but said not available for Storm.
Tom’s link offered a Version 0.2.252 to my Storm.
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 8:33 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9530
And all the mentions have bumped it to #3 on Top Free Downloads in App World (behind App World itself and BBM5).
Tom ( View Profile) - Posts: 388
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 10:06 AM EST
Another link is at the top of http://m.dictionary.com. This page also provides a browser-based implementation that does not require the installation of an app.
Star Not Registered
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 10:43 AM EST
Those dictionaries come in very handy. For the E71 I own Nokia also offers free dictionaries. Although their app is not as extended as this application. Of course anything free is good!
mh Not Registered
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 11:04 AM EST
I will not be downloading this app since the Curve already has a search option for dictionary.com in the browser search bar. I would download the dictionary if it stored definitions locally (on the removable card), and it had the ability to select text in any other app to look it up.
Tom ( View Profile) - Posts: 388
Posted: October 14, 2009 at 11:24 AM EST
The major benefit is the integration with other apps even though the dictionary itself is not local.
James Not Registered
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 4:37 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8120
Has anyone else had a problem with a “cannot connect to server” error? The install completes and the BB reboots, but this error comes up immediately upon starting the app. I’m using a BB 8120 and I’ve tried downloading from both appworld and dictionary.com.
DavidB Not Registered
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 5:01 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9630
Just tried from my 9630 on Verizon and no problem running dictionary or thesaurus lookups.
Sundeep Not Registered
Posted: January 4, 2010 at 6:05 AM EST
Does this app get installed locally..?
Does it use the data connection (internet) for every word I search..?
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: January 4, 2010 at 8:38 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9630
The app installs locally BUT requires a data connection for any functionality. It cannot look up a word without contacting its server. That’s lame.
That said, since Verizon has started removing dictionary.com from your browser search bar, the app becomes marginally more useful.
From my BlackBerry Tour…