December 9, 2010
iApps for the Nihongo-challenged
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2010 Hands up who knows Rikaichan? Yup, thought so. The browser plugin that pops up furigana readings of kanji and their definitions has long been a favorite with Japanese learners, so it’s fantastic to see the same technique finally hit the iPhone and iPad. The action comes courtesy of […]
By Metropolis
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2010
Hands up who knows Rikaichan? Yup, thought so. The browser plugin that pops up furigana readings of kanji and their definitions has long been a favorite with Japanese learners, so it’s fantastic to see the same technique finally hit the iPhone and iPad.
The action comes courtesy of developer Long Weekend, which dropped the iPad version of its Rikai Browser on us a few months back, and the iPhone iteration just the other day. The idea is simplicity itself: hit a Japanese website, mouseover (with your finger, natch) some text you’re having trouble with, and you’re in like young Master Flynn.
Rikai Browser comes in two flavors on each platform: free with ads on the bottom from time to time, and a premium, ad-free version at ¥450.
Bonus fact: Long Weekend also make the stunningly good Japanese Flash app—¥900 for the best vocabulary flash cards on the iPhone (and iPod touch; no ’net connection needed).
