Thank you for the recommendation. I haven't checked this solution out yet, but it looks fantastic! I have never seen an app with this kind of kanji recognition.
It is indeed one of a kind. I haven't formally studied 書道 (calligraphy), but the ad hoc 行書 (cursive style of writing) I've developed out of laziness is recognized perfectly by it.
If you're interested in good Android apps for Japanese, I would also urge you to check out Aedict[0] and DroidWing[1]. The latter, when combined with EPWING-format dictionaries obtained from a 3rd party source, is (IMO) just as good as any 電子辞書 (which themselves use EPWING-format dictionaries). I personally use the 研究社 新和英大辞典 第5版 and 研究社 新英和大辞典第6版 (they are, surprisingly enough, more than sufficient for classical Japanese and for kanbun), though you can also get J-J dictionaries and domain-specific ones, such as for IT or medicine.
Are there any apps that use a dictionary other than EDICT? EDICT is great if you are trying to read a textbook or something, but if you're trying to decipher manga, anime, or a conversation that took place anytime after 1995, it's nearly useless. Actual denshi jishos tend to do much better, but are really optimized for users that speak Japanese natively.
> Are there any apps that use a dictionary other than EDICT?
Look into the second app I mentioned (DroidWing). Like I said, it supports EPWING-format dictionary files, the same as 電子辞書 use, meaning that comprehensiveness is no longer a distinguishing factor when it comes to 電子辞書 vs. smartphones. The specific dictionaries I mentioned (from 研究社) are considered to be the authoritative E-J/J-E dictionaries, both printed and digital. You can of course get other speciality E-J/J-E dictionaries, or J-J dictionaries, if that's what you desire.
Ah, OK. When I read the description of DroidWing I wasn't sure what the point of converting EDICT to some other format was. I will look into this further.
That's a hard copy, and an old edition at that. The digital version (which is what you need for DroidWing) is only $270[0], or free if your ethics are flexible.
I must thank you as well. Though I love my standalone denshi jisho (Wordtank G55) that's lasted me a good 5 years or so, having an app for this works well if I don't want to bust the thing out... especially since these days I'm not sitting down writing Japanese essays.
Maybe it's because I was still in high school when the modern smartphone revolution came about, but for some reason, I just abhor the idea of a standalone 電子辞書 and see it as a 20th-century anachronism.
When I began studying 古文 and 漢文, despite being told that I would "need" to purchase a 電子辞書, I persevered and was able to (most likely thanks to my technical knowledge, which most other Japanese students admittedly do not possess) replicate all the functionality of a 電子辞書 on my existing smartphone for nearly free. In fact, I often found it superior in many ways, such as handwriting recognition with 7notes being far superior to the write-on-a-tiny-1-square-inch-pad-with-a-stylus approach that most 電子辞書 continue to take. And let's not forget the huge advantage provided by cellular internet access, particularly when it comes to looking up proper names when reading texts such as 三国志演義 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms).
No problem! Have fun in Japan, I can't wait to return for at least a couple years. I spent a few months there and enjoyed every moment of it. It's not exactly easy for engineers to get jobs there though, and I have no interest in teaching English :/
