DS gets wordplay, Japanese-English dictionary
Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten
was released for the DS in Japan today, bringing an affordable electronic Japanese-English dictionary to the masses. KSRJ's major selling point is its stylus functionality, allowing users to input kanji (stroke-sensitive) and kana onto the touch screen. Japan Chronicles compared Nintendo's new toy tool to Canon's pricey ($299–$470) Wordtank V80 Chinese-Japanese-English dictionary, which also allows kanji inputs via a stylus. Here's what the site liked about KSRJ:
Price*
Same J-to-E and E-to-J dictionaries
Word search by kanji
English pronunciation
Very readable, especially on a DS Lite
Easy-to-use search history
Useful quiz modes
World clock
Calendar
Here's what Wordtank V80 does better:
Vastly superior navigation
Superior Japanese dictionary (Super Daijirin vs. Meiky%u014D)
Includes Chinese dictionary, as well as dedicated English and Kanji dictionaries
Stylus-controlled navigation
Includes real (not virtual) keyboard
*We're not sure what the official retail price for the dictionary software is, but we found KSRJ for as low as $48 at goldenshop.com.hk.