iPad English

Terminology: A Browser for the English Language

DESCRIPTION
Terminology ($2.99) is a browser for the English language. Part dictionary and part thesaurus, Terminology is designed to make it easy to explore words and phrases, diving down to more and less specific terms -- accessing the web and other apps for more detail and sharing.

FEATURES
- Pleasant, book-like, readable interface.
- Offline use.
- Definitions, synonyms, antonyms.
- Keep list of favorite words for quick access.
- Lookup words from Phraseology, Instapaper, Mr. Reader, Writing Kit and a growing list of other apps.
- Customizable font face and size.
- Customizable links to other reference and sharing apps.
- Customizable links to web resources for each term.

VERDICT
There are plenty of good free dictionary apps available for the iPad, not to mention the iPad's own built-in dictionary, so why would you want to pay for one? Well, it really depends on what your needs are. If you just need a basic definition and few synonyms, then one of the free apps (such as (Dictionary.com), will probably suffice. But if you're looking for a tool which allows you to explore the meanings of words in greater depth, then Terminology is well worth your investment. One thing it doesn't do, however, is give any indication as to how the words are pronounced, which represents something of a disadvantage for learners of English.

ALSO SEE
• Terminology Review (Macworld AppGuide)
• Review: Terminology for iPad (iPad Insight)

The Economist: World in Figures

ALSO

DESCRIPTION
The Economist World in Figures iPad edition (free) displays facts and figures for more than 190 countries around the world. Rank and compare countries, test your knowledge of country-related trivia and share fun facts via Twitter and Facebook.

VERDICT
A very useful app for teachers or students of economics or geopolitics, and anyone who's interested in what's going on in the world. The app also features a nice world map. There's a problem with the A-Z glossary, however, which causes the app to crash when you try to consult it.

LESSON IDEA
Use the Compare tool to create bar graphs comparing data on selected topics for the countries of your choice. Great for practising numbers, figures, comparatives, superlatives, etc. The Country profiles are also a good source of data.

SIMILAR APPS
• UN CountryStats (free)
• World Bank DataFinder (free)
• The CIA World Factbook ($2.99)

Voice Answer: Get Spoken Answers to Your Questions

DESCRIPTION
Voice Answer ($3.99/£2.49) is an assistant that works on iPhone , iPad and Android devices. You can ask it questions on any topic, either by talking to it or writing. Voice Answer will find the answer by connecting to relevant sources on the Internet. The robot assistant Eve will then present those answers in both voice and text. The answers shown in the video are the actual responses by the app to spoken questions (the powerful 'Wolfram Alpha' database is used to provide answers). For more details see http://voiceanswer.com.

COMMENTS
Since Apple didn't see fit to include its Siri personal assistant on the new iPad, Voice Answer provides a good substitute while we're waiting for the iPad4. The video is slightly misleading, however, since the app does not feature the animated version of Eve, just her voice (apparently, there are plans to rectify that in future versions). I downloaded the app and tried a few questions. I found the voice recognition to be pretty accurate (although "Who will win the French election?" came out as "Who will win the French connection?" Answer: "The best man"). As for Eve's voice, 'robotic' is probably the best description. Luckily for us English teachers, synthetic voices still have some way to go before they become indistinguisable from the real thing. 

IDEA FOR LEARNERS
Activate the chatbot mode and have a conversation with Eve. A good way to practice speaking if you don't have a real live person to talk with. Just don't imitate the accent ;-)

IDEA FOR TEACHERS
Get your students to ask Voice Answer questions. A fun way to practice question forms (and pronunciation!) in class.

ALSO SEE
• Say Hello To Voice Answer, A Voice Assistant For All Of Your iOS Devices (AppAdvice)
• Another Siri-Like App, Voice Answer, Hits The App Store For Those Of Us Without The iPhone 4S (TechCrunch)
• Voice Answer Is A Chat Bot & Speech Based Search Engine For iPhone/iPad (Addictive Tips)
• Software Mimics Person's Voice (NPR audio report)