The 1.0 version had a lot of good features for searching, even by ローマ字 (romaji) or 部首 (bushu), but the new one has multiple radical search (they call it “By Component” search) and even search by conjugated form. I think my favorite new feature is the ability to use the by component entry system to look up things in the main dictionary. Brilliant.

In addition, they are challenging Anki mobile with their own flashcard system and a JLPT study list that also has how many days until the next test! I wonder if they account for the fact that the test is done twice in Japan per year, but only once overseas…

The animations showing you how to draw the 漢字 (kanji) are back. That was really one thing that set 1.0 out and above everything else.

Anyway, it is normally $20, but was on sale until 2.0 was released… which seems like it was today. The app store description and website aren’t updated yet, so go get it NOW while it is still cheap! Even at $20, you get the functionality of a $300 piece of equipment. After breaking 3 electronic dictionaries over the years, I’m glad to have this all in 1 app. Go convergence! (More screen shots after the jump.)

Pics:

Component Search

Flash Card System

Emailing Vocab Lists

Technorati Tags: anki, Anki Mobile, Apple, code from tokyo, iPhone, iPod Touch, Japanese, jlpt, kanji, nihongo, 日本語, 日本語能力試験, 漢字

After using it, I can safely say it is better than I expected. I guess the wait was worth it after all.

I have a lot to say, but for those of you with limited blog reading time, here are the main points:

1. Views NicoDou videos
2. Shows comments
3. Publishes comments
2. Available on US iTunes Store
3. Runs over Edge, 3G, and WiFi

Go get it! (iTunes Link)

Remember, you need a NicoDou account to use this app. If you don’t have one, go get one here!

Full review and lots of screen shots after the jump!

Where to start? This program really was worth the wait. From every angle, the app seems to have really had a lot of work put into it. In fact, they also conveniently updated their flash player at the same time the app was released (approved?). I’m guessing they were saving the flash update to go with the app since they share a new design look and some new functions. So rather than thinking of this as just another app, this seems to be a part of their push to move NicoDou to a wider audience.

For those of you who haven’t heard anything about it yet, but are familiar with NicoDou in general, the app is what you would expect; a way to watch NicoDou videos with comments. One thing people were very curious about was whether it would support adding comments.

Click コメントする

Enter your comment

Choose positon, size, and color.

Even on the actual site, people can see your comment!

As you can see, it does let you put in comments, and that’s really the worst thing about the app. It stops the video and opens up a new screen where you can publish the comments. So, what you lose in real time, you gain in function, since you can do all the colors and variations that are normally available as well.

The thing that really surprised me, well, the first thing that really surprised me was that it was freely available on the US iTunes store. I was so worried I would need a Japanese iTunes account to download it. This saved me a lot of worry! So, peoples of the world, can you download it?

Remember, you still need to enter you account info to sign in. This is accomplished by clicking the 設定 (settei, lower right hand corner).

Then click カウント設定

Enter your mail address and password, and hit 確認 in the upper right.

Last, the thing that really surprised me… It works over edge. See, in Japan, the iPhone wasn’t released until the 3G, so they don’t have the 1st gen iPhones to worry about. Even the user interface tells you if you are on 3G or WiFi. And, since I am on really crappy hacked T-Mobile edge, I would pretty sure there would be no way in hell I could watch videos over edge. I was wrong. It works, even over my stupid edge. The YouTube app doesn’t even work over my edge connection! This is the thing that makes me the happiest man on earth. I can now NicoNico wherever and whenever I like. It is a dream come true.

Using it over Edge, which shows as 3G

One last odd thing I noticed was that one of my videos I uploaded “wasn’t available to non-premium users.” I’m not quite sure what that is about, but I’m guessing they restrict unpopular videos for some reason… further research is needed!

Wow. Why aren’t you playing with it, right now?!

Technorati Tags: app, app review, Apple, ニコニコ動画, Dwango, edge, gadgets, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone Apps, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, screenshots, ss, technology, wifi

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu1WroT_kOE

I didn’t think this day would ever come. The ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) for iPhone and iPod Touch is complete, as reported by ascii.jp! The video above shows many of the features. Basically, it looks to be a nice experience overall, with rankings, search, and of course the ability to comment. You’ll also note, they don’t show comments actually over the video until the very end. I was freaking out. I mean, without the comments, ニコ動 is nothing.

In any case, now they are just waiting for approval from Apple. More will be revealed in the April 7th issue of Weekly Ascii magazine. The second I find a copy of that or the app is actually released, I will be doing everything in my power to bring you guys the juicy details!

NicoNicoDouga 4 life!!!

Technorati Tags: app, Apple, ascii, ニコニコ動画, cell phones, iPhone, iPod Touch, mobile, mobile video, nico on youtube, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo

The results are shown at the right. What I got was a page where the flash elements were just gray space. Alas.

So, still no ニコ動 on the iPhone. For those keeping track, that’s 0 for 3. Flash support, a ニコ動 App, or this Safari plug-in… Nothing has been released yet that will lot us watch our favorite video site on the iPhone as of yet.

Maybe I should stop holding my breath.

Technorati Tags: Apple, flash, iMobileCinema, iPhone, iPhone Apps, jailbreak, NicoNicoDouga, softbank, videos

There is a catch however. You have to be a Softbank user sending things to other Softbank users.

And we cry…

UNLESS you are a l33t haxor. If you phone is jailbroken, you can tweak a file or just download the springboard update by searching for “emoji” in Cydia (what I did, cause I’m lazy). After that, you go into Settings ⇒ General ⇒ International ⇒ Keyboards ⇒ Japanese ⇒ Emoji (turn in ON). After that, when you hit the little globy thing, it will cycle to 絵文字 eventually. It even has a commonly used 絵文字 section!

And it works. I sent the mail shown in the image to my gmail and got this:

「えもじ」

If you see 絵文字 above, you are a mad haxor with 絵文字 fonts. Reveal your secrets! I see little squares (on PC, when browsing on my iPhone, the above showed up as their 絵文字 counterparts). However, on my iPhone, they arrived safe and sound, even when I sent those boxes copied and sent from gmail.

In anycase, if that isn’t reason to jailbreak your iPhone, I don’t know what is.  (It’s a 絵文字, I swear.)

Technorati Tags: Apple, cell phones, cydia, 絵文字, email, emoji, firmware, hacking, iPhone, jailbreak, jailbreaking, Japanese language, pwnage, smilies, technology, texting

さらに、iPhone 3Gでもニコニコ動画を視聴できるように開発を進めていることも明らかになった。ニワンゴ代表取締役社長の杉本誠司氏は、具体的な時期や内容は語らなかったものの、「ニコニコ動画らしいものができるように開発を進めている」と述べている。

[My translation]
Additionally, it has been announced that development is progressing so that NicoNicoDouga can be viewed on iPhone 3G as well. Niwango’s representative director, Mr. Seiji Sugimoto, explained that while we cannot give specific details as to when and how this will happen, he did say that, “Development is progressing so that we can make something that is wholly like the NicoNicoDouga experience.”

Yes! But, no… development progresses, but it won’t be available on Nov. 4th. And there’s no guarantee that it will work on my old iPhone, or that it will even work in America. BUT, I still have hope that someday, I will be watching and commenting (yes, that is possible on mobile ニコニコ動画 as well) on videos anywhere I want!

Technorati Tags: Apple, ニコニコ動画, cell phones, CNET Japan, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone Apps, mobile, NicoNicoDouga, Niwango, Seiji Sugimoto, softbank

It is about freaking time. They are adding 絵文字 (emoji) to the new iPhone firmware. Which means that all of us JP loving folks can put a little picture of a beer next to our 「今夜飲もうよ！」 emails.

I’m particularly excited about this because, as a pseudo-Japanese-expat, I love that I can send Japanese on my American iPhone. The addition of 絵文字 is just icing on the cake. And judging from the fact that Japanese people send more emails on their phones than SMS texts, that means they have to work in email too. That being the case, there is a good chance I will never write an email on a computer again.

So, they obviously are listening to the people about this… or at least the Wall Street Journal. Does this also mean a ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) viewer app is on the way? Only time will tell…

[Via MacRumors]

Technorati Tags: Apple, cell phones, 絵文字, email, emoji, firmware, iPhone, Japanese language, smilies, technology, texting

I am willing to be that this is the exact reason why the iPhone didn’t take off in Japan. Or, at least, if they had added a ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) player, they would have had one rabid fan base right off the bat.

Well, TUAW is announcing that Adobe really wants to bring flash to the iPhone. I am all for it. Of course, right now, when I visit the ニコニコ動画 site on Safari, it crashes… so who knows, maybe I’ll never get to have the joy of commenting “wwwwwwwwwwwww” in front of my favorite videos while on the bus.

Technorati Tags: Adobe, Apple, ニコニコ動画, cell phones, flash, iPhone, NicoNicoDouga, Safari, technology, video, web