VD Nederl

Compared to the CD-ROM version of Van Dale's Nederlands Woordenboek, this version is very basic. Just the words with their meanings, but no extras like etymology, or search options with wildcards etc. The price is about right for what this app offers, but an advanced or enhanced version would be very welcome.

The content of the dictionary, from Van Dale, is sufficient, accurate and useful. However, Paragon's dictionary engine that is at the core of this app (and the same engine used in their dozens of dictionary apps) leaves a lot to be desired. <br/><br/>While I'm glad they made it work with iOS 5, the app is STILL not multitasking enabled, so if you exit the app and return to it, you have to start over again. I use my iPad for studying Dutch; having to search for the same word over and over again as I move around is ridiculous. Cut and paste is disabled, presumably to prevent wholesale copying of the dictionary content. But for someone studying the language, an inability to copy even a properly-spelled word or basic things like parts of speech from the dictionary and paste it into my notes is a major inconvenience. As iOS apps go, the visual design and overall interface is hardly what I'd call state-of-the-art. <br/><br/>Finally, at $12.00, I think this app is a bit of a rip-off. Paragon seems to know it has no competition, and it prices the dictionary accordingly. The print version of the Van Dale Pocketwoordboek is €9,95 from most retailers; roughly US$13.00 (in September 2011). So Paragon is marking down the digital version by a whopping US$1.00. Considering that no trees were destroyed in the making of this app, so to speak, one might think the pricing would reflect that. Alas, it doesn't. But as the only conventional Dutch dictionary available in the US iTunes store, there's little to do but put-up, and shut-up.