Midori App

I don't have many apps on my iPhone/iPad.  I guess it's because I just like to keep things simple.  But in preparation for my Japan trip, I did just get this Midori app. It was $9.99.  I put it on both my iPhone and my iPad.

I'm hoping that it'll help me recognize words while I'm in Japan, so that next time when I buy a bottle of something, I'll know that it's miso and not just some kind of ono-looking paste. And also maybe it'll help prevent me from ordering chicken skin when I really mean to order yakitori. (Leslie . . . I confess . . . I know I acted like I meant to order that chicken skin at that kushiyaki restaurant at Ameyoko, but I was actually just as surprised as you when the skin came.)



There are a lot of cool features to this app.  You can check them out here.  This handwriting feature was what I was looking for most when researching different apps. Soon after purchasing this Midori app, I tested it out and I was happily surprised to see that it recognized even my chicken-scratch writing.


After writing your word, you're given several kanji to choose from. After you choose the correct one, you click on "translate" and it'll translate the word for you.


I had written the above "kombu" with my fingertip.  I tried out these styluses that I have, but they weren't precise enough to draw smooth, unbroken lines, and it ended up that my finger worked the best of all. The Nintendo DS stylus on the right didn't even work at all.  


Right now, I have several styluses in my cart on Amazon. Not sure which one to pick. Any suggestions?