Dictionary .NET

Online translators are widely used nowadays. While their reliability is questionable most of the time, they make for a quick way to figure out what a word or passage means in another language.

If you find yourself using them very often, downloading dedicated software for that might serve you well. Dictionary .NET is a lightweight, portable app, capable of translating over 100 languages.

If we are to compare it with the more modern designs we see in apps these days, this program feels more like a blast from the past than anything else. This is some pretty simple, pared-down software, strictly focusing on its multilingual interpreting duties.

Selecting a language to translate from isn't necessary, as the auto-detect function will do its job. But when it comes to picking the language you want a translation in, there is no lack of variety.

The app uses Google services to handle the interpreting, with the ones from Yandex and Bing also available through a commercial license. Thanks to being powered by Google, pronunciation audio appears right next to the translated text.

After you're satisfied with the translation, the app will minimize and turn into a non-intrusive clock, which will show you the time, all the while remaining very inconspicuous. You can bring up the program again by interacting with it.

Saving your translations as text or .html files is possible, and having the app run on system boot up is another option offered to you. Through the Options menu, you can toggle certain languages, making the program only display those that are necessary to you.

Dictionary .NET is a quite intriguing app, and working with software like this, which is both portable and fully-featured, always makes for a positive experience. However, we found it hard to comprehend a real use-case scenario for such a program.

Locking the Bing and Yandex translation services behind a paywall is a questionable decision, as those can be found and used freely on the net. What's more, the app felt rather clunky to use upon inputting an element for translation, which further upset our confidence in fully utilizing such software.