I created Instaword, a browser extension that makes learning new words you come across in articles or while typing much easier… You no longer have to leave the page you are reading to a dictionary or thesaurus to understand the word. All you have to do is highlight or select the word, then click on the InstaWord icon on your toolbar and InstaWord gives you the meaning, synonyms and usage example. And with that, you have learnt a new word.
Instaword has been available on the Opera webstore since July 2015 and has about 700 downloads. I recently just published it to the Chrome store and decided to share it to the radar community.
It makes use of an open source Dictionary/Thesaurus API.
Ideas on how to improve the app and promote it would be appreciated.
There are myriad dictionary extensions on Google Chrome. I use Google Dictionary. And the functionality is even native on a Mac, just move your cursor over the word and tap with three fingers.
One interesting way to “extend” (or differentiate) this extension could be if you allowed your users opt-in to a word-a-day learning programme. Push notifications once a day. But not just any random words. Let them subscribe to various word registers so they can build their vocabularies say in sports, aviation, technology, tennis, etc. Just an idea.