Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, has launched an application optimized for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch.

The dictionary giant has joined forces with Paragon Software Group, a software developer and content provider for mobile devices and desktop PCs, to bring premium dictionary content to iPhone consumers. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary for iPhone is now available on the iTunes App Store at http://www.apple.com/iphone/appstore.

"The strategy is to provide Apple customers with the best and most reliable dictionaries available on the market," said Dmitry Bekhterev, chief of sales and business development at Paragon Software Group, Irvine, CA.

"Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, for iPhone and iPod touch is a brilliant example of this strategy, making the best college-level desk dictionary content running under the advanced SlovoEd engine developed by Paragon Software Group available for all iPhone and iPod touch users," Mr. Bekhterev said.

Merriam-Webster claims that its Collegiate Dictionary mobile application was tailor-made for the special characteristics and unique features of the iPhone.

Merriam-Webster's database contains 225,000 entries, including more than 10,000 new words and definitions, which can be accessed anywhere, anytime, without an Internet connection or any additional charges.

Paragon's Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary content features an easy-to-use, single-click application for instant access to all words and definitions.

The SlovoEd engine compresses the database to a minimum of memory space while allowing users to quickly perform multiple lookups.

Paragon Software Group offers the best dictionary content from world-famous publishers, with more than 120 dictionaries for 30 languages.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition for iPhone has a suggested retail price of $24.99 and may be ordered at http://www.merriam-webster.com/store/iphone/collegiate.

The program is supported by iPhones with firmware 2.0, iPhone 3G and iPod touch with firmware 2.0.

"As Apple's AppStore does not provide developers with advertisement features yet, we will implement standard ways of advertising -- context ads, direct messages to our customers, banner advertisements and so on," Mr. Bekhterev said.

Paragon Software Group actively markets and sells in more than 150 countries and has offices in the U.S., Germany, Japan and Russia.

The company's Smart Handheld Devices Division (SHDD Pen Reader & Epocware) offers software for diverse classes of smart handheld devices and desktop PCs, including Palm OS, Pocket PC/Windows Mobile, Symbian OS, iPhone and iPod touch.

Paragon provides mobile services including multilingual on-line handwriting recognition, localization, business and game applications and multilingual dictionaries.

"Merriam-Webster has considerable brand awareness in the U.S., and under the Merriam-Webster brand, iPhone customers will receive the original Merriam-Webster's college-level dictionary," Mr. Bekhterev said. "The company is the leader in both print and electronic language reference publishing, and their products will be well received at the AppStore as the customers recognize the quality.

"Paragon Software Group and Merriam-Webster will work together to promote the joint product," he said. "Paragon will cover mobile customers, their traditional audience, and Merriam-Webster will inform their customers about a new mobile opportunity."