Electronic Dictionaries, Phrasebooks

[matthew254]

I would like to have a post about personal opinions on electronic dictionaries. I went through a lengthy trial-and-error process when I was shopping for one mainly because there was not a big wealth of knowledge on the subject (at least, knowledge that was written in English). I hope this post can be a beacon for other potential shoppers.

I can start us off with my experiences with the two dictionaries I have.

IRiver D30 http://product.iriver.co.kr/p_d30_feat.asp
Summary:
- A PMP (Portable Media Player) that has multiple dictionaries and phrasebooks
Pros:
- Korean - English, English - Korean
- Japanese - Korean, Korean - Japanese
- Chinese - Korean, Korean - Chinese
- DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting)
- mp3 player, FM radio
- 2GB built in SSD (plenty of space for all those Premium .pdfs!)
- .pdf and CSD reader
- small, lightweight (same dimensions as Nintendo DS Lite)
- high quality voice acting in scripts
- Korean and English keyboard
- IRiver software has easy to use GUI
- long life battery
Cons:
- written for a Korean audience, so menu is in Korean (a con for beginners)
- phrasebooks are practically useless for native English speakers (written for those learning English)
- DMB not available in America (too bad too, free TV is always a good thing)
- Price (roughly 450 USD)
- USB battery charge only for Americans (not a con for me, but still)
- Only available in Korea (bought mine on US ebay though - at a slight premium)
- Support is pretty much only in Korean
- Almost too many features (intimidating for non-techies)
- cannot go from English - Japanese
- cannot go from English - Chinese
Overall:
- Fantastic little thing with over 80 different dictionaries that has served me well

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ECTACO English Korean EK800 Partner Series http://www.ectaco.com/ECTACO-EK800/
Summary:
- A dedicated dictionary, phrasebook, with voice input/output both native and digitized
Pros:
- available at Amazon, Ebay
- written for English-speaking audience
- support and menu in English
- touchscreen
- very useful phrasebook geared for both travelers and potential residents
- useful "You May Hear" function in phrasebook
- all phrasebook output is native done by either female or male voice (your choice)
- very customizable GUI
- built-in flashcard practice is customizable - I put the phrases that I need to most help on in there and briefly quiz myself when I have a quick minute to burn
Cons:
- embarrassingly short battery life
- touchscreen has too many exclusives (meaning some things you must use the stylus and touchscreen
- QWERTY keyboard only recognizes English language
- 한글 input is a chore - cannot use physical QWERTY keyboard - must use a virtual keyboard on touchscreen
- 한글 doesn't align itself correctly (meaning when you spell the word 한(han) , you normally press three letters and the program automatically recognizes the order and combines them into one character = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 but this dictionary does not. I kid you not.
- 한글 input is awkward and non-native
- dictionary doesn't always give you the correct translation. "Heartburn" gives you "가슴앓이" which isn't a symptom of acid reflux rather a great subplot for any given Korean drama ("My heart burns for you!")
- Price (roughly 400 USD)
- lightweight but kind of on the big side - think slightly bigger than the original Nintendo DS
- support is a bit shady for lack of a better word
- 1-800 number leads to an answering machine (remember those?)
- firmware easily corrupted, prompting several factory restores
Overall:
- overpriced for the utility. Phrasebook is great and has many phrases not found elsewhere.

[javiskefka]

Oh wow, that iRiver is like the Bentley of electronic dictionaries.

Mine is a Sharp RD-3500. It's a utilitarian device with a monochrome lcd screen (like a gameboy or a calculator) and a qwerty/hangeul keyboard which cost me 125,000 KRW three years ago.

Pros:
- Korean-Korean dictionary (Standard, old proverbs, hanja)
- Korean- English dictionary
- English-Korean dictionary
- English dictionary (simple ESL definitions; TOEIC stuff that I've never looked at; conversational phrases searchable by category, English/Korean keyword)
- Explanation and examples provided at the touch of a button for many of the enumerated definitions throughout
- Part of speech, slang, vulgar, archaic information provided
- Ability to select and look up words contained within the text of a definition
- Korean and English selectable interface
- Two AAA batteries give months and months and months of use

Cons:
- Screen difficult to read under indirect lighting
- Button pushes don't always register if pressed too rapidly or not firmly enough
- Somewhat slow performance

Overall:
I selected this one over more feature-rich dictionaries because I was a student with limited financial means and it seemed quite sufficient for what I needed. It is very serviceable, rugged and compact. Since I still am a student, I would be very hard pressed to purchase anything more expensive now unless I got a screaming deal.

By the way, you must be confused. 가슴앓이 is the painful symptom of acid reflux.

[matthew254]

By the way, you must be confused. 가슴앓이 is the painful symptom of acid reflux.

weird. three of my friends told me that it means literally - your heart is burning, as in burning for someone, and not a gastrointestinal problem.

[javiskefka]

I'm just judging based on the dictionary definition. Consider the word of a native speaker before mine.

The same -앓이 is used for earache and stomachache though...

[matthew254]

Consider the word of a native speaker before mine.

any native speakers care to chime in? Bueller? Bueller?

[sherislick]

I have a Nurian X7 that I purchased over a year and a half ago. I love it. It does pretty much everything except dance, but the number one reason I bought it was the COLOR touch screen. I have learned over the years that I don't like anything without a color screen, so I knew I would not be happy with anything else.

Also, sometimes I have my korean friends read korean sentences into the dictionary, and it records them for me to listen to later. That is rather helpful.