Sharp launches Brain PW-AC900 e-dictionary in Japan

Sharp's really been stepping up the e-dictionary game of late -- what with the MID-looking RD-PM10. It's latest offering -- the Brain PW-AC900, however, is a little less exciting. It's very similar to its predecessors in the PW line -- PW-TC930 physically, but has a host of new features, including a simple text editor, multi-lingual dictionary, pronunciation, and vocabulary drills. It boasts a 5-inch VGA LCD, a text pad that's 30 percent larger than previous offerings, MicroSD and USB ports. It'll be available in Japan on the 10th of July. No word on pricing.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

[G @ Jun 25th 2009 8:31PM]

subsmartbook?

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1 Plumbing @ Jun 25th 2009 8:59PM]

Only if it can play MP3s of Thriller!

[qwack @ Jun 25th 2009 8:32PM]

Rest In Peace.

[Rambo @ Jun 25th 2009 8:40PM]

R.I.P. Michael Jackson!! Engadget Address this!!!!!

[OneLove @ Jun 26th 2009 12:36AM]

hes not a gadget.

[SluttyMcNugget @ Jun 25th 2009 8:43PM]

WE WANT MJ NEWS!! NOW!!

[skyblaze @ Jun 25th 2009 8:48PM]

your name made me lol

(and its hilarious how we refuse to stop this chain)

[Epsilon-Not @ Jun 25th 2009 8:49PM]

Sorry to be on topic, but that would be a neat form factor for a netbook...

[RLBurkes @ Jun 25th 2009 9:43PM]

Who says neat when describing electronics? RIP Mike your music will outlive your personal life(hopefully).

[Epsilon-Not @ Jun 25th 2009 10:09PM]

I do, obviously, I think that would have been clear.

[Oleg @ Jun 25th 2009 8:50PM]

Michael Jackson was one of the most talented people to walk the earth, and all the allegations aside you can't deny it. Engadget, sometimes you have to make an exception, now please make it.

[Jo-Al @ Jun 25th 2009 8:51PM]

mj news? um...... turn on the radio.

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1 Plumbing @ Jun 25th 2009 8:59PM]

go away A-Hole

[jay jay @ Jun 25th 2009 8:55PM]

don't acknowledge Michale Jackson engadget it's not tech news plus ever other media circuit is on his balls already. if people want to find out about mj go to tmz or something.

now to the dictionary: it looks great i hope they release this in America i travel a lot and sometimes at home i want to communicate with the Mexicans cleaning my house.

[va jj @ Jun 25th 2009 8:59PM]

i wouldn't be suprise if the doctor didnt try their best to save him? because he was accused of molesting ppl?

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1 Plumbing @ Jun 25th 2009 9:00PM]

Well now then we will have another Freddy Cruger wont we?

[Hitman @ Jun 26th 2009 12:54AM]

+1 for Freddy Cruger's reference!

[Jordan @ Jun 25th 2009 9:03PM]

the Michael Jackson wikipedia article is down. Blast.

[va jj @ Jun 25th 2009 9:15PM]

like added the word "DECEASED"

[lawyer bird @ Jun 25th 2009 9:02PM]

All the crap i read on facebook about him is disgusting. It's practically all pedophile jokes. This guy was one of the most important musicians and entertainers of all time and he deserves our respect for that. RIP King of Pop

[Poo_and_Wee @ Jun 25th 2009 9:42PM]

More importantly, he was a paedophile, and that should overshadow everything else he did.

*waits to get low ranked*

[jmzrbnsn @ Jun 25th 2009 11:06PM]

WHY - this is a new technology site!!!!!

[mjkingofpop @ Jun 25th 2009 9:30PM]

ENGADGET REPORT ON MICHAEL JACKSON I DONT CARE IF IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GADGETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU'VE DONE HURTFUL ARTICLES ABOUT HIM IN THE PAST, INCLUDING A STUPID ONE ABOUT A MASK.

we want a michael article!!!

[Brian @ Jun 25th 2009 10:22PM]

when I first read the title, i thought it said e-rection.

P.S. If Michael had died 10 years ago, I would've cared but with all of the crap he does now I don't really give a rat's ass.

[Nick @ Jun 26th 2009 3:58AM]

It's its, not it's...

[ultimatepwnage @ Jun 26th 2009 5:16AM]

why don't you just buy a netbook and install dictionary software.... much more useful.

p.s. please take the m.j. crap to the place it belongs... you know, articles that actually are related to it.

[giuliop @ Jun 26th 2009 6:06AM]

You're so wrong. This things typically:

- Weigh nothing
- Are pocketable
- Have instant On (and Off)
- Survive for months on AA-batteries
- Have tens (if not a hundred) of dictionaries built-in
- Let you write Kanji directly on the screen

They are exceptional are single-purpose devices.

[ultimatepwnage @ Jun 26th 2009 6:52AM]

okay, didn't know that. thanks for the info, never had one :P.

[sam @ Jun 26th 2009 7:51AM]

Actually, I have an electronic dictionary, and am thinking about doing just that - when ARM A9 netbooks come out next year. Current netbooks are a bit large/battery-hungry for my liking.

Supposing I use it for an hour a day, my current electronic dictionary lasts probably about a month on a pair of AAAs. Which is great! But, I mostly use it at home where power/size is not a major issue - and niceties like a backlit screen would be better.

I haven't worked out yet whether you can buy the right dictionaries (Kenkyusha full version J-E is a must for me) in electronic format that would work on a Linux-based netbook, but if so, I'll consider that - and keep the little Canon for travel use.

Lack of touchscreen would be a bit of a downer but I can draw kanji with mouse/touchpad...

By the way, I believe you can also obtain dictionaries for other portable devices (Windows Mobile etc) which makes another option. I do think electronic dictionaries might be heading slowly in the direction of irrelevance.