ElectronicDictionary
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Sharp intros dual-screen Papyrus electronic dictionaries
Sharp's so-called "electronic dictionaries" have never exactly just been dictionaries, bolstering the usual array of definitions and language translations with everything from e-books to mobile TV to MP3s. Which all makes the company's latest bit of dictionary innovation slightly less surprising but no less notable. Taking a cue from the DS, the company's new Papyrus PW-GT550 device packs a second LCD touchscreen below the keypad designed to let you write a Chinese character you're unfamiliar with and get an instant translation, with the unit's text-to-speech feature also telling you how to pronounce it. As with some of Sharp's other units, you'll also be able to load up the dictionary with MP3s, though you'll need to supply your own SD card for storage. Look for this one to be available in Japan later this month in both pink and white versions for 56,700 Yen ($467), with a touchscreen-less version also available for 44,100 Yen ($364).[Via I4U News]
Sharp intros RD-CX100 dictionary / e-book reader
It may not boast quite the versatility of its souped-up Linux-based "electronic dictionary," but if you're just looking for some basic e-book reading capabilities along with your multi-lingual dictionary, Sharp's new RD-CX100 looks like it may fit the bill. It'll handle both audio books and regular e-books, readable on its 4.3-inch screen, as well as MP3s, though the SD/MMC slot appears to be your only storage option. For some less storage-intensive listening pleasure, you can also take advantage of the unit's built-in FM receiver. If that's not enough to convince you to drop the necessary 310,000 Won (or about $330) for the device, then perhaps the brushed aluminum outer shell will be (check it out after the break).[Via Akihabara News]
HANNURI BIZ brings WiFi to the electronic dictionary
Asia loves 'em some electronic dictionaries. Some even feature mobile TV, MP3 playback and FM tuners. But it's not everyday one comes along sportin' an old iBook clamshell and WiFi. This WinCE 5.0 Pro device from HANNURI BIZ brings a 5-inch touchscreen and oddball QWERTY which looks nicer than it will likely feel to a touch-typist. The in-house named Nurian Z1 comes pre-loaded with IE naturally, which students are meant to use for "streaming audio and video education content" from the Internet. Yeah, and bypass all that YouTube goodness, right. In fact, with the ability to download and install any application, we've got a funny feeling that this will be everything but an electronic dictionary once the kids have their way. Shipping sometime in February to Korea.
Sharp Papyrus PW-TC900 electronic dictionary, and mobile TV
Hey, no one can blame you for thinking that's the latest UMPC, ultra-portable XP thingamabob, or PMP. After all, Sharp's Papyrus PW-TC900 does feature a QWERTY keyboard, 20-hour battery (5-hours for TV), SD slot for expansion, and 4.3-inch, 480×272 resolution display which rotates 180-degrees for folding into a tasty, TV sandwich. Unfortunately (for us), this is Sharp's latest electronic dictionary set for release in Japan. Although its primary purpose might be for Japanese-English translation and learning, with features like an integrated Japanese OneSeg digital TV tuner and MP3 player, no parent should be too surprised when their Papyrus-equipped kids return from school with attention deficit issues. But hey, nothing a little Ritalin can't fix, eh 70s? On sale in Japan starting December 8th for ¥50,000 or about $425. A couple of those in-the-wild snaps after the break.[Via Impress]
Sharp Zaurus CMP2000R electronic dictionary
Yeah, we also looked at that image and thought, 1) that handheld is hotastic, and 2) is that the freakish Hello Kitty fembot on the loose? For sure, that's the latest Linux-powered, Sharp Zaurus electronic dictionary in her/its hands which are so popular in countries like Korea and Japan. The CMP2000R features a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, 1.3 megapixel camera, and SD/MMC slot allowing the device to function as an ebook reader and MP3 player when not helping you translate or learn another language. Unfortunately, the Sharp is only available in Korea for 341,000 won (about $360), and the fembot, well, she's yours for 5 days at a time you sick bastages. [Via Akihabara News]
Pantech's feature-packed IM-U140 multimedia phone
If for some reason we lived in a world without highly-configurable, QWERTY-fied smartphones, our next choice on the cellphone tip would be a feature-packed multimedia handset, and Pantech has delivered just that with its new IM-U140. The most prominent feature of this new model is its SideKick-like form factor, although the U140 eschews the swivel screen for one that slides up to a 30-degree angle at the touch of a button -- all the better to watch programs from its integrated satellite DMB receiver (complete with TV-OUT). At 2.6-inches wide and 262,000 colors, the QVGA touchscreen is no slouch, either, and even throws in a vibrating function so you know that your every command has been acknowledged and received. Other goodies here include a three megapixel camera (a nice bump over the two megapixel shooters found on the IM-R100 and IM U-MU110), PictBridge support for PC-less printing, MP3 playback enhanced by four-channel stereo speakers and an FM transmitter, plus that popular Korean add-on, the electronic dictionary. Curiously absent from the spec sheet are any mention of Bluetooth or memory card support, but with the music and imaging functions, we imagine that there's at least a microSD slot tucked away in there somewhere. Expect the U140 to land in Korea sometime this month, although the presumably hefty pricetag has yet to be announced. To get the full overview of what you'd be stuffing in your pocket everyday, keep on readin' to peep this rather chunky number from the side...
iRiver's latest super e-dictionary, the D25
We got such a great response to our post on NHC's Magic-Talker Color Personal Multi-lingual Assistant that we knew you just couldn't wait for another "does-it-all" foreign electronic dictionary. This one, however, comes from a company that's a little more recognizable: good old iRiver. The third in their series of e-dictionaries, the D25 doesn't sound like it'll be all that different from the D20 we saw last year, although the subdued black and burgundy design has been replaced by a polished white perhaps meant to fool folks into thinking they're getting a Nintendo DS. As usual, machine translation has thwarted our best attempts to learn the full specs on this one; although we do know that it sports a 4.3-inch screen, 1.3GB internal capacity, SD / MMC slot, MP3 support, and an FM radio, we can't tell how many dictionaries are preloaded (our best guess is between 22 and 51) nor what type they are (some seem to be translation, while others probably provide definitions). Either way, there's definitely some conversation helpers in there to help you pass the TOEIC exam, as well as a strange pseudo-scientific feature that uses a "periodic hazard brain wave" to help the little ones get their study on. Since there's no mention of video playback here, we're gonna stick with the Magic-Talker for now, but die-hard iRiver fans should be able to pick these multifunctional wonders up as soon as next week.[Via DAPreview]
NHC's Magic-Talker Color Personal Multi-lingual Assistant
Chances are good that if you're reading this publication you already have a pretty decent grasp of English (probably better than ours, in fact), but for the native Japanese speaker looking to brush up on his/her foreign language skills, we can't think of a device better suited for the task than NHC's rather awkwardly-named Magic-Talker Color Personal Multi-lingual Assistant. Like previous offerings we've seen from Sharp, iRiver, and Franklin, the USB 2.0-compatible Magic-Talker contains numerous dictionaries along with incorporating MP3 and WMA music playback functionality, but those goodies are just the tip of the iceberg. You're also getting tons of conversation tutorials -- complete with animated representations on the full color QVGA display -- and several practice tests for acing the TOEIC exam and impressing business colleagues with your copious English skillz. But that's not all, as this 256MB device (upgradable by 2GB with an SD card) also supports DivX and MPEG-4 video playback (with a TV out for vids up to 640 x 480 at 30fps) and sports an FM tuner (with direct recording, of course), line-in recording, and the ubiquitous voice recorder for practicing your pronunciation. Games, a calculator, and an E-Book reader are also standard, making the ¥44,800 ($386) LM-500J (as it's officially known) seem like a veritable steal compared to similarly-priced devices without nearly as many features. Throw in some WiFi, Bluetooth, and WLAN radios, and we'd even buy one, though we couldn't for the life of us tell you the difference between kanji, katakana, and hiragana.[Via Impress]
