Electronic dictionaries... help?

[Sidney]

[MaxPower]

I have and recommend the Casio XD-GP9700. It doesn't have an english menu like the canons but I think even a beginner can learn their way around the menu in a short time. It also seemed to be the easiest to look up kanji on when tried out a lot of different denshi-jishyou a year ago. There could be better ones by now and I'm sure some people know more about the subject.

[IkemenTommy]

I give you props for using the search button first, unlike most newbs on this site.

If most of your translation needs are for computer work, then I suggest using:
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

and skip the dinky translator hardware. If you are out in the public, just ask people (I'm assuming you are in Tokyo.) People tend to be helpful and it's a great conversation starter.

And welcome aboard.

[hundefar]

I have the XD-SP9500, which works fine for me. I prefer Casio over the other makers. A lot of people seem to like the XD-GF6500, which is affordable. You can find an list of its features in English, here.

[kurohinge1]

... I arrived here in Japan about two weeks ago, and now that I'm settled in a bit, I wanted to purchase an e-jisho. The problem is that my Japanese, particularly reading and writing, is pretty bad. Because of this, I can't really search through Amazon.jp or elsewhere and look at the reviews. ...

I've got a Sony because it's nice and compact - fits in a pocket easily.

And I'm a big fan of Jim Breen's Monash uni site, mentioned by I-Tommy above.

However, I recommend just popping into some city/suburban electronics stores, which usually have a good selection on display and juiced-up to play with. Some are inherently easier to use than others and being able to compare them side-by-side is great.

PS: Ask the staff to show you how to look up, say, "waribiki"

[Sidney]

Okay I've narrowed it down to two models:

Casio XD-GF6550/
and
Casio XD-GF9800/

For someone who's native language is English and is going to be studying Japanese for years to come, which one would you recommend?

[CrankyBastard]

Okay I've narrowed it down to two models:

Casio XD-GF6550/
and
Casio XD-GF9800/

For someone who's native language is English and is going to be studying Japanese for years to come, which one would you recommend?

If you're going to be at a desk studying, invest in a good paper dictionary.
If you're on the move and need to look up a word quickly, get a cheap denshijisho.
jmho

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

The long haired version.

[omae mona]

If you're going to be at a desk studying, invest in a good paper dictionary.
If you're on the move and need to look up a word quickly, get a cheap denshijisho.
jmho

That's interesting advice, Cranky. Why do you think a paper version is better than the electronic version?

[IkemenTommy]

That's interesting advice, Cranky. Why do you think a paper version is better than the electronic version?

Because you can take a shit and wipe your ass with it afterwards.

[omae mona]

Because you can take a shit and wipe your ass with it afterwards.

Oh crap. Finally I think I understand why the nice girl at the Bic Camera repair counter was insisting I had voided the warranty on my Canon Wordtank.

[CrankyBastard]

That's interesting advice, Cranky. Why do you think a paper version is better than the electronic version?

Typing in the spelling of a word is harder and more time-consuming than flipping through pages and using the index at the top ofthe page.It's also difficult for large fingered and arthritic old coots like me, those feckin little keypads have labels for the keys, and I have yet to meet anyone who knows how to use each of those functions. And, for an English speaker, you'd best learn those kanji labels or the functions will be, non-functional.
I use a denshijisho only for its most basic function of typing in a word and checking its meaning. Idon't see the point having all of those other buttons, unless it's to enjoy the different beeping that accompanies pressing them, sounding like you're at the bridge of the Tardis!(cool though)
My old thirty something year paper dictionary looks pretty beaten up, held together with scotch tape, the back almost worn off, but inside more than half the pages have notes and highlights indicating personal additions that were and still are indispensable when trying to fathom Japanese.
In this way, I was able to add to the dictionary's memory capacity. (can't do that on a denshijisho)
A paper dictionary doesn't need batteries, so there's no maintenance cost, well except for a bit of scotch tape!
It's robust, drop it from a height, sit on it, spill stuff on it, it's still functional. (can't do that to a denshijisho, either)
So, apart from the advantage of compactness and weight, I choose paper over electronic.

[xaristides@yahoo.com]

Paper would be easier to read and "scroll" not to mention 1/10 the price or 1/5 or whatever.

[IkemenTommy]

Paper would be easier to read and "scroll" not to mention 1/10 the price or 1/5 or whatever.

If you wanna be hauling around a big heavy ass phone book around at 10 times the weight, then go on ahead.

[CrankyBastard]

If you wanna be hauling around a big heavy ass phone book around at 10 times the weight, then go on ahead.

10 times the weight of an e-dictionary!
Even I can handle that.

[IkemenTommy]

10 times the weight of an e-dictionary!
Even I can handle that.

I just threw in 10 because he claims it's 1/10 the price. Anyway, nothing is stopping you guys from hauling around a big ass dead weight (and space).

[omae mona]

Paper would be easier to read and "scroll" not to mention 1/10 the price or 1/5 or whatever.

That is a really interesting claim! I took a quick look at the price (http://www.amazon.co.jp) for the main dictionaries contained in my ancient Canon Wordtank G50.

Koujien Japanese Dictionary: 7875 yen
Gyakubiki (reverse look-up) Koujien: 3800 yen
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 4390 yen
Reader's English-Japanese Dictionary: 7980 yen
Kenkyusha's New College Japnaese-English Dictionary: 5250 yen
Sanshodo Concise Katakana Dictionary: 3044 yen
Gakken Kanjigen: 3045 yen
Concise Oxford Thesaurus: 3800 yen


TOTAL: 38124 yen

My Wordtank cost quite a bit less than this. I think I got a bargain! I literally use every volume except the thesaurus (mainly because I forgot it was built-in until I typed up this post).

Seems like the electronic dictionaries are a bargain compared to the paper version.

[CrankyBastard]

That is a really interesting claim! I took a quick look at the price (http://www.amazon.co.jp) for the main dictionaries contained in my ancient Canon Wordtank G50.

Koujien Japanese Dictionary: 7875 yen
Gyakubiki (reverse look-up) Koujien: 3800 yen
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 4390 yen
Reader's English-Japanese Dictionary: 7980 yen
Kenkyusha's New College Japnaese-English Dictionary: 5250 yen
Sanshodo Concise Katakana Dictionary: 3044 yen
Gakken Kanjigen: 3045 yen
Concise Oxford Thesaurus: 3800 yen


TOTAL: 38124 yen

My Wordtank cost quite a bit less than this. I think I got a bargain! I literally use every volume except the thesaurus (mainly because I forgot it was built-in until I typed up this post).

Seems like the electronic dictionaries are a bargain compared to the paper version.

Fair enough, you get more bang for your buck.
But I'll stick with what serves me best for the reasons I gave above.

[FG Lurker]

My old thirty something year paper dictionary looks pretty beaten up, held together with scotch tape, the back almost worn off, but inside more than half the pages have notes and highlights indicating personal additions that were and still are indispensable when trying to fathom Japanese.
In this way, I was able to add to the dictionary's memory capacity. (can't do that on a denshijisho)

I'm not too familiar with the Casio models but the newest Sharp (touchscreen color display) ones allow you to highlight and add comments to entries. You can also add entire new books to the higher end Sharps (and I think the higher end Casios as well.)

A paper dictionary doesn't need batteries, so there's no maintenance cost, well except for a bit of scotch tape!

The newer ones mostly seem to have rechargeable li-ion batteries in them.

It's robust, drop it from a height, sit on it, spill stuff on it, it's still functional. (can't do that to a denshijisho, either)

True, a paper dictionary will take more abuse, and for anyone who predates computers they may be easier to use. For most of us young'uns though a compact, rechargeable, updateable, and upgradeable electronic device is much better.

I'll get off your lawn now.

[GomiGirl]

Personally, I think carrying around a denshi jisho is pointless when you can have it all in your mobile phone or iPhone.

/ shameless self promotion

I didn't pipe up earlier as the guy said he had trouble with using the keypad of a mobile phone, but I just couldn't keep quiet given how this thread has progressed.

I hate the denshijishos that advertise 50 milliion dictionaries (most of them crappy with bad editing and indexes). My biggest problem with denshijishos though, is they have limited memory and really can't be updated once you get it home. Languages are moving targets and this format will not keep up with new words, idioms etc which are really so important to be truly fluent rather than just book-learned.

Just my 315yen per month on a subscription basis. Cheaper than a beer!!

BTW got THE most fantastic Kanji learners dictionary coming out soon for iPhone. It will blow your socks off. Watch this space.