- Both have a similar range of definitions . There are some words I could find in the MW I couldn't in the Sharp ( McGuffin ) , and there are some I could find in the Sharp but not the MW ( phylogenic , the Bowery ) . I find that the MW tends to have slightly more in-depth definitions and the Sharp one reads a bit more concise and colloquial . The Sharp does provide examples of usage while the MW doesn't .
- The MW doesn't have a visual pronounciation key , while the Sharp does . That's because the MW speaks out the words . This to me was kind of silly because you don't always want to hear the words out loud ( like , in a library , or just about anywhere public ) , even if they included a headphone jack . What became problematic was that the speaking gizmo on my MW broke after a few months , and now I can't even hear the pronounciation even if I want to .
- The Sharp will list all the words possible with each input of a letter ( i.e . , if you punch in a it'll list all the words that begin with a , then if you punch in b it'll list all the words that begin with ab until you get to the word you want . The MW waits until you input all the letters and hit enter , then it searches until it finds something . It takes about a second or two for it to find something that is in its dictionary , but if you punched in something with the wrong spelling or it just doesn't know , it'll take a while , maybe five seconds , which gets kind of exasperating , especially once you get used to the Sharp .
- The Sharp , when you turn it on , displays exactly what you had when you last had it on . The MW always starts with the same default screen . The Sharp also has a memory feature , that goes back some forty or so of your last entries .
- The buttons on the MW are hard and they hurt after prolonged usage . The buttons on the Sharp are pretty soft , which ends up with the opposite problem , you may not push hard enough on them at times .
- The Concise Encyclopedia that came with the MW is extremely painful to use . It's slower than the dictionary and when you do page up or page down it often goes straight to the previous or next entry . Otherwise it provides some decent amount of information at your fingertips . I'm just afraid of the tediousness of it all .
- The leather flip cover for the MW is really flimsy , while the Sharp is neatly self-protecting . I also like how you can open the whole thing 180 degrees , which is something the Seiko can't do . The Seiko only opens up to about 135 degrees , which might seem adequate until you get used to the Sharp .
- The games that come with the MW aren't so great . I like the idea of creating your own wordlist , but it barely takes any , maybe 20 maximum . After playing with them a bit my first week with the MW , I stopped using the game function .
- The Sharp has a grammar guide that I hardly ever use . I suppose it could be handy , but it just feels impractical .
For a long while I carried around both the MW and the Sharp , with Sharp being my first resource then , if I have to , the MW , and if I really have to , the Concise Encyclopedia in the MW . After a while I just ditched the MW and now I only use the Sharp . It is a far better experience , and it's become an indispensible tool . The Seiko I was really excited to check out , but for the price I was quite disappointed . The user experience , while better than the MW , pales compared to the Sharp . The entries in the Seiko are great , a lot of information and depth , but most of the terms in there are in the Sharp anyway , just not with as much detail . For $180 , I decided I could just stick with the Sharp for basic concepts on the proper nouns , and head to my laptop when I want more in-depth detail .
Overall , I recommend anyone with a remote interest in having an English electronic dictionary to go with the Sharp . It's the best portable reference I've found so far .
001 4 I had been thinking about buying an electronic dictionary since they first appeared on the market . I knew pretty much what I wanted in a device but until now , I've found them all wanting in some area that was important to me . This device is absolutely perfect for my needs . These are the attributes that I was looking for , in roughly most important to least important order :
It had to be easy and intuitive to use
It had to have a very comprehensive dictionary and thesaurus
It had to show ( not speak ) pronunciation
It had to be non-invasive ( imagine using one of the speaking dictionaries in a classroom or library setting )
It had to be reasonably priced
The PW-E550 meets all of these requirements .
At the time I was considering the PW-E550 I was reading two books : Being And Nothingness by Sarte and How To Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen ( as an aside , if you're not familiar with Jonathan Franzen I highly recommend checking him out ) . I decided to page through each book and write down a short list of words that I either did not know the meaning of , or was unclear of . I then took that list of words to my local bookstore , found the hardcopy version of The New Oxford American Dictionary and looked up my words . With the minor exception of transphenomenal , I found all of my words in some form ( with transphenomenal I was able to find phenomenal , phenomena and trans - ) .
To give you an idea of what I was looking for I unashamedly present my word list :
nihilates , transphenomenal , ontological , heterogeneity , facticity , thematized , interiorization , objectivation , vagaries , preponderant , exigencies , isolationism , milieu , preemption , multilateralism
When I received the PW-E550 the first thing I did was to recheck my word list . My experience was better than I expected . Not only did I find the same words and definitions , I didn't have to glance at the manual at all to figure out what to do . I just pressed the DICT button , typed my word and watched the list of words that matched my typing get smaller until my word ( or a form of it ) was displayed .
The screen has two zoom settings and the contrast makes the display easy to read . The entire unit could fit comfortably into a shirt pocket ( both size and weight ) . The fact that it uses a single AAA battery ( as a previous reviewer mentioned ) is a real plus .
There was one feature that I did not think about until I started using the device - it would be nice if , when looking at a definition , I could look up any of the words in the definition without losing my place . That's when I picked up the manual and much to my delight I discovered the device can do this ( they call it Super Jump ) . It's not as intuitive as the other features but once you've used it , it becomes obvious . Finally , the hardcopy version of the dictionary has pictures on some pages but the E550 does not . Again , not an issue for me .
I would like to comment on an earlier review where the author gave this unit a one star review . She complained that the PW-E550 is a dumbed-down version of the PW-E500 . By dumbed-down , she meant it had fewer words than the E550 . This is true . However , the PW-E500 uses the Oxford English Dictionary and its corresponding New Oxford Thesaurus . That dictionary gives both English ( as in England ) and American definitions , likewise the thesaurus . This would be a personal choice . I don't need to see both color and colour in my dictionary but that's just me . To me it was like she was saying that she thinks a Jaguar is a better car than a Cadillac therefore a Cadillac is a lousy car . This is a great reference tool .
If you have any doubts about the contents of this unit , go look at the hardcopy versions . I am very impressed and absolutely delighted that I have such a simple yet comprehensive reference sitting on the arm of my chair as I read .
002 4 I'm a big electronic dictionary geek - I own four of them . Two of them for languages ( Japanese and Chinese ) and two for English . I'm a writer and I am constantly reading and looking up words , and I like to be able to do away from my computer because honestly , who wants to lug around a laptop when they just want to take a book out to a coffeeshop ?
I own both the Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Speaking Dictionary ( with a Concise Columbia Encyclopedia card ) and the Sharp PW-E550 . I owned the Merriam-Webster first , then bought this one , and actually bought the Seiko Concise Encyclopedia Britannica for a while before I returned that one . Here's a comparison between the two , and a little mention of the last one :
- Both have a similar range of definitions . There are some words I could find in the MW I couldn't in the Sharp ( McGuffin ) , and there are some I could find in the Sharp but not the MW ( phylogenic , the Bowery ) . I find that the MW tends to have slightly more in-depth definitions and the Sharp one reads a bit more concise and colloquial . The Sharp does provide examples of usage while the MW doesn't .
- The MW doesn't have a visual pronounciation key , while the Sharp does . That's because the MW speaks out the words . This to me was kind of silly because you don't always want to hear the words out loud ( like , in a library , or just about anywhere public ) , even if they included a headphone jack . What became problematic was that the speaking gizmo on my MW broke after a few months , and now I can't even hear the pronounciation even if I want to .
- The Sharp will list all the words possible with each input of a letter ( i.e . , if you punch in a it'll list all the words that begin with a , then if you punch in b it'll list all the words that begin with ab until you get to the word you want . The MW waits until you input all the letters and hit enter , then it searches until it finds something . It takes about a second or two for it to find something that is in its dictionary , but if you punched in something with the wrong spelling or it just doesn't know , it'll take a while , maybe five seconds , which gets kind of exasperating , especially once you get used to the Sharp .
- The Sharp , when you turn it on , displays exactly what you had when you last had it on . The MW always starts with the same default screen . The Sharp also has a memory feature , that goes back some forty or so of your last entries .
- The buttons on the MW are hard and they hurt after prolonged usage . The buttons on the Sharp are pretty soft , which ends up with the opposite problem , you may not push hard enough on them at times .
- The Concise Encyclopedia that came with the MW is extremely painful to use . It's slower than the dictionary and when you do page up or page down it often goes straight to the previous or next entry . Otherwise it provides some decent amount of information at your fingertips . I'm just afraid of the tediousness of it all .
- The leather flip cover for the MW is really flimsy , while the Sharp is neatly self-protecting . I also like how you can open the whole thing 180 degrees , which is something the Seiko can't do . The Seiko only opens up to about 135 degrees , which might seem adequate until you get used to the Sharp .
- The games that come with the MW aren't so great . I like the idea of creating your own wordlist , but it barely takes any , maybe 20 maximum . After playing with them a bit my first week with the MW , I stopped using the game function .
- The Sharp has a grammar guide that I hardly ever use . I suppose it could be handy , but it just feels impractical .
For a long while I carried around both the MW and the Sharp , with Sharp being my first resource then , if I have to , the MW , and if I really have to , the Concise Encyclopedia in the MW . After a while I just ditched the MW and now I only use the Sharp . It is a far better experience , and it's become an indispensible tool . The Seiko I was really excited to check out , but for the price I was quite disappointed . The user experience , while better than the MW , pales compared to the Sharp . The entries in the Seiko are great , a lot of information and depth , but most of the terms in there are in the Sharp anyway , just not with as much detail . For $180 , I decided I could just stick with the Sharp for basic concepts on the proper nouns , and head to my laptop when I want more in-depth detail .
Overall , I recommend anyone with a remote interest in having an English electronic dictionary to go with the Sharp . It's the best portable reference I've found so far .
003 4 The Sharp PW-E550 is an excellent product . It is just slightly larger than a deck of cards when closed . It has two font sizes . The smaller one is perfectly readable for me and offers sufficient content on the screen . It performs amazingly well , very quick , and has so far had all the words I needed to look up .
As one person mentioned , spend a few minutes going through the manual as there are a couple of features that are not readily apparent but are very useful . The Super Jump feature being the most notable , which allows you to lookup the definition of a word within a definition .
The Sharp PW-E550 does everything I wanted it to do and more . A great buy .
006 4 I've only had this dictionary / thesaurus for one day , and its all-around perfectness has driven me to write this review . Sharp really does include the full contents of each book in this device !
1 ) Dictionary : All definitions are explained clearly , many with example sentences and word origins . Want to know about a town , i.e . Altus ( purely random ) ? Type it in - it's a town in SW Oklahoma , pop . 21910 . Phrases ? See if you can find this one in your ordinary electronic dictionary - upset the applecart or the whole ball of wax . Need to refresh your mind on history ? This has it all . It unscrambles words , too .
2 ) Thesaurus : The Complete Oxford American Thesaurus . . . tons of words .
3 ) Grammar book : good for refreshing your memory on key points .
On top of that , the font is big , black , and easy to read . The wait times are nonexistent . And yes , you can use Super Jump and jump between entries at the touch of a button .
This is the absolute best electronic dictionary I have ever used or seen . If you want an intuitive , easy to use , easy to read , easy to understand electronic dictionary / thesaurus / history / geography / grammar / etc . device , then get this . It's well worth the money , and you'll never need another one . Ever .
008 4 It's amazing how so many reviewers give this electronic dictionary five stars . For the most part I agree . This is an easy to use electronic dictionary with a deep vocabulary database and a comfortable thumb keyboard . The dictionary itself is a good one not only because of its coverage but because it lists a word's most frequently used core meaning first , unlike the Franklin English dictionaries where definitions are listed in chronological order , from oldest to latest ( how stupid is that ! ) . So whenever you look up a word in this Sharp dictionary , you'll know which definitions are the most used ones . The included thesaurus is also pretty good and the grammar guide is fun to read .
Unlike my Franklin 11th edition speaking dictionary , which had a lousy keyboard , this Sharp has large-sized keys that have the right tactile feel to them . There are also dedicated page-down and page-up keys , a very good feature . On the down side , the placements of Enter and Esc are unconventional and stupid and take quite some time to get used to .
The multiple-line black and white LCD screen is sharp and you can view contents in one of two fonts and change the font size on teh fly via a dedicated Zoom key . ( The Franklin , in contrast , requires a trip to the setup menu . ) Unfortunately the LCD screen is not backlit ( nor are the keys ) , making it impossible to use this in the dark when you , say , have a sudden craving for enlarging your vocabulary while lying in bed . Given that most paper dictionaries ( and the Franklin electronic ones ) suffer the same problem , and given that a dictionary is usually used as a companion to reading something else , this may not be a big problem . Still , I wish it had a backlight option .
Nicely , the Sharp uses just one AAA battery and has good battery life . The clamshell design protects the screen and keyboard and the size is small enough to carry in a pocket . The build quality stands in stark contrast with the Franklin 11th edition collegiate speaking dictionary : whereas the latter feels cheap and flimsy , the Sharp feels solid and well built . I really hate myself for wasting $90 on the Franklin before discovering a much better value in this model .
On the other hand , the Franklin model has lots of learning tools ( like an SAT word list as well as the ability to make your own vocabulary list ) and games but the Sharp PW-E550 doesn't have any . But given the Sharp cheaper than the Franklin I guess this is not a big deal .
The biggest difference between the two is this Sharp has pronunciation keys but no spoken pronunciation , whereas the Franklin speaking dictionary is the opposite : spoken only but no written keys . It would have been nice to get both in one dictionary , esp . for foreign words ( how exactly do you make those damned French sounds ? ? ) I got tired of Franklin's synthesized speech quick so I don't miss not having it . When I travel to Hong Kong a few years ago I saw electronic dictionaries with natural speech ( American accented , no less ! ) selling for a few dollars . I don't understand why nobody has one here . Maybe the market is just too small as native English speakers usually don't need or care for this feature . ( Who cares about how the French pronounce their words ? We have our own way of saying them ! )
Ok , in short , whether you are a student or an adult or something in between , this Sharp makes a great reading companion . Too bad it cannot be be updated to include new words like blog - - but then , who really cares for these new words anyway ?
009 4 I use the Sharp PW-E550 when I am out reading at a cafe , it is a great little tool and it has proven to be quite indispensable !
PROS :
1 . Relatively compact ( size & weight ) as compared with comparable Franklin models . It is not small enough to carry in a jean pocket ( or a shirt pocket unless you are one of those that wears a pocket protector ) , but it's much better than having to lug a dictionary around
2 . When you turn the unit on , it will be where you last left off , not the main screen - you'll come to appreciate this feature
3 . 8 - line display makes it easier to skim through definitions without scrolling
4 . Fast retrieval of dictionary / thesaurus entries - almost instantaneous
5 . Spell checker is very good at finding the word you are looking for
6 . The Super Jump feature is very handy ( as mentioned by many other reviewers )
7 . The keys are well laid-out and intuitive to use
CONS :
1 . The unit is made in China , and the built-quality suffers a bit , but it is sturdy enough to take some beating
2 . Soft buttons are comfortable , but occasionally enters one-too-many characters , this coming from a Blackberry user who's comfortable with even smaller keypads
3 . A backlight will be a nice addition to the feature set but not a necessity
4 . In addition to the History which is marginally useful , it'd be nice to have more memory to store words of your choosing on the unit - - electronic flashcard ?
010 4 I own the PW E550 and the PW E500 . Neither model has dissapointed me as far as variety of words . I have yet to stump either device reading classic English works . I bought these dictionaries based on the reviews on this page and the reviews of the competing devices from Franklin and Seiko . Also , I think the Oxford Dictionary of English ( and its American counterpart ) are excellent reference books , better put together ( in my opinion ) than Merriam-Webster or American Heritage .
The E550 has the grammer dictionary , which is a great tool . The E500 has the dictionary of quotes , which is nice , but I think I would have rather had the grammer dictionary .
The definitions are long , very informative , and easy to understand . The definitions are also organized as to most modern meaning first , considered the core sense , followed by sub-senses which might be : most commonly used , oldest , etc . . . Each sense has an example sentence which shows its use - - very nice to have .
Some of the entries have * notes * associated with them , which give a great deal of additional info on the particular subject ( e.g . earth , which identifies circumference , distance from sun , and other facts ) .
Both the E550 and the E500 have pronunciations ; however , the E550 has it for most every word , whereas the E500 has pronunciations for certain ( I guess less obvious ) words . The E500 is described as the British version by the manual , but as an American I have had no trouble understanding any word uses / definitions . The E500 will also identify regional differences in usage for you so you don't have to guess if you're sounding too much the Brit or the Yank ( e.g . it will say N . Amer for meanings common in North America , and Brit . for meanings commonly used in the UK ) . It will also tell you if the particular sense of the word is archaic , vulger , slang , formal , informal , etc . . .
No backlight , but the screen is clear , large , and you can zoom in or out one size of the font . They keys are large and soft , making it quite easy to type versus stiff , hard keys . The devices are conservative looking , light , and appear well built . They use 1 AAA battery . They also have an automatic shutoff , which you can configure and which will extend the life of your battery . They will stay open at virtually any angle less than or equal to 180 degrees , which is convenient for desktop use , sitting on your chest as you lay in bed , or whatever contortion you find comfortable .
The E550 is US $ [ . . . ] . For double the price I got 105K more words , lost the grammer guide , and gained the quotes dictionary . I'm not sure if I made out for the better or not on this one , I suppose time will tell . If I don't find a word I'm looking for in my more $ $ one , I may end up being disappointed . Do I think double the price for 105K more words is good ? Not really , but as I'm going to rely primarily on this device when I read and travel , I figured I'd spend the extra money and get as much as I could .
Again , I have tried no other dictionaries but these , and bought these based on reviews of the predominant brands . I have been very pleased with my purchase thus far and would recommend one of these to anyone intersted in improving their vocabulary and understanding of the English language - - and to quite a few people not intersted in doing so but who butcher the meanings of words regularly .
As for me , I'm studying for the Graduate Record Exam and have already found this to be a great tool in improving my score .
012 4 Buying this dictionary was one of the best investments I have ever made . It has nearly every word I need to look up ( the ones that don't show up are latin words that are rarely used in philosophy , which I wouldn't expect most dictionaries to have anyway ) .
The thesaurus is a great tool to have , helping me to use a greater variety of words while writing . The Garner's Modern American Usage was a pleasant surprise , giving detailed explanations of specific usage issues in the English language .
I was comparing this to the Franklin Electronic Dictionary ( Merriam-Webster College Dictionary 11th ed ) , but I really despised the idea of a talking dictionary and I much prefer the pronunciation guide . While the Franklin model does have games and tools designed to help expand one's vocabulary , it seems ( at least in its description ) to be full of unnecessary features . The Sharp dictionary , on the other hand , is very easy to use and is well-suited for its purpose .
All this being said , I should point out that after only two weeks of use , the LCD broke on my dictionary . I suppose that maybe I set my backpack down too quickly and the force crushed it , but needless to say I was very dissappointed that this product couldn't handle more than it did . I called Sharp and they are not going to cover my product under warranty , even though I feel it's not designed as well as it could be . Despite my negative sentiments towards the company , I plan on ordering a replacement and buying a hard case this time .
013 4 I have been a lover of dictionaries for many decades now . I enjoy learning and one cannot learn if the words are not understood !
Seems I am always in search of a better dictionary . When the first Oxford American Dictionary came out I was very impressed with its clear , easy to understand and simple definitions . Main thing missing then was there were no derivations for the words and it was not expansive enough . Later the dictionary was greatly revised and expanded and provided derivations . But skimped on examples for definitions .
Then came the New Oxford American Dictionary ( NOAD ) . This dictionary is about as good as it gets in a single volume that can be lugged around . Weighs about 8 pounds .
The NOAD has excellent definitions . It presents its definitions in a very simple way that is an upgrade over previous dictionaries . Something like Encarta , but has better definitions and more examples . And has excellent derivations .
Also , very importantly , gives simple examples for most of the definitions . In the past the dictionaries that provided examples for their definitions usually gave sentences from English Literature . And often these sentences contained words that were uncommon and forced one to look them up in order to have understanding . Sometimes these words were so uncommon you couldn't even find definitions for them in the dictionary that provided the example ! The NOAD provides simple examples that illustrate the meaning , but are not pedantic .
So if I can only have one dictionary at my disposal at any given time I choose the NOAD . Understand , though , that the NOAD might not be the best dictionary for a person that hasn't been looking up words for some time . A simpler dictionary might be more appropriate for regular use . In which case this dictionary would be a great second dictionary for finding words and definitions missing from the easier dictionary .
When I discovered that Sharp had teamed up with Oxford to put the entire NOAD in a small package I was delighted .
This tiny device contains the entire NOAD PLUS an Oxford Thesaurus and a Grammer Book .
The electronic dictionary is superbly done and functional . Very easy to use and actually makes looking up words fast and fun . If you are in a definition and need to look up another word in that definition you can do that quickly and as quick return to the definition you were in .
You can also look up a word in the new definition if needed . You can continue to do this , if needed , and still be able to return ( without using the history function ) via the same word path . The dictionary keeps track of this direct path up to 10 words . If you need to go back further the History function is there to do so . The history function keeps track of 30 words .
Phrases and idioms are also very easy to find . Much easier than in a regular dictionary . Sometimes one doesn't know which word entry might have the definition for the particular idiom . Here you can type in up to 3 words in the phrase and the dictionary finds the phrase and its definition immediately .
I recommend you read the manual . You can even download it before purchase . It is easy to understand . Knowing how to use this convenient little device gives you great power in terms of mastering words rapidly .
You can jump to other definitions , to the Thesaurus or Grammer book , to notes on definitions , etc . and back again with ease . The facility of navigating the dictionary is superb .
The history function is very useful as it keeps track of words you have looked up and permits fast access to them .
The dictionary is so useful I bought another . It is small and lightweight . ( Won't leave home without it ) . I will probably buy several more to give to others I know .
If you want to learn the English language and have rapid access to words for anything you are studying this dictionary is a MUST .
017 4 After using this unit for a month now I can say it's just what I was looking for - except for the price .
The Franklin electronic dictionaries , which seem to dominate the market are cheap crap .
This unit has a nice large screen with large characters making it easier & faster to read . A big plus IMO are the large buttons which make it easier not to press the button next to it by mistake .
The definitions come up with a very full explanation AND an example used in a sentence - nice .
There will always be some things you wish they had done differently or features you won't use , but that's the way it is with all these gizmos .
Finally , it seems to be pretty well made and solid .
I have to give this unit 5 stars in spite of the price .
018 4 I actually own the UK English version ( E500 ) . In general this is a great electronic dictionary . My wife bought it for me for Christmas so I could use it at work but then she kept it at home to do crosswords so I had to buy the other version ( E300 ) .
The pros are : portable , fast to use , intuitive user interface , good size screen , good ergonomics , great to have on hand when reading , large number of words ( both UK and USA ) .
The cons are : has limited indexing for the Thesaurus - matches that of the paper Oxford Thesaurus , e.g I can search on virago but a search on termagant ( a synonym for virago that appears in the virago entry ) fails . One area for improvement and the reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars !
User interface falls down in one area . If I pick the word think , do a quick view to see a meaning summary , select a view item , look at it and then press Esc to return , I do not get returned to the quick view but am pushed back out to where I first enter the word think . Some consistency here would be good .
The last is not a complaint but sometimes I can't find a word and I would love dearly to have the larger Shorter Oxford English Dictionary inside this Sharp dictionary instead of the Oxford Dictionary . This , combined with full Theasaurus indexing , would make it an insanely superb product .
Paul
019 4 I was a bit hesitant to purchase a Franklin dictionary because of the bad reviews and after using one myself i did not like the buttons or the small text size . I knew that I needed a dictionary though so I did a little research and found this one by Sharp which wasnt outrageously priced .
I have been very happy with this product and have yet to find a word that this dictionary couldn't define . The buttons are good , and the text size is large . Aside from being a good dictionary , it acts almost like a mini encyclopedia . For example look up Huguenot and it's almost like u get a brief history lesson ! It's got an extensive Thesaurus too . Overall , though it's a bit more expensive than those cheapies , its worth it !
020 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I purchased the Sharp PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary about nine months ago . After considerable use , my conclusion is that if you need or can get by with the pronunciation shown rather than spoken , the Sharp appears to be the best choice . I have also owned a number of different Franklin electronic dictionaries , and still use the Franklin Speaking 11th Collegiate Dictionary . However , the Sharp is quite considerably faster than the Franklin and the Sharp displays its results in a window running across the long side of the dictionary unlike the Franklin , which has the window along the short side . I like that the Sharp displays words to choose from as you begin typing the letters of a word , and it narrows down those choices as more letters are typed . I also enjoy its excellent zoom function and quick view key , allowing you to quickly get to the right choice where multiple definitions exist under a single word . It also has a useful history function that allows you to quickly get to words whose definitions you recently looked up . Sharp appears to have given considerable thought to useful functionality .
However , it is not without its flaws . I have occasionally found the Franklin ( i.e . Webster ) definitions superior to those of the Sharp , ( i.e . the Oxford American Dictionary ) definitions and have not yet found the reverse . It also lacks a fair number of words that are in the Franklin dictionary , e.g . , erose , egis , ait , etc . The symbols used by Oxford are somewhat more cumbersome than those used by such native American dictionaries as the Merrian Webster or the New World . However , in spite of these shortcomings , I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Sharp PW-E550 as a good choice if seeing the correct pronunciation in writing , ease of use , speed , and functionality are more important than hearing pronunciation , and if missing the occasional more obscure word is acceptable . However , if spoken pronunciation and a fuller set of definitions is essential , and you can do without seeing the pronunciation , the Franklin is a better choice .
021 4 I purchased the Sharp PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary about nine months ago . After considerable use , my conclusion is that if you need or can get by with the pronunciation shown rather than spoken , the Sharp appears to be the best choice . I have also owned a number of different Franklin electronic dictionaries , and still use the Franklin Speaking 11th Collegiate Dictionary . However , the Sharp is quite considerably faster than the Franklin and the Sharp displays its results in a window running across the long side of the dictionary unlike the Franklin , which has the window along the short side . I like that the Sharp displays words to choose from as you begin typing the letters of a word , and it narrows down those choices as more letters are typed . I also enjoy its excellent zoom function and quick view key , allowing you to quickly get to the right choice where multiple definitions exist under a single word . It also has a useful history function that allows you to quickly get to words whose definitions you recently looked up . Sharp appears to have given considerable thought to useful functionality .
However , it is not without its flaws . I have occasionally found the Franklin ( i.e . Webster ) definitions superior to those of the Sharp , ( i.e . the Oxford American Dictionary ) definitions and have not yet found the reverse . It also lacks a fair number of words that are in the Franklin dictionary , e.g . , erose , egis , ait , etc . The symbols used by Oxford are somewhat more cumbersome than those used by such native American dictionaries as the Merrian Webster or the New World . However , in spite of these shortcomings , I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Sharp PW-E550 as a good choice if seeing the correct pronunciation in writing , ease of use , speed , and functionality are more important than hearing pronunciation , and if missing the occasional more obscure word is acceptable . However , if spoken pronunciation and a fuller set of definitions is essential , and you can do without seeing the pronunciation , the Franklin is a better choice .
022 4 I chose this electronic dictionary because it is based on the Oxford English Dictionary ( American version ) . It has not disappointed .
One feature I didn't think there was a use for is actually quite helpful : the history function lets you look again at the words you've recently looked up , thus giving you the opportunity to commit those new words better to memory .
026 4 This Dictionary / Thesaurus / Grammar Guide has been everything I hoped for . Being a college student , I was initially apprehensive of the price for this product , but the rationality of the ease of use ( and the wealth of information within ) weighed heavier for me than the price tag . I strongly recommend this product , as I have found it easier to use than any print Dictionary or Thesaurus , mostly because of the highly intuitive Super Jump feature . On a side note , I have just recently upgraded my Mac-OSX to the Tiger edition and it has the complete New Oxford American Dictionary and Thesaurus integrated as a Widget , plus you can open it as a stand-alone application . Although this is an incredible computer feature , the Sharp Dictionary is obviously much more convenient for normal reading situations than using a labtop , and the cross-reference is actually easier overall to use .
028 4 Good
* Screen size is just about right , very readable and fairly bright . Zoom feature is excellent
* Love that the words appear as you type , very fast . Only the spell checker has a delay , but works very well .
* The definitions are extensive and include a sentence with the word .
Bad
* Not a biggy but for the price I wish the case was metal .
* I'm not always reading in a well lit room when I look up a word so a backlight would be nice .
030 4 This dictionary came as a saving grace ! In reading Jim Marrs Rule by Secrecy , I have come across many words I have had to look up - the book is quite a handful so to say .
I just happened to buy the PW E - 550 as I was starting reading the book and it has proven to be a unbelievable tool to work with .
As I don't want to carry around the bulky American Oxford all the time , this became a perfect solution , and I have to say it is just excellent . Not only do I find words I simply don't think would be there ; old ancient Greek names , identities , names of cities etc , but I also have gotten in to wordchains I have to look up due to definitions within the definitions that I don't understand . With the superjump selection I just go to the next word , and look the word up . I then escape out of that one and automatically back to the earlier one . It is perfect !
One doesn't lose track of any of the previous words that were looked up . Not to mention the use of the derivations and origins - priceless !
I can highly recommend this . For a second language student - absolutely - for any English speaking - absolutely a must have !
Thanks for putting this out . I have recommended this to all my associates already . . .
Barb
033 4 The volatility of this listing is truly amazing . When I first found their listing , Amazon no longer offered it , even through a 3rd party vendor . I ordered it from someone else , but after two weeks they still couldn't deliver , so I went back to Amazon and saw that they were again offering it at a very good price . So I canceled my other order and ordered it from Amazon .
Then a week after I received it from them and had thoroughly mastered the device , I went up to Amazon to add a review and they weren't even accepting reviews anymore and they said the device wasn't available again ! You couldn't even read any of the 81 reviews it said were available . The best I could do was start a discussion post .
Today I went back up and now I see that Amazon it offering the device again , but for approximately twice what they originally charged me ! At least all the reviews are back . Enough of criticizing Amazon's inconsistency . What about the device itself ?
If you're looking for an electronic dictionary , don't pass up a chance to get this one ( if you can afford it ! ) . I briefly flipped the pages through the manual , but the device itself is so intuitive , you don't have to read the manual to figure everything out . It has an extremely well design user interface ! Whoever put this thing together really knew what they were doing .
The quality of the interface extends to the physical packaging . In spite of disclaimers in the enclosed manual about the robustness of the device , it seems solidly constructed and well-balanced when it is open . It is not likely to tip over , as the bottom is heavier than the lid which contains the display . Everything has a nice , solid feel to it and the keys are plenty big enough for someone like myself who wears a size large glove . The buttons are color-coded and attractive . I could not be more pleased with the design of this device . But I will be careful not to get it wet ! They go on and on about avoiding moisture , so I'm going to take them seriously and treat this thing with respect . Do that and I'm sure it will last virtually forever .
I've had the hard copy of this dictionary since the first week it was available on the bookshelves , I think about six years ago . I have lots of dictionaries , and this is my favorite . Now to have it in electronic form is a dream come true . Plus it has other features . I especially like the grammar book it contains : pretty long articles that are very conversational , for such a device , which is better suited to small , concise entries , which the typical dictionary is likely to have . Still , a very welcome addition , this grammar book .
I like the fact that you can set the display to two different resolutions . If you have bad eyesight you may have to use the larger type but if you have good corrective glasses the smaller type is perfectly legible and of course you get more information per screen . I also appreciate how low keyed the device packaging is : no loud self-advertising , just a down-to-business , practical interface .
038 4 I would recommend this dictionary . It is small easy to use and worked very well for me . I liked how quickly I was able to enter words and see the results . The thesaurus was also an invaluable resource for writing . My only complaint is that it is too delicate . The screen on mine broke after just dropping it a few feet . If you buy it , buy some protective case for it ; I think one is available from the manufacturer . I plan to order the Seiko ER8000 instead .
Also if you plan to buy this dictionary look for the sharp PW-E560 instead . It is often cheaper and includes more words !
044 4 This electronic dictionary has been an absolute joy to use . I'm sort of a printed dictionary collector , and there's a list of esoteric words that I look up ( e.g . , grok ) to gauge a dictionary's quality . Whether a word is defined , how easy the definition is to understand , and how complete the definition is can usually tell you what kind of dictionary it is . The dictionary that the PW-E550 contains , the
The New Oxford American Dictionary
( NOAD ) - 1st Edition , passed my layman quality test with flying colors even though I prefer the New
New Oxford Dictionary of English
( NODE ) , which is very hard to find in the States and is out of most people's price range . Many lexicographers would argue that NODE is the better dictionary , but hey since NODE is OOP and there's no electronic dictionary based on it , the NOAD rules supreme .
As a reference , here is the PW-E550 ' s definition of grok :
grok | gräk |
v . ( grokked , grokking )
[ trans . ] _ informal _ understand ( something ) intuitively or by empathy :
* because of all the commercials , children grok things immediately .
[ intrans . ] empathize or communicate sympathetically ; establish a rapport .
- - ORIGIN
mid 20th cent . : a word coined by Robert Heinlein ( 1907 - 88 ) , American
science fiction writer , in _ Stranger in a Strange Land _ .
( terms in between the underscores are italicized in the PW-E550 )
See if your electronic dictionary even has an entry for ' grok ' , and if so is it as complete and easy to understand as the PW-E550 ' s definition ? Let me know if you want me to quote more definitions from the PW-E550 for you to compare .
NOTE : Sharp informed me that they are no longer in the business of manufacturing electronic dictionaries , so this is bound to become legendary ten years down the line . FYI here's my original email to Sharp and their reply . . .
Me : Are you planning to release an upgrade to the Sharp PW-E550 electronic dictionary that is based on the newer New Oxford American Dictionary , 2nd Edition ? It contains many new entries such as weblog which would be useful to the new generation of students .
Sharp : Thank you for contacting Sharp Electronics Corporation . Unfortunately , we are not currently producing electronic dictionaries . I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause .
What a pity . You better get it while it's still in stock because it doesn't get posted on second-hand auction sites and classifieds very often .
P.S . After writing this review I just realized that I haven't even touched on the PW-E550 ' s other reference books ,
The Oxford American Thesaurus of Current English
and
Garner's Modern American Usage
( formerly A Dictionary of Modern American Usage ) . These two references are solid works within their own right , but don't take my word for it - - you can read other people's reviews of these books right here on Amazon . When you have the time , grab a cup of black coffee and read the review of Garner's book by David Foster Wallace ( instruct.westvalley.edu / lafave / DFW_present_tense.html - remove the spaces ) . It's more of an epic essay by one literary genius who was so impressed by Garner's Modern American Usage that he threw down the genius label on its author . Pretty heady stuff .
046 4 I purchased this dictionary 4 weeks ago . Previously , i used to check the meaning of the words using my hard copy dictionary . I much prefer digital dictionary than the traditional dictionaries because of the following reasons .
1 ) Compact , light weighted ( You can carry it almost any where ) .
2 ) Searching is very easy . ( Just key in few characters , and you will get the filtered list . Use the down arrow key and use ' select ' key to make your option )
3 ) You can easily use ' super jump ' fuctionality to find the meaning of any word in the results .
4 ) It also comes with Thesaurus , Grammar , Spell check and calculator .
I'm very much happy with this product . Only drawback that I can see with this product is , using in-built currency converter . You need to do lot of configurations to use that functionality but the outcome is not that satisfactory . I rather use calculator to do that kind of calculation . But , hey , who cares for that extra functionality anyways ? : - ) As long it is working as a dictionary , thesaurus , I'm happy .
048 4 A product that works as advertised , in fact , better than advertised . I tried the Franklin product and was very disappointed in its simplicity and inadequateness . The Sharp has so far listed every word i've entered , some of very obscure meaning and use . Not only is a definition provided , but pronunciation , origins , and often examples of usage . I purchased this also for Garner's Modern American Usage , a wonderfully helpful work explaining the correct and incorrect use of words and phrases , which by default also offers a definition .
This is a terrific product - haven't purchased in ages an inexpensive little thing like this that's been so helpful , and just plain fun . Even if you have good command of the language , this will be helpful , and worth every penny . Plus , its easy to use ; I seldom looked up words in my many dictionaries ( too lazy ) , but I keep this thing near me and just flip it open when I need a definition or usage . Well thought out , designed and executed - it does a bunch of other things that I forget how to use since I just need the basics , but some of the functions might be helpful to you .
No , I don't work for Sharp nor am I a stockholder in the company , i'm just so pleased by this little gizmo that I wholeheartedly recommend it to my most intellectual friends ; its nice to sometimes get value in a commercial product !
059 4 I find this to be a very useful dictionary . If you like the definitions in the New Oxford American Dictionary , then you will like this electronic dictionary . Sometimes the definitions are a little too wordy or complex , but you can easily look up the meanings of words in the definition without losing your place in the original word . But this does not happen too often .
I would definitely recommend reading the manual before using it , as it simplifies the use of the dictionary , and you really get to see how all the features work .
063 4 I always intended to improve my vocabulary , but going about the task was elusive . Word-a-day calendars just weren't enough - - What if I already knew the word ? ! ? Another day wasted ! And I never seemed to have a dictionary handy wherever I happened to be reading . And , of course , by the time I did get to a dictionary , I couldn't remember that word that I didn't know . Besides . . . tiny dictionary type is getting a little hard for this person of a certain age to read .
My spouse got me this little electronic dictionary for Christmas . I LOVE it ! It's so convenient to tap in those words now ! I even take the trouble to look up words that I think I can figure out from their context , or have seen for years and think I know their meaning . How did I live without it ?
It's incredibly easy to use , although I had to get used to two quirks . While on a computer you avoid the ESC key like the plague , here it takes you back to the previous screen . Also , the lack of a space key is confusing - - to look up a multiple-word term , you just keep typing without spaces .
But those are little complaints in the grand scheme of things . To have the Oxford English Dictionary at your fingertips is no small thing . I sometimes just type in random sequences of letters and call up words that catch my eye . Who'd a thunk ( informal or humorous past and past participle of THINK ) it ? ! ?
068 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This is the best electronic dictionary you can buy . The Franklin bookman and other Franklin dictionary productions have had a long standing relationship with Merriam-Webster . The best dictionary you can get is an Oxford dictionary . Websters New World Student Dictionary is an easier dictionary with simular but less quality . Unfortunately , I haven't been able to locate an electronic dictionary that uses it . Merriam and Webster , together created a series of dictionaries that are unfortunately not worth the paper they are printed on . Basically , any dictionary with the name Merriam in it is crap . I'm an engineer that can spot , bad product engineering . This product was well thought out and tested before it was put into production . Everything from the packaging , color , keyboard layout , keys , functions , etc . The manual is printed in China , however it is not a multilingual book with two pages of english . Refreshingly , it was written entirely in english by a literate person . What I like best about the product is , that it is written for a mature person in mind , it fits conveniently in your shirt pocket , its keyboard click tone is unobtrusive and can be shut off , it doesn't verbalize words ( most of us can use a pronunciation guide ) , the auto-power shutoff can be set for 3 , 5 , 10 or 20 minutes , its LCD contrast is adjustable , you can delete word history for all the books or just the one you want . The only thing that's a little wierd is that it doesn't shut off automatically when you close it . It times out . Having an option on it for that would be good . See my YouTube demo . Search Sharp PW-E550 . . .
069 4 This is the best electronic dictionary you can buy . The Franklin bookman and other Franklin dictionary productions have had a long standing relationship with Merriam-Webster . The best dictionary you can get is an Oxford dictionary . Websters New World Student Dictionary is an easier dictionary with simular but less quality . Unfortunately , I haven't been able to locate an electronic dictionary that uses it . Merriam and Webster , together created a series of dictionaries that are unfortunately not worth the paper they are printed on . Basically , any dictionary with the name Merriam in it is crap . I'm an engineer that can spot , bad product engineering . This product was well thought out and tested before it was put into production . Everything from the packaging , color , keyboard layout , keys , functions , etc . The manual is printed in China , however it is not a multilingual book with two pages of english . Refreshingly , it was written entirely in english by a literate person . What I like best about the product is , that it is written for a mature person in mind , it fits conveniently in your shirt pocket , its keyboard click tone is unobtrusive and can be shut off , it doesn't verbalize words ( most of us can use a pronunciation guide ) , the auto-power shutoff can be set for 3 , 5 , 10 or 20 minutes , its LCD contrast is adjustable , you can delete word history for all the books or just the one you want . The only thing that's a little wierd is that it doesn't shut off automatically when you close it . It times out . Having an option on it for that would be good . See my YouTube demo . Search Sharp PW-E550 . . .
070 4 This is one of my all time favorite gifts . My husband got this for me last year ( 2008 ) and I love it ! It is perfect for my needs . I almost always use it for the dictionary and not for any of the other features it has .
It doesn't come with a travel case which in my opinion is a mistake . I read some other consumer reviews from people who said that their unit died on them . So , I went out and purchased a Case Logic portable Hard Drive case for mine . I tend to be pretty careful with my stuff as a general rule but still I didn't want my dictionary to accidentally get wet or knocked on the floor .
So far , so good , it's been a year now and it's still working like new . I haven't had any problems with it and I'm hoping I won't . I use it regularly and I am very , very happy with it , I love it !
071 4 This is the best electronic dictionary you can buy . Its design is practically perfect , and the books it contains are not pocket editions ; they are big , first-rate references that you wouldn't want to carry around with you ( this dictionary is about the size of a Palm Pilot ) . It's much more convenient to use than running to your PC every time you want to look up a word . Check the prices of the references in the PW-E550 and you will see it is worth every penny . Sharp also markets similar models in the UK and Canada . Each has its own advantages . The Canadian and British models contain the Oxford Dictionary of English instead of the New Oxford American Dictionary , and one of the Canadian models ( the PW-E560 ) also has the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary , one of the best French-English , English-French dictionaries available . Sharp electronic dictionaries have lots of useful features , but two of the best are the Quick View button and the Super Jump button . The Quick View button instantly gives you a condensed view of long entries so that you can easily navigate to the part of speech or precise sense you are looking for . The Super Jump button allows you to jump to the definition of a word that appears within an entry , and then return to the first entry . Let's hope Sharp is reading these rave reviews and decides to make more products like this .
075 4 I cannot imagine why anyone would want this dumbed-down version of the PW-E500 which is being sold ( I was informed by Sharp ) only in the UK and Australia . I think that we Americans are being cheated . The 550 has only 2 / 3 of the vocabulary definitions and completely lacks the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations .
The PW-E500 has :
* Oxford English Dictionary ( 355,000 words , phrases , and definitions )
* New Oxford Thesaurus ( 600,000 synonyms & antonyms )
* Oxford Dictionary of Quotations ( 5th Edition ) ( 20,000 quotations and 3,200 authors comprehensively indexed - Name , Keyword Search , Themes , etc )
* Crossword Solver ( if you have , for example , A_i_on _ , type ? into the blank spaces like so - A ? i ? on ? - hit Enter and the options alimony and Arizona appear )
* Anagram Solver ( type in Listen and inlets , silent , tinsel , enlist all appear . Type in Bowel and bowel below elbow appears - an anagrammatic sentence of anatomical correctness . Love that discovery ! )
* History Key ( keeps track of 30 items most recently accessed )
* Zoom Key ( permits 2 text sizes , should you misplace your specs )
* Calculator ( 12 - digit , fully functional , with memory calculation )
* Currency & Metric Converter functions
* Power ( 200 hours on one AAA battery ) . . .
. . . and more
078 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I have been using this dictionary for over two months and so far so good . It is easy to use and it has a decent word count . It won't replace the Shorter Oxford ( two volumes ) , but it is very easy to carry and that is an important consideration for an avid reader .
I do have another electronic dictionary / thesaurus from Franklin and I like this one better . The only feature I wish this one had is an automatic word search between dictionary and thesaurus . For example , if you are in the dictionary mode reading the meaning of the word cling , you could get synonyms for it by simply pressing the thesaurus key .
079 4 I have been using this dictionary for over two months and so far so good . It is easy to use and it has a decent word count . It won't replace the Shorter Oxford ( two volumes ) , but it is very easy to carry and that is an important consideration for an avid reader .
I do have another electronic dictionary / thesaurus from Franklin and I like this one better . The only feature I wish this one had is an automatic word search between dictionary and thesaurus . For example , if you are in the dictionary mode reading the meaning of the word cling , you could get synonyms for it by simply pressing the thesaurus key .
084 4 Upon looking up yet another word in the novel I was reading , I said to my husband there must be a nice little electronic dictionary available with all the other devices on the market .
Lo and behold I went online to Amazon and there was just what I needed ! No longer am I killing my wrist picking up our large heavy dictionary . I have my handy dandy Sharp the size of my palm and get more than enough information about the word I am looking up . It is absolutely wonderful ! Sharon Seck
086 4 I hope someone could point me to where and how to get this repaired before the one year warranty expires .
Here's what happened .
About a couple of weeks ago , my PW-E550 suddenly went into an infinite loop of initializing . . . , and I could not get it out by pressing the reset button on its back , changing to a new battery , or anything .
As soon as I press the power on button , the device started to ask me to
Do you want to initialize ?
* Press [ Y ] to initialize
* Press [ N ] not to initialize
and no matter which key I pressed , it stayed at the above .
Did anyone encounter the same problem ?
I bought this on July 18 , 2008 , and it's now July 11 , 2009 , I have fewer than 10 days left before the one year warranty expires .
I also bought another one of this same brand from ebay about 6 - 8 months before the above one from amazon . I gave it to my son who was just started his high school then . The ebay one costed about twice as much as the amazon one since it was sent from Australia with the additional cost of international shipping . But it works perfectly , no problem ( yet ? ) .
Before the Sharp e-dictionary , over the time span of more than 10 years , I bought somewhere close to 10 e-dictionaries all of which were the Franklin brand , which were very slow to use and had very bad UI layout which were the main reasons prompted me to look into other brands .
However , all my Franklin devices are still working , including the oldest one with a broken screen cover .
090 4 Love my Sharp PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ! I have been waiting and researching all manner of electronic dictionaries . After reading all the reviews possible and carefully deciding which options I really wanted I selected the Sharp PW-E550 .
I am an avid reader with an above average vocabulary . I so hate running into a word I don't know ( or am uncertain of ) the meaing . The Sharp has made this situation a thing of the past . Not only is the Sharp fast , it is remarkably user friendly . I am so happy with it I will be buying another as a Christmas present for my granddaughter ( also an avid reader ) . The only thing lacking is backlighting . Once Sharp updates this feature , I will replace my current model .
Five stars here !
091 4 I love it ! It's compact , light , very readable , and provides excellent dictionary , thesaurus , and crossword puzzle solutions ( which , of course , I rarely need since I'm so smart ) . I can stick it in my pocket , take it to the beach and am never at a loss to understand a word with which I'm unfamiliar .
114 4 While the E550 is a good dictionary it's crossword puzzle functions leave a lot to be desired . Most crossword clues are two or three words which the E550 will allow ( phrase search ) but always the search comes up empty . In working with Sharp's customer service they admitted the E550 can only be used for the easiest of puzzles . I would agree
The dictionary lookups were quite good . However , there were some strange quirks no only in definitions but displaying similar words .
To me the E550 is outdated both in function as well as the display . The LCD is okay but would be significantly better if it had a color display like most cell phones have . I definitely would pay extra for a color display that has more resolution .
I would not recommend the E550 . It's is in need of an upgrade .
128 4 This thing is cool ! ! I've had it for a few weeks now , and I've been raving about it to everyone . I just slip it in my pocket and it's ready to go when I stumble across a word I don't know while reading The Economist or maybe some novel , while I'm on the train to work . Also , it's been particularly handy in studying words that show up on the GRE test . It doesn't read the words to you , but if you can read phonetics , you're set !
Have fun !
132 4 I just received this from Amazon a couple days ago and randomly browsed through the Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate dictionary for unfamiliar words to see if they were in the Sharp e-dictionary . The following words in M-W could not be defined :
assumpsi , acaulescent , achondrite , acock , acrocentric , archaic smile , autogenic ( although its synonym , autogenous , was there ) , betta ( has Siamese fighting fish , however ) , cack-handed , celestite , churro ( a yummy snack ) , echelle , ecesis , engild , ergogenic , festinate , gimmal , gormless ( it includes several other British terms , though ) , guidwillie , immerge , junker , naumachia , parcener , piggin , rareripe , scrannel , seraphim , thin-skinned ( available in Phrase Search ) , many medical / chemical / biology / disease terms in M-W but not in Sharp , some biblical words / references , some dog breeds and obscure plant / animal names , Scottish-derived words , some archaic words ( the large majority of uncommon words I looked up were available in the Sharp ) .
I doubt I'd have ever encountered most of the words omitted in the Sharp PW-E550 had I not purposively searched them out . What I love most is that it has pronunciation symbols for just about every word I've looked up ( for words without a pronunciation key , I've found the keys to be available for their corresponding root words ) . It will even teach you how to pronounce monosyllabic words such as dog , foot , hat , me , I , and so .
I've read on Amazon UK reviews that the British version containing the Oxford Dictionary of English ( PW-E500 or PW-E300 ) omits pronunciation keys for many words ( such as revel ) , which I think is one of the most important features of any non-talking dictionary . I guess Sharp assumes British folks don't need help with pronouncing certain words . The Canadian version ( PW-E560 ) , for sale at Staples in Canada , features the same dictionary as UK version ( plus a comprehensive French-English dictionary ) so it probably also lacks pronunciation keys for some words .
This is the only reason I decided to go for the PW-E550 - although it has 100,000 fewer definitions , I can trust it to have pronunciation keys for words that I am not sure how to say aloud . It doesn't assume that there are any words , no matter how short , that you can naturally or easily pronounce without its assistance .
Overall , I am so pleased with my new dictionary . Garner's grammar guide is especially fun to peruse - it's like Strunk and White with a lot more entries and excerpted examples of what is right / wrong . Don't toss your print dictionary - you'll need it for the rare word that Sharp cannot define . I recommend this to anyone who reads anything , and students , as long as they know how to take care of their things . Like most electronics , it is very fragile ; reviewers have had screens break after just 1 fall , and it's unlikely Sharp will do anything for you then .
Edit : I thought of another fault - the dictionary only shows a history of the last 30 words you looked up . I would have liked to have a larger word bank , perhaps with a capacity of a few hundred words ( limitless would be better ! ) . You can't control what's in the history ( of the dict , thesaurus , or grammar book ) - as you search for new entries , the oldest entry is automatically erased from the list . Like another reviewer suggested , e-flashcards would be nice ! My mom's Kim Tu Dien Vietnamese-English dictionary had user-created flashcards , plus a tetris and hangman game . . . those Kim Tu Diens are great if you want to learn Vietnamese or are Vietnamese and learning English ( but also very pricey ) .
137 4 I bought this dictionary after reading the previous reviews and they were absolutely correct ! This device is faster and more extensive than many similar products . I use it almost every day .
Thanks for the detailed reviews !
140 4 I used to have a dictionary and thesaurus by my side all the time when reading . Those reference guides are hundreds of pages long and very inconvenient . Looking up a word required labor ; looking up synonyms required further labor . I also used a Franklin electronic dictionary , but it was so slow and inadequate that I dropped it within days for the aforementioned books . I needed something better .
I started looking for an electronic dictionary on this site . When I saw this Sharp , my search was over . The reviews were overwhelmingly positive and I bought it .
I've been using it for about six weeks and can definitely say that this is one of the best gadgets for avid readers . It's an Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus as one . It's very fast and gives you possible matches before you even finish typing a word ( which is useful when you have doubts about spelling it ) . It's meticulous at giving you pronunciation , meaning , usage , and even origin of a word .
Overall , this is an excellent investment . Don't be discouraged by the price ; good dictionaries and thesauruses are expensive . If you include the convenience that you get with this Sharp , it's fairly priced . I'm very satisfied with it and I know that you would be too .
160 4 I like this product very much . I like the button Super jump very much .
It is easy to use . PWE550 is a great dictionary .
162 4 I purchased this electronic dictionery for my father who's in his 70s , loves to read and was complaining to me about what a pain it is to look up words . I wondered if he would take to it since he's not very comfortable with technology , but decided it was worth a try .
I based my decision on Amazon user reviews of various electronic dictioneries . So many said they preferred their PW-E550 because it was easy to read and the buttons functioned well in comparison to others they had purchased . I am quick with electronic devises and was able to learn enough on Christmas morning ( in 5 minutes ) to easily show him the main features . I found it intuitive and easy to use . As well , much to my surprise , the super jump function was straight forward , ( other users had said it wasn't ) just cursor to an unknown word within a definion , hit the super jump button , and that word is clarified without leaving the original definition . So far my father has been using every day .
165 4 I treat my electronics pretty well , but only about a year into owning this and not using it as often as i should there is a defect that comes and goes : A vertical line the color of the background has appeared in one spot . Depending on what letter it crosses it can make it pretty difficult to read .
This is by far the best most comprehensive device solely for dictionary / thesaurus / grammar , but considering the applications that you can download for your cell phone , i'm beginning to think it makes little sense to have a device like this .
I also prefer the merrium-webster dictionary to the oxford . But this is still good .
166 4 The E500 which is not sold in the USA has 355,000 definitions . The US model is a stripped down version and has 105,000 fewer words . I often can't find the word I am looking for in the American version , why they don't sell the better model here is a mystery to me .
If you don't mind settling for less words , this product is still better than any other in the electronic dictionary category , especially the Franklin series .
167 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This dictionary rarely fails to come up with even the most recondite words . For instance , I also own the Seiko Britannica Encyclopedia , which also contains the Oxford Dictionary . I recently looked up Sheela-na-gig , which I came across in a book by Marija Gimbutas . It was a no-find with the Seiko dictionary but , much to my surprise , with the Sharp dictionary there it was ! ( I do not mean to disparage the Seiko - I like the encylopedia very much , and it is a great companion to the Sharp . )
During the day I usually consult Dictionary.com for these needs . But at night when I read , my computer is off limits to me because it is in a room which is shared by a beloved parrot , and his sleep takes priority over my wondering what that word might mean linguistic needs . This excellent dictionary , which I keep tableside while reading , solved this problem excellently .
It also has a nice Super Jump function if you want to look up a word within another word's definition .
Yes , I am very well pleased !
168 4 This dictionary rarely fails to come up with even the most recondite words . For instance , I also own the Seiko Britannica Encyclopedia , which also contains the Oxford Dictionary . I recently looked up Sheela-na-gig , which I came across in a book by Marija Gimbutas . It was a no-find with the Seiko dictionary but , much to my surprise , with the Sharp dictionary there it was ! ( I do not mean to disparage the Seiko - I like the encylopedia very much , and it is a great companion to the Sharp . )
During the day I usually consult Dictionary.com for these needs . But at night when I read , my computer is off limits to me because it is in a room which is shared by a beloved parrot , and his sleep takes priority over my wondering what that word might mean linguistic needs . This excellent dictionary , which I keep tableside while reading , solved this problem excellently .
It also has a nice Super Jump function if you want to look up a word within another word's definition .
Yes , I am very well pleased !
172 4 First I bought Franclin's Merriam Webster and was quickly disappointed . Webster is designed for little kiddies because I could not find a single f-word in it . Cmon , the most used words are missing - this is just ridiculous .
Then I found this awesome thing . Oxford dictionary is what I use daily on a computer and I enjoy it . There was little hesitation to buy it and I'm glad I did . Whole new world of difference . I also had to buy another for my wife as she used to borrow it from me now and then . We are happy .
One minor cons : it does not have back light . What I mean is that sometimes it is harder to use it in the darkness , so I make sure I have plenty of light if I'm going to read and look up words . It should be like a toggle key - to turn on / off backlight and preserve battery .
180 4 I am so excited about this digital dictionary . So handy , and convenient .
I carry this wherever I go , especially if i have a book with me to read .
I no longer have to wonder what a word means , unless the word is not in this dictionary ,
which is why I'm only giving this a four star - because of limited word content , only 250,000 .
Another thing that would have been very nice - a case or a pouch to protect this gadget while in my purse .
I had to buy a case / pouch for it because I'm afraid it would break while i lug it around .
There really isn't a case / pouch for it out there that perfectly fit .
I had to settle for something that's a bit big - a pouch for a Kindle Reader which cost me $15 .
And i didn't like that !
196 4 This was my husband's Christmas present . He loves it and is able to look up all those rarely used words he doesn't know , and he doesn't have to leave the comfort of his arm chair or lift a heavy cumbersome device .
It's easy to use , I can even operate it . It's fast . It's attractive enough to leave out . I chose it because it had so many excellent reviews , and I'm adding my thumbs up . Now I've ordered a similar one , but a different brand , for french-english , and hope I like it as well as he likes his .
029 4 Now I can look up words , eras , even historical figures conveniently on the bus or anywhere without hassle . It stores a history the last 20 words you have looked up so you can easily review them . It even has a little grammar portion too , examples , etc . It is one of the most useful purchases I have made this year .
057 4 It's a very handy tool when it comes to reading . The control is easy and it has the most updated vocabulary . It gives you examples on how the word is used in context besides the definition .
074 4 Its a fast and very informative tool to have at your finger touch .
185 4 This is a lifesaver to put in your book bag and have a portable dictionary and thesaurus in one .
039 4 This product is virtually flawless . If it had a backlit screen there would be no need to ever create a new model . I am a Pre-Law Philosophy major and I read thousands of pages a semester . This dictionary allows me to look up terms rapidly and not break my line of concentration when reading . I use all of the major resources - dictionary , thesaurus , and usage guide - on a regular basis , and in the month I have been using it , I have already noticed an improvement in my language skills . This product is not only as good as written dictionaries , but it surpasses them do to the speed of referencing and cross-referencing .
058 4 I'm loving this e dictionary - very user friendly , very fast , so helpful for a budding writer like myself who needs to check up words every minute . I wish the it had a pronunciation key - that's my one and only concern which is why I gave a 4 instead of 5 .
085 4 I rate this excellent for portability and quite convenient to learn new words without fumbling over dictionary pages .
108 4 I just got this dictionary yesterday . It was so cute compact soft buttons and fast searching . Pretty much all my medical words were in there . I just keep searching so far so good for missing words . I prefer you to buy it . . . . .
142 4 If you are going to purchase an electronic dictionary , this is the best , most complete and most applicable to all kinds of reading material . I bought a second one for my son .
161 4 Been using it for a few months now and it's lived up to and exceeded my expectations . Perfect dictionary , easy to use and I love all it's features . I am actually looking out for a second one to buy for my mom .
175 4 I love it ! ! ! Muy practico , facil de utilizar y es mucho mejor que un dicionario . lo utilizo todos los dias .
042 4 Wow , best describes this handy electronic dictionary . You would expect this product to contain an expansive English lexicon , and it does . But , it has an intuitive , compact , elegant design that is a pleasure to use . Many special features augment the obvious utility of this product . I reach for it often . Throw away your thick paperback dictionary and replace it with this electronic version . I give it a strong buy recommendation .
083 4 I bought this dictionary to ease my reading novels as I am not a novel speaker of English . It did the job . I don't remember a word this dictionary was not able to find . Words from most complex novels such as Ulysses are in it ( except the made up gibberish of Joyce . It is a fast and efficient way to find words .
100 4 For the money I wanted to spend , this is the best out there and I tested many others . I too would have liked a backlight but it would have cost another $50.00 and I did not want to invest that . It is very fast and accurate and has multiple features that I love .
049 4 I had a passion for English since my childhood , because English is not my native language . English is a beautiful language and I always wanted to learn new words . I also used dictionary books throughout my life to quench my thirst for English . A couple of years ago I wondered if there was an electronic dictionary and eventually made some research on the internet . They were very expensive and I couldn't afford to buy . But this dictionary , after lot of considerations I had to buy this one . Even though the price is high , it is worth buying . I enjoy using it and very glad to own one . The only thing that is missing is the Sound which I was also looking for in this dictionary . The vocabulary sound is the one that will help improve the language when a word is typed , so that we can follow the right pronounciation . Otherwise , I just love this dictionary .
053 4 I owned one of these for four or five years and finally wore it out . After looking around at others on the market , I decided that it really is the top-of-the-line so I purchased another and have been just as happy with it . Mainly I use it for spelling and definitiions . One great feature is the ' wild card ' option that allows me to put in an asterisk in the place of a missing letter or letters , and get all the possible results . Other spellers do not offer this .
110 4 The first one we bought about a year ago was so good my children had to fight who is the next in line to use during homework or reading for pleasure . We have 3 now and all is quiet . Thinking about buying the 4th , reserved for parental use .
112 4 Before , i bought this item , i read all the reviews on this page with every single one saying that it is a good buy . so eventually i did buy it . and its really good and user friendly , i didnt quite get the grammar thingy though , but the dictionary and thesauraus are really more than enough . so if your buying this item i would say its well worth the money .
153 4 This product is great ! I highly reccomendit to everyone in school , specially for homeworks for papers , etc , it is of great help . very convinient size , pocket or in your school bag , it is much better than walking around with a huge dictionary , eh ?
061 4 I have expanded my reading to keep up with my kids who have now entered college . Comes in very handy when reading something other than the ' fluff ' I usually read . Very clear definitions and have not yet had a problem finding the words I am looking for .
045 4 Nice product and easy to work with . Nice deal from Amazon it was more expensive elsewhere .
047 4 This dictionary is great ! Very easy to use , concise definitions and also includes derivations and pronunciations . Usually with an electronic dictionary the definitions are dinky . I can use this as my sole dictionary and it totally serves .
107 4 Very happy with item . For the price I think it's the best one for the money
158 4 This is a great product . Very easy to use and has most words and their derivations . I highly recommend this product .
177 4 Very nice portable electronic dictionary . I use it all the time . The screen is difficult to read sometimes , depends on the lighting . If they fix the screen , it will get 5 stars !
193 4 This is really really cool for students who don't have time to get the paper dictionary or someone who wants to use electronic dictionay . I like it , Thanks .
064 4 I received the Sharp PW - - W550 electronic dictionary for my birthday about 2 weeks ago . I had asked for it based on the reviews of other Amazon users . As I get older I find that I cannot remember how to spell as well as I once could . And it seems I also need to look up definitions more often . It is a great item to have if you read or write a lot . I wanted something I could keep in my book cover so it would always be handy when I am reading . It is very easy to use ( but do look at the users manual ) , feels durable and is a convenient size . In fact , I just used my Sharp to look up the spelling of convenient . I was having a senior moment and couldn't remember so I hit spell , put in what I thought was the correct spelling , hit enter and in about 15 seconds the Sharp let me know it is smarter than I am ! The screen is very easy to see and the writing is big enough for me to make out even when I don't have on my glasses if I use the zoom feature . This doubles the size of the print ! I also like the super jump feature ( mentioned by other reviewers and explained in the instruction manual ) that lets you look up the definition of a word within the definition . I have not had the unit long enough to know how long the batteries will last but so far no problems . Thus far , I have found every word for which I have needed the spelling or the definition . For anyone who reads or writes a lot I feel this is well worth the money . I highly recommend the Sharp .
014 4 The Sharp PW-E550 dictionary is very broad , I have until now ( I have been using it for over a year and it is always in my backpack ) come up with only one word that I couldn't find there . Especially the explanations for the origins of words is fascinating . Not to forget the encyclopaedic entries on famous people , states , countries , etc . I previously had tried a franklin something electronic dictionary , it kept annoying me because it had almost none of the words I looked up and I needed to reset it often . The Sharp dictionary also has the pronunciation of words with phonetic symbols , which I find much more useful than some mumbling of the words by a speaker . The battery lifetime is quite long , too . I love this dictionary and I strongly recommend it if you want to enrich your english vocabulary and are interested in etymology .
052 4 I got my Sharp PW-e550 from Amazon for only $68.00 which is a great deal considering it was originaly $120.00 . I have yet to type a word and come up empty ( even when i typed gibberish ) . They say it contains 250,000 words , and I beleive it might contain more because I went to the full dictionary in it , and held the page down key which lets you veiw 5 definition at a time , and after 5 minutes I was still in AN . Also when typing this review i used the spell check about 9 times ! The only flaw is the over-sensitive keyboard . Overall this is one of the most usefull things I have ever bought .
067 4 The chief shortcoming of this device from my standpoint is that it lacks critical features which facilitate vocabulary building . For example , it does not have the ability to create favorite word lists . This would allow repetitive review of words one has difficulty with . Another needed utility is the ability to search by word root , e.g . find all the words with rogare ( to ask ) as the root . Grouping words by common root is very helpful in building a large vocabulary . So , as a vocabulary builder the device falls short . However , it performs well in terms of ease of use and rapid word look up . Overall , the thesaurus and grammer sections are excellent and there is much that can be learned from this device .
111 4 A handy tool with clear and concise definitions . Still , I found myself scrambing for a big dictionary at times for words that I thought should be included in the PW-E550 .
174 4 I bought this for my wife because she wanted a portable dictionary . She not only got this feature but she got a spell check and a thesaurus that fits in her pocketbook . She is delighted with the gift .
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary
188 4 Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary
So helpful when I travel ; does so much more than just serve as a dictionary .
194 4 The Sharp PW-E550 electronic dictionary exceeded all of my expectations . It is very convenient with a clean and simple interface . This is a very well designed device . I am not likely to use a dictionary in book form again as long as the PW-E550 is nearby . I use it often as I read non-fiction books ( philosophy , science , religion ) . I was skeptical that many of the words of interest would be found in this small dictionary , but I have not been disappointed while searching for a word using the PW-E550 . Even my kids ( ages 10 and 13 ) are using it easily to their homework . This is a wonderful product . I highly recommend it .
081 4 This electronic dictionary is the answer to my dreams . I am really interested in words and am also interested in increasing my vocabulary . This item is easy to carry and I always have it with me . I have an Sony Electronic Book and now my electronic dictionary . Doesn't this make sense . The speed is fast , buttons are easy to type and the sound is great . Imagine it only takes 1 battery . I had another electronic dictionary that took 4 batteries and they went fast . I recommend this item to anyone who is interested in getting a new electronic dictionary .
170 4 Found nothing wrong with this product . Bought it for the family and it's working just fine for our needs .
106 4 I love this dictionary because it is compact and reliable . I wanted one that could look up scientific terms for my biology class and most of the words I searched were there . Great product but when you look at the screen at a certain angle you can see lines pulsing through it which reminded me of a computer screen . That bugged me a little but as long as the product works , I don't mind a minor flaw .
031 4 This electronic dictionary has not let me down even once . I have looked up thousands of words with it and I always get a definitive definition . This is a solid dictionary that everyone should consider buying
093 4 I have owned a few electronic dictionaries over the yrs . Simply put , I like this one the best . . Does the job !
133 4 My son started Kingdergarten and had already outgrown my vacabulary . Well he is advanced reader and I grew up in China , what can you say ? This dictionary works great for him and me . A great tool for student at all ages .
150 4 The Sharp electronic dictonary is an excellent product , and I have now bought four for myself , friends and family .
152 4 This is the second electronic dictionary I have owned . My first one was another brand and broke down . After reading reviews on the electronic dictionaries , and seeing one about the Sharp , I bought and now am super happy that I got it because it is far more explicit than other brands .
157 4 I brought this electronic dictionary for my first grade kid . Everything works as advertised , suggested word list is very fast when you are typing . However , if you are looking for a speaking dictionary , then this one is not what you want . I have not explored all the other nice features on this little machine , but I love it already .
182 4 I am in Chiropractic school and was hoping that it had some more medical health terms . It has alot of content but there are a few times that I was looking for something that was not there . It is very useful though .
145 4 After reading and using franklin products , I have found this dictionary to be more comprehensive in meanings and is by far a more superior dictionary than the franklin . I purchased and returned the franklin collegiate dictionary . It was very difficult to see the screen and after some use , not user friendly nor did it have words that I was looking up . This sharp dictionary is much more user friendly however I must remember to push the super jump button before the thesaurus or I lose the word . I don't care for the grammar , spell , or calculator functions since I don't use it but it is handy . The buttons are soft which I don't like but that's the only gripe I have with it .
129 4 I have bought four for gifts and family . This product is great for any avid readers who come across new words , scrabble players or spelling addicts . It is very user friendly and can probably do more than we have used it for . It's great for family dinner time conversations as a resource and for using in bed late at night while reading a book . It has more words included than any other products we've tried .
131 4 One of the most useful purchases I've ever made . I bought this item almost four years ago and since then I use it everyday . I'm thinking to get another one as a back up unit . Couldn't live without it .
179 4 Works as advertised . This is the best one I've tried . Until one comes along that is build into my eyeglasses I'll probably stick with it .
195 4 This item was a gift for my wife , who keeps the dictionary on her desk and uses it whenever we need to look up a definition . Works well , and has a simple interface . I did a fair amount of research before the purchase , and this dictionary seemed to be the most comprehensive source for the price .
146 4 I looked at MANY electronic dictionaries before selecting the Sharp PW-E550 , and I couldn't be happier . I am a college-educated professional person with , I believe , an above average vocabulary ; however I do occasionally come across words with which I am not familiar . Also , as I age , I seem to be losing the meanings of some words I don't use frequently . I've had the dictionary about a month now , used it every day , and have only come across two words that were not included - one of them was related to new technology . I write and use the Thesaurus constantly . I noticed some of the other reviews criticized this dictionary because it isn't backlit . That doesn't bother me , because I don't usually read or write in the dark ! !
147 4 I do a lot of reading , and have tried again and again to use a dictionary to look up words I had never come across before , or to clarify a meaning of which I was not too sure . But the dictionaries that had all the words I needed were always so large and cumbersome . I tried a smaller electronic dictionary , but it did not know four of the first five words I entered . I tried going back to the large dictionary , still very frustrating . I came across this electronic dictionary in Amazon and started investigating it . Many good things were written about it , so I thought I would give an electronic dictionary another shot . WONDERFUL ! what a difference in my reading experience . It is sooo easy to use - I just opened the package and started to use it . So compact and it has all the words I looked up ! My husband now uses it quite often . Excellent product ! !
056 4 This was exactly what I wanted : A large vocabulary , definitions AND derivations , and ease of use . It does not have a ' speaking pronounciation ' feature , which is good - that adds to cost and usually reduces the number of words defined . I'd rather have the cost in content that frills . I also like the fact that it includes foreign phrases . Finally , it is light and small . I got rid of my decades-old bulky dictionary , and like this much better .
099 4 This electronic dictionary is all and more I could have expected . I looked up words I'd never heard of , and found ample examples of their uses in different ways . For me , it will be rare that I'll ever use a dictionary in book form again , except perhaps to compare definitions .
103 4 This product was everything it said it was . I have it by my bed and it travels wonderfully , in fact it is the perfect travel partner . As a writer and reader , I have found it to be indispensable . A great find , so glad I went with Sharp .
159 4 The best thing I like about this product is the search criteria to find the words . Even the whole spelling is not known then it is very easy to find the meaning . The keys are really good and easy to type the text .
151 4 I am quite happy with the Sharp Electronic Dictionary . The various features allow me to use the E.D . for many different tasks . The keypad is so easy to use , the keys are large enough to type quickly . When working on a project it is easy to change from using the different features by just pressing one key . The case is strong . Just close the cover and you can easily put it in your bookbag , briefcase or pocket . I like that you don't have to have a different case to protect it . It is all in one . It would be an excellent choice for a child in school . It is so easy to use that a they could learn the features in a matter of minutes . I give this product 4 stars !
051 4 Make no mistake , this isn't the OED crammed into a pocket sized device . So , while there are quite a few words not listed in this dictionary , there are a heck of a lot that are . This little ditty is nice and compact , easy to navigate , and has some nice features like a hitory log and a superjump button - which allows you to easily track the definition of words used to define the word you looked up . Travel friendly .
183 4 This dictionary is perfect for travel . Word games like Quiddler and Crosswords are much more enjoyable . College students and anyone who does a lot of writing will find this little tool very accessible with it's display of possible words as you enter the letters of the word you are looking for . If your need is for more indepth usage of words these electronic dictionaries are not for you .
139 4 This is my first electronic dictionary / thesaurus and it was well worth it . It saves a lot of time over flipping pages of the paper versions . The display is very readable , the keyboard is user friendly and the dictionary overall is very intuitive to use . I love it .
192 4 What I'd really like is a pocket electronic device which combines a good pocket dictionary like this with a good pocket atlas !
Does anyone know where I can find such a device ? [ . . . ]
The picture-based atlas would obviously require much more memory than the text-based dictionary . Is that requirement beyond the capability of today's technology ? . . .
What about including in one pocket device more functionality , includng a fast-graphing calculator . . .
036 4 This is an amazing electronic dictonary , very intuitive to use and has virtually all words you're ever going to need . Definitions , phrase search , grammar are all great features . It's like buying three books in one only better as it's much easier to use , carry around etc . it's very stilish and you can even use it in the middle of a meeting if you need a definition as most people won't really figure out it's a dictionary . GREAT BUY !
072 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Yet another review saying this dictionary is GREAT , buy it ! My only tiny complaint is that it's not backlit . It's so easy / fun to use though , I would never use my old bookmark dictionary again .
117 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I love this little Sharp electronic dictionary . I read many papers and find the convenience and power of this small device simply amazing . It always accompany's me while on the computer and I am in a constant state of learning new words . The History feature lets me remember what I forgot . Get this device since it is GREAT ! !
Peter .
118 4 I love this little Sharp electronic dictionary . I read many papers and find the convenience and power of this small device simply amazing . It always accompany's me while on the computer and I am in a constant state of learning new words . The History feature lets me remember what I forgot . Get this device since it is GREAT ! !
Peter .
143 4 I simply love it .
The only complaint I have is that it does not have a back function .
LYCANTHROPY BELL'S PALSY PATHOPHYSIOLOGY HABERDASHERY
HABERGON PRONATOR ZAMINDARI SUPINATE
FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION ( TRUST ME IT IS A WORD ! )
Believe me if a pocket dictionary can spell and have a definition for this word , it has to be good .
You can make the text larger , and can search a word's meaning within the definition with THE QUICK VIEW . I LOVE THIS DICTIONARY , Best one in the Market ! !
043 4 When I was looking for a pocket dictionary , I came across this item . I read the reviews and there was not one bad review about it . So , I took a chance and bought it . IT IS THE BEST ! ! Speaking as a student , I like something that makes my life a little easier & as an avid reader this dicitionary is perfect for looking up words I come across . Some of the things I was not sure of , was whether the sound could be turned off , or if it had a wide range of words . It turns out that you can shut the sound off , AND here are some of the words I typed in :
LYCANTHROPY BELL'S PALSY PATHOPHYSIOLOGY HABERDASHERY
HABERGON PRONATOR ZAMINDARI SUPINATE
FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION ( TRUST ME IT IS A WORD ! )
Believe me if a pocket dictionary can spell and have a definition for this word , it has to be good .
You can make the text larger , and can search a word's meaning within the definition with THE QUICK VIEW . I LOVE THIS DICTIONARY , Best one in the Market ! !
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I purchased this for my honey , who is often greeted with the desire to use a word but can't quite spell it correctly or sometimes wants to find a good alternative to an overly used term and badda bing . . . there it is ! The type size / font is great ! The manner in which you can search seems very easy to me . . . I am a computer user but at age 44 I have earned it . If you work in the dark often or low light situations then this might be a challenge as I believe it does NOT have a backlight . Other than that . . . I think for the price and the reliability and ease of use it will get FIVE stars from me . My honey is going back to college . . . so this type of item gets used a great deal ! I read one review by a guy ( perhaps you did too ) who is a ' writer ' and likes it too ! How can you go wrong ?
054 4 Love the convenience of not having to lug my big unabridged dictionary out . Doesn't have as many words , though .
101 4 I purchased the sharp PW-E550 electronic dictionary after reading all the great reviews . English is my second language , so I needed something portable to take with me in college . The thesaurus is been of great help when writing essays . I highly recommend this product . Also , it is pretty well-made , it doesn't look or feel flimsy .
115 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The product does what it claims .
The only thing I don't like is the screen . The screen isn't bright enough to see in the dark . In the set-up , you can change the screen contrast , but does not help in gloomy conditions .
Otherwise , E550 is agreat product .
116 4 The product does what it claims .
The only thing I don't like is the screen . The screen isn't bright enough to see in the dark . In the set-up , you can change the screen contrast , but does not help in gloomy conditions .
Otherwise , E550 is agreat product .
124 4 The Sharp E - 550 is a wonderful , easy-to-use dictionary , covering an amazing variety of words , including medical , biographical , and geographic .
125 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I purchased this for my honey , who is often greeted with the desire to use a word but can't quite spell it correctly or sometimes wants to find a good alternative to an overly used term and badda bing . . . there it is ! The type size / font is great ! The manner in which you can search seems very easy to me . . . I am a computer user but at age 44 I have earned it . If you work in the dark often or low light situations then this might be a challenge as I believe it does NOT have a backlight . Other than that . . . I think for the price and the reliability and ease of use it will get FIVE stars from me . My honey is going back to college . . . so this type of item gets used a great deal ! I read one review by a guy ( perhaps you did too ) who is a ' writer ' and likes it too ! How can you go wrong ?
126 4 I purchased this for my honey , who is often greeted with the desire to use a word but can't quite spell it correctly or sometimes wants to find a good alternative to an overly used term and badda bing . . . there it is ! The type size / font is great ! The manner in which you can search seems very easy to me . . . I am a computer user but at age 44 I have earned it . If you work in the dark often or low light situations then this might be a challenge as I believe it does NOT have a backlight . Other than that . . . I think for the price and the reliability and ease of use it will get FIVE stars from me . My honey is going back to college . . . so this type of item gets used a great deal ! I read one review by a guy ( perhaps you did too ) who is a ' writer ' and likes it too ! How can you go wrong ?
141 4 I normally only review something if I really like it and can give it 5 stars . I am going this 4 stars simply because Sharp could have elevated the quality of this dictionary in terms of the readability of the screen ( it looks a little like the old dot matrix print ) and could have put a light in the screen so you could read the dictionary in a dimly lighted area . BUT , this is a very good dictionary and as far as I know the best on the market . It is user friendly , it has the neat function of keeping a history of the words you look up ( with really difficulty words I can't remember what they mean so all I have to do it go to the history to find the word in the recorded list ) , and other nice features . I am quite sure you will not be disappointed with it . The overall package is very nice : keys on the keypad , the shell is well-made and shuts well , etc . I am going to get another one for my wife , and if Sharp decides to upgrade with a light for the screen and clearer font , I would gladly pay the price .
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
It's amazing how so many reviewers give this electronic dictionary five stars . For the most part I agree . This is an easy to use electronic dictionary with a deep vocabulary database and a comfortable thumb keyboard . The dictionary itself is a good one not only because of its coverage but because it lists a word's most frequently used core meaning first , unlike the Franklin English dictionaries where definitions are listed in chronological order , from oldest to latest ( how stupid is that ! ) . So whenever you look up a word in this Sharp dictionary , you'll know which definitions are the most used ones . The included thesaurus is also pretty good and the grammar guide is fun to read .
Unlike my Franklin 11th edition speaking dictionary , which had a lousy keyboard , this Sharp has large-sized keys that have the right tactile feel to them . There are also dedicated page-down and page-up keys , a very good feature . On the down side , the placements of Enter and Esc are unconventional and stupid and take quite some time to get used to .
The multiple-line black and white LCD screen is sharp and you can view contents in one of two fonts and change the font size on teh fly via a dedicated Zoom key . ( The Franklin , in contrast , requires a trip to the setup menu . ) Unfortunately the LCD screen is not backlit ( nor are the keys ) , making it impossible to use this in the dark when you , say , have a sudden craving for enlarging your vocabulary while lying in bed . Given that most paper dictionaries ( and the Franklin electronic ones ) suffer the same problem , and given that a dictionary is usually used as a companion to reading something else , this may not be a big problem . Still , I wish it had a backlight option .
Nicely , the Sharp uses just one AAA battery and has good battery life . The clamshell design protects the screen and keyboard and the size is small enough to carry in a pocket . The build quality stands in stark contrast with the Franklin 11th edition collegiate speaking dictionary : whereas the latter feels cheap and flimsy , the Sharp feels solid and well built . I really hate myself for wasting $90 on the Franklin before discovering a much better value in this model .
On the other hand , the Franklin model has lots of learning tools ( like an SAT word list as well as the ability to make your own vocabulary list ) and games but the Sharp PW-E550 doesn't have any . But given the Sharp cheaper than the Franklin I guess this is not a big deal .
The biggest difference between the two is this Sharp has pronunciation keys but no spoken pronunciation , whereas the Franklin speaking dictionary is the opposite : spoken only but no written keys . It would have been nice to get both in one dictionary , esp . for foreign words ( how exactly do you make those damned French sounds ? ? ) I got tired of Franklin's synthesized speech quick so I don't miss not having it . When I travel to Hong Kong a few years ago I saw electronic dictionaries with natural speech ( American accented , no less ! ) selling for a few dollars . I don't understand why nobody has one here . Maybe the market is just too small as native English speakers usually don't need or care for this feature . ( Who cares about how the French pronounce their words ? We have our own way of saying them ! )
Ok , in short , whether you are a student or an adult or something in between , this Sharp makes a great reading companion . Too bad it cannot be be updated to include new words like blog - - but then , who really cares for these new words anyway ?
004 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I bought this unit about a year and a half ago , and soon couldn't understand how I ever lived without it . The dictionary is quite complete - - I haven't had to go to my OED but maybe once or twice since getting it . The definitions tend to be on the terse side , but not ridiculously so .
The thesaurus is just okay , but I've been spoiled by my vintage 1957 Roget's , which is SO much better than what they slap that name on these days .
So why the negative review ? After a year and a half of being my trusty writing desk sidekick it just quit . Wouldn't turn on , wouldn't do anything . New battery and jabbing the reset doohickey do nothing . Naturally the warranty is only for a year . If this was a $15 item I'd grumble and get another one , but at $80 I shudder to think what my cost per lookup came out to !
Now I can't live without one of these little gadgets , but I'll be trying a different brand . Hope I can find one that's as good as this and actually lasts awhile !
007 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
It's amazing how so many reviewers give this electronic dictionary five stars . For the most part I agree . This is an easy to use electronic dictionary with a deep vocabulary database and a comfortable thumb keyboard . The dictionary itself is a good one not only because of its coverage but because it lists a word's most frequently used core meaning first , unlike the Franklin English dictionaries where definitions are listed in chronological order , from oldest to latest ( how stupid is that ! ) . So whenever you look up a word in this Sharp dictionary , you'll know which definitions are the most used ones . The included thesaurus is also pretty good and the grammar guide is fun to read .
Unlike my Franklin 11th edition speaking dictionary , which had a lousy keyboard , this Sharp has large-sized keys that have the right tactile feel to them . There are also dedicated page-down and page-up keys , a very good feature . On the down side , the placements of Enter and Esc are unconventional and stupid and take quite some time to get used to .
The multiple-line black and white LCD screen is sharp and you can view contents in one of two fonts and change the font size on teh fly via a dedicated Zoom key . ( The Franklin , in contrast , requires a trip to the setup menu . ) Unfortunately the LCD screen is not backlit ( nor are the keys ) , making it impossible to use this in the dark when you , say , have a sudden craving for enlarging your vocabulary while lying in bed . Given that most paper dictionaries ( and the Franklin electronic ones ) suffer the same problem , and given that a dictionary is usually used as a companion to reading something else , this may not be a big problem . Still , I wish it had a backlight option .
Nicely , the Sharp uses just one AAA battery and has good battery life . The clamshell design protects the screen and keyboard and the size is small enough to carry in a pocket . The build quality stands in stark contrast with the Franklin 11th edition collegiate speaking dictionary : whereas the latter feels cheap and flimsy , the Sharp feels solid and well built . I really hate myself for wasting $90 on the Franklin before discovering a much better value in this model .
On the other hand , the Franklin model has lots of learning tools ( like an SAT word list as well as the ability to make your own vocabulary list ) and games but the Sharp PW-E550 doesn't have any . But given the Sharp cheaper than the Franklin I guess this is not a big deal .
The biggest difference between the two is this Sharp has pronunciation keys but no spoken pronunciation , whereas the Franklin speaking dictionary is the opposite : spoken only but no written keys . It would have been nice to get both in one dictionary , esp . for foreign words ( how exactly do you make those damned French sounds ? ? ) I got tired of Franklin's synthesized speech quick so I don't miss not having it . When I travel to Hong Kong a few years ago I saw electronic dictionaries with natural speech ( American accented , no less ! ) selling for a few dollars . I don't understand why nobody has one here . Maybe the market is just too small as native English speakers usually don't need or care for this feature . ( Who cares about how the French pronounce their words ? We have our own way of saying them ! )
Ok , in short , whether you are a student or an adult or something in between , this Sharp makes a great reading companion . Too bad it cannot be be updated to include new words like blog - - but then , who really cares for these new words anyway ?
011 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Buying this dictionary was one of the best investments I have ever made . It has nearly every word I need to look up ( the ones that don't show up are latin words that are rarely used in philosophy , which I wouldn't expect most dictionaries to have anyway ) .
The thesaurus is a great tool to have , helping me to use a greater variety of words while writing . The Garner's Modern American Usage was a pleasant surprise , giving detailed explanations of specific usage issues in the English language .
I was comparing this to the Franklin Electronic Dictionary ( Merriam-Webster College Dictionary 11th ed ) , but I really despised the idea of a talking dictionary and I much prefer the pronunciation guide . While the Franklin model does have games and tools designed to help expand one's vocabulary , it seems ( at least in its description ) to be full of unnecessary features . The Sharp dictionary , on the other hand , is very easy to use and is well-suited for its purpose .
All this being said , I should point out that after only two weeks of use , the LCD broke on my dictionary . I suppose that maybe I set my backpack down too quickly and the force crushed it , but needless to say I was very dissappointed that this product couldn't handle more than it did . I called Sharp and they are not going to cover my product under warranty , even though I feel it's not designed as well as it could be . Despite my negative sentiments towards the company , I plan on ordering a replacement and buying a hard case this time .
035 4 Before I bought the PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary , I read all the reviews on this site with 95% saying that it is a good buy . so eventually I did buy it.It's user friendly , my 9 years old can figure it out within an hour , of course he didnt quite get the grammar thing and others , but the dictionary and thesauraus are really more than enough . so if your buying this item i would say its well worth the money .
080 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This electronic dictionary is the answer to my dreams . I am really interested in words and am also interested in increasing my vocabulary . This item is easy to carry and I always have it with me . I have an Sony Electronic Book and now my electronic dictionary . Doesn't this make sense . The speed is fast , buttons are easy to type and the sound is great . Imagine it only takes 1 battery . I had another electronic dictionary that took 4 batteries and they went fast . I recommend this item to anyone who is interested in getting a new electronic dictionary .
092 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I have owned a few electronic dictionaries over the yrs . Simply put , I like this one the best . . Does the job !
095 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I purchased this dictionary after reading reviews from the webs . The product arrived on time and works well . I have used it every day for my studying and reading . All information shared from previous reviewers about this product is true based on my observation .
104 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Easy to use . Easy to read screen especially with the zoom feature . Excellent breadth of content . Only fault I can find is that it needs to come in a 2 - pack since now I want one at work as well as home .
109 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The first one we bought about a year ago was so good my children had to fight who is the next in line to use during homework or reading for pleasure . We have 3 now and all is quiet . Thinking about buying the 4th , reserved for parental use .
119 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
It's new so I don't have an opinion on battery life or durability . So far , this is the best gadget I've ever purchased . It's great to have bedside when you're reading at night . No more getting up and fumbling around for my large and heavy dictionary .
It's expensive but I'd like to send one to everybody in my family .
121 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This is the best electronic dictionary I have ever owned . It requires only one AAA battery and the original battery lasted for over 1 - ½ years . All definitions are easy to understand and the thesaurus is loaded with tons of words . The display is very easy to read .
There are so many great features with this incredible electronic dictionary that I just bought another one for my 11 - year-old granddaughter . When she comes to visit , she is always asking to use mine . Now my 9 year old GD is asking for one to .
123 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The Sharp E - 550 is a wonderful , easy-to-use dictionary , covering an amazing variety of words , including medical , biographical , and geographic .
136 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I bought this dictionary after reading the previous reviews and they were absolutely correct ! This device is faster and more extensive than many similar products . I use it almost every day .
Thanks for the detailed reviews !
156 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I brought this electronic dictionary for my first grade kid . Everything works as advertised , suggested word list is very fast when you are typing . However , if you are looking for a speaking dictionary , then this one is not what you want . I have not explored all the other nice features on this little machine , but I love it already .
169 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Found nothing wrong with this product . Bought it for the family and it's working just fine for our needs .
173 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I bought this for my wife because she wanted a portable dictionary . She not only got this feature but she got a spell check and a thesaurus that fits in her pocketbook . She is delighted with the gift .
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary
178 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Works as advertised . This is the best one I've tried . Until one comes along that is build into my eyeglasses I'll probably stick with it .
181 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I am in Chiropractic school and was hoping that it had some more medical health terms . It has alot of content but there are a few times that I was looking for something that was not there . It is very useful though .
189 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
One of the wisest purchases I ever made . I've ben using it for years almost everyday .
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The volatility of this listing is truly amazing . When I first found their listing , Amazon no longer offered it , even through a 3rd party vendor . I ordered it from someone else , but after two weeks they still couldn't deliver , so I went back to Amazon and saw that they were again offering it at a very good price . So I canceled my other order and ordered it from Amazon .
Then a week after I received it from them and had thoroughly mastered the device , I went up to Amazon to add a review and they weren't even accepting reviews anymore and they said the device wasn't available again ! You couldn't even read any of the 81 reviews it said were available . The best I could do was start a discussion post .
Today I went back up and now I see that Amazon it offering the device again , but for approximately twice what they originally charged me ! At least all the reviews are back . Enough of criticizing Amazon's inconsistency . What about the device itself ?
If you're looking for an electronic dictionary , don't pass up a chance to get this one ( if you can afford it ! ) . I briefly flipped the pages through the manual , but the device itself is so intuitive , you don't have to read the manual to figure everything out . It has an extremely well design user interface ! Whoever put this thing together really knew what they were doing .
The quality of the interface extends to the physical packaging . In spite of disclaimers in the enclosed manual about the robustness of the device , it seems solidly constructed and well-balanced when it is open . It is not likely to tip over , as the bottom is heavier than the lid which contains the display . Everything has a nice , solid feel to it and the keys are plenty big enough for someone like myself who wears a size large glove . The buttons are color-coded and attractive . I could not be more pleased with the design of this device . But I will be careful not to get it wet ! They go on and on about avoiding moisture , so I'm going to take them seriously and treat this thing with respect . Do that and I'm sure it will last virtually forever .
I've had the hard copy of this dictionary since the first week it was available on the bookshelves , I think about six years ago . I have lots of dictionaries , and this is my favorite . Now to have it in electronic form is a dream come true . Plus it has other features . I especially like the grammar book it contains : pretty long articles that are very conversational , for such a device , which is better suited to small , concise entries , which the typical dictionary is likely to have . Still , a very welcome addition , this grammar book .
I like the fact that you can set the display to two different resolutions . If you have bad eyesight you may have to use the larger type but if you have good corrective glasses the smaller type is perfectly legible and of course you get more information per screen . I also appreciate how low keyed the device packaging is : no loud self-advertising , just a down-to-business , practical interface .
005 4 I bought this unit about a year and a half ago , and soon couldn't understand how I ever lived without it . The dictionary is quite complete - - I haven't had to go to my OED but maybe once or twice since getting it . The definitions tend to be on the terse side , but not ridiculously so .
The thesaurus is just okay , but I've been spoiled by my vintage 1957 Roget's , which is SO much better than what they slap that name on these days .
So why the negative review ? After a year and a half of being my trusty writing desk sidekick it just quit . Wouldn't turn on , wouldn't do anything . New battery and jabbing the reset doohickey do nothing . Naturally the warranty is only for a year . If this was a $15 item I'd grumble and get another one , but at $80 I shudder to think what my cost per lookup came out to !
Now I can't live without one of these little gadgets , but I'll be trying a different brand . Hope I can find one that's as good as this and actually lasts awhile !
015 4 After reading a lot of reviews , I bought one of these at an electronics store ( Fry's , $88.00 ) . Very pleased with it for a year and a half . Then the screen quit . The warranty is one year . I sent it to Sharp asking what they could do . No great expectations , just wondering what they would do , if anything , as I liked the thing but had expected a bit more longevity . No reply or comment from Sharp ( in Illinois ) , but they sent it to a repair shop ( Romax ) in Texas who sent me a notice that it would be $159.50 to fix it ( money up front ) , or if I wanted it back ( as is ) , I needed to send them $10.00 shipping and handling . So . . . I can spend $10.00 on top of the purchase price and have nothing , or let them keep it , which I imagine will result in them refurbishing it and selling again . No joy anywhere . I've moved on to the Britannica ER 8000 by Seiko , but this has made me Sharp shy .
016 4 This Sharp electronic dictionary is the perfect pocket companion for those times when you don't have your laptop , or a dictionary handy . The interface is intuitive and the keyboard is amongst the best I've ever used on this type of device . Moreover , the access times for Dictionary and Thesaurus lookups are very fast ; the phrase search function is a little bit slower , but not intolerable . There are also crossword puzzle and anagram solver functions that I have not used , but I imagine work fine . Another positive for this product is the fact that it uses a single AAA battery , not some watch-type cell battery .
The only negative is that it does not have a backlight for the screen , but neither do many of the other comparable dictionaries . Hopefully Sharp will smarten up and put that in a future version of the PW-E550 .
I believe this is BY FAR the best electronic dictionary you can get for less than $100 , and no , I do not work for Sharp Electronics .
024 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The Sharp PW-E550 is way better than anything I ever got from Franklin in the past . Unfortunately , Franklin has pretty well had the market on handheld electronic devices for too long , and must have the worst customer service of any company in the world ! I've never dealt with people so rude and unreasonable in my life , and I will NEVER buy any of their products again . I certainly hope Franklin continues to receive some much needed competition with better products and much better customer service .
As for the Sharp PW-E550 , it's a nice , solid piece of equipment and is very user friendly . The keypad is large and easy to use and see . The dictionary definitions are perfect for what I use it for , which is to do my crossword puzzles with . I will definitely be purchasing more Sharp products in the future .
Thank you , Sharp !
025 4 The Sharp PW-E550 is way better than anything I ever got from Franklin in the past . Unfortunately , Franklin has pretty well had the market on handheld electronic devices for too long , and must have the worst customer service of any company in the world ! I've never dealt with people so rude and unreasonable in my life , and I will NEVER buy any of their products again . I certainly hope Franklin continues to receive some much needed competition with better products and much better customer service .
As for the Sharp PW-E550 , it's a nice , solid piece of equipment and is very user friendly . The keypad is large and easy to use and see . The dictionary definitions are perfect for what I use it for , which is to do my crossword puzzles with . I will definitely be purchasing more Sharp products in the future .
Thank you , Sharp !
032 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The volatility of this listing is truly amazing . When I first found their listing , Amazon no longer offered it , even through a 3rd party vendor . I ordered it from someone else , but after two weeks they still couldn't deliver , so I went back to Amazon and saw that they were again offering it at a very good price . So I canceled my other order and ordered it from Amazon .
Then a week after I received it from them and had thoroughly mastered the device , I went up to Amazon to add a review and they weren't even accepting reviews anymore and they said the device wasn't available again ! You couldn't even read any of the 81 reviews it said were available . The best I could do was start a discussion post .
Today I went back up and now I see that Amazon it offering the device again , but for approximately twice what they originally charged me ! At least all the reviews are back . Enough of criticizing Amazon's inconsistency . What about the device itself ?
If you're looking for an electronic dictionary , don't pass up a chance to get this one ( if you can afford it ! ) . I briefly flipped the pages through the manual , but the device itself is so intuitive , you don't have to read the manual to figure everything out . It has an extremely well design user interface ! Whoever put this thing together really knew what they were doing .
The quality of the interface extends to the physical packaging . In spite of disclaimers in the enclosed manual about the robustness of the device , it seems solidly constructed and well-balanced when it is open . It is not likely to tip over , as the bottom is heavier than the lid which contains the display . Everything has a nice , solid feel to it and the keys are plenty big enough for someone like myself who wears a size large glove . The buttons are color-coded and attractive . I could not be more pleased with the design of this device . But I will be careful not to get it wet ! They go on and on about avoiding moisture , so I'm going to take them seriously and treat this thing with respect . Do that and I'm sure it will last virtually forever .
I've had the hard copy of this dictionary since the first week it was available on the bookshelves , I think about six years ago . I have lots of dictionaries , and this is my favorite . Now to have it in electronic form is a dream come true . Plus it has other features . I especially like the grammar book it contains : pretty long articles that are very conversational , for such a device , which is better suited to small , concise entries , which the typical dictionary is likely to have . Still , a very welcome addition , this grammar book .
I like the fact that you can set the display to two different resolutions . If you have bad eyesight you may have to use the larger type but if you have good corrective glasses the smaller type is perfectly legible and of course you get more information per screen . I also appreciate how low keyed the device packaging is : no loud self-advertising , just a down-to-business , practical interface .
034 4 This dictionary was purched for an advanced ESL student .
The Sharp Electronics PW-E550 has been everything I look for in a dictionary . The movement around and through thr extensive features are intuitive and well integrated . The dictionary is thorough in its range of words available and how comprehensive the definitions have proved . A common failing in many dictionaries is circular definitions . As far as I have seen the PW-E550 avoids this pitfall .
050 4 This product is pretty much self-explanatory . The super-jump feature isn't , but once you learn it , it's easy too . This feature allows one to move through a definition , highlight a word and define that word . Handy !
Another good feature is that there are small essays embedded in the grammar function . These essays are quite informative .
As far as the number of words defined , I've only stumped it once , with bloviate . I highly recommend this electronic dictionary .
088 4 This product certainly does not need another positive review but I had to make a couple of points . I can honestly say Sharp made this unit perfect . The keys are just right , not too soft , not too hard . The design and layout and screen are all the best of any product on the market . This unit is well thought out and of a solid build quality . This device is designed for real world use , not filled with gimmicks . It is incredibly fast and after using it my Franklin feels like the cheap toy that it is . The dictionary itself is very diverse and has almost every word that I look up , even old English . This the BEST , it really has NO competition !
The Franklin that I used and returned was junk . It claimed to have 400,000 definitions , NO WAY is that true . Four out of ten words that I looked up were not available , it was cheap , randomly turned off by itself and the menu system , translator and other gimmicks were in the way and useless . It was slow , flimsy and dated . Franklin is trying to sell cheap China junk and 15 year old technology in the hopes that no one will notice . I was actually insulted that they tried to pawn off that junk for what they were asking . It had the quality of a $10 Royal unit that you would get at Walmart . Anyway , enough with the Franklin .
This Sharp product is beautifully designed and works very well . You search is over !
120 4 It's new so I don't have an opinion on battery life or durability . So far , this is the best gadget I've ever purchased . It's great to have bedside when you're reading at night . No more getting up and fumbling around for my large and heavy dictionary .
It's expensive but I'd like to send one to everybody in my family .
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
While the E550 is a good dictionary it's crossword puzzle functions leave a lot to be desired . Most crossword clues are two or three words which the E550 will allow ( phrase search ) but always the search comes up empty . In working with Sharp's customer service they admitted the E550 can only be used for the easiest of puzzles . I would agree
The dictionary lookups were quite good . However , there were some strange quirks no only in definitions but displaying similar words .
To me the E550 is outdated both in function as well as the display . The LCD is okay but would be significantly better if it had a color display like most cell phones have . I definitely would pay extra for a color display that has more resolution .
I would not recommend the E550 . It's is in need of an upgrade .
027 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Good
* Screen size is just about right , very readable and fairly bright . Zoom feature is excellent
* Love that the words appear as you type , very fast . Only the spell checker has a delay , but works very well .
* The definitions are extensive and include a sentence with the word .
Bad
* Not a biggy but for the price I wish the case was metal .
* I'm not always reading in a well lit room when I look up a word so a backlight would be nice .
040 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Portable , easy to use , and has just about every word I look up . Definitions are very comprehensive , and pronunciations and origins are given for every word . Superjump feature lets you easily look up any word you find within a definition . Screen is clear and easy to read , and you can adjust the angle . Have had this for a couple weeks and am very , very satisfied . If you're looking for a portable dictionary , this is a great choice !
055 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This was exactly what I wanted : A large vocabulary , definitions AND derivations , and ease of use . It does not have a ' speaking pronounciation ' feature , which is good - that adds to cost and usually reduces the number of words defined . I'd rather have the cost in content that frills . I also like the fact that it includes foreign phrases . Finally , it is light and small . I got rid of my decades-old bulky dictionary , and like this much better .
060 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I have expanded my reading to keep up with my kids who have now entered college . Comes in very handy when reading something other than the ' fluff ' I usually read . Very clear definitions and have not yet had a problem finding the words I am looking for .
066 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
The chief shortcoming of this device from my standpoint is that it lacks critical features which facilitate vocabulary building . For example , it does not have the ability to create favorite word lists . This would allow repetitive review of words one has difficulty with . Another needed utility is the ability to search by word root , e.g . find all the words with rogare ( to ask ) as the root . Grouping words by common root is very helpful in building a large vocabulary . So , as a vocabulary builder the device falls short . However , it performs well in terms of ease of use and rapid word look up . Overall , the thesaurus and grammer sections are excellent and there is much that can be learned from this device .
076 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Amazing , well thought out electronic dictionary . Definitions are concise , thourough and instantaneous . I am an avid reader and I've yet to stump it on any word entered , even foreign terms . Well worth the price . The other features - - thesaurus , phrase finder , cross-word solver , spell checker , etc . make it an even better investment . The viewer is easy to read and has a zoom feature feature for the visually challenged . You won't be dissapointed if you buy it . A five star , blow-out product .
082 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I bought this dictionary to ease my reading novels as I am not a novel speaker of English . It did the job . I don't remember a word this dictionary was not able to find . Words from most complex novels such as Ulysses are in it ( except the made up gibberish of Joyce . It is a fast and efficient way to find words .
098 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This electronic dictionary is all and more I could have expected . I looked up words I'd never heard of , and found ample examples of their uses in different ways . For me , it will be rare that I'll ever use a dictionary in book form again , except perhaps to compare definitions .
113 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
While the E550 is a good dictionary it's crossword puzzle functions leave a lot to be desired . Most crossword clues are two or three words which the E550 will allow ( phrase search ) but always the search comes up empty . In working with Sharp's customer service they admitted the E550 can only be used for the easiest of puzzles . I would agree
The dictionary lookups were quite good . However , there were some strange quirks no only in definitions but displaying similar words .
To me the E550 is outdated both in function as well as the display . The LCD is okay but would be significantly better if it had a color display like most cell phones have . I definitely would pay extra for a color display that has more resolution .
I would not recommend the E550 . It's is in need of an upgrade .
127 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This thing is cool ! ! I've had it for a few weeks now , and I've been raving about it to everyone . I just slip it in my pocket and it's ready to go when I stumble across a word I don't know while reading The Economist or maybe some novel , while I'm on the train to work . Also , it's been particularly handy in studying words that show up on the GRE test . It doesn't read the words to you , but if you can read phonetics , you're set !
Have fun !
130 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
One of the most useful purchases I've ever made . I bought this item almost four years ago and since then I use it everyday . I'm thinking to get another one as a back up unit . Couldn't live without it .
138 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This is my first electronic dictionary / thesaurus and it was well worth it . It saves a lot of time over flipping pages of the paper versions . The display is very readable , the keyboard is user friendly and the dictionary overall is very intuitive to use . I love it .
144 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
After reading and using franklin products , I have found this dictionary to be more comprehensive in meanings and is by far a more superior dictionary than the franklin . I purchased and returned the franklin collegiate dictionary . It was very difficult to see the screen and after some use , not user friendly nor did it have words that I was looking up . This sharp dictionary is much more user friendly however I must remember to push the super jump button before the thesaurus or I lose the word . I don't care for the grammar , spell , or calculator functions since I don't use it but it is handy . The buttons are soft which I don't like but that's the only gripe I have with it .
154 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Has derivations , example sentences , is easy to use and overall PERFECT . I bought one for myself and two for my parents . The only thing that sucks is I had to wait almost a YEAR to order it because for some reason this sucker is hard to come by .
164 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
I treat my electronics pretty well , but only about a year into owning this and not using it as often as i should there is a defect that comes and goes : A vertical line the color of the background has appeared in one spot . Depending on what letter it crosses it can make it pretty difficult to read .
This is by far the best most comprehensive device solely for dictionary / thesaurus / grammar , but considering the applications that you can download for your cell phone , i'm beginning to think it makes little sense to have a device like this .
I also prefer the merrium-webster dictionary to the oxford . But this is still good .
184 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
This is a lifesaver to put in your book bag and have a portable dictionary and thesaurus in one .
187 4 This review is from :
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary ( Electronics )
Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary
So helpful when I travel ; does so much more than just serve as a dictionary .
