Worth buying this e. dictionary? Casio EV-SP2900

[Gaogao]

Hi!

I´m going to BJ in the summer and I´m planning to buy an electronic dictionary (not a palm). I´ve been browsing the web for a while to see what functions/prices they have and I have found the Casio ones, which may not be the cheapest, but were highly recommended.

I would be interested to know whether somebody has a similar dictionary and what experiences does he/she have with it and also, where should I look for to buy it and for how much in Beijing. Also, I could not find in the description, whether this dictionary has Chinese voice function or just English. Oh, and is it possible to buy additional dictionaries on SD cards? (E.g. Japanese, Korean, Russian)Any other info you find important, you´re welcome to tell.

Thank you!

Here´s the dict´s description: http://www.casio.com.cn/product/dic/product/EV-SP2900.html

[flameproof]

Those dedicated electronic dictionaries are usually designed for Chinese users that need help with English, that's why there is GRE, TOEFL etc. But you are a user that needs help with Chinese, and I doubt it's designed for that.

I think it's only worthwhile if your Chinese is already very advanced, otherwise I feel Pleco is a way better choice.

[Gaogao]

Hi!

I know these dictionaries are mainly aimed at Chinese speakers, still, many learners use them well and I prefer dictionaries to palms. I have also written this is the previous entry, because I have read the other threads and they all ended up discussing Plecodict and Koridy, Besta, but I´m curious about the Casio dictionaries. Still, thanks for the suggestion, I may consider it.

[Prodigal Son]

get an ipod touch. multiple chinese/english dictionaries plus you can input characters with your fingertips. also dictionaries for virtually every other language and no memory cards to mess with. also it's a badass mp3 player, web browser, email client, etc.

[fanglu]

I prefer dictionaries to palms

Out of curiosity, why?

[imron]

It's worth noting that Pleco is also available for Windows Mobile smartphones and not just palms.

[Gaogao]

I prefer dictionaries simply because I don´t need a palm.

[flameproof]

I prefer dictionaries simply because I don´t need a palm.

You could pretend it's just a dictionary then.

Here in HK I see those dedicated thingies in many shops and I have tried them often out of curiosity. As a poor Chinese reader I find them very hard to handle since all menus etc. are in Chinese.

So it's hard to find the useful functions, such as switching simpl. to trad. etc. The English dict. is usually also riddled with Chinese. The handbook is usually just in Chinese too.

I suggest, if you see a Casio try to be alone with it for 30 Minutes or so and try as many different things as possible.

But of course if you can read already Chinese well it could be for you.

[Gaogao]

Hi!

Thanks for the reply. I also think I will find the time and go through some shops to play with them, which one suits me best. Actually, I like the Casio ones because of the small pad to write, so I don´t have to write on the screen. Anyway, after I get to BJ I will try to look for one.

But for those also interested, I have found one quite similar to Casio (with a small pad), but cheaper and it also has Japanese, it´s a Meijin 名人 S928 http://www.iq168.com/product/928.html

[Shadowdh]

To be honest I had a friend who had bought one of those "dedicated" dictionaries and he was forever asking me what different characters were as his dictionary did not have them... I have Pleco...

[leeyah]

Yes, electronic dicionaries on sale in China are primarily designed for Chinese foreign language learners. But they can also be very, very useful to foreign learners of Chinese at an advanced level. Definitely the best way for self-study, any time, any place.

I've got a very inexpensive (Chinese brand) electronic dictionary and it is precisely this feature that I find most convenient: very detailed explanations of characters/ words/ phrases, including the indispensable 实用例句. It can't read traditional characters, which is a disadvantage, but apart from 朗文双解 and regular English-Chinese and vice verso, it also includes Chinese-Chinese 汉字字典，成语词典 & 古代汉语词典, not too extensive but very useful nevertheless. Also 文化词典 (Chinese&English proverbs).

But THE most handy feature of all is that I can read txt format files from my notebook, as there's also the bookmark feature, so it doesn't matter how long the txt is. It can be your own "home-made" 生词库 dictionary or any 长篇 novel like 巴金's "家". Oh, it can also read Japanese hiragana & katakana.Very convenient, especially for lyrics.

As for MP3, well, not so good for music, but I recommend it for MP3 format poetry And yes, one of the things to pay attention to in choosing an electronic dict is the 总空间, i.e. memory/capacity.

OP thank you for recommending Casio with Japanese, I'll need to get myself a more powerful one as soon as I'm back in China. One with Japanese and German at one go, would best serve my purpose.

[Gaogao]

Hi Leeyah:

what brand it is? Because I´ve been looking on the net for a while to at least know what to expect from a dictionary, and I may buy a more simple CHinese one first and get a Casio later, when I´m more advanced. I´ve taken a look at Koridy, Besta and Meijin, I like those better, especially the Meijin, which has a small pad, like Casio, but it does not have a Xiandai Hanyu Cidian. But it still has a huge Japanese-Chinese dictionary (I´m studying both) and also Korean conversation (starting soon). Koridy has Xiandai, but some have JP, some don´t, but I want to see how convenient it is to write on the screen. Besta seems ok (but a bit more pricy), it also has Xiandai and some conversation lessons in Vietnamese, such, which is fun, but now rather the Chinese dictionaries count, plus it should have some Japanese. I hope I will find the one that suits me.

I was wondering whether it is possible to buy Xiandai Hanyu Cidian on SD card and add it to a dictionary that does not have it....???

[leeyah]

I was wondering whether it is possible to buy Xiandai Hanyu Cidian on SD card and add it to a dictionary that does not have it....???

it does not have a Xiandai Hanyu Cidian. But it still has a huge Japanese-Chinese dictionary (I´m studying both)

Don't know about SD card but I'm sure they can be upgraded, or something, I never tried it though. Hey, I also studied Chinese & Japanese simultaneously when I was I student, but I was too lazy to graduate in both . Back then I could speak very good Jap, and not so good Chinese, now it's the other way round

I have the simplest Chinese 快易典全能 (don't know the English for it, lost the manual). I'm happy with it because it's got all I need, plus it's small in size (7x10cm), fits in the smallest handbag or even a jeans pocket, which is great.

I'm planning to do my e-dian shopping when I get back to Guangzhou, there's lots of stuff to choose from and test them right there. The ones you've looked up online are really interesting, what with Jap, Korean and even Viet (!). Impressive! On-screen writing would be great, but those happen to be pricier than what I'm ready to pay. If you're looking for good & cheap, you may want to check this one out: 快易典, Chinese-Japanese, really cheap & features just about all you need, incl. 现代汉语词典/汉英/英汉 and more.

Anyway, don't forget to post & let me know if you happen to get your perfect dictionary before I do & I promise to do the same.

PS: Just read your other post on bargaining. I'm not sure its doable in the regular places, but second hand electronics most likely.

[Gaogao]

Hi! Thanks for the reply. I will also major in Chinese, I hope I can take up Korean as a "minor". And I´m also studying Japanese, so it would be fine, to have them all in one, but I think I´ll buy later a Jap-Eng, and a Kor-Eng dictionary, which specialises in those languages. Of course, I will tell you if I find a suitable dictionary. From the internet, I like the Meijin one the best, because it has a small pad like Casio: http://product.dangdang.com/Product.aspx?product_id=20535295#

It does not have a Xiandai Hanyu Cidian - but it´s expandable. Does anybody know if I can buy Xiandai Hanyu Cidian on SD card and add it to an e-dict???? Then I think I would buy the card and the Meijin. If not, then I think I´ll go for a Koridy, maybe, or even Casio is still among the candidates, if I can get it cheap, but it has no Classical Chinese or Chengyu, which I would better need now (planning to take HSK Em-Intm in autumn). I think as soon as I get to BJ (which is about two weeks- I´m counting the days:mrgreen:) I´ll head to Zhongguancun before course starts and get one of these nice little gadgets. Well, I know that where price is not written, you can bargain. I was just curious how it goes in Zhongguacun, because I love bargainin and why not get the dictionary cheaper.... ;)