Re: [Off-topic] Electronic dictionaries for looking up Japanese (warning v. long)

[<peter@my.email.ne.jp>]

Over a week since the question was posted, but I was on the road, so have
only just caught up with my Sumo ML reading.  Will still probably be of use
for those interested in the Japanese electronic dictionary area though.  I
had a Wordtank many years ago before it died, and found it like other button
based entry electronic dictionaries cumbersome compared to the following
option, which I have settled on and has paid for itself many hundreds of
times over in my work as a translation editor.

Best I have found is using a Japanese model of a Pocket PC loaded with the
freeware JWPCe word processor
<http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~grosenth/jwpce.html> that has dictionary
lookup based on the free EDICT dictionaries from Jim Breen.  The advantage
of this and the reason for having the Japanese model is that you can input
kanji via the stylus pen.  Doesn't seem to be so harsh on stroke order
either compared to other input systems I have used.  Also, the EDICT
dictionaries have the furigana and are oriented more for the English speaker
(most other J-E and E-J dictionaries are still aimed mostly at Japanese
native speakers), although the Japanese Pocket PCs do have standard Japanese
dictionaries onboard as well.  EDICT is a collective compilation by users,
so is not perfect or as comprehensive as the bigger paper dictionaries, but
I find it does have the advantage of being much more contemporary.  If you
already have another language model of a Pocket PC, then the free JWPCe will
work on it fine, just won't have the pen-based kanji input.  The same author
also does a nice little free flash card program for the Pocket PC called JFC
<http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~grosenth/jfc.html>.  All this can be had in a
Pocket PC that will fit in your pocket and weighs less than 150g.

There are probably options for other EDICT-based dictionaries on Palm-type
PDAs out there, but not sure myself- look for Jim Breen's EDICT site
<http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/japanese.html> for more info.

For the Pocket PC option a good and comprehensive site on how to setup is
<http://www.greggman.com/japan/ce/ce.htm> if you are not so familiar with
Japanese, however the JWPCe site has fairly comprehensive instructions if
you know your way around your Pocket PC.  I use an older black and white
model Cassiopea Pocket PC like the one on the greggman.com site, that I
picked up for a song second hand, and which I prefer to the newer models as
battery usage is much less than the color versions and it still uses easily
available AAA batteries (I have several sets of NiMH rechargeables, but if
ever was stuck can get standard alkaline AAAs from any supermarket,
convenience store or tourist shop).  Add a bit of compact flash memory that
is dirt cheap now and you have all the room you need for multiple
dictionaries and loads of MP3s (the older model only plays back in mono
though), plus backup of your scheduler.  Only problem is possibly syncing
scheduler etc. on Macs as the Pocket PC being a Microsoft based system is
not interested in being cross compatible.  Otherwise overall you have a much
better system, for multiple purposes, easier input and cheaper than a
Wordtank.

Not really a shameless plug as I'm not sure if I'll really have time, but if
anybody is very interested in obtaining Japanese models of the older/cheaper
black and white Cassiopea Pocket PCs I know of a good source of these models
(still brand new in the box) and have often thought about exporting them for
students of Japanese, after I add some compact flash and load up all the
dictionaries, just contact me at the address below.

Cheers, Pete.
<peter@my.email.ne.jp>