Casio Advanced Spanish/English English/Spanish Card Translator

by Casio

Product Details

Product Manual [720kb PDF]

• Item Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002FD3EI
• Item model number: EW-S100
• Batteries: 1 AAA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 10, 2004

Product Description

Ultra Slim and Compact Spanish/English Dictionary with Extaordinary Resolution and Comprehensive contents from three of the most well-known dictionaries

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very handy and complete set of dictionaries, July 17, 2010

By 

Aguazul - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casio Advanced Spanish/English English/Spanish Card Translator (Office Product)

The Casio EW-S100 is a serious dictionary (actually 3 serious dictionaries) packed into a tiny portable unit. You have to remember that you are consulting a big dictionary, not a phrasebank. The dictionaries go into all the detailed meanings of each word, so for a word like "por", that means 6 pages of meanings, and 35 pages of examples! This is not a dictionary that simply gives you "por == through, by".

I bought this to go to Peru for a year and it was my constant companion -- and after marrying a Peruvian girl, it has been her constant companion ever since as she learned English. It has been in constant use for more than 5 years now. The most important thing is that there are examples and phrases that help you understand how each word is actually used.

I think that if you know how to use a dictionary and are accustomed to that, then using this will come fairly naturally. For those used to asking Google, it doesn't work quite like that, although with a quick search in each of the dictionaries you'll probably find an example of what you are after.

Whether it is worth the money -- I don't know -- but I personally wanted the depth of a serious dictionary so that I could get as good an understanding of the meanings of each word as I could.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the money, October 11, 2009

By 

Expat - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casio Advanced Spanish/English English/Spanish Card Translator (Office Product)

I just bought the EW-S200 (it's the same product without so many features) and I bought it for 179 at El Corte Ingles in Spain. I really wouldn't recommend this dictionary because it's too expensive for what is offers. The verb conjugation mode is incomplete. And it doesn't have all the words and features that I think a serious student of Spanish would need. For instance, several translations for adverbial clauses (e.g., de modo que, a menos que, etc.) are missing. And if you do find what you are looking for, you have to click too many buttons to find an example of a sentence that uses the word that you want, without providing a quick and easy translation.

I did find, however, an entry for "para que". But this is where it becomes none user friendly. You have to punch in "para" and you get list of several "paras". Within this list, if you click the wrong "para", you have to go back and try a different "para". When you do get the "para" you're looking for, you have a list of definitions. But most of the definitions do not have any translations. So when you do find the "para" that can define "para que", there is nothing telling you that it means "so that". But you can click another couple of buttons and you will be able to read an example of a sentence using the word "para que".

One great feature, though, about the Casio dictionaries is the screen. It's very clear and you can adjust the text size. There is also a backlight which is incredibly helpful. I don't think any of the Franklin dictionaries have this (the reason why I didn't buy a Franklin). The screens of the Franklin dictionaries are very difficult to see and simply out of date.

In my ideal electronic dictionary, I could just punch in "de modo que" and get one or two quick definitions without having to punch in several other buttons. I want a dictionary that I can use to read Spanish books with on the metro or waiting at the doctor's office. A regular dictionary book is pretty cumbersome to carry around in a purse. I'm returning this little Casio tomorrow and might pick up a Franklin.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Starter Tool, December 30, 2010

By 

Christopher J. Alexander, Ph.D. "Christopher ... (Rio Rancho, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Casio Advanced Spanish/English English/Spanish Card Translator (Office Product)

I've had my Casio for a month now and have been trying to get a feel for how well it works.

I agree with the first reviewer, in that this is basically a hand-held dictionary. Thus, if you're looking to find the definition of a word in English (Example: Chair = Silla) or Spanish (Example: Silla = Chair), the unit does this quickly and efficiently. The Thesaurus is also a nice touch. It will provide the word in a sample phrase at times, but its main purpose is listing the definition.

The unit is very lightweight and could easily be carried in a purse, backpack, or large pocket. It turns on immediately and there's no waiting for your translation once you type in the word.

I am using this to assist me in learning Spanish. As I go through my websites and reading materials, I will periodically plug a word into this unit. This helps confirm that the spelling and definition is correct, but it also provides other descriptiors for the word that may not be in the other sources. For example, if I look up the verb, Asistar on my index card, it just sys 'To assist.' When I type the word into my Casio, it provides a more extensive collection of definitions, to include: Assistance, to attend, attendance.

I only have two gripes about this product, but even those aren't significant. 1) the screen can be illuminated, but it's still not bright. This might result in a little strain if you don't have good eyes; 2) The manual is in Spanish, not English. Therefore, my learning is trial-and-error, as I can't read about all the features.