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- 5,000,000 Spanish English Translations
- 4,000 usage examples
- 274,000 English definitions for quick reference
- Advanced Verb Conjugations
- Phonetic Spell Correction
Product Details
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Product Description
Now you can communicate effectively with clear, concise definitions and translations from Merriam-Webster. This portable dictionary is chock full of extras, our patented Phonetic Spell Correction allows you to enter words as they sound and the device automatically provides alternatives for misspelled words, SAT and TOEFL word lists, word usage examples, seven games and crossword solver. Build your grammar knowledge with our grammar guides so you can speak and write with confidence.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
175 of 177 people found the following review helpful
Wonderful device that I use daily. I can't imagine going back to a hard-copy dictionary.
September 16, 2009
The Franklin DBE-1500 is an upgrade / replacement to the DBE-1490. It's a full-featured non-speaking, calculator-like device (fits in a men's dress shirt pocket - barely) that contains the complete Merriam Webster English-Spanish dictionary / Spanish-English dictionary, English and Spanish conjugations, English and Spanish Phrases and the full Merriam Webster regular English Dictionary (a nice added feature). In addition to these core "books" it comes with a number of miscellaneous features such as SAT and TOEFL vocabulary lists, usage examples, English and Spanish grammar lessons and a few learning games (hangman, etc), a calculator, metric-standard measure conversions, and a currency converter (you obviously have to pre-configure the rates). You won't use much of this, but the added features don't get in the way.
The Merriam Webster dictionary isn't the best one out there, but I think it's as good a one as you'll find in any electronic device. The main difference between this and more expensive devices is lack of speech - a feature I didn't really want. (The speaking one is the BES-2150, which is actually a bit smaller.) It does a decent job both of picking up on misspellings and suggesting alternatives and of mapping conjugated verbs back to their root (both of which are shortcomings of hard-copy dictionaries). The user interface is simple and straight forward. The device boots up immediately. You can configure it to use either English or Spanish as the master (menu) language and set the default entry screen (e.g. boot straight to the Spanish to English dictionary). This means looking up a word is very quick and easy - much easier and much much faster than thumbing through a hard-copy dictionary. It has a configurable auto-off power-saving function, which is nice. There are also screen contrast settings, time settings, etc.
As for the user interface, the DBE-1500 is the same as the DBE-1490. However the case is redesigned. The flip cover hinges of the 1490 were thin and were on the outside back corners of the device. So, if you dropped it on a hard floor the cover would break. (That is the reason I ended up buying the 1500 after owning a 1490.) The 1500 has recessed hinges with about 4 times more surface area - It's a great improvement in terms of durability, but is not as easy to open by feel (while you're reading) and I find myself fumbling with it a bit when I want to look up a word. The liquid crystal screen is a bit sharper than the earlier model and it's noticeably faster (newer micro processor). The keyboard has a slightly tighter and more modern look (color scheme), but otherwise is the same. The device is pretty comfortable / easy to use. Basically the 1500 is the same as the 1490, but with a more durable case, faster more modern circuit board, and slightly sharper screen. Keep in mind that it's a $45 device, so don't compare its case and interface against a state-of-the-art $200 - $300 mobile phone / PDA.
Like its predecessor, the 1500 uses two CR or DL-2032 lithium calculator batteries. I read Spanish language newspapers on the train going to work, so use my dictionary every day + some at night and on weekends. The batteries in my 1490 lasted through 5 months of heavy use before needing replacing (much better than one would hope from AA or AAA alkalines). If you only use it casually, I'd imagine they'd last years (like a calculator). The batteries can be found in any U.S. drugstore or through Amazon for between $1.50 and $6. However, they might be difficult to find in some Central and South American countries, so if you're planning on travelling, you might want to bring a spare set.
The Merriam Webster dictionary isn't the best one out there, but I think it's as good a one as you'll find in any electronic device. The main difference between this and more expensive devices is lack of speech - a feature I didn't really want. (The speaking one is the BES-2150, which is actually a bit smaller.) It does a decent job both of picking up on misspellings and suggesting alternatives and of mapping conjugated verbs back to their root (both of which are shortcomings of hard-copy dictionaries). The user interface is simple and straight forward. The device boots up immediately. You can configure it to use either English or Spanish as the master (menu) language and set the default entry screen (e.g. boot straight to the Spanish to English dictionary). This means looking up a word is very quick and easy - much easier and much much faster than thumbing through a hard-copy dictionary. It has a configurable auto-off power-saving function, which is nice. There are also screen contrast settings, time settings, etc.
As for the user interface, the DBE-1500 is the same as the DBE-1490. However the case is redesigned. The flip cover hinges of the 1490 were thin and were on the outside back corners of the device. So, if you dropped it on a hard floor the cover would break. (That is the reason I ended up buying the 1500 after owning a 1490.) The 1500 has recessed hinges with about 4 times more surface area - It's a great improvement in terms of durability, but is not as easy to open by feel (while you're reading) and I find myself fumbling with it a bit when I want to look up a word. The liquid crystal screen is a bit sharper than the earlier model and it's noticeably faster (newer micro processor). The keyboard has a slightly tighter and more modern look (color scheme), but otherwise is the same. The device is pretty comfortable / easy to use. Basically the 1500 is the same as the 1490, but with a more durable case, faster more modern circuit board, and slightly sharper screen. Keep in mind that it's a $45 device, so don't compare its case and interface against a state-of-the-art $200 - $300 mobile phone / PDA.
Like its predecessor, the 1500 uses two CR or DL-2032 lithium calculator batteries. I read Spanish language newspapers on the train going to work, so use my dictionary every day + some at night and on weekends. The batteries in my 1490 lasted through 5 months of heavy use before needing replacing (much better than one would hope from AA or AAA alkalines). If you only use it casually, I'd imagine they'd last years (like a calculator). The batteries can be found in any U.S. drugstore or through Amazon for between $1.50 and $6. However, they might be difficult to find in some Central and South American countries, so if you're planning on travelling, you might want to bring a spare set.
108 of 108 people found the following review helpful
I've used Franklin Spanish-English translators, multiple models, for about 15 years. I have personally owned at least 8 of them; some were lost, others stolen, one is at the bottom of the Amazon river, and one just plain died from too much moisture in the Peruvian jungle. But they were always the best available, and I think they still are. However, that said, I'm disappointed in their current offerings which are all larger and heavier than prior models. Franklin switched from the Larousse dictionary to Merriam-Webster a few years back, and the M-W dictionary is missing lots of common Spanish words that the Larousse version had, including all words that might be considered "adult," or simply vulgar in nature, which can be part of an everyday Spanish vocabulary. This model (the 1500), and all Franklin's recent offerings, have a screen and keyboard "cover" which is superficially appealing because you think it protects the screen, however in reality it just makes the unit awkward to use, especially when you have to open and close the cover thousands of times. That operation slows down use, as compared to their former (and now unavailable) DBE-1470u model, which could easily be used one-handed. But worse in terms of design is the wide-format keyboard, which guarantees that you need to use TWO HANDS to operate the unit (your thumbs) when one-hand operation was formerly an option. Franklin's design team is moving backwards ergonomically and in terms of usefulness every year, which is unfortunate to those of us who knew their older models. I looked at and played with the DBE-1500 model today and put it down in disappointment. You see a lot of good, if not rave reviews here. I believe these splendid reviews are from first-time or light-use users. The bad reviews are from former owners of older models. And they're all correct. There is no equivalent or better unit on the market by any other manufacturer. Although the DBE-1500 is disappointing to those who knew their prior product line, it is still probably the best you can readily obtain nowadays. If you are a traveler or student buying your first electronic dictionary, you're going to be impressed. If you're a businessman traveling light and regularly traveling in Spanish-speaking countries, you're going to find this model frustrating. You can get rid of the annoying keyboard cover with a pair of wire cutters, but the wide, two-handed keyboard is something you can't change. It's big. Look at the weight of the unit in the specs. We're all using cell phones and Blackberries nowadays, and we're accustomed to small keyboards. We're accustomed to reading smaller screens. There isn't much excuse for making such a large, heavy, bulky unit that hardly fits in a pocket in these times, when the same manufacturer once made a superior, smaller unit, with identical capacity, that was easier to use.
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
This dictionary is great. If I type in a conjugation of a verb, not knowing its root, it automatically gives me the root form and will show its various conjugations. This is what I was wanting. I'm a Spanish-speaking novice so perhaps I'd be more particular if I was advanced, however; I can see myself using this translator as I progress in my studies. Time-wise, it sure beats looking up words in a book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
indispensable learning tool
This is a wonderful, fabulous device and is probably the best investment you can make in the future of your learning. Read more
Published 1 month ago by miss meow
Sticky keys can cause problems!
The keys have been difficult to get to register the print, they stick when pushed harder so that they do register, and today, the entire product stopped working when I needed it to... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Linda Edwards
Extremely useful tool for language learners
I bought this to supplement the Ultralingua app on my iPhone and so far love it. The advantage of using this over the iPhone app is that it is a bit easier to type using the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by kevin374
Very easy to use - shows nouns, verbs, usage examples, everything
My Mexican wife and I use this to help when we're stuck for an accurate translation and it works like a charm. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kevin Hutchinson
Kind of big and only translates single words, not sentences
When I received this, I was a bit disappointed, the item is a bit larger then I expected, and it can only translate single words. Based on the description this did not seem clear. Read more
Published 7 months ago by J. Mcwilliams
Spanish translator
Generally this product was fair. I would have liked it better if it allowed me to enter an entire phrase to be translated.
Published 7 months ago by Steven J. Krumholz
A second review after using this MW Spanish Dictionary -- too many...
I initially gave this product a 5-star rating, but have to change that to 3 stars based on the many words lacking in the dictionary. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Dr. Ervin Nieves
Nice computer but unimpressive vocabulary
nicely designed. the big keys work well. But the vocabulary is distinctly inferior to online dictionaries. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Snorklehead
Dictionary
Purchased as a gift for my niece and this item arrived in time for me to ship internationally. Did not personally use this product.
Published 8 months ago by Stiletto
English-Spanish Dictionary DBE-1500
I am very displeased with the new DBE - 1500. I owned before a DBE- 1440 which I loved.Unfortunatelly it broke.
Problem 1. Read more
Problem 1. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Skimaster
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