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 enlarge | Brand: Sharp
Category: CE
List Price: $119.99
Buy New: $69.67
You Save: $50.32 (42%)
New (18) Used (1) from $69.67
Avg. Customer Rating:  121 reviews
Color: SILVER
Media: Electronics
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries: 1
Batteries Included: Yes
Operating System: Proprietary
Free Memory Slots: 0
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.6
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.1
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: PW-E550
Model: PW-E550
UPC: 074000017818
EAN: 0074000017818
Release Date: July 5, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Easy-to-use, high-quality electronic dictionary, with a few minor flaws January 25, 2006
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
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?
The best electronic dictionary April 20, 2007
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
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.
NOAD is a Superb Dictionary and Sharp Makes it Better January 20, 2006
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
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.
Very Handy, Quite Comprehensive April 28, 2006
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
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.
Tremendous Learning Tool! May 17, 2006
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
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!
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