| | |  | Electronic Dictionaries | Home » » » Franklin Speaking Merriam Webster Spanish English Dictionary (BES-2100) | | | | | | | Description: | | Whether you're a student, professional or first-time traveler, this speaking Spanish-English Dictionary helps you learn English and Spanish words quickly and easily. Perfectly sized so you can slip it into your pocket or bookbag, yet powerful enough to provide 5 million translations to build your vocabulary - and 4,800 recorded phrases to perfect your pronunciation. Create your own personal word lists and dictionary entries by connecting the device to your PC or Mac, via the enclosed USB cable, download your entries - and take it with you on the go! Phonetic Spell Correction fixes your misspelled entries. It even has scalable fonts and adjustable volume control to ensure you'll see and hear every syllable. Demo included for step-by-step instructions. | | | Features: | |
• Speaks 5,000,000 Spanish English Translations
• Speaks 4,800 common phrases
• 240,000 word English Dictionary
• Advanced Verb Conjugations
• Phonetic Spell Correction
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 3.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 7.5 inches | | Product Height:
| 4.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 11.21 pounds | | Package Length:
| 6.3 inches | | Package Width:
| 4.7 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.1 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.35 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 61 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 61 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
83 of 84 found the following review helpful:
 Perfect for my needsAug 25, 2009
By Wilcy Moore
This little device does a variety of things, so one person's experience and level of satisfaction may differ from that of someone else. That said, I would suggest reading all of the reviews posted on here in order to fully grasp the strengths and weaknesses of this gadget. I have not even attempted to use all of the features, as of yet.
I need to be able to read Spanish. I've been doing so for over 20 years, yet I don't actually speak the language and I really don't comprehend someone else speaking it at all. When I hear it, I recognize a word here and there, but it is spoken way too quickly for me to grasp. For my needs (reading only), this thing is perfect. I used to have several dictionaries, an idiomatic translation book, a verb conjugation book, and a colloquial reference guide within reach while I was reading a document written in Spanish. With this little translator, I have basically replaced all of those old reference books with something that is much smaller, more convenient, and much faster (some say it drags a bit, but compared to looking something up in a book, it blazes!). Very simply, if I see a word that confuses me, I type it in and BOOM - an instant explanation is given. More often than not, it answers my question and I quickly get back to my document.
As far as what else this thing does, the main menu reads as follows:
Books
-English/Spanish Dictionary
-Spanish/English Dictionary
-Thesaurus
-Spanish Conversational Phrases
-English Conversational Phrases
-English Conjugations
-Spanish Conjugations
Learn
-My English Word List
-My Spanish Word List
-Personal Dictionary
-Grammar Guides
-English Usage Examples
-Spanish Usage Examples
-TOEFL Test Word List
-SAT Spanish Word List
Exercises
-My English Speaking Spelling Bee
-My Spanish Speaking Spelling Bee
-TOEFL Test Spelling Bee
-SAT Spanish Spelling Bee
-My English Flashcards
-My Spanish Flashcards
-TOEFL Test Flashcards
-SAT Spanish Flashcards
Games
-Hangman
-Conjumania
-Word Train
-Word Auction
-Word Blaster
Tools
-Phonebook
-Schedule
-Memo
-Class Schedule
-Timer
-Stopwatch
-Clock
-Calculator
-Metric Converter
-Currency Converter
-Tutorial
-Demo
I gave the unit to a friend of mine from South America and asked her to evaluate the Spanish that is spoken by the unit. She said that it is a very neutral Spanish that is not biased toward Castilian Spanish or any specific part of Latin America. In fact, we tried some expressions unique to Argentina and it promptly identified them as being colloquial expressions normally used in Argentina (We were impressed).
The bottom line is that this little thing is great for someone who needs a quick means of reference to clarify something that is written in Spanish (or English, for that matter). That type of use really just scratches the surface of what this thing is capable of, however. Depending on your needs, I think this device would be a valuable addition to most anyone's learning toolkit.
64 of 66 found the following review helpful:
 Handy, but lacks documentation for all the features jammed into this deviceSep 08, 2009
By B. Christensen
"Frequent traveler, business owner, and self-professed gadget junkie"
I've been trying to encourage my kids to learn Spanish for years, putting up with the cries of "Dad! Don't speak Spanish to us!" every time I pointed to something in the grocery store and said "naranja" or "manzana"... Finally, my daughter is entering middle school and has enrolled in a Spanish class, so I thought this little gadget would be super handy.
Unfortunately, it has been somewhat of a disappointment. The package itself is nice and the keyboard has a good feel to it, but the display technology and the user interface is very, very 1980's. In fact, it reminded me of the TRS80 I had in High School - chunky, jaggy letters and "boop, beep, boop" sound effects. Even the "F-key" designation for the menu navigation smacks of 80's era computer interfaces.
From a content/functionality standpoint, however, this device is really very good. The dictionaries seem to be extremely complete (I have not yet found a word that it could not translate). There are a TON of features, games, and even flash cards that can be used to help both a student of Spanish and a traveler to a Spanish-speaking company that needs a little help from time to time (like me now that my Spanish is getting pretty rusty). But I was disappointed with the documentation for all the features and functions. The complete documentation consists of a two-sided 17" x 20"folded up piece of paper crammed with descriptions of all the function keys and a point-by-point explanation of what they do. Very little contextual help is provided in the documentation; I found myself wishing for more of a "step-by-step" guide - a mini "Dummies" guide for the device. It is hard not to feel overwhelmed by the number of menus, function keys, and features of the device, and the documentation really doesn't do much to help one ease into using it. You just have to dive in and get lost for a while, then use the printed instructions to try and navigate back to where you started. I'd liken it to getting completely lost in a city for a few hours and then buying a bad map. Given enough time and patience, you will eventually find your way around and possibly become even more intimate with the city than if you'd never got lost, but you probably wouldn't enjoy the trip much...
Bottom line, if the user interface and documentation were better, this could easily be a four star product, and with a back light, a 5 star product - the features and functions are in there - they're just darned hard to figure out!
127 of 139 found the following review helpful:
Love this device! If you're not already commited to a specific learning program, read the last section for some helpful tips.Aug 25, 2009
By eCognition
Some of the problems other users have found with this device are logical design implementations. I'll mention some. The processing is slower for battery conservation reasons. If you lower the contrast, it's still clearly readable and you'll extend the battery life even more. The text size can be permanently changed via the settings option. This device far exceeded my expectations. In the future, better headphones (the one's they give are very big for the average ear), will add some major points to this already great product. In addition, the device could use a separate rechargeable Li-battery (or other comparable internal power storage) that'll recharge the device via the USB port to prevent losing the data stored in settings and the customizable folders; sort of like the small battery used to power the CMOS chip in your pc that, in short, holds all the information needed to start you pc properly. If you don't send electrical current to your pc over a long period of time, that battery will drain and die, along with all the boot-up information. Very sad. It's the same deal here, only it happens much quicker (if you take more than a couple seconds to switch your batteries. Backup your data. Don't get all mental with the thing like you do your Blackberry, iPhone, etc., or it will freeze and you'll have to reset it, thereby losing your data. You'll be able to "feel" the device out within the first 30 minutes, knowing how fast you can push it. I would remove the "word of the day" function as the device has no "permanent on" function, so after 5 (or less, depending on the setting) minutes, it'll shut-off and you'll have to take extra time to bypass the word of the day again. Cumbersome, if you're doing a lot of translating during your readings.
If you are not already committed to a Spanish learning program or the one your using is not working out for you, I have some tips if you haven't had the time to collect your own. It's for those really wanting to be in command of the Spanish language. A good command of basic Spanish grammar is essential if this is going to be of good benefit to you. There's a book you can buy on Amazon called "Spanish Grammar for Independent Learners"; it's the one I used, but there are many. If you've taken a foreign language immersion course, they'll tell you repeatedly not to get bogged down on grammar. Once you use the below methods, the grammar will automatically kick in in many cases (by "kick in", I mean the subconscious decoding of the language itself). Buy used DVD's of your favorite movies and put the subtitles on. When the subtitles display on the screen, press the pause button. Picture the scene visually in your head and say the phrase from the screen. Do not translate in your head, "ok, this in English, means this in Spanish". Listen to the Actor/Actresses lines only for context. While the DVD is paused, visualize the scene while saying the phrase. This will imprint the language and it's corresponding visual imagery in the visual processing centers of the brain. Storing information visually in your head will work thousands of times faster than plain rote-memorization. DVD's that are emotional are especially effective as they also involve the Limbic system located in your brain, which governs emotions. Think back on your past and you'll find the most vivid memories involved strong emotions, good or bad. Emotions, strong visual imagery, and verbalizing the Spanish translation only will speed up your foreign language learning drastically. You may want to go to the FSI Language Site for free intensive Spanish study material. It's all digital and it's public domain, so it's free. This is the same material used to teach Government personal. There are many people copying the material and selling this stuff on different websites. Do not be taken. It is free. The website is-[...]. As in [...]. If the web site is not shown in the previous sentence, just type "FSI language courses org" in google and you're there. With programs like Rosetta Stone, you can hold a basic conversation when you're through all the programs. With these, you'll be able to work as a bona fide translator, once you work on your speed. You rarely see these programs marketed all over the place because you have to more than just want to have a strong command of the language. The material is somewhat dull and extremely repetitive; the only way you'll get it engraved in your head, so it's second-nature. Learning a new language is not peaches and berries (did I say that right?), so just look at your goal. The end result. There's a ton of other languages on there too. You're paying for the imagery with Rosetta Stone. The only problem is the lack of "original awareness" in those programs. You're using their images to learn the language, instead of your own which are far more effective in memorizing the material. These are hardcore, requiring the amount of time that most people nowadays are just not willing to put in. I'm from la, so not learning the language edged me out of positions that I wanted. Very, very frustrating. I purchased popular books for Amazon, such as Jurassic Park and Misery in both English and Spanish and also popular books for reading the language as it is spoken in everyday language. The content is the same. I stayed away from recently published ones, as the Spanish translations in those tend to be pricey. I looked for subjects (via the Amazon query search box) that included everyday language and then put the word "Spanish" directly behind the specific name of the book I wanted; this pulled up (if any) the Spanish editions. Huge bestsellers will more than likely have a Spanish edition. My favorite way was to use Google translator to take Spanish news sites and translate them into English. You can download the toolbar for easy one-click access that translates it in a second. I print both and use the English one only as a reference when I need help (it isn't perfect, but it's very good compared to the software of the old days). Update since last post: I just discovered the Oxford Spanish Dictionary on CD-rom. This thing is a beast and incredibly useful if you don't need a mobile dictionary-like this Franklin speaking dictionary-for on the go. It has one-click access to pronunciation for each entry, "copy and paste" talking function for anything you find on the web, split-second searches and tons of sentence usages for helping your brain decode the language. It's a must buy for anyone who has constant access to a desktop or laptop who want to know the language inside and out, and as always, can be found at a great price on Amazon. I can only find a Windows version for it though. These programs, the visualization techniques , the novels, the DVD's, reading the news sites with Google translator and this Franklin Spanish dictionary, allow you to create your own immersive program without having to sell your family to move to Costa Rica. That and about 5 hours a day. It was worth it. One more important note from many well-known linguists: Never translate English into Spanish when learning the language. Spanish rarely translates directly to English in a "clean" way. Grab the idea and the corresponding mental pictures and connect those to your learned Spanish. When you learn the translation of something, you dump the English translation after grabbing the idea (mental picture); then you use that idea as a reference when attempting to construct your sentences in the future. You do not want to etch direct English-Spanish or Spanish-English translations in your brain. It was a habit I had to learn to unlearn. On final note: About a couple hundred hours into intensive foreign language study, it'll "click". From there, it's all about vocabulary and learning the individual nuances involved in the language. People usually quit before this can happen. Your brain will reward you for intensive and focused effort. Good luck.
24 of 25 found the following review helpful:
 Exceeded my expectations!Jul 23, 2009
By RJL
We are using Rosetta Stone to teach our kids Spanish. But there has been a serious gap in the learning experience. When we are out and about, the kids will inevitably ask what something is called in Spanish. This is where this little Franklin / Merriam-Webster translator comes in. It's only 4" wide, by 3" deep, by less than 0.75" tall when closed, so it fits very easily in a pocket, purse, or camera bag. The screen is just short of 3.5" diagonal (but note it is NOT as bright as shown in the picture - at least not from a normal viewing angle, and there is no back light). The best part is that the interface is surprisingly intuitive so that the boys can look up the word themselves! The Amazon product page does a good job of showing all the screens and books available. It's very responsive and the dictionary and functionality are extensive for such a small device. Better than expected based on trying similar devices a number of years ago. Our verdict: This is no wimpy gimmick or toy. If you are serious about learning Spanish, or if you will be travelling to a Spanish-speaking country, this is a very nice choice.
Here is our list of our favorite features (also see list of areas for improvement at the bottom):
> The translation dictionary itself is very easy to use. As you type a word, a word list appears and you can use arrow keys to pick a word. If you're not sure about the spelling, you can place a "?" in the place of letters and it will suggests words.
> The built-in dictionary and thesaurus are very nice bonuses. The kids (and I) use this for looking up words on the fly. The Franklin pronounces any word with the push of a button. You can also switch between the dictionary and thesaurus on the same word with touch of one button.
> The Conversational Phrases function is very easy to use. It categorizes phrases into drill-down categories: Business, Computers, Cooking, Dating, Dining, Driving, Emergencies, Events, Family, and many others. You can also search for a phrase by typing in one or more words. When I type in "bank" it finds the phrase "Where's the nearest bank?" and it then can play the phrase in English or Spanish (use a set of headphones to hear it clearly). The search function works exceptionally well.
> It's easy to use your personal Word List developed over time to create virtual Flash Cards. It also has built-in SAT and TOEFL flash cards and a spelling bee function where the word is pronounced and you have to type it. I found that headphones were important to understand the word. And you can do the flash cards for English or Spanish to build your vocabulary in either language.
> Other features that work great that we look forward to using more include examples of usage, games (like hangman), extensive verb conjugation lists, and grammar guides. There is also a scheduler, stopwatch, a memo function, and a timer. These items are probably better-reserved for an iPod, iPhone or other such device.
> Keyboard is responsive and feels solid. Good tactile feel and response. Easy to use if you hold it like an iPhone or Blackberry and use your thumbs to type.
> Has a back navigation key in case you go to the wrong menu. I find myself using this a lot.
> Screen folds back to 180 degrees to help with lighting and viewing angle.
Areas for improvement:
> The screen is actually quite dark. Good lighting is essential, so don't plan on pulling this out in a dark subway, at night, or even in a dimly lit restaurant. Could definitely benefit from a backlight. (This is the main reason I gave it four stars rather than five.)
> The headphones (ear buds) are too large and are uncomfortable. You will likely need to invest in a different set.
Uses 2 AAA batteries (included).
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
ALWAYS IN MY POCKETAug 24, 2010
By NATALYA RAMON
I am a native spanish speaker, living in Pittsburgh and I bought this translator because I am tired to carry my dictionary in my purse and is all kilter.
Anyway I've been trying it and I read some comments which said that it was a really complicated gadget and IT'S NOT TRUE, unless you don't have any idea about simple technologic things like a calculator.
I would like to clap the pronunciation because the words I heard, they have a perfect spanish pronunciation, without any accent and it helps me a LOT any second with grammar and pronunciation with my english as well.
After all, it was a good purchase but it took me time to have it , so if you are willing to recieve soon, just buy it with two weeks in advance.
See all 61 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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