This is a great little gadget; however, be aware that it has a limited life span. This is the second I have owned, so obviously I like the product. However, both have simply stopped working after approximately 3 years each. This was workable when the price was $50 or so. Now to replace the one I bought 3 years ago, the price has jumped to $139. Knowing about this limited life span, I question why and whether a new purchase would be worth doing. I also question this jump in price and how it could be justified.

I searched all the Spanish/ English dictionaries available on Amazon. I was hoping to find one made by Sharp, which I own for French, which I find outstanding at least in readability and ease of use. This Franklin one seemed a good buy, and well- liked in reviews, but I am somewhat disappointed in this dictionary. I enjoy reading in Spanish, but often need a dictionary for unfamiliar words. Frankly, I think the online Googel Translate is more up to date, but needed a small hand held device to use rapidly while reading. So far, half of the words that I have searched for on this product are unknown. I think it has too many options, games, storage, lists, that don't really matter. The buttons kind of wiggle and often don't register. The layout is way too complication to maneuver to simply use as a fast reliable dictionary for the advanced student. Not an ergonomic or logical device. I suppose it might be useful to someone teaching themselves Spanish or English, or as a study aide.

If you forgot how bad personal electronics used to be, and want a review, pick up one of these!. Spanish (and probably all languages) is contextual. In order to get the true meaning of the words you have to know either what the spelling/conjugation changes indicate OR as we mostly do in life, we infer the meaning by the context of the other words in a phrase. This little device enables you to look up a single word (not a phrase or 2-3 words) and figure out the right one from a list of options (rather than explaining the context provided by the surrounding words), which is not ideal. I bought this just a couple of weeks before the new google translate (the downloadable versions which works without the internet) came out. I am now in a foreign country and can tell you that Google Translate is the way to go. The Franklin Merriam Span-Eng dictionary is difficult to use, time consuming, poorly designed (2 hands required as others have complained about, a useless, cumbersome cover) and doesn't give you what you need easily or accurately. I am certain that this tech is heading for the dustbin of device history with Google Translate available for free with its many options (text, spoken word, hand writing and photo translate).

This is a wonderful, fabulous device and is probably the best investment you can make in the future of your learning. It has a large vocabulary and the price is amazing (plus free shipping if you order through Amazon). The dictionary and translation is wonderful, but this electronic gem offers more than just that. It features several learning tools, such as a list area, where you can add newly learned words to a list (in either English or Spanish) and quiz yourself. My only lament about this is that the number of words that fit on the list are limited, to about 50-100. Another great feature are the games. Though tacky they may be ("Word Train", anyone?), I found them to be entertaining and educational.

If you are unsure about a conjugation, there is even an option to look up word conjugations. This is a great tool, but I wouldn't suggest using this while you are trying to talk to someone, because it takes forever to scroll through the multiple tenses to get to the one you want. However, if you want to learn the proper conjugations for future use or for a written assignment, this feature is great, especially for students.

If you are traveling to a Spanish speaking country (or if you are a Spanish speaker traveling to an English speaking country), and you just need to be able to get by with the basics, then there is a section for you too. If you drop down to the main menu, there is an option for Spanish phrases and an option for English phrases. Once you select this option, you are led to a handy list of categories to choose from (emergencies, dining, health, postal services, etc). There are a plethora of phrases in these sections that you will surely find useful if you are a tourist or are learning the language.

Personally, I found the spell correction to be of a lot of use. When you hear a word in Spanish, it is impossible to always guess how it is spelled (ex. hecho and echo sounds like the same word). If you misspell a word, the dictionary gives you a list of possible words to choose from. If you type in an already conjugated word, then the dictionary will recognize it and take you to the un-conjugated form with the definition.

Now, if you are a student learning Spanish or English, then I encourage you to buy one of these immediately. Not just for the translations and definitions, or for the games or the list option, but more importantly, for the study options. In the main menu, if you click over to "Learn" there are several opportunities to improve your language skills and help you excel in class. There are Spanish and English Usage examples, English and Spanish Grammar lessons, a Spanish word list for the SAT's and a TOEFL Test word list for those preparing to take the TOEFL test. All of this in a little hand held device. Other options include spelling tests and flash cards.

As for the mechanics of it, I found the mini keyboard to be easy to use and comfortable to hold with both hands. It is fairly easy to navigate your way around, but take a look at the manual so that you make full use of it. The lid can stay open or shut without flopping around, which minimizes distractions.

I purchased this from Amazon and received it quicker than expected, with everything in tact and working (batteries included), and with free shipping.

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 keyboard rather than the touchscreen.

Pros/Advantages:
Keyboard is nice for the size - I like it
Not ultra portable but it definitely fits in a jacket's inner pocket pretty well
For the price the screen is excellent and adequate
Easy quick access buttons for verb conjugations, don't need to hunt around
Sample sentences in every tense with the verbs - this is something my Ultralingua doesn't have and I love it!
Info on verb constructs - for instance "acabo de" and "acabo con" is included when looking up "acabar"

Cons:
None considering the price

This is an excellent product that is a godsend for whoever is learning Spanish.