Palm Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Franklin Thesaurus (P10935U) Reviews

• Good Dictionary Bad Software

  
  By A1TAI9RW0Y6ZZW on 2004-01-08
  I bought this dictionary for use with a Palm T3. The dictionary is pretty good and reasonably comprehensive. However, it uses the MobiPocket 4.6 as the reader software. It never tells you that anywhere, I just happened to download this sofware earlier and recognized it. This reader is horrible for a dictionary. When you try to make the letter "t" or "i" using Grafitti it triggers the go back action. Also if you try to delete a letter it triggers the go back action. It also doesn't take advantage of the full screen. These shortcomings seem to all be addressed in the new 4.7 reader but it is not clear yet if I have to buy the new reader (which costs just about as much as this card) and if I do if I can even use the new reader with the card's databases. It was inexcusable to marry this dictionary to an inappropriate reader and furthermore to not disclose that anywhere.
  
  

• What is a MobiReader?

  
  By A36FNS2ZP0H4KT on 2004-04-19
  Sure, the dictionary has a lot of words, but the problem is finding them. The search screen is extremely jumpy when using the graffiti interface. I can rarely get more than a couple letters in the search box before the program jumps off to the wrong word.

  Now my graffiti skills are pretty good; I don't have this kind of problem with other Palm programs. The dictionary's search program (MobiReader?) doesn't want to wait for t's to be crossed and i's to be dotted. So a search for 'tea' and you'll end up with the first word starting with 'L'. I've resorted to using the popup keyboard screen to enter words. Not what I've come to expect from Palm-based programs.
  
  

• Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionar

  
  By A2S709NNWKLQQV on 2005-02-07
  I got this for my new PalmOne Zire 72. The dictionary has lots of function but doesn't work well with my palm. Everytime when I try to write a "t", it will go back to the previous screen instead of having a "t" on my word. And the software itself is not easy to use. After I have used it for a few times, it started to crash my operating system everytime I try to open the dictionary or insert the dictionary sd card to my palm. If you own a Zire 72, my best suggestion is not to get this dictionary. I returned mine and got another different one; it doesn't have as many functions as the Merriam-Webster's, but it works great and easy to use. Most importantly, it's completely capatible with my palm pilot.
  
  

• Not bad, but inconvenient

  
  By ADSF2TWAQS044 on 2006-02-15
  -- This dictionary & thesaurus is actually pretty good, and has features that others seem to lack. Very handy is the fact that once you look up a word, you can tap any word in that definiton, and look up THAT word in the dictionary or thesaurus as well. That's wonderful stuff! Plus there's other options on that pop-up menu that I haven't fully explored.
  -- HOWEVER! For quick look-ups, it's a bit of a hassle. You have to go through multiple screens. And as has been said in other reviews, the graffitti interface is pretty touchy.
  -- MY MAIN GRIPE however, has nothing to do with that. I generally keep a large memory card in my Palm. So every time I have to look something up, I have to pull that card, and put in this one. Not only is that a real hassle, it also invites mishaps such as dropping cards (into soup, for instance), and causes excessive wear and tear on the card mechanism if you use it a lot, which I do.
  -- I have therefore gone to the Oxford dictionary, which while lacking in some features and having a smaller word list, is much quicker and easier to use for fast look-ups, and resides comfortably on the memory card so I don't have to swap. I keep this one on had for deeper researches, but it's fairly rare that I use it anymore.
  
  

• Disappointing

  
  By AMHWOG8Q4QHZG on 2006-05-11
  This is not a dictionary you can download onto your memory card. It comes on its own memory card, which you have to insert into your pda to use. You have to carry this dictionary card around with you and when you want to look something up, take your card out of your pda and then insert this one. It's impractical. For me it was a waste of money.
  
  
• Excellent Dictionary
  By A33U1INOBK6D9Z on 2004-12-28
  This is a great little dictionary. Perhaps I shouldn't say "little" since it has 200,000 definitions. But I use it on my HP 3115 and it seems little. Easy to read, easy to move around the dictionary. You can click on one of the words in the definition and you get a little pop up window that allows you to view that defintion and then return to the previous word or name or whatever. There are biographical and geographic entries as well, not to mention the thesaurus. It is so handy to have such a great reference work within arm's reach when you need a bit of information. The occasions for its use are endless. Highly recommended.
  
  
• Horrible PDA dictionary
  By AQYMIS1ITE1JV on 2005-08-09
  My main annoyance was all of the screens I had to go through just to look up a word! It vexed me terribly. When it finally broke, it gave me the excuse to buy another dictionary... but certainly not this one! I chose Handmark's Oxford dictionary, which I am pleased with.
  
  
• I Disagree with you ALL
  By A1P2P36BZOD5RO on 2006-04-22
  I personally LOVE this little dictionary. I use it in my Zire 72. The dictionary has lots of function and i have had no problems using it for every day use in my English 102 class. Its wonderful. It understands my Grafitti perfectly, and like other reviewers didnt make me go back. Its extremely easy to read, easy to move around the dictionary. You can click on one of the words in the definition and you get a little pop up window that allows you to view that defintion and then return to the previous word or name or whatever. There are biographical and geographic entries as well, not to mention the thesaurus. I keep the dictionary in my palm case all day every day (right next to my MP3 card). The software was quick and easy to install, I had expected to fight with it but it just .."poof"ed. I've had my dictionary since my 101 class where my teacher required it. We rarely used it but i kept it any way and am so glad i did. Maybe I'm just special, but I'd like to give some credit to the card!
  
  
• Make sure your read this before you buy
  By ATGES913W9EF5 on 2006-09-04
  Hello to all! If you are like me this you read these reviews in hope to learn about the down side as well as the up side of these products. I will make this short and sweet. I purchased this item at least two months ago and it's a very good piece of gear for those of use that can't spell or just flat out want to have an dictionary on hand 24/7. This item is user friendly and good to have. The bad side is this, ONE you can not safe the dictionary to your palm partly for copyright infringement which I can understand since I to own a company and like to be secure in my dealings. TWO you will have to exit your program in order to use this item which I was unaware of when I brought it. Three it dose have a spelling aid when looking for a word you don't know how to spell but its not like Microsoft word or anything you type the word and if you are off...way off you will have no assistance in finding it which to me defeats the purpose of the item. But other then those issues you will not have a problem with this item. All and all it's good but i would have given it a four or five star rating if I had been able to use it on my palm in conjunction with Microsoft word.
  
  
• A very handy PDA Dictionary and Thesaurus
  By A35I3OWX5ZSJ3H on 2005-12-15
  I bought the 11th edition and this comes with Mobipocket Reader Pro v4.7. I find that the response is fast even though it loads from the card. The icons and user-interface are user-friendly. It would be much more helpful if I can just type in a new word without the hassle of manually going back to the main page and it would have earned 5 stars if there is also a direct link from the word in the Dictionary to the Thesaurus.
  
  
• Faulty product, unresponsive customer service
  By A1T3US0HCBJHY4 on 2006-11-05
  This is the only card that has ever failed to work on my Palm Tungsten C, so I know it's not a hardware problem with my PDA. The handheld device recognizes the card and FileZ shows that the programs and databases are present and available, but the program doesn't run -- the only response I get is "Loading from card. Please wait." But nothing happens. My repeated queries to tech support via its Web site have gone unanswered. Don't count on any help from the company if you also get a lemon.
  
  
• The unusable dictionary
  By A10H0R02PM7X1N on 2007-06-13
  This would really be a great dictionary if the company allowed it to be installed on one's own SD Card. Instead, one must remove your card and install the one that came with the product each time you want to use the dictionary.
  
  Handmark's Oxford English Dictionary allows you to install without requiring its own dedicated card. However, once you reach high school age, this dictionary is worthless. There are few words more than 2 syllables long in it.
  
  Too bad the much more advanced Merriam Webster Dictionary is so unuseable.
  
  
  
  
• Sweet Action
  By ATLNRVQ6FY7HP on 2007-11-30
  This thing is great! It comes in real handy when there's no internet connection. The only bad thing is that I also have the encyclopedia. The format doesn't allow you to copy and paste both books on a separate SD card, so you have to keep them both with you.
  
  
• Great little device.
  By AP1W4AXZPI4KE on 2007-02-23
  I bought this even though the reviews weren't all that good, namely that it was slow to respond. Although I find that it works superbly. I carry it with my Palm in the case and use it from time to time at work and home. It's much easier that trying to locate a hard copy of the dictionary. It is very easy to use and needs no instructions. Fantastic buy for the price.
  
  
• Homework for my kids is a breeze now
  By A2412FPFOSQ89F on 2007-03-11
  My daughter outgrew her Quantum Pad so I got her a Palm Pilot TX and loaded it full of educational reference material as well as e-books to read at her level. I made sure to include this dictionary and thesaurus. Now it's very easy for her to figure otu the correct spelling of words when she's writing as well as look up definitions of her spelling words. This little program will definitely grow with her to use in Jr. High and HIgh School. The learning curve to used this was minimal to my 10 year old. The definitions are comprehensive enough for her to get what she needs. My 7 year old often borrows this dictionary for his homework too. I even find myself using it from time to time. It beats the time consuming flipping through pages of a book and takes up such little space.
  
  

• Targus CH071 Tri-Fold Universal PDA Case - Nylon

• Palm TX Handheld
• Palm Tungsten E2 Handheld
• Palm 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard
• SanDisk 2 GB SD Memory Card ( SDSDB-2048-A11, Retail Package)
• Palm Slim Leather Case (P10985U)