by Eran Davidov of Israel-Catalog.com
Anyone who wishes to learn a foreign language must constantly learn vocabulary and practice speech. Therefore a good dictionary is a must-have. For those learning Hebrew there are a wide variety of traditional dictionaries and electronic ones available on the market. Electronic dictionaries have been widely used in the past decade. They provide a convenient and an immediate solution for any translation need. Here we are happy to introduce a relatively new translation appliance from Hebrew into English - a pen scanner.
When reading Hebrew texts, a pen scanner provides an instant translation of any Hebrew word or even a full sentence. The translation is seen on a touch screen that displays both the scanned Hebrew phrase and the English translation. While the design of this Hebrew dictionary is compact, the digital screen is large enough to display up to several lines of text.
A pen scanner is an advanced form of an electronic dictionary and includes several features that do not exist in most electronic dictionaries. This handheld device includes optic technology that allows it to "see" and "recognize" language. The pen scanner is simply held above the text: the data is processed right away and within seconds the word is translated into the English. It can be “read through” Hebrew magazines, newspapers, books any other form of printed text.
The Quicktionary is able to distinguish over 300,000 words in Hebrew and English. In addition, unlike a traditional dictionary in Hebrew, this device can translate Hebrew idioms and common phrases that cannot be translated literally. This device is meant to serve English speakers who want to learn Hebrew. However beside Hebrew into English translation, this pen scanner is able to translate from English into Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and French.
In Addition to its scanning option, the device includes a virtual keyboard that allows the insertion of words that are not printed. If the Hebrew learner comes across a sign in the street or on a billboard, he or she can insert the unfamiliar word in the same way as in a regular electronic dictionary (comes with an auto complete function). This feature can come in handy for any English speaker, a tourist or a newcomer, who travels in Hebrew speaking areas.
Another important feature found in the pen scanner is the audio option:
in comparison to other electronic dictionaries, the pen scanner comes
with this useful feature: when words or Hebrew phrases are typed into
the keyboard the pen scanner can be modified into a talking Hebrew
dictionary. In that way a person can listen to the translated words
or phrases (via the speakers or headphones) and also practice
pronunciation.
Another interesting feature is the games option which might help people who need encouragement in learning vocabulary. The Quicktionary pen scanner comes with games designed for vocabulary enhancement in an interactive way that makes new words more memorable.
Finally, the device has a history option that can store the last 80 recent searches. This device runs on two simple AAA batteries. When not used, Quicktionary will automatically shut down and save energy.
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