Canon has released two new electronic dictionaries to ease your spelling problems. The Wordtank M300 and the Wordtank V300 also have the ability to playback your MP3s. So while an iPod or some other portable audio device probably does the job better, this can serve as a quick alternative. Seeing as these are first dictionaries and second audio players, the speakers are also assigned the duty of text-to-speech when you need to know how a certain word is pronounced. It’s too bad that we don’t see any ebook functionality here, that would make this an even more intriguing device now that ebook technology is getting reasonable enough for consumers to be truely interested. While these aren’t exaclty being marketed as pocket dictionaries, take a look, they are certainly smaller than that Websters you have laying around gathering dust.

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The Japanese tend to make things complicated. Against all odds, they decided that electronic dictionaries are better than paper, and figured out ways to assert the belief. The electronic dicionary should be goodlooking, intelligent-looking, pocketable and very expensive. In fact, the Japanese spend more time with their handsome looking electronic dictionary-cum-translators than actually learning a language for real. Sharp even bothered to add a DMB (one-Seg) tuner into their sentimentally named Papyrus line of electronic paper-free dictionary. Excellent combination, just when you were watching Friends and wondering who da heck are your friends, simply swivel the screen and check your list against the dictionary definition. ITmedia took the PW-TC900 for a spin and liked it. The ASV screen was awesome and the reception was good. The extra MP3 and JPG support came as a bonus and added to the fun. The team concluded that the TC900 was “sinful” as it could distract users from what they should really be doing. — Sam Chan

Sharp Papyrus PW-TC900 Review [ITmedia]