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+--- Thread: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs (/thread-13234.html)
Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - andylithia - 07-04-2019 11:42 AM
Recently when looking around on the internet I came across this vintage electronic dictionary. It's a 1990s Chinese - English two way dictionary with very basic calculating capabilities.
The device is designed and built in HongKong. It's manufacturer - GSL - is still alive today, and apparently they're quite proud[1] of this product, being the first ever pocket Chinese English dictionary.
[attachment=7433]
[attachment=7434]
[attachment=7435]
(Hmm.. Finally a vintage Chinese product that doesn't has a ton of broken English written on its package. Not a bad start for a product that is purposed to aid English Learning.)
[attachment=7437]
The quality of the user manual and the warranty card are surprisingly well. It's nowhere near the hp quality, but an order of magnitude higher than the average level in China back then.
[attachment=7438]
...as well as a cheapy sleeve.
References:
[1]. http://www.gsl.com.hk/eng/e_about_02milestones.asp
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - andylithia - 07-04-2019 11:54 AM
[attachment=7440]
[attachment=7441]
Voila!
It's actually smaller and has fewer keys than a pioneer calculator.
[attachment=7442]
[attachment=7443]
And it translates ok-ish. In fact "你好吗" is closer to "how are you doing" than "hello". It handles Chinese input surprisingly well. Commonly, Chinese characters are entered using phonetic notations. In the early computing systems, before multi-character word inputting and adaptive IME matured, phonetic notation can be painful to use due to ambiguity. But on such a device, it's not a big issue.
Due to memory constraints, it can't hold many words, and the translations given are crunched, detail-less. It certainly can't replace a print book, but it was the only choice to carry in one's pocket.
Since the boom of the Chinese e-dictionary market in the 90s, the functionality of such products grew together with microprocessors and memory chips. These products are eventually replaced by mobile phones.
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - Jlouis - 07-06-2019 03:24 AM
This is very interesting!
Thanks for share!
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - ijabbott - 07-06-2019 09:05 AM
Are these what the instruction manual writers use to write in "Chinglish"?
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - grsbanks - 07-06-2019 01:06 PM
(07-06-2019 09:05 AM)ijabbott Wrote: Are these what the instruction manual writers use to write in "Chinglish"?
You mean the kind of language found here?
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - Thomas Okken - 07-06-2019 01:32 PM
(07-06-2019 01:06 PM)grsbanks Wrote:(07-06-2019 09:05 AM)ijabbott Wrote: Are these what the instruction manual writers use to write in "Chinglish"?
You mean the kind of language found here?
As far as I've gathered, "Engrish" refers to English with the kinds of mistakes typically made by East Asians generally, without singling out a specific nationality, or, if a nationality is implied, it's usually Japanese. "Chinglish" refers specifically to the mistakes made by native speakers of Chinese. Not to be confused with "Singlish."
RE: Unboxing of an e-dictionary that looks like the pioneer series calcs - Leviset - 07-06-2019 02:19 PM
Having 2 Titanium ankles, the right one was an actual replacement joint done in 2004, the left one is just fused and locked solid. The replacement one has just collapsed (apparently life span of an ankle replacement is 10 years so I got an extra 50%!). If I’d known about this Chinglish method shown on the notice I could have saved all the Surgery and done it all myself just by following those instructions![/i]
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