Wanted: E-series/japanese Sl

[aes]

Hi,

I'm looking for an E series or Japanese SL (early version), preferably an MI-E1 or MI-E21, but they seem so hard to find, I'm just hoping one of you guys has one sitting in a draw that you wouldn't mind parting with.  I live in London, UK and really want it for it's Japanese language capabilities, (I'm a Japanese student).

[rokugo]

MI-E1???
How useful would a near-extinct 5-yr old pda with 8MB internal memory running proprietary OS be?

I suggest you get a Zaurus 5600 instead, which can be made to support Japanese input and run freeware Japanese dictionaries :
https://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...489&hl=japanese
https://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...741&hl=japanese
http://www.geocities.com/jsgotangco/jpnIM.htm

Or if you're really serious about learning Japanese, consider investing in the SL-C760/860 or newer clamshells which have default Japanese OS and built-in dictionaries.

[aes]

To be frank, price.  I'm a student so just about anything over $400 is $400 too much at the moment. I actually intended the item to be a stopgap, between now and when I start university in Japan in september, when I'll be able to get something more suitable to my needs.  However as all the japanese zaurii have built in kanji recognition, which is not supported at all on the western ones (?), this put them far above the usual denshi jisho machines.  But due to the change in price of the other models I'd be far better off considering a canon word-tank, than any of the later SLs since the dictionaries provided are far superior to even the comericially released electronic dictionaries for other platforms, such as Eijiro.  And buy two denshis one with a specific kanji recogntion ability.  I wanted a Zaurus because I know it would be far more flexible, but for the amount of the later ones, again, I could find something better suited for my needs in Japan.  

I hope that made sense  

[rokugo]

However as all the japanese zaurii have built in kanji recognition, which is not supported at all on the western ones (?)
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Have you not clicked on the links I gave?  

Actually, why bother with a "stopgap" device that is already of very little use for your current level. I believe you're already at JLPT2 standard, since that's the proficiency level required to enter a Japanese university (or is it JLPT1 now?).

I think you should just wait till you're in Japan and then decide what to get.
But I will say this; as a complete educational tool, there are very few devices out there that can match a properly-configured Zaurus.
There are lots of commercially available dictionary software (the same dictionaries found in the Wordtanks) compatible with the Zaurus, as mentioned in this post: [a href=\"https://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17361&view=findpost&p=112607]https://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...ndpost&p=112607[/url] though some of them don't come cheap.