Electronic translators

I am leaving for Colombia in three weeks. I have decided to bring a pocket electronic translator. Any opinions as to brand, type, capabilities and where to get it.

kbeck,

I have never seen an electronic translator that is any better than an old-fashioned dictionary. Langenscheidt makes a great pocket dictionary with a waterproof cover. Price: $6. I put it in my back pocket because it's the same size as a wallet, and I put my money in a front pocket.

I'm sure somebody else is much more familiar with the electronic translators than I am.

[Kent]

Your idea is good but the equipment is not. On a recent trip I took a laptop with a spanish translation program loaded in it and was able to fully communicate with every one i came in contact with. It is not fool proof but it sure is better than a pocket calculater like word search. With a laptop computer you can speak in sentences and complete thoughts instead of words and sign laugage. Once it is loaded all you do is type in you thoughts and press the translate key and all of it will be tranlated to spanish. The person that you are speaking to does the same thing and it is translated back to english. If you meet a woman that you are interested and the subject changes to a more sensitive subject it is better to communicate this way than to use a male tranlater and your laptop is with you 24/7. I also suggest you have a case to put it in that does not look like a laptop case. I wrapped mine in a towel and put it in a shopping bag. Theives do not want to steal your groceries.

Kent,

What is the name of the particular Spanish translation program that you used? (And is it IBM or MAC?)

[SJI]

I have Spanish Assistant by Globalink. I got it in 1997 for about $50. The programs today are probably even better. Mine has a voice option so you can hear the pronunciation. One trick with these programs is to phrase a sentence in as uncomplicated way as possible, or the translated part will sometimes be too literal of a translation. I agree with Kent that word by word translation is inferior to simply translating everything at once. It sounds like, from what Kent has been saying, that the situation in Colombia is escalating all the time. I would have thought that a little town like Bucaramanga would be less likely to have bombs going off.

[Kent]

explorer

L&H Simply Translating
www.lhsl.com

Kent
I remember reading in the archives about your trip to Bucaramanga. I am going their July 1st. Any advice? My lady friend got reservations for me at Hotel Dann or a place called the Country Club so I can play golf? Are you familiar with either of these places?
Anybody you want me to say hello to for you or anything else?

[Kent]

kbeck, Send me your e-mail address and we'll talk. I am currently engaged and waiting for the visa to be approved by Bogota on my Bucaramanga novia.

Kent,
I'm Ken at kbeck36@hotmail.com

I tried L + H Translator Pro 7 the translations went ok as long as the letter
wasnt to long.My friends fluent in Spanish said the letters were not done well. I'm
sending it back for a refund. At www.languageforce.com I found Universal Translator 2000 they wanted $120.00, but purchased it at www.onvia.com for $75.00
no tax no shipping fees. I plan to test it and install it on the computer I bringing to
my lady in Cali.<wts54@hotmail.com>