Rachael Sandefer wrote:

>Has anyone hear used one of the newer Zaurus?

No. I've had mine for years; even the batteries are becoming obsolete
and can only be tracked down in one store in Akihabara.

>Specifically, how  was it for english speaker learning japanese?

Invaluable. The handwriting input system is fantastic, and for more
complicated kanji you can input just one *part* of the kanji and search
for that, then refine the search by adding more parts or specifying the
stroke count, etc..

Monkeyboy says he's "not really impressed with the applications that
come with the unit itself (except for the Japanese/English
dictionary)". I agree, except that the J/J dictionaries (kokugo and
kanji readings) are just as good as the J/E dictionary (sometimes
better). I don't bother with the other features. I don't even hook the
Zaurus up with the computer any more. But as a kanji-deciphering tool
it's great. That and a 五體字鑒 (also written as 五体字鑒,
Gotai Jikan - a listing of variant kanji forms) will crack all but the
most obscure kanji.

I don't know if there's any Gotai Jikan software on the market (others
may know). I just use that old-fashioned staple, a couple of hundred
leaves of paper bound together.

While we're on the subject of useful resources, if you don't already
know it, check out Jim Breen's online dictionary:
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/wwwjdic.html (thanks, Jim; that's
been a great help!).

John
http://rarebooksinjapan.org