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Japan losing interest in electronic pocket dictionaries [1]

['Rob Beschizza']

Date: 2025-03-17

My main interest in Japanese electronic pocket dictionaries is seeing them on Pinterest and becoming briefly excited by the idea it might be a cool new minimalist writing gagdget being crowdfunded online. Nope—electronic dictionary from Japan. The curiously persistent market there for these retro devices is finally fading, reports Japan Times, as apps take over.

…even Casio, which made a foray into the market in 1981 and found success with the release of the high-performance Ex-word model in 1996, announced last month that it would no longer develop new products.

"Behind the decision is the increasing use of personal computers at schools along with the adoption of information and communications technology," says Casio Executive Officer Seiji Tamura.

While continuing production and sales of existing models, Casio is now focusing on developing software for PCs and smartphones. It has released "ClassPad.net," a comprehensive study-aid app that offers not only dictionary functions but also a digital notebook that can be used to input handwriting.

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