The pen scans one line at a time and sends the translated data to the Windows clipboard, ready for pasting directly into popular word processors, spreadsheets and databases. That's a mixed blessing. However, because the Quicktionary relies only on its internal memory for data storage, it can read just one or two words at a time, up to 32 characters. Despite its limited capacity, it can help someone learn a foreign language and to occasionally translate an unrecognized word in a document. Its singular benefit is simplicity.
Setup takes just seconds, and six buttons control all functions.
A steady hand during the scan is paramount. For example, it initially insisted on translating the English word first erroneously as tint in Spanish. After some practice, it offered the correct translation of primero. Using the bundled earphones, instead of the tiny and tinny built-in speaker, helped to improve the quality of the Quicktionary's speech synthesis. Translating a three-page document took less than two minutes.