Throwback Technology Thursdays: the Franklin Spelling Ace

And we're back with a new Throwback Technology!  The Franklin Spelling Ace.  Same ground rules apply:  I'll share some older "technologies" that I've gathered from the library and from my personal items. I will use a broad definition of technology to include anything people invent to help them accomplish a task or purpose.  And, I invite you to share your questions and/or memories about these items.

So what is this thing?  This is a completely portable dictionary, without all the weight of a hardcover book to carry around with you.  It's about the size and weight of a calculator or cell phone.  This particular model is a PS-99, and it originally came out in 1986 (I am guessing this one is about that old).  There are several variations on this device from Franklin and other vendors, with several still for sale on Amazon.

Now, you might say, why would you need this?  Today, you probably wouldn't (though some of the specialized versions will help you solve crossword puzzles).  Now, we'd probably just Google words to find their definitions (maybe checking the results on the Merriam-Webster site).  Or maybe you'd have a dictionary app on your phone. Or you could ask Alexa or your Google Home.

But, back in the day, this was revolutionary because those options didn't exist yet.  And for me it shows an interesting idea of how information sources might evolve in an age that was starting to feel a greater impact of computers and electronics in everyday life.  The idea that you could computerize each individual book or source in an easy to carry around device has not held up in our current age (or even a few years after the Spelling Ace was built).  Now, we have devices to access the information, but they are not limited to one chunk of information (but a whole series of clouds of stuff).  So, an interesting example of containing information in an electronic device with one main use (looking up words).

Now, don't forget that libraries still buy access to some dictionaries (in addition to ones that are freely available online).  If you'd like to see the Spelling Ace up close, come by the library.