FRANKLIN ELECTRONIC PUBLISHERS ANNOUNCES RETAIL AVAILAIBILITY OF THE SPEAKING HANDHELD ELECTRONIC VERSION OF MERRIAM-WEBSTERS COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY, ELEVENTH EDITION. New electronic handheld is the most comprehensive reference offering on the market, combining thorough up to date top quality content with the latest in linguistic technology

Franklin Electronic Publishers, the worldwide leader in handheld information, launched the totally redesigned speaking handheld electronic version of the Eleventh Edition of the Merriam-Webster® Collegiate Dictionary (MWCD) just in time for the back-to-school season.

BURLINGTON, NJ (PRWEB) August 28, 2003 -- Franklin Electronic Publishers (AMEX:FEP), the worldwide leader in handheld information, today announced that its extensive launch campaign for the speaking handheld electronic version of the Eleventh Edition of the Merriam-Webster® Collegiate Dictionary (MWCD) will coincide with the back-to-school sales period.

The broad marketing campaign will include partnership promotions with licensor Merriam-Webster, national print and online advertising, retail merchandising, in-store displays and an integrated public relations program led by Garfield Group PR. Franklin has launched a sleek new device design to showcase this premier title. Franklins speaking handheld electronic version of the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition (Model: SCD-1870) is available at retail outlets through major national launch partners such as Circuit City, Office Max and Radio Shack beginning today. The Collegiate is revised by Merriam-Webster every ten years making this an historical event in the publishing field. For the first time in publishing history a print version and its electronic handheld counterpart will launch into retail channels simultaneously.

We have found that more professionals and students are demanding high quality reference solutions in handheld electronic devices. It is all about accessibility, internet-speed" with portability. Instant access to a credible and rich word list for presentations, term papers, speeches and proposals and the ability to have an electronic device that fits in the palm of your hand. To be able to instantly access and define almost any word in the American language gives our consumers the language and communication edge. . . its all about getting smarter, faster." said Andrew Horsfall, Vice President Worldwide Sales and Marketing, This sleek new electronic speaking handheld combines the depth and quality of information Merriam-Webster is known for with Franklins latest state-of-the-art handheld reference technology."

"We're pleased to continue our partnership with Franklin Electronic Publishers with the launch of the new Eleventh Edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary," said John M. Morse, President and Publisher of Merriam-Webster, Inc. "Franklin's development of the new Speaking Edition helps us to achieve our goal of supplying the Collegiate Dictionary to customers in a wide variety of requested formats."

About The Franklin Electronic Speaking Handheld Edition Franklins speaking handheld electronic version of the Eleventh Edition of Americas bestselling dictionary delivers unprecedented accessibility and flexibility at an affordable price. This newest offering combines high-quality language reference with state-of-the-art search technology, providing instant access to over 200,000 words and 500,000 synonyms. Over 100,000 changes from the previous edition including more than 10,000 new words and senses. The sleek new design offers versatility, portability, and convenience – the words you need today, anytime, anywhere.

More than just a dictionary, this reference tool includes a built-in ROLODEX® organizer, and is expandable with a PC Connectivity kit, which allows for downloads of reference, eBook titles, and more.

The Franklin electronic speaking handheld edition became available nationwide through retail channels on July 8th. Please visit www.franklin.com/11th for more information.

Editors Note: If you would like to review the Franklin SCD-1870, please contact Robin Kelman, Garfield Group Public Relations, at rkelman@garfieldgroup.com or 215-867-8600 x 244.

About Franklin Electronic Publishers
Franklin Electronic Publishers (AMEX:FEP) is the worldwide leader in handheld information, having sold more than 29,000,000 electronic books. Current titles number more than 8,000 in sixteen languages under license from world class publishers, such as Merriam-Webster and HarperCollins, focused in five genres: Learning, Language Learning, Travel, Spiritual, and Leisure. The Company also licenses its underlying technology to an array of partners including Adobe, Ademco (a division of Honeywell), Macromedia, and Mobile Digital Media (formerly a division of Palm). Franklin distributes ROLODEX® Electronics branded organizers worldwide and SEIKO® branded reference products in North and South America. Products are available at 45,000 retail outlets worldwide, through catalogs, and online at www.franklin.com. International sales are concentrated in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.

ROLODEX® is a registered trademark of Beryl Corporation, a subsidiary of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. Merriam-Webster and Collegiate are trademarks of Merriam-Webster, Inc.