Reviewer: Healthnut77@bigfoot.com

Ever since I purchased the Franklin KJV 450, I've been using it almost every day. Gone are the days of lugging around a seven-pound Strongs Concordance. The Franklin 450 weighs in at just 3-1/2 ounces. Now I can find a word or phrase in moments. My old, tired eyes are giving out on me so I can barely read a Strongs without reading glasses. But the Franklin 450 has an easy-to-read 3-line display and has the option of selecting an even larger print size.

I'm one of these people who can remember the gist of a Bible passage (at least sometimes), but I have trouble recalling where the passage occurs. Is "render unto Caesar" located at Matthew 21:22 or 22:21? On the Franklin 450 I press the FIND button and type in render Ceasar. Opps, I spelled Caesar wrong, but the Franklin shows me the correct spelling. I press ENTER again and it lists the 3 New Testament references in Matthew, Mark and Luke. I select Matthew and it shows me the passage. From there, I can read up or down, just like a regular Bible or with the click of a button view the next occurrence of  render Caesar.

You don't necessarily have to have the exact word or phrase for the Franklin 450 to find it. For instance, I typed in second mile. It listed two matches, one in Matthew and one in Luke. I selected the one in Matthew where it says "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."  The words "second mile" aren't even in the passage but the Franklin knew what I meant. I like the way it tracks with the way I think.

Another smart feature of the Franklin is that it lists all the references of a particular name, even when it is spelled in different ways. For instance the name "Isaiah" in the Old Testament is spelled "Esaias" in the New, but the Franklin finds all the references and you select the ones you want to display.

The Franklin KJV 450 is so small, I can take it anywhere. I used to carry a pocket Bible, but now I strain at the small print. I've changed over to the electronic world. The Franklin 450 is the size of a 3" x 5" index card, and only about a 1/2 inch thick. I stick it in my coat pocket and when I find myself waiting for someone, I redeem the time by searching the scriptures. If I find myself frequently referring to a passage, I can store it in my bookmark list to recall it quickly when I need it.

The Franklin 450 has two modes. Besides the Bible Mode, it has the Data Bank Mode. This takes the place of all kinds of gadgets. The built-in clock eliminates the need for a watch. There's also a calculator, currency converter, weights and measures converter (for those British recipes) and, my favorite, the Rolodex. I keep all my frequently called numbers here. With cell phones getting so popular, everybody seems to have more than one phone number and I can put then all here, along with their addresses and other details. I especially appreciate using this feature to store numbers needed for online ordering. I store passwords, my credit card number, etc. And everything can be password protected for security.

The Franklin KJV comes with a built-in tutorial and help messages, but it's easy to just start using it. I highly recommend it as a way to keep the Word close at hand. Makes a great gift, too. Healthnut77@bigfoot.com

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