Inthe Translate app, you can translate text, voice, and conversations into any supported language. You can also download languages to translate entirely on a device, even without an internet connection.
Pocketalk is a multi-sensory, two-way translation device. With a large touchscreen, noise-cancelling microphones and a text-to-translate camera, Pocketalk is able to create connections across 84+ different languages. By utilizing the best translation engines from around the world, Pocketalk provides a consistently accurate experience by picking up localized dialects and slang.
The camera translates, text, the written word, and signs via proprietary Sourcenext technology. The device takes a photo and translates via text on top of the image. In addition, Pocketalk can seamlessly provide an audio readout in the native language for the camera-translated text.
Pocketalk can translate 84+ languages; 61 voice bilaterally, 21 voice-to-text bilaterally, and up to 37 more obscure languages voice-to-text unilaterally. The camera will recognize and translate 55 languages.
In a nutshell, the user needs to record and save an audio file on the browser, pass the source and target language parameters, convert audio into text with Amazon Transcribe, translate the transcribed text into the target language with Amazon Translate, convert the translated text into speech with Amazon Polly, and then save the output audio file back to S3.
The Amazon marketplace, meanwhile, has been steadily selling translation gadgets as mentioned in a previous story. One brand missing from the Amazon bestseller list, at least as far as portable translators go, is Xiaomi.
Well, the Chinese electronic giant just blogged about its Mi AI Translator on June 11, 2019. The Mi AI Translator is a portable gadget that comes with pre-installed English and Chinese dictionaries and is said to support offline translation for Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and German.
I plan to visit Europe. Problem is I speak, read, and write only English. Unfortunately, I have no ear for foreign languages or phrases. I realize that many Europeans (especially youngsters under 40) speak some English. Even so, I fear my language limitations will test the patience of non-English speaking natives with whom I may come into contact. I will understand their impatience and I want to minimize it.
So, would anyone here recommend that I buy voice translator? Last month, I briefly tested one in a store and saw no typing is involved; rather, the device is voice activated. A person speaks directly into the device and then the device automatically provides an audio translation. In theory, the speed of the device appealed to me as I hate to take up too much other people's time.
The device I saw is expensive ($300, plus tax), but so are airplane tickets, hotels, and other travel-related expenses. Its cost would not break the bank for me, and if it using one would make life easier for me and for the people whom I encounter, it would be worthwhile. But, would one be worthwhile? I am less concerned about cost than I am concerned for the time of people in a host country.
In the real world, how accurate are pocket audio translators? And by using one, how likely am I to irritate a native more than if I write questions via Google Translate or point to guidebook phrases? Anyone here know about these devices?
Don't sweat it, when on the tourist trail anyone who wants your money will speak english. Speaking only english won't be a hardship. While I do have the Google translate app in installed on my phone, I've never once come across any situation that needed use of the voice translate feature. Occasionally I will use the photo feature to translate restaurant menus or labels at the supermarket, but that's the extent of it. Just learn the local greetings and you are good to go.
Having said that, last month I was in Newark, NJ on my way to attend a NY Red Bulls soccer match. A couple Brazilian tourists approached me and needed directions on how to reach the stadium and purchase train tickets at the machine. He opened the Google App on his phone and on the train ride we had a shockingly easy conversation using the app to translate english/portugeese. So if you happen to need it the free google app should work for you.
The BIG question is ----- Where are you going?? Unless you going somewhere way off the beaten path, having a voice translator is pretty goofy. This isn't a StarWar episode of first encounter. I think you are going to look pretty silly have a local speak into your translator. Save your money. It is not worth it.
Nothing to fear as you do not need a voice translator to travel in Europe. Most speak enough English in service Industry situations (where you will have the most contact) as a lingua franca or neutral language to conduct business from constant contact with tourists from emerging markets like China.
I agree that it is a question where do you plan to go exactly, not country only. Be aware that languages in Europe has sometimes nothing to do with the country, e.g. Sdtirol in Italy is mainly speaking German. Also the local dialects are very strong.
Take German as example: High German is standard but in the north of Germany you will find also people speaking Low German ("Platt") preferably which is really hard to understand. Also Bavarian, Swabian and Saxonian accent. Berlin dialect is also very special since we invented words like "jottweidei" (spoken for English natives) or in short "jwd" which mean "janz weit draussen", translated really far in the outskirts. Switzer German is also very special. We have also a lot of words with two different meanings or even words written the same way but completely different pronounciation (e.g. "Montage").
As a few others said, this is absolutely not true. In Spain we stayed in several hotels (for example in Tarifa and in Toledo) where the staff spoke no English whatsoever. However, we spoke Spanish, so we were OK.
Google Translate on your phone costs you nothing and it is accurate enough to rescue you in a pinch. No need for that $300 gadget. Even if you never need the app, having it as an option will give you more confidence as you set off to Europe.
We have the free Google translate on our pad. We used it in Russia and Belarus successfully. It was great for having discussions negotiating tickets to the Bolshoi. The ticket sellers were so pleased they could communicate with us, they found us great chesp seats after implying they we sold out when we first arrived.
I find it does help to have merchants for example write down an amount, we all get numbers, and I usually have my phone to decipher a menu or come up with a critical phrase or word that can be answered with a yes or no, or by pointing. Of course it never hurts to know please, thank you, hello, goodbye, etc to be polite.
I think travel where you do not speak the language also requires that you put some of your preferences or tolerances aside. As long as I know generally what is in a meal I ordered (and sometimes not) I am fine. I have seen too many people riddling a waiter with questions about a dish that he has no idea what you are talking about (cheese, what kind of cheese? is it melted or grated? is there a little or a lot? can I get it on the side? do you have fat free?) that was before the questions on the pasta and the vegetables, I just wanted to walk over and say "It is pasta with cheese and vegetables...just order it and eat it" [Disclaimer: For those with medically valid food restrictions and needs, you do need to be concerned, but then you need to develop a strategy, ie: warning cards in the local language, etc]
Otherwise, don't worry, learn a few key phrases, keep it simple, go with the flow, laugh at any misunderstandings (In Germany my wife struggled to order some kind of vegetarian dish and finally succeeded, only to have a plate full of roasted cauliflower brought to her, before that was fashionable, but it was very good cauliflower.) and have fun.
I haven't tried it on the road yet but in France last summer a man from Scotland was using Google Translate App (with the microphone icon) to translate English to French and back. He'd speak into his phone and it would then speak French. The person could then respond in French and it translated to English. He said it worked perfectly well and allowed him to translate conversations he wouldn't otherwise be able to have with locals. I downloaded the App when I got home and played with it a little, but haven't used it in a real world situation yet.
I could have used a Scottish (not Celtic) to English translator when visiting Scotland given the language problems I had. But seriously, to pick up a Scottish lilt and translate to French is some impressive programming.
This was exactly the same experience faced by me when I visited France last month for a family wedding. The big issue was faced by me was language issue so a friend of mine suggested me about google translator and it was really very helpful for me so you can also try this it can be helpful for you as well.
Many belated thanks to all of you for the wonderful responses to my enquiry regarding a $300 pocket translator. Your responses encouraged me not to buy the $300 translation gadget and to instead download the free Google Translate app. I had not thought of translation apps when I posted my enquiry.
To each of you, thank you for introducing me to the Google Translate app, for sharing your experiences with the app, and for your general travel advice (the latter which I hope to heed). I very much appreciate the time you took to write. And I plan to use the Google Translate app and the Deepl website during my travels!
I tried Google translate once in France and the waiter was amused but it didn't really work because he didn't understand to speak slow and clearly. That was two years ago and I'd expect it to be improved some by now. You will need data on your phone while traveling in order for it to work.
Really all you need to learn in the local language is Please, Thank you, Hello, Goodbye, do you speak English where is the bathroom and pardon me or excuse me. Once you start saying it, it's pretty easy.
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