To speak to a foreigner if we cannot speak his language, a real-time translator-interpreter can be used.
When we travel abroad, the biggest problem is undoubtedly the foreign language: even if everyone now speaks English a little, we can find ourselves in great difficulty in making ourselves understood by the natives of the place, especially if they only speak their own. language. Thankfully, translation technology has made great strides over the past few years and it is possible, with small portable devices, get an instant and fast translation while we start a discussion. In this guide, we will show you in fact the best instant translators that you can buy online so you can speak and translate into the local language and vice versa listen to the dialogues of our interlocutors and understand every word said. These devices are very useful and practical and can be used for any trip to be undertaken abroad.
Features instant translator
A good instant translator must have the following characteristics in order to be defined as such and to be able to respond to all our translation needs:
- Languages supported: This is one of the most important parameters, as there are many different instant translators available and we have to choose the one that supports at least the most popular languages or the languages we may struggle with when abroad. So let’s make sure it supports English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, and Portuguese.
- Translation methods: in addition to the supported languages, let’s make sure that the instant translator chosen we have different translation modes. The simplest is a linear translation (from language A to language B or vice versa), while the more expensive and advanced models allow you to instantly translate into two different languages, without having to press buttons or set languages before dialogue (bidirectional translation).
- Connectivity: To be able to translate effectively and quickly, the vast majority of instant translators must be connected to the Internet, in order to benefit from the online translation engines and artificial intelligence developed by the manufacturers of these devices. The simpler models connect via Bluetooth to the smartphone (which must therefore always be connected to the Internet), while other more expensive models have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a dedicated SIM card to be able to connect independently in any situation.
- Autonomy: as these are portable devices, they have an internal lithium-ion battery, capable of guaranteeing at least 5-6 hours of translations before being permanently discharged. In this case, it is essential to always carry a compatible USB charger or, since we are abroad, also a power bank of adequate size (such as those seen in the guide How to keep your smartphone charged at all times).
- Size and shape: the shape and dimensions of the translator are also very important since an instant translator must be easy to hold and also comfortable to switch on and off in case of need. Although various devices with various shapes are available, we always try to aim for models with an ergonomic shape (in the form of voice recorders).
If the devices respect these characteristics, we can aim at them with our eyes closed, sure of the good result.
Guide to buying instant translators
After having seen the characteristics that instant translators must have, let’s see together which devices we can buy on Amazon, which has always been one of the reference points for online e-commerce thanks to its complete guarantee, which we also talked about in the guide on Amazon guarantee.
SeiyaX Voice Translator
SeiyaX is a very compact and simple instant voice translator so you can take it with you when we travel. With SeiyaX we can translate over 120 different languages, take advantage of a very reliable voice generation system and strike up a discussion with any person without having to fear mistakes or fools. The device works via the Internet connection of the phone and via the support app (compatible with Android and iPhone).
This little translator is available on Amazon a 79€.
Kilvanator Translator
Among the best instant speech translation devices we can use we find the Kilvanator Translator, able to translate immediately into 138 different languages. Among the features of the product we find a display for quick access to functions, a rear camera to translate signs, messages and notices, registration and translation system and operating system via Wi-Fi or Hotspot.
The Kilvanator is available on Amazon a 99€.
Instant Offline Translator
The devices seen so far require the Internet connection of the phone to be able to translate, but on the market we also find a valid one instant offline translator, able to translate without Internet access into over 106 different languages, using an artificial intelligence engine to reconstruct complete sentences. This engine translates more effectively when connected to the Internet, but it can also translate short sentences without having to use Wi-Fi or hospot. Among other functions we also find a rear camera to read incomprehensible signs, messages or written warnings.
This offline instant translator is available on Amazon a 209€.
Vasco M3 Instant Translator
The best instant translator available on the market is without a doubt the Vasco M3. With this translator we can translate over 70 languages and interpret many dialects, take advantage of a dedicated Internet connection (with free data SIM for life), take advantage of the translated MultiTalk function, translate phone calls in real-time and take pictures of billboards or notices (to translate them ).
This interesting instant translator is available on Amazon a 299€.
Use your smartphone as an instant translator
If we don’t want to buy an instant translator we can use the Google Translate real-time interpreter mode on our phone to instantly translate during a conversation.
If we haven’t done it yet, we can download the Google translator for Android and iPhone.
Translation via Google Translate supports a total of 44 languages to choose from including Arabic, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and many more.
To activate the interpreter mode, open the app on our smartphone and press the icon at the bottom Conversation, taking care to choose the two languages to translate. If we do not know what language our interlocutor is speaking, we can also activate the mode Automatic which will take care of recognizing and translating any supported language.
Using this simple app, all we have to do is speak into the device to get the translation that is displayed on the screen and read aloud, so that we can converse with people who speak different languages.
Use Google Assistant as an instant translator
The Google Assistant can also function as an instant translator, either by starting the assistant from your phone or using a Google Nest Mini.
On the phone or near the Google Nest mini we say the phrase “Hey Google, become my Russian interpreter“or whatever language we want to translate. You can also use other voice commands such as:”Help me speak Spanish“, or “Interpret from Romanian into Dutch” or simply: “French interpreter” O “Activate interpreter mode.
After launching one of the commands indicated, the assistant will ask you to tap the microphone button (on the phone) and start speaking. On the phone screen you can immediately read the translation and a series of responses in the translated language to continue having a fluid conversation.
To learn more we can read our guide on what Google Nest can do: voice assistant, music and home automation.
Conclusions
Until a few years ago, universal translators were pure science fiction, perhaps only in the Star Trek films was it possible to imagine them! Today, however, they are easily purchased on Amazon and also work quite well, helping us to overcome the language barrier when traveling abroad. If we don’t want to buy instant translators we can also rely on the Google Translate app to instantly translate into many different languages; Google Nest owners can also invoke the Google Assistant as a very powerful and effective instant translator.
Still on the subject of translators, we recommend that you also read our guide How to use the Voice Translator and translate simultaneously.
Are we looking for a bidirectional translator for Skype? We can use the integrated translator, as also seen in our guide Skype Translator as an automatic audio interpreter in voice and video chat.
