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Photo by Ulrike Hahnel, Rock Formations on the Lagune Route, Bolivia

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Photo by Ulrike Hahnel,
Rock Formations on the
Lagune Route, Bolivia



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  • 2 Post By chris
  • 1 Post By frameworkSpecialist
  • 1 Post By TodoTerreno

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  #1  
Old 6 Aug 2022
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language translator devices
Wonder if anyone out there has experience with language translator devices? These things may be useful in some situations, I'm thinking like crossing borders, and some other situations.

Do you use them? Which ones? Off line use? Do they work?

Anyone with experience with these - some advice or comments most appreciated.

Its really difficult to find real people reviewing these things.

Thanks.
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  #2  
Old 6 Aug 2022
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I use Google Translate on my cell phone. It's easy to download the language data sets of other languages I need for off-line use, depending on countries I visit.

The app can also "read"/translate foreign written text and I can dictate in my language, thus avoid writing text. My conversation partner can also talk into my phone in their language and I see the translated text.

In my experience, writing in simple English, rather than using complex sentences/using idioms/ slang produces the best results. Being able to spell, punctuate and use correct grammar in your own language helps a lot too

I should add, I speak fluent English and German, and know enough French and Spanish to get by. Also, if in doubt, I just shout at all these bl00dy Johnny Foreigner types even louder in English. That works too
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  #3  
Old 6 Aug 2022
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+1 for google translate. Also used it, been very helpful. Also one thing less to carry, since it's in your phone.
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  #4  
Old 6 Aug 2022
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Originally Posted by frameworkSpecialist View Post
+1 for google translate. Also used it, been very helpful. Also one thing less to carry, since it's in your phone.
Benefits and draw backs to phone use. Draw Backs: One point of failure. Lose, destroy or no charge - no translator. Same as a GPS unit. I decided to get a hardware based GPS. Using a phone on a bike is less than great IMHO. Rain, heat, etc.

Really, what I asked is if anybody has used a hardware translator device, and if they are any good. I'm going to take a deeper look at Google Translate as it will be an option too. But maybe not the only option.

Thanks.
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  #5  
Old 7 Aug 2022
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Originally Posted by krtw View Post
Benefits and draw backs to phone use. Draw Backs: One point of failure. Lose, destroy or no charge - no translator. Same as a GPS unit. I decided to get a hardware based GPS. Using a phone on a bike is less than great IMHO. Rain, heat, etc.

Really, what I asked is if anybody has used a hardware translator device, and if they are any good. I'm going to take a deeper look at Google Translate as it will be an option too. But maybe not the only option.

Thanks.


I wonder how you'd cope if your hardware translator device breaks/ runs out of charge/ is lost? What about the phone for phoning if not it's up to the task of Alexander Graham Bell-y sort of stuff? Send smoke signals?

Maybe get a sextant and ride at night for celestial navigation instead of the hardware GPS? Sell the internal combustion engine vehicle and get a horse instead?

I'll get my hat
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  #6  
Old 7 Aug 2022
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Originally Posted by chris View Post


I wonder how you'd cope if your hardware translator device breaks/ runs out of charge/ is lost? What about the phone for phoning if not it's up to the task of Alexander Graham Bell-y sort of stuff? Send smoke signals?

Maybe get a sextant and ride at night for celestial navigation instead of the hardware GPS? Sell the internal combustion engine vehicle and get a horse instead?

I'll get my hat
All true - but you miss the point completely. Its called a back up. Geez folks - let me yell this at ya:

I'M WONDERING IF ANYBODY HAS USED A HARDWARE LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR AND IF THEY ARE ANY GOOD?

Use whatever ya want. I've seen these devices and I'm wondering if they are any good and if anyone out there has tried them.

END!
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  #7  
Old 8 Aug 2022
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Interesting topic, commenting just for curiosity what´s the latest gimmick, able to automatically read asian non-latin letters and live translation.

For the german, french, spanish, english and italian speaking traveller who is interested in true paper maps and books for failproof analog back up, there is Langenscheidt´s "Lilliput" series in print for decades; tiny, match box sized dictionaries, garnished with some useful phrases for different situations ("medical", "groceries", "accomodation" etc) to translate between these european languages (which cover most of the world but Asia and the former soviet states, where english is mostly common).

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...ini-1891679851
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Old 8 Aug 2022
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Originally Posted by krtw View Post
Benefits and draw backs to phone use. Draw Backs: One point of failure. Lose, destroy or no charge - no translator.
In this day and age, if you lose your phone, you're going to have a lot more problems than just not having fingertip translation.

Having said that, I agree with what the others have already said: Use Google Translate. You can download the translation software packages from Google, this will enable you to use the app when you don't have internet or cellular connectivity.

It's also great for translating written stuff - just open the app, select "camera", point the camera at the text (menu, sign, whatever), and the translation appears almost instantly, overlaid on the original language.

Quote:
Originally Posted by krtw View Post
...what I asked is if anybody has used a hardware translator device...
I don't think such a device exists, unless you consider a book (a dual-language translation dictionary) to be a 'hardware device'.

Michael
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Old 8 Aug 2022
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There are a wide variety of special purpose translation hardware devices. Some even work offline, which is an advantage to the google feature on your phone. I guess, googles AI is pretty much advanced, but a specialized company might offer some interesting extra features (besides offline use).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZSilUfJgjc

(Just a random "top 5 everything" YT video, with 5 advertisements for the latest gadgets copied together for clickbaiting.)
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Old 8 Aug 2022
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Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post


I don't think such a device exists, unless you consider a book (a dual-language translation dictionary) to be a 'hardware device'.

Michael
Just now and for a laugh I Googled "hardware translator device" and these do seem to exist. Also reviews of the "Best" for 2022...

I'll stick to my android cell phone that does a lot of things beyond phoning and sending SMSs really well, including off-line translating as I described in my first post. I either carry a spare handset or will just buy another phone, if/when this rugged Chinese phone of mine gives up the ghost or is lost.
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