Looking for a unique travel gift for an international jetsetter or colleague? Check out Pocketalk, the portable, AI-powered instant voice translation device that breaks down language barriers and bridges the gap between different spoken languages.
At $249 the Pocketalk isn’t cheap, especially compared to Google Translate, but compared to other translation tools, the company claims it has better design, microphones, speakers, battery power, speed, and most of all accuracy. It supports 74 languages (with more coming) and needs a connection to the internet to function.
As to how you connect, there are two options:
- “Built-in mobile data”: The easiest solution is to buy the “built-in mobile data” version of Pocketalk. This comes with two years of unlimited data included just for an additional $50 up-front. No monthly fees, and you can turn on the device and travel in 105 countries. Once your initial two years of data are up, you can extend for another two years of data for $100, enter a SIM card of your own, connect via personal hotspot, or connect via Wi-Fi.
- “Add your own mobile data”: If you buy the “add your own mobile data” version, you can add a SIM card for carrier coverage, or connect via Wi-Fi or personal hotspot. The company recommends buying the “Pocketalk Global SIM Card from Soracom,” which is sold on the website. It’s the only SIM card supported by Pocketalk.
Pocketalk is easy to use once you get the hang of it. On the home screen, you just choose your two languages (tap on the language names to see lists of other languages to choose from). Once your two languages are chosen, you use the two “talk buttons,” with each person (from a conversation of two) using the button under their language. You press and hold the button the entire time you’re speaking, and when you’re finished, you let go of the button and Pocketalk provides the translation. Be sure to initially wait for the Pocketalk beep sound before speaking.
Pocketalk is designed for conversations, so you can speak the way you normally do, in full sentences (not statements), and it can handle up to 30 seconds of speaking per translation. Also cool is the fact that you can see all your past translations. In fact, Pocketalk can store up to 10,000 translations. Simply scroll up and down the timeline to view past translations, and tap on the translations to have them read out again.
The battery lasts for a full seven hours of talking. Or if you put it into sleep mode with a full battery, it will last for 10 days. Pretty cool, right? Here’s a video showing how it works:
