SSK Portable Foreign Language Translator, Need Connect Smartphone Bluetooth, Supports 86 Languages Two-Way Instant Translation Voice Language Translator for Travelling Learning and Business

I do a lot of traveling, and this is a great little travel companion! Language translation is a difficult task, and it did a surprisingly good job translating between English and several other languages (German, Hindi, romance languages) that I tested. Sometimes the translation is excellent, like a native speaker. At other times it is more literal, like a “word for word” translation that takes some thought to figure out. Either way, it can make all the difference in a cross-cultural situation. Pros -Setup was straightforward and the translator paired readily with my phone. -The app works with many major languages, and I’m sure additional languages can or will be added in the future. -Photo translation is really cool! I can take a photo of a sign, or really anything with words in the source language, and it detects the words and translates them. It’s not always right, but it did a really decent job. I often come across signs in other languages as I travel, and this allows me to know what they mean. -The manufacturer is very responsive to customer inquiries and feedback, and assisted with some questions I had with this product. They even offered to rewrite the app for a different product I purchased from them (wireless harddrive) to make it work with a second generation ipad. -The translator is separate from the device it is paired with, which allows me to hand the translator to someone to talk into without giving them my phone. Also, if my phone battery dies, I can easily pair the translator to another device. Cons: There are a few cons, none of which were a big deal. First, there are two buttons, one for the source language and one for the target language. They are color coded, but I found it a little hard to remember which button is which. Second, when you press the button to translate, it says “ready” which gets mildly annoying after awhile. Just a beep would be better to let you know to start speaking. Third, the app did glitch one time, and stopped giving any translations. I had to clear the cache and delete the app data, and then it worked fine. Not sure what happened, but easy to fix if you run across it. Fourth, after I close the app on my Galaxy S7, I get a persistent message that the app can’t connect to translator. This is easily solved by turning off notifications for the app. Fifth, as is typical with translator apps, translation only works when connected to the network, which can be a problem when traveling in remote areas without wifi or data.

After having some pairing issues with my Note 8, I immediately started noticing some connection issues. So far the translator works once every 5 times. Also, it disabled my speech to input function with Google! This is unacceptable. At this point I might as well use the built in Google Translator on my phone. Returning.

I wanted one for a long time. Since I work with people from other cultures that do not always speak English, this will help with the translations and make understanding each other better. The price was the best I had seen and the languages were many.

I bought this for my father because his English is not his first language. The product came and it was neatly packaged. The product accuracy was a bit off. It also took it a while to recognize what we had said. The thing that really through us off about this product is that we thought once we programmed it he’d be able to just talk and translate. The product does NOT work unless the application is open on the phone, which makes this product very very tedious. We returned it, spend your money elsewhere. Google translate does the same but more accurate and the phones already out anyways.

Had to request a replacement as the first shipment was sent with an entire translator in the box. After receiving the replacement the instructions are difficult to follow. Still trying to figure out how to use it

Can't get the app to load so product is useless

This is a great product. It isn't perfect, but neither are its competitors as it seems and it gets the job done for less money. Some languages are better than others at recognition - Chinese, for example is near-perfect. Others, such as Hindi, are not as good. I also don't love the "Ready" tone which beeps every time it is activated, as I fear it would be a bit of a barrier to conversation. Still, I think for language acquisition and quick reference, it is a very useful tool. I'd absolutely recommend it!

I love it now able to talk to anyone from any country