The Pocketalk S is available for £259 via Amazon
A few months ago we got the chance to review the Pocketalk portable translator which I thought was a great little device but it did have its limitations. We now have the Pocketalk S which considered the limitations of the past and removed them and also introduced some very cool new features to really break down any language barriers.
The Pocketalk S has lost a little of the size of the first version and you will have noticed now only have one button when it comes to the controls. The Pocketalk S has also changed from being circular to now a square version of the device.
This device is available in 4 colours Gold, Black, Red and our review sample that is White.
What’s new with the Pocketalk S is the following:
- New 8 megapixel Camera – This camera instantly recognises and translates text, written word and signs.
- Computes exchanges for currency, length, Width & Temperature.
- Faster processing when it comes to translations.
Looking under the bonnet of this translator and its run by an ARM Cortex 53 Quad-Core processor. The device needs to be connected all of the time so you to be linked to Wi-Fi but you also get a built-in sim card for when you are unable to connect to Wi-Fi.
The Pocketalk S has also given you two hight quality speakers and a noise-cancelling microphone to join the ability to translate 74 different languages. The battery life gives you up to 2 days of standby and 4.5 hours of continuous translation. When you need to recharge you are given a USB-C cable and it takes just over an hour to charge.
Using this device for translation was very fast and effective and allowed me to communicate with my Maltese Grandmother with ease. What I really like about the Pocketalk in the extra features you are given such as:
The camera allows you to take a picture of a road sign or menu and it has the ability to translate what you take a picture of I found this very handy when I made a visit to a Thai restaurant recently.
This device also allows you to get real-time conversions for things like a currency exchange which is ideal when you’re on holiday but also gives you conversions for length, weight & temperature making this device useful all the time.
The Pocketalk also has a role play set up that I have found very useful in helping my kids keep up with there languages by setting up a scene like an airport or restaurant for example and then it has lessons where you learn to have a conversation based on the scenario such asking for directions or even ordering a meal. This kept my sons entertained for hours and I have seen a difference in improvement in their language skills.
Last but not least you also get a medals section as when I spoke to the guys behind this device they made a valid point do we really use every part of a device? The medals sections give you a list of things to do so you fully use every part of the device.
Moving onto the price at £259 some might question the price and say you have google translate in your phone why do you need this? Well, the answer is simple this device is very accurate because it’s using a number of search engines at once for the answer. It’s also very fast in terms of translating.
The Pocketalk S is also packed with features such as the ability to just take a picture of a sign in a different country and it will simply translate. Unfortunately, I was unable to test this as the current Corna Virus outbreak has cancelled a trip to Copenhagen I was going to bring this device to test it but will update once we are safe to travel again.
What really makes this device stand out is the role-playing mode as this really does improve your ability to learn a new language.
So yes its a little expensive at first but if you took this device travelling or using it for work if your job involves speaking to someone from a different country this is a great device and with the extra features it could become a valuable travel tool. It’s also a nice improvement on the original.
The Pocketalk S is available for £259 via Amazon
