This looks interesting......
https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/04/google-pixel-buds-translation-change-the-world/
https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/04/google-pixel-buds-translation-change-the-world/
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Google's Pixel Buds translation will change the world
- Thread starter BigHonkingDeal
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Agreed. Very cool but it won’t have a signficant impact until it’s available beyond Pixelbud users, a number that is likely top be quite small for the immediate future. Potential is certainly there though.
Agree, and I will be totally shocked if it works in real life as well as on stage. When you consider all the variants of languages, accents, slang, mixed language, background noise, fast talking, multiple people talking... a pair of earbuds seems a bit far fetched. I have been to a lot of countries and generally the places I've most needed to do this are ordering food or asking for directions. So now you mix in menu item names and building/street names... a lot of proper nouns that aren't likely in a translation library.
The one place I could see it useful in my own experience is when I was a key note speaker at a Latin American conference. I spoke in English and had an interpreter do the translation. But I was unable to really participate in the other sessions at the conference because they were all in spanish. If I was able to pop in these earbuds and listen in english, that would have been cool. But again, the sessions had lots of technical terms, acronyns, etc.. so I doubt these earbuds would do a very good job.
So cool tech, but I don't think its changing the world. Plus, trying to communicate with people when traveling abroad is part of the fun!
It almost certainly will be. Google doesn't usually limit services to a proprietary platform.
Lol, do they have anything to translate “teenager” for us parents?
I have high hopes for the translating tech google is employing.
It truly does have the potential to make the world smaller and change how we view and interact with other cultures.
It truly does have the potential to make the world smaller and change how we view and interact with other cultures.
For me it goes even beyond translating. It is clear that the next ten years of phones and related tech will depend heavily on software as we use up all the space on the phones. While other companies and manufacturers struggle with services, Google is actually innovating in the world of software and AI.
I think the next jump forward will come in wearables like this. The Assistant is actually running in the Pixelbuds—moving the computational power into discrete wearables seems like the next logical step.
Friends don't let friends use online translators.
One of the reasons people *study* a foreign language is because of the cultural references inherent in a language. What we have here, is the equivalent of a phrase book and quickly looking up each word in a sentence. Sometimes that works, most times you sound foolish.
One of the reasons people *study* a foreign language is because of the cultural references inherent in a language. What we have here, is the equivalent of a phrase book and quickly looking up each word in a sentence. Sometimes that works, most times you sound foolish.
Looking foolish and using it as learning experience is better than being completely ignorant and oblivious.
Yes, but who is actually using this as a learning experience rather than a shortcut?
The same people that cared about learning another language to begin with.
For everyone else it’s just a tool to help get around on holiday for a week.
Either is better than zero ability to communicate.
And honestly, someone in their 20s isn't going to learn more than one new language if any. We already know languages are hard to learn as you enter your 20s and 30s and older and you're simply not going to learn more than one.
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So you should walk around a foreign country not understanding anything and not knowing anything? Sounds like a great opportunity to learn.
I am really thinking about getting these to use with my iPhone. I'm wondering if it will have the same functionality.
I'm not the biggest fan of the airpods unfortunately. But I do agree sometimes cross platform has its hiccups.
Not at all. But it doesn't take a lot to learn a few phrases before taking a trip. Anything else is just lazy.
What do you think tourists have done for centuries?
Or you could study a little before hand so you don't have to depend solely on an online translation service that makes funny errors all the time 
. You don't need to be fluent to get by
I think these devices are great and will be the future of communication, but I wouldn't rely on them yet as the only means to get around in a country. You need to know enough to know if it's telling you something ridiculous.
. You don't need to be fluent to get byI think these devices are great and will be the future of communication, but I wouldn't rely on them yet as the only means to get around in a country. You need to know enough to know if it's telling you something ridiculous.
It doesn’t you can download an app on your iPhone or android that does the same thing.