My hubbie and I will be going on a Danube trip in May, including several countries in which my understanding of the local lingo is either zero (Hungarian) or close to nonexistent (Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian). I'm thinking of getting translating earbuds, but don't know anyone who's actually used them. Have you had the opportunity to use them? How well do they work?

I have not yet, although I am planning to buy the pods this week once I am in DC. However, I recommend you to research a little bit deeper, I think I read somewhere that because of the UE regulations, this service does not work in Europe. I am not 100% sure of this, and this issue was referring to iPods.

What's the benefit of this over Google Translate in voice?

2 hours ago, floridarob said:

What's the benefit of this over Google Translate in voice?

it's more fancy

3 hours ago, floridarob said:

What's the benefit of this over Google Translate in voice?

More discreet, as everyone doesn't have to hear your conversation. Bought a pair last week, 639THB, just cleared customs so will find out more soon.

54 minutes ago, BjornAgain said:

Bought a pair last week, 639THB, just cleared customs so will find out more soon.

Like @vinapu said...Fancy, blowing all that cash on an experiment.

2 hours ago, BjornAgain said:

More discreet, as everyone doesn't have to hear your conversation.

For that is enough just simple earbuds.

I suggest to use Gemini AI translation via Google on phone and wear headphones connected to phone. It is most precisely translation for now and costs nothing plus it works in conversations for both sides. These earbuds translating to you, but how you will reply?

I tested Gemini on phone with Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Khmer, Lao and even Burmese languages with translation to English and back and it works like a charm, but you should have internet connection.

And if you want to be discrete, then instead of additional earbuds you should buy set of earbuds tips. Use one earbud in your ear, give second one to boy with disposable tip on it and you both will have conversation relatively privately - Gemini translating not speech, but conversation, moreover, you may have phone on table  and boy will easy read what you are saying, because interface of translator may flip boy's part of screen.

4 hours ago, floridarob said:

Like @vinapu said...Fancy, blowing all that cash on an experiment.

17USD, cheaper than a couple of boy drinks, plus there's a returns policy if they don't work.

so much trouble about simple talk

Not that’s it relevant to me, but apart from whether they translate bukkake as bukkake, are they fluid proof for bukkake?

On 3/4/2026 at 11:23 AM, BjornAgain said:

More discreet, as everyone doesn't have to hear your conversation. Bought a pair last week, 639THB, just cleared customs so will find out more soon.

Works a treat. Tested it on Thai, Laos and French. I've yet to find a native Japanese person to test @Riobard 's question.

The microphone is your mobile and requires a data connection. Uses it's own App, only issue, as always, was syncing up the Blutooth. Not really  designed for long speeches, so normal conversionial sentences. Depending on background noise, point mobile at your foreigner or just leave on the table, they speak, you then hear the translation in your ears. You reply in English, text is translated into Thai (etc) on the phone screen, however; you also get the Thai audio of the translation, so  you can memorise it and say it back. Gives the impression you speak Thai!

They also act as a standard pair of buds for listening to music.

The App also does picture translation, plus can translate active phone calls, write or translate voice notes or create subtitles from an streaming or constant audio  source.

The marketing blurb says it's using AI, which is a load of 💩,  as if it was it'll speak my reply without me saying it.

Model is HTC NE40.

Would recommend. 

So:



Connect your headphones to your smartphone.

Open the translation app (e.g., Google Translate).

Select the "Live Translate" or "Conversation" mode.

Set the input/output languages.

Keep the phone near the person speaking. 

 

For the best experience without buying specialized hardware, Google Translate is currently the most robust, free, and widely available option.

For those already getting by with current tech options and not in a rush to spend more on apps and devices, or to perfect or simplify, new AI speech translation developments aim to remove the text component from the existing speech-> text-> speech sequence. In fact, it appears that the audio output would be as if your own voice is speaking the other language. Additionally, continuous output during speaking, minimal delay. 

9 hours ago, floridarob said:

So:



Connect your headphones to your smartphone.

Open the translation app (e.g., Google Translate).

Select the "Live Translate" or "Conversation" mode.

Set the input/output languages.

Keep the phone near the person speaking. 

 

For the best experience without buying specialized hardware, Google Translate is currently the most robust, free, and widely available option.

@unicorn is planning to buy a device specific for translation. I am planning to buy the last iPods not because of this feature but because overall performance. Additionally, they provide direct interpretation. I will buy it probably next week (I arrived to DC this morning), I will let you all know how it feels once I try it.

3 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

I will let you all know how it feels once I try it.

How it feels....does this do stuff no one has mentioned yet???

On 3/6/2026 at 1:53 AM, floridarob said:

How it feels....does this do stuff no one has mentioned yet???

Perhaps a vibrator function?

On 3/6/2026 at 3:01 AM, Latbear4blk said:

@unicorn is planning to buy a device specific for translation. I am planning to buy the last iPods not because of this feature but because overall performance. Additionally, they provide direct interpretation. I will buy it probably next week (I arrived to DC this morning), I will let you all know how it feels once I try it.

The iPods direct interpretation currently only works in for a small number of languages.  Thai unfortunately is not one of them

Some years ago I had earbuds (not translator earbuds), the batteries were broken after a few months & couldn't be replaced, I saw an ad where someone gives the translator earbud to someone else. If a stranger would give me a translator earbud I would never put it in my ear.

3 hours ago, Thomas_88 said:

Some years ago I had earbuds (not translator earbuds), the batteries were broken after a few months & couldn't be replaced, I saw an ad where someone gives the translator earbud to someone else. If a stranger would give me a translator earbud I would never put it in my ear.

Considering the things I have put in my mouth and the places where I put my mouth in, I do not think yours would be among my concerns. 

On 3/8/2026 at 9:24 AM, Thomas_88 said:

Some years ago I had earbuds (not translator earbuds), the batteries were broken after a few months & couldn't be replaced, I saw an ad where someone gives the translator earbud to someone else. If a stranger would give me a translator earbud I would never put it in my ear.

What would be your concern?

3 hours ago, unicorn said:

What would be your concern?

Contained Novichok?

So I bought the AirPods. The noise canceling and the sound quality are amazing. The instant interpretation feature sucks. I had to wait for about three seconds until I heard the interpretation of a simple formulaic English greeting as Good afternoon, how are you?

 

On 3/10/2026 at 1:22 AM, unicorn said:

What would be your concern?

 

The earbuds may be dirty.

14 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

So I bought the AirPods. The noise canceling and the sound quality are amazing. The instant interpretation feature sucks. I had to wait for about three seconds until I heard the interpretation of a simple formulaic English greeting as Good afternoon, how are you?

 

 

Three seconds would be ideal to play an ad.