Travel is the new cure for a cooped up soul. Seeing new places and hearing new sounds is an easy way to entice your desire to see more of the world. Whether you travel to a new country or even a new continent, journeying new cultures is an experience to truly trump all. Many of the benefits of traveling is that new food and smells are encountered on every corner. However, when traveling, many travelers let their fear of the unknown disrupt their vacation. Being surrounded by a new environment can seem daunting, especially when the language is an unfamiliar one. But now, Net Communications Lab Pte. Ltd. has found a solution to the fear of not knowing the native tongue. Now, there is Qtok-Speak and Translate for me.
Qtok is an app for Apple products that provides immediate translations. Unlike a standard electronic translator, Qtok connects you with someone who speaks the native language and can speak with you on the phone. With hundreds of languages represented, this app is able to connect you with the culture around you.
With an app like this, there are many benefits. This app allows you to speak directly to the translator and get a situation sensitive translation rather than a general sentence that is not related to what you are experiencing. Because of this, you will be able to translate more casual terms rather than needing to stick with the more formal terms learned from dictionaries. Another great benefit of this app is that any hairy situation becomes a more relaxed one. In the case that you anger an official or simply are lost in the city and need direction, Qtok is there for you. Simply select a translator from the list and give them a ring to receive immediate assistance.
While this app is very helpful and has many fantastic features, it would be ignorant to not notice the small faults within. While there are many languages available, less common languages are harder to find a translator for. Sometimes, there are as few as 5 translators who speak the language. Then, when needed, the translators in that language may not be available. (There is a green circle that allows you to see who is available at the time.) Unfortunately, if there are no translators available, you will be on your own. This small flaw is something that may make the traveler uncomfortable. Another small flaw is that you must pay per minute. While this may not seem that big of a deal, if you happen to need the translator for longer than a few minutes, you could begin to rack up quite a high bill. Luckily, you do have the option to choose a translator that has a lower price.
For prices from 50 cents a minute, this is an app that is something all travelers could use while exploring all that the world has to offer. While there may be some minor flaws in the app, there are more pros to weigh out the cons. With that, this app is well recommended for anyone who wants to go out and see what is happening on the other side of the globe.
