Wifi, eSIM, 4G, Hotspot, Online/Offline mode, … which is which and what does what? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one wondering what all these modes do on a pocket translator.

Whether you’re in the market for a new language translator or just bought a translator and are trying to find your way around, this article will help you understand the different ways you can use it online and offline.

If you haven’t made your choice yet, be sure to check out our comparison article on the best translator devices in 2020.

Why Does My Handheld Translator Need to Be Connected to the Internet?

At this point, you’re probably wondering why you would need internet access in the first place. Well, quite simply put: for more accurate and fast translations.

By using your new translator device online (connected to the internet), your translator can pull from an incredibly big source of vocabulary (directly from translation engines like Google Translate) and make use of Artificial Intelligence which runs on the cloud to improve the way the translation is rendered.

You can probably imagine that it’s an impossible task to store vocabulary for over 100 languages on a single device and more importantly, deliver accurate translations without the help of a powerful language AI.

So, when you connect your universal translator to the internet, you gain not only translation quality but also translation speed and access to over 100 languages online. Furthermore, there is the added layer of artificial intelligence, checking every translation for accuracy which enhances the translation even more.

How Do I Connect My Translating Device to the Internet?

The best pocket translators out there will include a whole lot of different ways to connect your translator to the internet. The Travis Touch Go for example comes with eSIM, 3G/4G connectivity, WiFi & Hotspot mode. This gives you the most options to keep your speech translator connected at all times. You can even buy data packages at a low price directly on our website.

eSIM

The latest generation of pocket translators, such as Travis Touch Go, come with an eSIM function built-in. An eSIM is a virtual SIM card built-in directly in your pocket translator. This way, you can connect your translator to mobile internet without having to insert your own SIM card. You’ll have mobile internet connectivity right out of the box. Travis Touch Go’s eSIM comes with 1 month of free global data. Once that’s used up, you can top up more data easily online. Different packages per country & continent are available and are pay as you go. This way, you only pay for what you need. No contracts or hidden fees. Find out more about Travis’ eSIM packages. Data packages start at 2$ for 300MB.

3G/4G

If eSIM isn’t available on your translator, inserting a SIM card into your pocket translator is a good solution. This might sound difficult and expensive – getting an extra SIM card, setting it up, … but is extremely easy and cheap. Global SIM cards like the Travis Global SIM card allow your to keep your speaking translator device connected to the internet at no extra cost in over 80 countries. It works as follows: you simply insert the international SIM card in your Travis Touch Go, the device automatically sets the right connectivity settings and you’re good to go. Internet everywhere you go and no extra roaming costs.

The Global SIM card comes with 1GB of data pre-loaded, which is enough for 5000 minutes of translation time and can be used in over 80 countries at no extra cost. Talk about peace of mind while traveling.

WiFi

Planning on using your voice translator device indoors or in places you know there is WiFi like the hotel, shopping malls and offices? Connecting your digital translator to the WiFi will do the trick. Just open the device’s settings, click on the WiFi network you want to connect to, fill out the password and experience fast and accurate translations.

Hotspot mode

You might already be familiar with hotspot mode. Most smartphones and laptops (and Travis Touch Go) allow you to share your internet connection with multiple other devices. Your device, for example your phone, will create a separate WiFi network to which other devices can connect to. Just open the settings of your device and look for the WiFi and Internet settings. Hotspot will be one of the items in the sub menu.

Once your hotspot mode is on, simply connect to the WiFi network your device has just created with your electronic translator. It’s that simple.

Did you know that Travis Touch Go also has a Hotspot mode function? This way, when a SIM card is inserted in Travis, you can share your internet connection with up to 11 other devices. This will come in handy when traveling in group, allowing you to connect multiple devices to the internet, using only 1 SIM card, or the data you purchased on the embedded eSIM.

Can I Use My Pocket Translator Offline?

Some handheld translators also come with an offline mode. Albeit more limited, an offline mode comes in handy when you just need to translate a word or a simple phrase. The translator will pull from its internal memory to provide a word-to-word translation. As explained earlier, offline translations are more limited and don’t benefit from AI assisted or extremely broad vocabulary and language packs.

To conclude, in order to get the most out of your travel translator, try to always use it online. Whether you connect it through WiFi, 3/4G or Hotspot.