Time2Translate is a smartwatch that puts real-time AI translation within easy reach

As we wait for gadgets to shrink to the point you can permanently shove an aluminium Babel fish in your lug-hole, a new smartwatch wants to be your premium quality language-translation pal. At $699 and up, Time2Translate doesn’t come cheap, but its AI smarts – which utilise IBM Watson – can translate real-time voice messaging between nine languages (Arabic; Chinese – Mandarin; English – UK & US; French; German; Italian; Japanese; Portuguese –Brazilian; Spanish) with 85 per cent accuracy. Dual-band frequency means the watch is as global as its users, and if you want to ‘Babelfish’ to a wider audience, you can connect the thing to a Bluetooth speaker, until the battery finally conks out after five hours of translation time. Êtes-vous intéressé? They start shipping next month.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.