Babel-Fish Earbuds

              Named under the 10 best breakthrough technologies of 2017, the classic pair of earbuds newly invented by Google last year are revolutionizing the tech industry due to its unique twist, hence its name Pixel Buds. To “geeks,” once you place these on, it feels like you are stuck inside the “cult sci-fi classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. These earbuds cost only $159 that work with its Pixel smartphones and Google Translate app to “produce practically real-time translation.” Some critics argue about the price, but Google argues “you cannot get near-real-time translation now that works for a large number of languages and is easy to use.” This is important because “in an increasingly global world, language is a still a barrier to communication.” I think this is an incredible and resourceful idea in helping the world receive fast translation access to all things audio.

              You might be asking how does “near-real-time translation” work and why don’t we have it yet? Simply, “one person wears the earbuds, while the other holds that phone that projects English as the default and the app translates the talking and plays it aloud on the phone.” This allows the response to be translated quickly and played through earbuds. As a consumer of Google products who knows two languages and is learning a third, I think it is beneficial to purchase these earbuds especially since many critics argue that “google translate can interfere with background noises and it is hard to figure out when one person has stopped speaking and it’s time to start translating.” I relate to this problem, as I’m someone who uses Google Translate dialy.

               There are certainly pros and cons to every upcoming tech that the world is being presented with. It is a plus that these “Pixel Buds” get around the issues of wearer taps and connection between your phone and earbuds. These earbuds work well with this issue that many consumers might deal with, with other earbuds brands. In addition, many are intrigued by the inticite design, known as “subpar design.” yet, some disagree, and believe they look silly and may not fit well in the ears. Overall, as the connection between people across the world becomes more prevalent, the “promise of mutually intelligible communication between languages in close to real time” is certainly achievable through these earbuds.

To read more check out this article.

By: Mia Gradelski