Pocketalk S2 PLUS

The S2 Plus is the latest model in the Pocketalk Plus line, featuring a 40% bigger display and a battery that’s 50% more efficient compared to the S2. The manufacturer claims it supports “over 92 languages,” but in practice, only 61 of them are available for full two-way voice translation. Another 21 are supported in two-way voice-to-text mode, and the remaining exotic languages are only available in one direction. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of the marketing. The interface isn’t particularly user-friendly, and adapting to it was a bit of a learning curve. Again, while the five-year free Internet access is a nice perk, continuing service after that will cost $44 per year.

Review

Our team tested the Pocketalk S2 Plus over several weeks, across different countries and in different situations. So, does it live up to expectations and perform well as a travel translator? The answer is mixed—it handles basic tasks well, but struggles in more demanding scenarios.

Design and Build Quality

The Pocketalk S2 Plus looks very good, and its compact size is definitely an advantage. The 480x800 resolution touchscreen is readable, though it may cause problems in direct sunlight. The physical buttons have good tactile feedback, but their layout isn’t completely intuitive, leading to mistakes during the first few days of use. The biggest design flaw is the complete lack of water resistance - the device has no IP certification, which is a significant oversight for travel equipment. One unexpected rain shower could turn the device into a useless piece of plastic.

Features and Operating Modes

During our tests, we checked all available operating modes of the Pocketalk S2 Plus:

Voice Translation (92 languages) - According to the manufacturer, Pocketalk S2 Plus supports 92 languages, but in reality, functionality varies: 61 languages with full two-way voice translation, 21 languages with two-way voice-to-text, and 37 ""more exotic languages"" with only one-way voice-to-text. For popular European languages like English, German, or Spanish, the device performs decently in standard situations. Problems, however, arise in noisy environments - the noise-canceling microphones don’t always effectively filter background sounds. During a conversation in a crowded café, we had to repeat the same sentences multiple times to get an accurate translation. For rarer languages with only one-way voice-to-text translation available, the device’s usefulness is severely limited.

Photo Translation (55 languages) - This feature recognizes and translates written text and signs in 55 languages. It works very well in good lighting conditions with clear, printed text. However, in poor lighting or with handwritten text, the camera struggles to recognize text correctly. When testing menu translation in a restaurant, we noticed that simple, standard items were translated correctly, but more specialized dish names or ingredients were often misinterpreted.

Translation Quality

The manufacturer doesn’t provide any information about translation accuracy or the translation engines used, which raised our concerns that translation accuracy might be lower than competing devices that openly declare specific effectiveness levels. During our tests, we noticed that in some situations, the translator did indeed make errors that could lead to misunderstandings.

Connectivity and Internet

The Pocketalk S2 Plus comes with a SIM card that works in over 170 countries. This is certainly an advantage, which eliminates the need to search for Wi-Fi or purchase local SIM cards. However, it’s worth noting that there are competitive solutions on the market offering unlimited Internet in 200 countries, some without additional fees. When purchasing the Pocketalk S2 Plus, keep in mind that continuing the service costs $44 annually - which is worth factoring into the total cost of ownership. During our tests in major European cities, Internet connectivity worked relatively smoothly. In more remote locations, connection quality varied - in some places, translations took longer due to weaker signals. There were also cases (in very remote areas) where the device completely lost coverage and became useless. This likely results from the fact that small, compact devices are equipped with a limited number of GSM connectivity modules, translating to poorer performance in sparsely populated areas.

Battery and Ease of Use

According to the manufacturer, the battery lasts for 7 hours of continuous conversation and 213 hours (about 8-9 days) in standby mode. More intensive use, such as touring a city with a guide, required charging the device every other day. As for ease of use, switching between languages during conversation is rather complicated. Despite the manufacturer’s claims of ""one-button translation,"" the process requires several steps and can be frustrating. In reality, you need to press an arrow and an additional button before your conversation partner starts speaking. Moreover, the interface during conversation isn’t very clear. Operating this translator may require watching several tutorials for everything to work smoothly and correctly. Initially, we also had problems with holding down the button - releasing it too early interrupted the translation.

Summary

The Pocketalk S2 Plus is an electronic translator offering decent functionality for basic applications, but with clear limitations. The biggest controversy surrounds the claim of supporting ""over 92 languages,"" while full two-way voice translation is only available for 61 of them. The device performs adequately with popular languages in good conditions but fails in noisy environments. The photo translation feature only works properly with good lighting and clear text. Advantages include the time-limited Internet access in 170 countries provided with the device, after which users unfortunately must pay $44 annually. The interface isn’t as intuitive as promotional materials suggest, and operation requires practice. The battery lasts 2-3 days with moderate use. The lack of water resistance is a serious drawback for a travel device. In conclusion, the Pocketalk S2 Plus may be useful in basic communication situations abroad, but its value relative to its price is questionable.