Accessing services using AI is becoming increasingly expensive, what about translation devices

Although there are free and low-cost services, access to high-quality AI is generally not cheap. ChatGPT has a premium version, which has limited access to the DALL-E imager, and Samsung has chosen to only include its high-end phones with recently released AI features.

All this has a technical explanation and commercial reasons. But if we focus only on the technological issue, It is clear that artificial intelligence requires that the devices on which it will operate have sufficient processing power. And performance to achieve your goal.

This means that high-level AI has moved to products and services that have a cost and, in some cases, very high values ​​that can only be purchased by a certain segment of users. As is the X1 Interpreter Hub, a translation device designed by Timekettle Which allows two people speaking two different languages ​​to understand each other in real time.

We saw this device as one of the translation novelties presented at CES 2024, and it has the ability to translate up to 40 languages ​​and supports 93 dialects. In addition, it allows two people to speak at the same time in different languages ​​and understand each other, by playing sound through the headphones that come with the equipment.

Thanks to artificial intelligence and the use of X OS, the product promises more stability and smoothness in translationswith the aim of enabling users to understand each other in real time, even in meetings with up to 20 people.

One of the ways to use it is the possibility for each person to have an earpiece and each person to speak in his own language, as well as the option to use the device to receive the sound and listen to the translation in the headphones, or the option to talk to the person with the device and let him do the translation through his loudspeaker.

In total there are 14 functions, but these three are the basic ones It also allows meetings of 20 people in five languages ​​or the opportunity to make a call with a similar product. In addition, you must be connected to the Internet to perform the translation or the language must be downloaded beforehand among some limited options.

The X1 Interpreter Hub is a hub for other devices. Previously, we had the opportunity to test the T1 Mini and WT2 Edge headphones. The first is focused on travelers, as it is compact and ideal for short conversations, while the second is a pair of headphones that translates content through a mobile app.

In the case of the X1 Interpreter Hub, all these functions are collected in one place, adding to the other functions already mentioned and the integration of artificial intelligence. This makes its price $700. Fairly high cost for a large number of users which will definitely limit access to executive or company profiles.

Although this is an accessibility issue for many people, the company has insisted that it is an ideal device for business meetings with people from different parts of the world. Proving that high-level AI is still far from everyday use for those without propulsion capabilitiesIt is a common problem in the industry and this product is an example.

But beyond its cost and features, the X1 Interpreter Hub does a good job of translation. Although good precision is required when speaking, When the device can understand the user's words, the translated text has high accuracy and the AI ​​does a good job of understanding the context.

When performing the external audio listening test, the issue of the need for audio fidelity was even more apparent, because when playing a YouTube video, the audio is dispersed and the quality can vary greatly, which affected the subtitles and the sentences generated sometimes had too much cohesion.

However, overall, this is a great working tool, Ideal for an office that receives clients who speak other languages ​​and have ongoing meetings. The device has very good autonomy and during our month of testing we did not have to charge it. Although this will depend on the intensity of use.

Its interface is very easy to understand, because it is very similar to a cell phone interface and anyone can use it without any problem to access all the functions.

The big drawback is its price, which will be a big challenge to overcome. Although this is the current trend in the industry, access to AI technology is not economical Such examples can begin to create a gap that is difficult to fill.