Magic Translation Earbuds

[2tallbill]

I bought some magic translation earbuds. First I searched Google and came
to the page attached to the link below.

http://bestconsumerpicks.org/top-translation-earbuds-review-2/


The top rated unit was Vital Translate Buds. So I went to Amazon and bought
them for$48.70 with next day delivery. The next day they showed up and I 
jumped up and down (inside because it seemed too magic to be true). So I
charged them up to 100% with my phone charger because it didn't come
with a charger and the cord included was approximately 3 inches long
(7.6 CM)


Then like I always tend to do I powered them up, hung the buggers from my
ears without reading a single word then ran up to Angel Eyes to test
them out. Luckily I didn't try to test them naked (in 2tallbill sex mode) or
the frustration would have been greater. NO THEY DIDN'T WORK!   

Now I go to the instructions which is printed so small that I had to pull out a
pair of cheaters (reading glasses bought off a rack at some store) to read it.

Now I find that I have to download a really sketchy Chinese AI App, then
after doing that I will need to pay for a premium service for them to work.
Cuss words start to fly. If I knew any of this in advance, I wouldn't have
been as disappointed.

I deleted the sketchy app, then went to Amazon to do a return which today is
the last day that I can return them at a Whole foods store. Remember I had
ordered them 2 days ago and they arrived an hour ago. My older son is
nearby so I asked him if he wanted to return them for half the money,
because I will never spend the time or effort to return things.

More to follow in next post............

[2tallbill]

As of today, I am of the opinion that we are still operating in the days
before magic earbuds. I might be wrong (happens all the time).

Many years ago I spent one very memorable night sitting naked in bed
with an old time Ectaco handheld translator. Passing it back and forth
with a hot Russian girl who spoke English as well as I spoke Russian.

It didn't work very well. It was better than a dictionary, but the translation
was bad. She really wanted to explain something that kept referring to a
floodplain. I never learned what she was trying to say. Soon after something
else popped up so we moved on to other things.   

I stopped meeting FSUW that spoke zero English and the Ectaco translator
disappeared.

I looked up Floodplain on Google translate and found Пойма = Poyma.
I will give up trying to find whatever the girl said all those years ago.

[Trenchcoat]

Thanks for showing us Bill I didn't know they existed, must be pretty new to the market and amazing what AI is already doing for us.

They do ones on Amazon that may be better ones and could be worth paying a bit more for the better ones. Probably buying two pairs of translation earbuds is a good idea as if the girl speaks little English then she can get the English translated when you speak. Otherwise even if you get her Russian, etc translated you would likely reply in English and she wouldn't know what you are saying lol. Just speaking about FSW in general here rather than your wife of course.

So I guess it's back to old repeat after me Pimsleur for you then Beel

How advanced is your Russian language now anyway?

[2tallbill]

Thanks for showing us Bill I didn't know they existed, must be pretty new to the market and amazing what AI is already doing for us.

So I guess it's back to old repeat after me Pimsleur for you then Beel

How advanced is your Russian language now anyway?

My advice is to wait until the magic headphones actually work.
My Russian isn't getting any better. It's not advanced, I just know
a bunch of words maybe 600 or so (doesn't include numbers). 
I don't know the various cases or any grammar.

I am like a dog in respect that I can understand more than I can speak.
My English is getting worse, since I have adopted too many simplifications
to communicate with Angel Eyes. Her English is getting better and mine is
getting worse.

[Trenchcoat]

My advice is to wait until the magic headphones actually work.
My Russian isn't getting any better. It's not advanced, I just know
a bunch of words maybe 600 or so (doesn't include numbers). 
I don't know the various cases or any grammar.

I am like a dog in respect that I can understand more than I can speak.
My English is getting worse, since I have adopted too many simplifications
to communicate with Angel Eyes. Her English is getting better and mine is
getting worse.

Thanks for the advice on the headphones I appreciate it. My guess is that they will probably be the next advancement in translation a bit like when the electronic translators can along then eventually Google Translate on the mobile phone. I think the will probably help a lot and be a big improvement over Google Translate but still knowing the actual language fully will likely still be smoothest. The nearest I have to go on is my Mother with her hearing aids, it can be a pain waiting for her to put them in, the batteries going dead and for her having them stuck in all day. I figure these are like hearing aids just with Translation instead.

I'm probably at not a too dissimilar position as yourself with regard to learning Russian Bill. Duolingo tells me I have learnt over 1,000 words now lol. In reality I know I have probably roughly been through 1,000 words on Duolingo but I haven't really learnt that many as recalling them is another matter.

However, with more time that will be available to me soon now back on my hands I am determined to learn Russian better. It's an uphill almost vertical monumentus climb I know but it's something that I wish to really achieve. It's kind of one of those elusive things that often has eluded me but that I want to have down. Like a final achievement in this FSU scene I guess, my FSU journey won't be complete without it.

My GF has suggested learning Ukrainian instead of Russian but for me that would mean starting over in a language almost as long/difficult as Russian. I would just get confused and likely not feel like I was learning what I wanted to be learning. Nothing against the Ukrainian language but for me it's probably not for me. For me while I am against what Russia is doing its language and culture I feel are a part of Ukraine rather than separate from it as much as that may understandably upset Ukrainians who have suffered greatly from Russia.

[2tallbill]

Thanks for the advice on the headphones I appreciate it.

I want to find someone that I know that has Google pixel earbuds. I am very
skeptical after my last experience.

Use search terms "google pixel earbuds translate"

Duolingo tells me I have learnt over 1,000 words now lol.

I don't have any way to know or measure how much I know.
I just made a scientific wild @ss guess.

[Trenchcoat]

Just out of interest, has there ever been anyone on here that as a complete foreigner has learnt up Russian or Ukrainian, or similar as a foreign language from absolutely knowing nothing to being fluently conversational in it?

Potentially we could make this a big RWD Competition to see who can manage it first.

[2tallbill]

Just out of interest, has there ever been anyone on here that as a complete foreigner has learnt up Russian or Ukrainian, or similar as a foreign language from absolutely knowing nothing to being fluently conversational in it?

Potentially we could make this a big RWD Competition to see who can manage it first.

I believe TwoBitBandit did it. Boe is fluent, her Grandmother spoke to her
exclusively in Ukrainian as a child. So that probably doesn't count as much
as one of us seekers. There are others that relocated to the FSU and lived
and worked there for decades, I assume they became fluent.


TwoBitBandit has a TR here
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11863.0

He has a post at the end of the TR answering one of your questions

[Trenchcoat]

Wow! I am shocked and surprised by TwoBitBandit:

"I speak Russian.  I wouldn’t say that I’m fluent, but I can carry on a conversation and know five thousand words.  My grammar is quite accurate, even when using more complicated grammar concepts like passive participles and verbal adverbs.  My reading and writing is pretty good.  I don’t get the opportunity to speak and listen as much as I’d like, but I have no problem carrying on a conversation.  I chat with Russian girls all the time on the phone in Russian.  It’s not a problem as long as the connection is clear.  I spend several hours a week studying Russian, and not just for the purposes of chasing girls."

5000 words! And the guy isn't quite fully fluent

I probably know in reality maybe around 10 percent of the words he knew back then lol. It looks like I have a mountain to climb in this regard. I haven't been able to put anywhere near the time input this guy has.

Still I really appreciate you posting this link to his thread Bill. It gives me a real insight into where I need to be and get to in my foreign language learning.

With that sort of effort & time input you don't want to mess up on the decision whether to learn Russian or Ukrainian language lol.

[Trenchcoat]

Just read the end of the thread. I'm surprised that TwoBitBandit wasn't able to lick it with a LTR in Russia, etc. It looks like in the end he ended up with pretty much full mastery of the Russian Language. I would have thought with that knowledge of the Russian language he would be way ahead out there and a long term relationship wouldn't be a problem.