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How Handheld Translators Work and Why They’re Handy for Travel

Posted on May 10, 2026 by faz_business

Earbud-based translators are the next game changer. These are over-ear devices that come in a pair—one for you, one for your conversation partner. Each of you wears one earbud, and the software on your phone handles the translation, both ways, behind the scenes. The best earbud translators make for the most natural way to communicate with someone in a foreign language that I’ve found to date, though handhelds tend to have more capabilities. (Earbud-based designs seem to be the direction the industry is heading.)

When shopping for a handheld translator, watch out for expensive subscription plans. Many devices come with free service, but only for a time, and re-upping after the trial period ends can be pricey. Check the fine print before you buy. Also, make sure the translator you’re considering covers all the languages you need. Note that while some translators support hundreds of languages, they may be limited in the language pairs they can translate between.

Who Really Needs a Handheld Language Translator?

Again, if you only need casual translation for occasional or emergency use, you can definitely get by with a free translation app on your phone. Translation devices are best for frequent users who expect to carry on multiple sustained conversations with speakers of other languages over time.

Those scenarios could include attending a reunion with your Swedish wife’s extended family or a lengthy workshop series with colleagues from other parts of the world. These tools are also often marketed to first responders who need to quickly assess a situation when human translation services aren’t available.

In situations where you may need to communicate with several speakers, each speaking a different language, a portable translator can make even more sense. If you expect your journeys to take you to far-flung areas or off the grid entirely, where internet service may be poor or nonexistent, a translator can be a helpful tool in your travel bag, even if you only expect to use it for emergencies.

Which Handheld Language Translators Are Best?

After testing numerous handheld translators, I recommend this trio. Which one you pick will depend on how you expect to use it—and your budget.

Best Stand-Alone Translator

Timekettle

T1 Handheld Translator Device

The Timekettle T1 is a reasonably affordable and very pocketable device that makes for an easy addition to your travel kit. Built for two users to communicate, each with access to half the screen, the T1 translates each side of a conversation—written or spoken—into that user’s own language. Using it can be a little tricky: a color-coded button on the side of the device or a virtual one on the 4-inch touchscreen must be held down to tell the T1 which language to listen for. But once you get the hang of it, the system works pretty well.

Accuracy is solid, and translations are fast, popping up in well under a second. One challenge I had with the device relates to its small screen. Like most translators, the T1 supports photo-based translations via its 8-megapixel camera, but the 540 x 1080-pixel screen is too small to display much text at once. Also, while the unit includes a global eSIM with two years of free service included ($50/year after that), I encountered plenty of signal gaps, even in my own home. The good news is that if Wi-Fi’s available, that works too. The unit also supports 31 offline language pairs (10 in combination with English), so if you plan ahead, service woes may not be an issue at all.

Best Translator Earbuds

Black and grey earbuds hovering over a closed case

iFLYTEK

iFLYTEK AI Translation Earbuds

If you want to upgrade your translation experience and make it more immersive, you’ll want to invest in a pair of earbuds, which give you a more personal and natural way to communicate. As described above, the iconic way to use these is to pop one on yourself and give the other to your friend. An app on your phone handles two-way translation, back and forth.

These 12-gram on-ear earbuds are the best I’ve tested, primarily because once they’re configured, they work completely hands-free. No clicking buttons or tapping the side of your head every time you’re ready to speak: The earbuds understand who’s talking and when, and they work with remarkable speed, almost like a professional interpreter whispering in your ear.

Commodore 64 Ultimate Review: An Astonishing Remake

Posted on December 31, 2025 by faz_business

Boot up the C64U, and you’re greeted by a re-creation of the C64’s menu. Here, you can type in operation commands just as you would back in the day, using the BASIC programming language. Problem: I don’t have the first clue about BASIC. However, in what is possibly the greatest throwback of all, the C64U comes with a spiral-bound, 273-page user guide. It is an absolute tome. Somewhat surprisingly, it’s not a reprint of anything that came with the original, but rather a tailored guide to what the C64U does, where it differs from the C64, and how to get to grips with the computer’s capabilities. Equal parts history book and instruction manual, it starts out teaching you some simple commands and builds up to teaching you how to code. I’m still very much working my way through it, but that tactile approach—referring to the book, trying something out on the computer, back and forth—is a great touch.

Hidden Upgrades

If you don’t fancy having to do homework, the C64U’s own default menu, accessed at any time with a flick of the multifunction power button on the right-hand side of the unit, is a simple list of options and settings. Hit RETURN to go into any section—say, “Video Setup” to adjust whether the C64U outputs in original resolution, in PAL or NTSC modes (surprisingly important, given some games will only work with one display standard or the other), or a crystal clear 1080p with scanlines removed—and back out to save any changes to the system’s flash memory. It’s still a minimalist approach, but feels fairly intuitive.

This is also where you can start playing around with some of the other modern touches of the C64U, like how to leverage its far greater power. Well, “greater” in comparison to 1982. Spec-wise, this isn’t going to threaten any more modern machine, but running on an AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA chip and packing 128-MB DDR2 RAM—compared to the 64 KB of the C64—it blows its inspiration out of the water. While at baseline it replicates the performance of the 1982 hardware, meaning it operates as if there’s only the original 64 KB were there, you can menu-dive to activate a virtualized RAM Expansion Unit, or activate a “Turbo Boost” to accelerate the clock speed to a lightning-fast (in this particular context) 64 MHz.

Arcane Trigger Mini-Review: Big Spells, One Button

Posted on December 23, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

Some roguelikes let you fight with preset weapons, but a small sub-genre lets you invent your own, turning every run into a playground of spells and chaos. Noita is a great example, letting you play with the world’s physics by freely mixing and matching effects. Magicraft does something similar, but with a more traditional roguelike viewpoint, and becomes pure chaos once a run really gets going. Both demand sharp reactions, but Arcane Trigger approaches things a little differently.

Arcane Trigger has you playing as an arcane gunslinger, combining different bullet types and spells to unleash massive chains of firepower against a strange realm encroaching on your own. It begins simply, as most roguelikes do, but escalates very quickly, eventually letting you fire dragon eggs and even meteors. The key difference is that everything here is turn-based.

In fact, all you really need to do is click the fire button. You don’t need to move at all, just pull the trigger. That doesn’t mean there’s no depth, though. The order of your bullets matters, as do your upgrade choices. You’ll be aiming to collect three of a kind to fuse bullets together, lean into specific elemental synergies, or ban certain bullets entirely so you can focus on a single strength. When it comes to combat execution, however, it’s still just one button.

As a result, this is a roguelike where your reactions don’t need to be constantly tested. Instead, you’re free to take your time crafting and refining your attacks. As you progress, you’ll develop a stronger understanding of how different builds work, and you’ll also unlock other gunslingers to experiment with. It’s an incredibly easy game to play, but a difficult one to master, and it’s refreshing to experience a roguelike that embraces a slower pace for once.

Jason Coles

Jason likes to focus on roguelikes and co-op games; in a dream world he’d make a living writing about Dark Souls. As well as being a writer he also does personal training and accounting and can occasionally be seen on other people’s streams. Being a big fan of fluffy things means he has two cats, both of whom refuse to let him sleep, but at least they are cute.

Super Fantasy Kingdom Mini-Review: Addictive in the Best Way

Posted on November 24, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

Hooded Horse, the publisher behind this game, is on an incredible streak. They’ve been consistently delivering hit after hit, with titles like Against the Storm, Cataclismo, and He Is Coming proving nearly impossible to put down. Now Super Fantasy Kingdom joins the line-up, and it’s another one of those “just one more run” experiences that’s hard to quit.

Super Fantasy Kingdom is a roguelike city builder where you play as either the human or undead kingdom, trying to improve with each attempt. Every run lasts up to 28 days, and the better you perform, the more glory you earn, unlocking new areas, roads, and permanent upgrades. As you progress, you’ll gain access to stronger starting resources, new heroes, units, and other meaningful rewards that make each run feel fresh.

Defeating bosses grants stars that open up new features for both kingdoms, encouraging you to switch between them to explore what’s new. Progress can occasionally feel slow, but one strong run can completely reshape your strategy or open up an entirely new landscape to experiment with.

It’s also an excellent fit for the Steam Deck, where it’s even more dangerously addictive. Super Fantasy Kingdom is a joyful city builder that lets you set your own pace, rewarding careful planning—or punishing rash decisions. Either way, you’ll constantly find yourself saying, “just one more run,” and more often than not, it’s worth it.

Jason Coles

Megabonk Mini-Review: Internet Humor Meets Vampire Survivors

Posted on November 11, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

Megabonk has taken the internet by storm. It’s the latest in a long line of Vampire Survivors-inspired games, only this time, it’s in 3D and packed with layers of internet humour. The jokes can be grating, but if you’ve spent more than five minutes online, you’ve probably learned how to tune that out. Do that, and you’ll find a game that’s surprisingly deep and rewarding.

The core gameplay loop is exactly what you’d expect: run around, slay waves of enemies, avoid dying, and keep upgrading your weapons until you become an unstoppable force. It’s a tried-and-true formula that’s hooked countless players, but here it feels a bit sharper and more refined. What really helps Megabonk stand out is its 3D design, which adds a welcome layer of complexity to the experience. Since your attacks are automatic, the addition of jumping alone changes everything – especially when you unlock items that boost your jumps or give you extra power while airborne.

You also need to locate specific areas to finish each stage, which keeps you actively engaged rather than zoning out with it in the background. You’ll hunt for summoning points to spawn tougher enemies with better loot, track down chests for unlocks, and locate boss arenas – all within a strict time limit that adds real tension.

Megabonk is an excellent take on the Survivors-like formula, though it could use more content. What’s here is already impressive, but with just two levels so far, there’s room to grow. If it follows the Vampire Survivors path (frequent updates, often cheap or free), it could easily become the best of its kind.

Jason Coles

DJI Mini 5 Pro Review: A Heavier Drone Upgrade

Posted on October 14, 2025 by faz_business

I enquired about the weight, and a DJI spokesperson sent me the following statement: “The DJI Mini 5 Pro has a design weight of 249.9 grams. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the actual weight of the product may vary slightly within a range of ±4 g. Minor weight fluctuations are normal. We recommend that when UK users are operating the drone, local regulations are complied with, which can be found here.”

The company refers to it as a “near-250g drone”—terminology I’d never encountered from DJI. Frankly, it feels a little evasive. This isn’t just pedantic nitpicking over a few grams. I live in the UK, and the 250-gram threshold determines whether you can fly a drone in public parks, on beaches, in towns and cities, near people, and in countless other scenarios without additional certification. Previous Mini models have been just under this limit, and it seems like an oversight during the design process to not keep this one comfortably below it, too.

There’s good news, though: With UK drone rules set to change at the beginning of 2026, I don’t have too long to wait until the Mini 5 Pro (and, interestingly, the much bigger DJI Air 3S) becomes completely legal to fly in built-up areas, public parks, and close to people.

The tidings for US-based pilots aren’t so cheery, though. As with all of its recent products, DJI isn’t officially launching the Mini 5 Pro in the US. You can blame the impending DJI ban, and it’s a real shame, because, weight issues aside, this is a fantastic camera drone.

Big Camera Upgrades

DJI Mini 5 Pro Review A Heavier Drone Upgrade

The Mini 5 Pro’s slight weight increase comes with genuine benefits. The main improvement is the camera, which now features a 12-MP (or 50 MP in Quad Bayer terms) 1-inch sensor, a significant upgrade from the smaller sensors in previous Mini models. The image quality is edging towards DJI’s Air range, which is remarkable for a drone this size. You’re getting professional-level image quality in a pocketable drone.

Slime Heroes Nintendo Switch Mini-Review: A Great Family Action Game

Posted on September 8, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

Slime Heroes originally launched earlier this year, but it only arrived on Nintendo Switch at the end of July, making it feel like a brand-new game for many players. It’s a Soulslike at heart, but one with a much cuter aesthetic and a range of difficulty options to play with. That means the game can be forgiving if you want it to be, or still deliver a fair challenge if you prefer – striking a nice balance between accessibility and tension.

The game really shines in co-op, especially with a younger player. You can design your own slime, giving it goofy facial features and mixing colours to create something truly silly. On top of that, you can tweak health, enemy damage, and other parameters to make the experience just right for the player you’re teaming up with. It’s a thoughtful system that makes the game flexible enough for different skill levels without losing its charm.

Once your slime is ready, you can dive into a charming adventure together, guiding each other through puzzles and battles. The ability system is particularly delightful; you collect a variety of skills as you progress, and you can even combine two into one hybrid ability. This opens up all sorts of creative ways to approach combat and experiment with different strategies, keeping the gameplay fresh and fun.

While Slime Heroes isn’t the most punishing or revolutionary Soulslike out there, it succeeds perfectly as a solid, approachable experience for younger gamers. It’s especially joyful when shared with kids, creating moments where you’re both engaged and entertained. On the Nintendo Switch, it fits beautifully, is easy to pick up, fun to explore, and rewarding to experiment with. Sometimes it’s nice to play a game with your kids that’s genuinely enjoyable for everyone, and Slime Heroes does exactly that.

Jason Coles

Heroes Of Mount Dragon Mini-Review: A Classic Beat ‘Em Up With Transformations

Posted on August 17, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

The classic beat ‘em up has enjoyed a resurgence lately, thanks in large part to the magnificent Streets of Rage 4. That means gathering a few friends and spending hours punching the crap out of enemies is back on the menu, and honestly, it’s a joyous experience, especially for anyone over the age of 30.

Heroes of Mount Dragon is the newest beat ‘em up on the scene, featuring all the classic class archetypes but with more complex move sets. Each character has two basic attacks, which can even be different weapons, so the archer can kick just as well as shoot arrows. You can mix and match these attacks however you want, and there are special moves too, like launching enemies into the air for juggling combos, either by you or a teammate.

As you level up, you unlock new abilities, with each one adding fresh layers to your character’s combat style. This gradual evolution keeps the gameplay feeling dynamic and helps fend off the boredom that can sometimes sneak into this genre. Plus, when you fill a special bar, you can transform into a dragon and unleash a fiery breath attack – an incredibly fun and over-the-top way to execute your special moves.

All of this comes together in four-player online or offline co-op, letting you and your friends run around and beat things up together. It’s not revolutionary by any stretch, but it’s a whole lot of fun and a great way to hang out with mates. And, of course, you still get to turn into a dragon and rain down cleansing fire on all the goblins and other foes you face. In the end, it’s a solid, enjoyable beat ‘em up that knows exactly what it is – and does it well.

Jason Coles

Lelo Sona 3 Cruise Review: Stale Update

Posted on August 15, 2025 by faz_business

One of my biggest gripes about the sex toy industry—and the tech industry for that matter—is that there’s a lot of iteration. New versions of already great products arrive every few years, with very minor changes, and you’re left wondering what the latest brings to the table outside of a higher price. Many sex toy brands are guilty of this, from Womanizer and We-Vibe to Dame.

Lelo’s new Sona 3 Cruise falls into this camp as well, even if its predecessor arrived five years ago. This vibrator doesn’t bring much new to the table. For anyone who’s a fan of the Sona line and feels their existing model is failing in some way—maybe the battery is conking out, or it doesn’t charge properly—the Sona 3 Cruise is a natural upgrade. Or you could save cash and stick with the older tried-and-true Sona 2 Cruise.

Minimal Changes

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Like its predecessors, the Sona 3 Cruise is made of body-safe silicone and ABS plastic. It’s ultra-smooth to touch, and when paired with water-based lube, it glides over whatever area you’re stimulating. Fun fact: The Sona line may have been designed with the clitoris in mind, but if you like nipple stimulation, it feels wonderful there too.

When fully charged, which takes about two hours, the Sona 3 can deliver two hours of run time. That’s in line with most Lelo products. Similarly, the device is 100 percent waterproof and features the company’s Cruise Control function (it’s in the name!), so when you press the vibrator down harder on your body as you get close to climax, the motors don’t slow down but actually offer a bit of a boost.

The only “big” difference with the Sona 3 Cruise is in the vibration settings. The original Sona Cruise had eight, the Sona 2 Cruise had 12, and the Sona 3 Cruise bumps that up to 16. I’m no Nostradamus, but if Lelo releases a Sona 4 Cruise, I’m willing to bet it will have 20 vibration settings. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it—I know, but it’s OK to shake things up a bit. There doesn’t seem to be much here to warrant a whole new product.

Oh, and the Sona 3 is app-controlled, a standard feature on most Lelo products today, and it enables long-distance play. If you’re using the app solo, not only do you have the intensities and patterns to choose from on your phone, but you can also adjust the intensity by rotating the phone. If you want to delve into advanced mode, you can let the Sona 3 take over by choosing one of the following options: Out of Control or Finish Me Off. For the record, Out of Control is exactly that. It bounces all around with intensities and patterns, and how anyone could find such mayhem enjoyable is beyond me.

The Sona 3 debuts what Lelo calls SmoothRise Technology, meant to create a smooth transition between intensity levels. I’ve always felt like older Sona Cruise products moved fairly seamlessly from one intensity to the next, so I’m not exactly sure what the latest generation is doing differently. Annoyingly, the vibrator’s charger is still proprietary. Is it so hard to add a USB-C port?

Underwhelming Update

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I’ve always liked the Lelo Sona line quite a bit. I can’t say I was disappointed with the Sona 3 Cruise, but it didn’t leave me with a memorable experience. The sonic pulses feel good, the extra intensities are nice ot have, but I’m not running around town recommending this vibrator to everyone I meet. The Lelo Dot, on the other hand, is a whole other story. I can’t stop talking about that clitoral vibrator; it’s going to ruin me for everything else that comes my way.

If you’re a big fan of the Lelo Sona Cruise line and have been waiting for it to be app-controlled, then the Sona 3 is for you. If you’ve felt that the older models weren’t intense enough, then that’s another good reason to buy the Sona 3. But if you already have a Lelo Sona Cruise, whether it’s the original or Sona 2, and you love it, there’s no need to upgrade, especially if it gets the job done. Save your money or invest it in something new and exciting. You know, like the Lelo Dot.

Battle Train Mini-Review: Like A Board Game In The Best Possible Ways

Posted on August 13, 2025 by faz_business

Blog | Review

The world of roguelikes is a broad one. It’s less a strict genre and more of a flexible framework – one that many games use to deliver quick, rewarding gameplay, even in short bursts of 20 minutes or so. Battle Train takes that familiar structure, fuses it with railway-building mechanics, and turns it into something deeply satisfying on just about every level.

Each match places you on one side of the battlefield and your opponent on the other, with cards drawn to lay down tracks toward key resources, falling special items, and enemy depots. The goal is to guide your train through these targets, because while Battle Train does feature life totals, it doesn’t rely on traditional attacks. Instead, your offence is all about driving your train straight into enemy depots to take them out.

The twist is that both you and your opponent can use each other’s tracks. Leave a gap, and if your enemy connects to it, they’ll gain access to the same resources you were aiming for. They can even use bombs to reshape the track, opening up new routes to block you or reach your depots faster. Of course, you can do the same to them. Each turn becomes a strategic balance between expanding your own path, cutting off theirs, and tactically destroying track sections to slow them down.

You also earn passive buffs for your train along the way, gently nudging you toward specific builds and strategies, all while being treated to a parade of over-the-top cutscenes and colourful characters. It’s an absolute delight of a game – and if you’re after something that blends thoughtful strategy with chaotic energy, Battle Train is one of the best examples of that fusion in quite some time. Plus, let’s be honest: it’s just plain great if you love trains, as so many of us do.