I have not used a language-translating app overseas, but a very important question to ask about such apps for smartphones is ‘Does it need to be connected to the Internet to work?’
The best language-translating apps require Internet connectivity. Getting such connectivity for free (via WiFi) in the middle of a random street in a random nation is very, very unlikely. To use such apps, you need to have paid for 3G or 4G Internet access in that nation.
MILES ABERNATHY
Austin, TX
