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First off Talkman is not a “game” (even though it has mini games in it) it’s a mobile language translator for your PSP. This useful tool can translate between four different languages English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese. When you boot up the game you’ll be introduced to a blue bird named Max, he’s going to act as your personal translator. Talkman comes pre-packaged with a microphone so you can speak your language and Max will pick up key phrases to translate into another language.
In theory everything would work out like that, but the microphone is far from perfect. If you’re in a quiet room with no background noise you’ll probably be lucky enough to have Max understand when you say “Hello”. If you step outside minor background noises like wind throw off what you’re trying to say. Even when the sensitivity is recalibrated for outdoor use, Max has less than a 50% chance to get the gist of what you’re trying to say. Now imagine being in a city, bar, mall or pretty much anywhere people exist and the microphone just doesn’t cut it. Sony did plan for this. If you press R you’ll open up “crib notes”, which are quick phrases you can cycle through. The phrases are arranged in categories like the airport, shopping and for all your hipsters there’s a nightlife section. Nothing screams geek chic like using your PSP to translate “here’s my international driver’s license”. Once you’re inside the hot spot press L to quickly switch to the basic conversation scene.
Even with the helpful crib notes Talkman doesn’t translate things 100% accurately. One problem is the “emotional level”. You can add in emotion to any phrase by pressing triangle before the translation. Add in really positive emotion and Max adds in “extremely” to the end of every sentence. When you’re trying to translate “Where can I rent a car?” and add in emotion it comes out “Where can I rent a car? Extremely!” It’s awkward, so I’d advise to avoid using emotion.
If you’re up for more of a challenge like trying to learn a new language Talkman can help out here too. You can play two games with Max to brush up your language skills. One is a listening game where Max will say a bunch of phrases and give you a translation in text. Then you’ll be quizzed on the phrases and have to select the correct text. The other game requires the microphone to test your pronunciation skills. You’re given a simple phrase to pronounce and if you speak it on key you get an A. This game is really limited by the microphone’s accuracy. Just to trick the software I tried not saying anything and just let the PSP listen to ambient TV noise. The result was a B. Hmmm…
One plus about Talkman is the slick interface with Max. Max seems rather natural for a big blue bird as a translator. The backgrounds set for each scene are a nice touch. You can even see Max’s bird buddies hanging out in the scene. Check out the nightlife one for a good laugh.
Talkman isn’t a Rosetta stone, but it does pack in translations for four different languages in one package. If you’re planning to travel to Asia import this, it’s bound to be useful as both a translator and private language instructor
Import Friendly? Literacy Level: 0
When you first load Talkman in your PSP you’re given the option to select your native language from English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Talkman then switches all of the menus and Max’s voice towards your language of choice.
US Bound?
It’s likely that Sony of America will bring the Talkman over to the US and Europe since it’s such an innovative piece of software. However, it will probably be designed for European languages.
+ Pros: If you’re lost somewhere in Asia the Talkman’s crib notes are likely to help you through a jam. There’s also the bonus language teaching mode to enhance your listening skills and pronunciation.
- Cons: The microphone is absolutely worthless in the middle of a city, a crowd or wherever outside noises exist.
Overall: There are cheaper language translators out there, but Talkman’s clever interface makes it a solid pick up if you already own a PSP. Just don’t expect this device to live translate the latest episode of Gundam for you.
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