[PR] Introducing the tablet interpretation service that is seeing a rapid increase in usage!
"What is tablet interpretation anyway?"
"What are the benefits of tablet interpretation?"
"I want to know about various tablet translation products and services."
Amidst the accelerating pace of globalization and the rapid advancement of AI technology, interpretation is becoming more accessible and smarter, but it is said that the practicality of AI in the language field is still lacking.
In this article, we will explain and introduce "tablet interpreting," which combines the best of internet technology and human communication.
We also provide a comparison of specific services, so if you are considering online tools for your company or customers, if you are looking for a tool that is easy for both parties to use and can be introduced quickly, or if you are a manager across the country, be sure to read to the end.
table of contents
What is tablet interpretation?
In actual use cases, the system is often used at various reception desks where face-to-face communication is required, and it is easy to set up as all you need is a tablet and the installation environment.
For this reason, it is commonly used in hotels, inns, hospitals, and restaurants to make it easier to understand the requests of foreign customers.
Specifically, at retail stores, they provide interpretation for product explanations and tax-free explanations at checkout, and at accommodation facilities, they assist with check-in and check-out and handle requests during their stay.
In restaurants, it is ideal for providing support for the contents of dishes and how to eat them, which can be difficult to convey through broken Japanese.
In addition, we can provide support in various industries that attract foreign customers, such as public transportation, leisure facilities, and hospitals.
The detailed interpretation allows for smooth customer service, making them ideal for supporting the creation of stores and facilities that customers can use with confidence .
Recently, it has been increasingly introduced at various local government offices where specialized terminology is required, and it is also being used in training foreign workers.
タブレット通訳のメリット
In today's world of increasing globalization, intercultural communication is becoming more and more important.
This is also evident from the increase in foreign tourists and international students.
However, it is not easy for people who speak different languages to communicate with each other.
However, using a "tablet interpretation" service that uses tablet devices to provide smooth language translation has benefits that go beyond just " facilitating communication between people who speak different languages ."
Here, we will look at the benefits of tablet interpretation from the following four perspectives.
・Differences from automatic translation machines
・Improved efficiency in dealing with foreigners
・Leads to cost reduction
- Ability to deal smoothly with complaints and problems
Differences from machine translation machines
The first major advantages that can be mentioned are the following two points that are superior to automatic translation machines.
・Understanding context
Because interpreters are human, they can understand the context of a conversation , not just translate words and sentences.
This allows for more accurate and relevant translations .
On the other hand, machine translations rely on literal translations of words and sentences, which can make it difficult to capture nuances and cultural elements.
・文化的な理解と配慮
Interpreters have knowledge of local culture and customs.
They can provide cultural advice and cautions to travelers and reduce intercultural communication barriers.
Machine translations cannot take into account cultural factors or appropriate expression.
Improved operational efficiency for dealing with foreigners
By using tablet interpretation, there is no need for an interpreter to be on-site at all times, making it easier to interact with foreigners .
Tablet interpretation is also convenient when dealing with unexpected foreign visitors.
Cost savings
By utilizing tablet interpretation, labor and travel expenses for interpreters are not necessary, which leads to cost reduction .
It also reduces the time it takes to serve foreigners, which simultaneously improves efficiency.
This will help reduce costs for businesses and stores.
Ability to respond smoothly to complaints and problems
Using tablet interpretation makes communication with foreigners smoother and reduces misunderstandings and frustrations.
Therefore, even if a complaint from a foreigner or a communication problem occurs , it becomes easier to identify the cause and we can respond quickly .
[PR] Various tablet translation products and services
As mentioned above, there is great demand and benefit to tablet interpretation services.
However, there are many tablet interpretation services available, each with its own characteristics, so it can be difficult to decide which service to choose.
From here on, we will compare the features and advantages of the major tablet interpretation services, and introduce them in terms of usability, cost-effectiveness, and languages available.
We hope this will be helpful when choosing a tablet interpretation service that suits you.
Before we get into the specific services, let's first take a look at the comparison table of tablet-based interpretation services .
[PR] Comparison of tablet-based interpretation services
項目 | LIVE通訳 | かんたん通訳 | どこでも通訳 | スマイルコール | ベルシステム24 | テレビde通訳 | イマすぐ通訳 | フォネット∞パッと∞通訳 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01.月額利用料 | ￥12,100～ | ￥3,300～ | ￥3,300～ | ￥15,400～ | ￥20,000～ | ￥3,300～ | ￥3,300～ | ￥3,300～ |
02.月間通話可能分数 | 50分 | 10分 | 10分 | 30分 | 60分 | 10分 | 10分 | 10分 |
03.初期導入費 | ¥33,000 | 無料 | ¥55,000 | ¥33,000 | ¥100,000 | ¥55,000 | 不明 | 不明 |
04,対応言語 | 3ヵ国語 | 14ヵ国語 | 17ヵ国語 | 3ヵ国語 | 13ヵ国語 | 15ヵ国語 | 13ヵ国語 | 12ヵ国語 |
05.最低利用期間 | 6ヶ月間 | 12ヶ月間 | 12ヶ月間 | 12ヶ月間 | 不明 | 12ヶ月間 | 12ヶ月間 | 不明 |
*The prices listed in this article are as of July 2023 as determined by the author.
LIVE interpretation
The first one I would like to introduce is "live interpretation."
For live interpretation, a dedicated tablet or smartphone with a SIM card can be loaned out free of charge. No Wi-Fi connection, settings, or app installation are required , and the device can be used immediately after it arrives.
It can be carried around even in large facilities such as hotels where the Wi-Fi environment varies from floor to floor, and it can also be easily carried when you need to leave the location for a short distance, such as when giving directions.
You can also sign up for a plan that does not require a dedicated device, and we offer a low price compared to other companies at 12,100 yen for 50 minutes.
Those with a dedicated device can use the service without having to set up Wi-Fi, while those without a dedicated device can be used simply by entering your ID and password. This service is designed with customer convenience in mind, and is currently the most recommended service.
From here, we will provide a more specific overview of live interpreting from the following five perspectives.
Product Features
"Live Interpretation" is a service in which interpretation tablets are installed in facilities such as hotels and drugstores, and when foreign tourists visiting the facility do not understand what is being said or are having trouble getting their point across, they can use the live interpretation service to communicate smoothly with the interpretation operator via video call.
Live interpretation has the following six features:
LIVE interpretation POINT!
・Low-cost starting rate plan based on minutes
・Tablet rental fee and SIM card fee are included in the monthly fee, so you can essentially rent the device for free
・No initial settings are required; simply install the tablet.
・When you need help, you can connect with an interpreter in real time with just one touch
- The tablet comes with a SIM card, so you can use it anywhere without worrying about Wi-Fi.
- Because you are speaking face-to-face, there are no translation errors that occur with automatic translation machines, making it possible to translate quickly.
各種プラン
For plans with dedicated devices, the monthly fee is not the cheapest, but it includes the cost of tablet rental and SIM card, making it the best option for those who are concerned about cost performance.
Another point to note is that the cost of excess calling minutes varies depending on the plan, with the higher the plan, the cheaper it is .
We also offer plans that do not include a dedicated device, so you can choose the plan that best suits your needs.
Furthermore, only LIVE interpretation has a minimum contract period of 6 months, making it ideal for trying out the service.
Supported Languages
LIVE通訳のペレーター通訳サービスにおける取扱言語は以下の通りです。
英語（6:00〜23:00）
韓国語（6:00〜23:00）
中国語（6:00〜23:00）
対応言語は3つと少なく見えますが、どれも主要言語であるため、利用には一定の安定感があります。
また、上記以外の言語に関しては後述の「自動翻訳サービス」で補える部分も多分にあるため、見た目以上に使い勝手が良いサービスです。
オペレーターの通訳の質が高いだけでなく、対応時間が長いため、多くの設置施設の営業時間中は何不自由なく稼働できるのも嬉しいポイントでしょう。
自動翻訳サービス
The advantages of live interpretation are not just its portability and cost-effectiveness.
In addition to the operator interpretation service that is unique to tablet interpreters, we also provide an automatic translation service using AI.
We can also translate late at night when operators are not available, and translate languages that our operators do not support.
mobile computer
The popular live interpretation is available not only on tablet devices, but also on mobile devices.
We have received feedback from customers that tablets are difficult to carry around and are a bit inconvenient.
A mobile version that you can carry in your pocket is also now available for rental .
When you sign the contract, you can choose between the tablet version or the mobile version, and the rental fee is included in the plan .
Regardless of which device you choose, you can rent a dedicated device for free .
What's interesting about this service is that there is no other service that rents the mobile version .
Case studies
Finally, let's introduce some actual implementation examples.
・Hotel
·Drug store
・Souvenir shops (airports and department stores)
・Administrative law office
・Restaurants (high-end restaurants, etc.)
[PR] Smile Call
The fourth one I'd like to introduce is "Smile Call."
Smile Call is a tablet interpretation service based on the theme of "Connecting smiles with words."
We will also explain this from the following four perspectives.
Product Features
First, let's look at the product features of Smile Call.
The Smile Call website lists the following four main features:
▶Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
With a total of 150 interpreters on standby to respond to requests, we are able to provide reliable service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
▶Significant cost savings
If you were to hire one staff member who could speak English and one who could speak Chinese, the monthly cost would come to approximately 600,000 yen .
Other issues that may arise include differences in wages and treatment compared to Japanese staff, training methods, and cultural issues.
However, with tablet interpreters, all you need is a tablet and a Wi-Fi connection; with operators on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, you can reduce costs without having to worry about the issues mentioned above.
▶ Response rate of 85% or more
With a response system of 150 people across five locations, we can easily handle issues such as problems with the system not connecting even after it has been introduced, emergency troubles, and irregular complaints.
We place importance on the connection rate as one of the indicators of customer satisfaction , and we improve our services by managing numbers and shifts by date and time.
▶ Operator quality control
We have strict hiring standards for our operators, keeping in mind that "it is the operators who actually do the interpreting."
It's not just about being good at interpreting, but also about communication.
In order to clarify the standards, we also have an evaluation function at the end of the interpretation session.
Clarifying the evaluation criteria will lead to better evaluations and salary increases for operators themselves.
Various plans
The Smile Call pricing plans are as follows:
取扱言語
English (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Chinese (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Korean (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Has a strong grasp of major languages.
Case studies
It is widely used in the following industries:
・Service industry・Retail industry・Hotels・Leisure facilities・Medical institutions・Transportation・Taxis・Financial institutions・Museums
[PR] TV Interpretation
The sixth one I would like to introduce is "TV Interpretation."
With TV de Interpretation, you can use a video interpretation service staffed by foreigners anywhere, 24 hours a day, by using your smartphone or tablet.
TV de Tsuyaku is an online video interpretation (videophone interpretation) service that was launched in 2011 as a pioneer in the industry.
Various plans
The pricing plans for "TV Interpretation" are as follows.
Supported Languages
Next, let's look at the languages available on TV de Interpretation.
TV de Interpretation supports the following 15 languages
English/Chinese/Korean/Portuguese/Spanish (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Vietnamese/Filipino/Thai/French/Nepali/Hindi/Russian/Indonesian
Burmese/Ukrainian
The interpretation service, which is available in 15 languages, covers approximately 97% of the languages needed to communicate with foreign residents in Japan and foreign tourists visiting Japan (calculated by the service provider based on information released by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Please note that languages other than English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish are available on different days and at different times.
Case studies
The implementation examples are as follows:
・Government offices such as local governments ・Call center operators providing customer support and technical support ・Railroad companies ・Mobile phone companies ・Fitness clubs
TV Interpretation
Official site
Free trial available for about 30 minutes
[PR] Bellsystem24 Three-way Interpretation Service
The fifth service I would like to introduce is the Bell System 24 Three-Way Interpretation Service.
Using tablet devices that can be easily installed in stores or at reception desks, operators can interpret conversations between foreign visitors to Japan and support store staff.
Bellsystem24 Product Features
・Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year・Available in 13 countries
・Sign language interpretation
Of particular note is the sign language interpretation.
Since sign language is different between Japanese Sign Language and sign language in foreign languages, many people will need this.
Various plans
The pricing plans for the "Bellsystem24 Three-Way Interpretation Service" are as follows:
Supported Languages
ベルシステム24 三者間通訳サービスの取扱言語を見ていきましょう。
対応言語は以下の13言語です
English / Chinese / Korean / Spanish / Portuguese Vietnamese / Thai / Tagalog / Nepali Indonesian / Hindi / Russian / French. Please note that the hours of operation vary depending on the language.
For more details, please contact the telephone number listed on the official website.
Case studies
Next, we'll take a quick look at some case studies.
Local governments: Used for three-way calls Financial institutions: Used for multilingual support for large-scale business
Transportation: Used for translation services
[PR] Instant Interpretation
The seventh one I would like to introduce is "Ima Instant Interpretation."
This is a tablet interpretation service that aims to solve the "language problem" in an era when 40 million foreign tourists visit Japan.
Imamasugu Interpretation Product Features
- Supports 13 languages
・Installed in over 3,000 locations nationwide
The basic functions are well covered.
Various plans
The pricing plans for "Now Interpretation" are as follows.
There are three pricing plans to choose from, meeting a variety of needs, from "I don't know how much I'll use" to "I want to use a lot."
Supported Languages
Next, let's look at the languages that Imasugu Interpreter handles.
Imasugu Interpretation supports the following 13 languages.
English/Chinese/Korean/Portuguese/Spanish
Vietnamese/Filipino/Thai/French Nepali/Hindi/Russian/Indonesian
The above 13 languages cover approximately 94% of foreign visitors to Japan (based on the number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2015 by the Japanese government, this includes countries that have these 13 languages as official languages).
Case studies
We will briefly introduce some implementation examples.
·Commercial facility
·hotel
・Tourist facilities
·restaurant
·Transportation facilities
・Local governments
Instant translation
Official site
We also offer a free plan with no fixed costs.
[PR] Easy interpretation
The second thing I'd like to introduce is "Simple Interpretation."
Easy Interpretation is a videophone interpretation service, where an interpreter operator will provide interpretation online in real time.
Easy Interpretation Features!
・14言語対応（主要言語は24時間365日対応）
・Plans to choose from depending on the number of stores, business content, and other business types
・Can be used with simple settings if you have an iPad or Android device
Various plans
The pricing plans for "Simple Interpretation" are as follows.
Easy Interpretation is available at a relatively low cost if your monthly call minutes are 10 minutes or less, or 60 minutes or less.
Another key point is that there are no initial costs (excluding device rental fees) .
取扱言語
"Simple Interpretation" handles the 14 languages required for the national policy of "improving the environment for accepting foreigners," and provides satisfactory interpretation in the native language of foreign residents.
Specifically, the following languages are supported:
English/Chinese/Korean/Portuguese/Spanish (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
French/Russian (Monday to Friday: 10:00-18:00 *Excluding public holidays)
Filipino/Nepali (Monday-Friday: 8:30-20:00/Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 9:00-20:00)
Thai/Hindi (9:00-20:00)
Vietnamese (Monday to Friday: 8:30 to 20:00 / Saturday: 8:45 to 20:00 / Sundays and holidays: 10:00 to 20:00)
Indonesian (Monday to Saturday: 9:00 to 18:00 *Excluding public holidays)
Burmese (Monday to Saturday: 9:00 to 18:00 *Excluding public holidays and New Year holidays)
Some languages are not available on public holidays or have limited hours of operation, but for the major languages there is generally no need to worry about hours.
Case studies
・Tourist information centers and hotels: Providing information about the area as well as inside the building
・Local government offices for foreign residents: Information on various procedures, medical and employment issues, etc.
・Exhibitions and events: Introducing your own products and services, etc.
・Hospital reception desk: Guidance on complicated procedures, etc.
・Transportation: Answering questions about transfers, etc.
[PR] Phonet∞Patto∞Interpreter
The last one I would like to introduce is "Phonet∞Patto∞Interpreter".
Phonet∞Patto∞Interpreter Product Features
・Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, both domestically and internationally ・Supports 12 languages ・All you need to do is connect to Wi-Fi ・Select a communication device according to your needs
Various plans
The pricing plans for "Phonet ∞ Patto ∞ Interpretation" are as follows.
Although it is relatively cheap, you should be aware that the number of available minutes is limited.
Supported Languages
Phonet∞Patto∞Interpreter handles the following 12 languages.
English/Chinese/Korean/Thai/ Vietnamese
Filipino/French/Nepali
Hindi/Russian/Portuguese/Spanish
主要言語はもちろん、在日外国人にも嬉しいほかの言語も取り揃えています。
Case studies
最後に、導入事例を簡単に見ていきましょう。
・ホテル
・カフェ
・観光案内所
・旅館・ホテル
・観光案内兼土産販売
TV Interpretation Official Website
[PR] Anywhere Interpreter
The third one I would like to introduce is "Anywhere Interpretation."
Anywhere Interpretation supports 17 languages (including Japanese), the largest number in the industry .
"Anywhere☆Telephone Interpretation"
以前まで多かった相談が、デバイス不足によって訪日外国人の方を待たせてしまうケースがあることでした。
それに応えるように実装されたのが「どこでも☆電話通訳」機能。
電話通訳であれば、1つの申し込みで3回線まで使用できるため訪日外国人の方を待たせる心配もありません。
「どこでも☆通訳」の操作はとても簡単で、対応言語を選択し、通訳者と接続するだけです。
The specific steps are as follows:
・Open the app
・Select the language you want to use
・Connect via videophone
・Communicate through an on-screen interpreter
Various plans
The pricing plans for "Anywhere Interpretation" are as follows.
どこでも通訳は、月額10分以下の使用であれば低価格を誇ります。
しかし、60分プラン、120分プランのコストパフォーマンスはそこまで高くありません。
また、初期導入費が¥50,000である点も要確認です
Supported Languages
どこでも通訳の取扱言語は日本語を除けば以下の16言語が挙げられます。
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
English/Chinese/Korean/Portuguese/ Spanish
Vietnamese/Filipino/ Thai/French
Nepali/Hindi/Russian/Indonesian
Khmer/Burmese/Ukrainian
Filipino/Nepali
Not only does it handle a wide range of languages, but it is also available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Case studies
Next, we'll take a quick look at some case studies.
・Business meetings ・Events ・Text translation ・Travel ・Overseas travel
Anywhere Interpreter Official Website
[PR] Overall recommendation:
In terms of price
LIVE interpretation
The best part is that you can rent a tablet or mobile device with a SIM card for free.
The minimum contract period is 6 months.
Number of languages and opening hours
Interpretation anywhere
Supports 17 languages. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, perfect for inbound travel.
In terms of ease of use
LIVE interpretation
This is the only place where you don't need to install an app. Although many sites recommend using a tablet device,
Free rental of dedicated mobile devices with SIM cards included is convenient to carry around and puts you one step ahead.
Notes
・We are not responsible for the accuracy or usefulness of the content posted on this website. The information may be out of date.
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・If this site contains links to external sites, we are not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of those external sites.
・When applying for products or services posted on this site, please check the details on the official websites of each company and make your own decision.
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