Language Translator Device is it needed in Italy if not knowing the language?

Why not get the googletranslate app? Free, works great, even has a microphone feature that allows you to speak, or allows other to speak then translates in to text.

But I highly recommend getting a "cheat sheet" (always in Steve's books) and learning the basic phrases. A little effort goes a long way.

You are staying on the tourist's path, where all people working in tourism know at least some basic English.

Signs, ticket machines and monitors inside train stations are bilingual. Same in airports. Cab drivers need a piece of paper with you hotel's name written on, nothing more complicated.

I doubt you'll meet so many people not working in tourism to justify the expense. In season I doubt you'll meet any, to tell the truth.

My experience has been as Dario indicates. I have zero facility for language (just am missing the chip in my brain I think) and can get by with a few words (buongiorno and grazie mostly, lol!!) and pointing. Unless you are planning to do some kind of difficult non-tourist activity (genealogy research in a small village is what came to mind first!), you'll be OK with the "cheat sheet" and Google translate that Joan mentions.

I also am vegan so I carry a small card with "I am vegan" to show to waiters if they don't understand my mangled "Io sono vegano".

I also do as Dario suggests and have my hotel addresses typed out and taped to a 3x5 card to hand to a cab driver. I do this in France, Netherlands, Belgium, etc...wherever I am. I actually do this in UK as well, hahaha!!

BTW, you didn't ask but last Fall in Italy I used ApplePay for literally everything including 3E gelato!

I agree that 99% of the people you will encounter in the common tourist areas will speak English.

But one thing we found handy in Europe this summer was the Google Lens function which is available on the Google app. It was handy for the rare times that signs, train tickets, and menus weren’t in English. It uses your phones camera-you either take a picture, or just hover over the text you want to translate, and the words in English appear over the foreign language text. Pretty neat, and works as long as you have data or are on Wifi.

In all locations you have mentioned you will hear American English spoken in the street more often than Italian. You might have a chance to hear Italian in smaller Tuscan towns, provided those towns are not Siena, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Pienza, and a few others, where English is the main language as well. In Florence, Venice, and Rome most workers in the hospitality industry aren’t even Italian. They are mostly immigrant from every corner of the world, even Australian in some cases.

Another vote for Google Translate. You can download the language you're interested in and then use the app without an internet connection, very convenient.

But an additional question?

I am planning a trip to Italy, Rome-Naples-Positano-Cinque Terre-
Florence- Tuscany- Venice.

While I'll completely agree that you shouldn't have enough issues with language to need a translation device - although I'll recommend learning the 'manner' words/phrases - I guess i'm interested in your detailed itinerary for this 7-location trip as, based on a previous post, it'll be soon? How many days have you planned for each location, and in which order?

What ever happened to "Locals appreciate you at least making the effort to speak a bit of Italian"... at the start of an interaction?

YouTube has a number of very basic Italian lessons, some as focused as how to order morning coffee at a Cafe. Hearing the accent and pronunciation are quite helpful compared to just reading words on a cheat sheet. The RS Italian Phrasebook is also a good resource.

No, this type of device is not warranted in Italy and you don’t need to worry about communicating, especially since you are going to cities where just about everyone that you will encounter will speak English. Learn hello, please, and thank you if you want.