Live in Translation

The new fangled real-time translation apps out there are all set to change the way we communicate. Straight out of sci-fi fiction and futuristic predictions, these are the ones to watch out for...

Published: Fri 5 Jun 2015, 4:30 PM

Last updated: Wed 22 Jul 2015, 4:01 PM

Word Lens
Apps that translate a language may be nothing new, but how about one that does it in real-time? One of the coolest apps we’ve seen in a long time, Word Lens basically lets you translate text by just pointing your smartphone camera at it! Yes, it’s that easy. Only thing, the app’s still in sort-of-beta mode and only translates English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. But we’re sure it’ll speak many more tongues soon. Imagine how useful it will be while travelling, for figuring out street signs, menus and the like. Alternatively, you can use the Google Translate app, as the company recently incorporated Word Lens into its technology.
Skype Translator Preview

Similar apps to check out:
myLanguage Free Translator
SayHi Translate
iTranslate

Not to be left behind in the real-time translation race, Microsoft is now out with its Skype Translator Preview app too, but only with English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin capabilities. This one works on spoken words, by converting them into text or audio. But it does translate IM (instant messenger) conversations in over 50 languages, including Klingon! When you use Skype in conversation view, the “Translation” slider appears under each contact.
WayGo
Asia is one of the biggest travel markets, and to help all of us who can’t follow the complicated Asian languages, this visual translation app turns around Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean (and even the Kanji script) into English. It works the same way as Word Lens — just point your camera on the text, and it shoots the translation on the screen. Way to go!
Pedius
This is a life-changing app in more ways than one — it’s designed for the hearing impaired. The app lets hearing challenged people also make phone calls by themselves, by converting the written or spoken word to speech in real time using an artificial voice, which is then played to the person on the other end of the call, and their response is converted back to text and shown on the user’s phone. Currently available only in a few Western countries, there’s buzz about expanding it to other parts of the world.