Google introduces new real-time translations to Translate app

Google is helping make your travel a bit less stressful with new features in Translate app. You can now instantly translate words on signs with Word Lens—and you don’t even have to be online. Just point your camera at the sign or text to see the translated text appear on top. Right now it works for English to and from French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

There is also a new Conversation mode that to make it easier to talk to locals. You just need to tap the mic to start speaking. Type the mic again for it to recognize which of the two languages are being spoken. You won’t need to tap the mic again after that so the conversation runs more smoothly. The updates are rolling out to both Android and iOS in the coming days.

Source: Google Translate blog | Download: Google Play Store (Free) + Apple iTunes App Store (Free)

Google Translate creates community to help with translations

Google knows there is more than one way to translate languages. That is why they created a Translate Community to enlist users’ help. The community can help create new translations as well as rate existing ones. Google is also localizing Community pages to support your preferred language display. And of course, the company also wants to hear feedback about this effort from those who choose to join. This community is related to a recent Translate update that lets you suggest a different translation to what Google has initially offered.

Google updates Translate for Android, adds more languages

Good news for you travelers out there! Google refreshes its Translate app with a new simpler user interface and adds a few more functionalities to the app. It is designed to allow for easy conversation translation, you can switch between languages by tapping the microphone button and tilting your device.

The app adds handwriting support for Hebrew, Javanese, Greek, and manufactured language Esperanto. Your smartphone camera is also now capable of deciphering Ukranian and Malay text.

Google Translate for iOS update includes handwriting support and redesigned UI

Google finally brings to the iOS version of Translate a feature that has been on the Android app for about two years and the web app earlier this year: handwriting recognition. You can now scrawl down kanji or Hangul on your iPhone and obtain some usable results in English. The challenge with this, however, is your input speed. It assumes you write like you know what you’re doing. Handwriting on Google Translate currently supports 49 languages and runs on iOS 5.1 or later. 

The user interface and the icon has also been redesigned to look like it fits the iOS 7 look but you could also say it has been updated to catch up with other Google products like Google Maps and Gmail. The app also added support for seven new languages including Bosnian, Cebuano, Hmong, Javanese, Lao, and Marathi.