[blindza] Google Translate Update Adds Visual Translation Support

From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "NAPSA Blind" <blind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 09:42:47 +0200

Effectively, seems like free OCR service using android unit/device, etc., and 
they also mention something similar off an iOS unit - see article content below.

Stay well

Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
---article content---
Google Translate Update Adds Visual Translation Support
By Stephanie Mlot August 9, 2012 05:02pm EST 0 Comments inShare.0digg With the 
latest update to the Android version of Google Translate, you no longer have to 
type in those language queries.

The search giant has integrated Google Goggles' optical character recognition 
(OCR) technology into the translate app, making it possible for a user to 
simply point their smartphone camera at unfamiliar text, click, brush, and 
translate, without having to manually type in words.

To use the new feature, press the camera button in the bottom right of the 
screen, point and tap to freeze the photo, then brush your finger over the 
particular segment you want translated, and a translation pops onto the screen. 
The usual text-to-speech option remains, to audibly learn what a sign, menu, or 
book says.

This update makes Google Translate for Android one of the most intelligent and 
learning-intensive apps the company has produced, Etienne Deguine, associate 
product manager for Google Translate, said in a blog post.

The app currently supports character recognition for Czech, Dutch, English, 
French, German, Italian, Polish, Portugese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. 
Google is working to add more languages to the list.

Google Translate is available for free in the Google Play store for Android 2.1 
and up.

Google isn't the first to take on visual translation technology, though. In 
late 2010, the World Lens app hit the iPhone, providing users a Spanish or 
English translation instantly when the camera lens is pointed at foreign words.

Once referred to as a "futuristic" app, World Lens is still available in the 
Apple App Store, updated to include Italian, and the ability to translate 
languages in both directions - from Spanish to English, or English to Spanish. 
The app is compatible with iOS 4.0 and later devices, including the iPhone, 
iPod touch, and iPad.

For more, see PCMag's review of World Lens for iPhone and the slideshow below.

Source URL:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408294,00.asp

[blindza] Google Translate Update Adds Visual Translation Support

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