Blog: Google "Translate" App for Android Smartphones

"Translate" is Google’s latest mobile application for Android OS mobile phones is updated this Wednesday and is said to enable two-way speech that lets users to converse with a person speaking another language.

The updated Translate mobile application provides machine translation for 53 languages and voice input for 15 languages, and introduces drop down boxes for easier selection and interactivity. Google has also introduced a new Conversation mode that has been optimized for letting Android mobile users to communicate with a person speaking another language, currently it works for translation between English and Spanish only.

The User-Interface of the new Conversation mode on the mobile phone appears like a chat conversation with dialogue boxes. Google Translate mobile application would use a combination of Speech-to-Text and Text-To-Speech engine for the translation’s Conversation mode. To use this Conversation mode, simply press on the Microphone icon and speak the word or a phrase in English. Google Translate App will translate speech and read out the translation through the mobile phone speaker. As according to Google Translate product manager Awaneesh Verma, “regional accents, background noise or rapid speech may make it difficult to understand what you’re saying.” Still, the feature has potential to “break down language barriers” worldwide. This free mobile application help travelers to communicate with the locals, and vice versa. Translate for Android App supports voice input for 15 languages. It works on devices running Android 2.1 and above and is available in Google Market for smartphones.