Google Translate is available for the iPhone and packs a lot of really awesome features!
I can tell you that a translation tool like Google Translate for the iPhone would make both language learning and daily life easier.
Check out these features:
Speak to Translate
Right now, there are 15 voice input languages. Simply speak the word and it translates the word or phrase into one of more than 50 languages!
Listen to your translations
When you’re learning a new language and navigating a new language, just reading it isn’t enough if you want to repeat the word. Not to worry! You can listen to the translations spoken out-load in one of 23 different languages. Sweet.
Full-screen mode
This is nice. I could have used this feature a few times as I’ve navigated through Italy. I’ve gone to repeat something at the store, a word or phrase that I wasn’t fully comfortable with, so I wrote it down. Often times I found it difficult to read, since I wrote it too small, LOL! You see, when you’re learning a new language, it can be embarrassing to read from your own “cue card”, so you simple try to glance at it like you’re cheating on a test or something. If you used an app like this, it would be both easy to read AND it would look like you were simply distracted by a text or something. FTW!
And the app also includes all of the major features of the web app, including the ability to view dictionary results for single words, access your starred translations and translation history even when offline.
As a missionary to Italy for over a year, I can testify first-hand how helpful an iPhone application like this can/could be. It’s unfortunate that churches and mission organizations don’t provide their missionaries with tools like this. Although it is a free application, dropping the bucks down on an iPhone plus the monthly subscription overseas is a little more than most missionary budgets can handle.
Have you ever thought about supporting a missionary like this before?
[via Google Blog]
Eric J says
I use google translate several times a day with my exchange student on my android phone.
Eric Dye says
Sweet!
Eric J says
ok here is something weird i tried to email him the itunes link for this as he has an iPhone and china blocked the email im pretty sure. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12802914 WEIRD!
Eric Dye says
I think so. Very sad.
Henry says
I think that something like this is a useful aid for times when your vocabulary has holes. In fact, just today, I used it at the doctor’s office to look up a medical term our doctor used to describe a rash our daughter has. IMO, however, such a tool can be a long term hindrance to developing good, long term language skills if relied on too many times to fill in a gap, not to mention not necessarily a wise thing to do, breaking out your iPhone on the street to look up vocabulary.
Eric Dye says
Depends on where you at, I suppose.
You can become dependent on just about anything, when learning a language. There’s no greater time to learn new words and phrases than when you need or want to know them in the moment.
🙂
Where are you located?
Henry says
You’re right on both accounts. My words were merely cautionary.
I’m in Costa Rica, where I’m the chief techy for a virtual seminary.
Eric Dye says
Very cool!
Awesome!
Brian Alexander says
Don’t waste the precious space on your device. This app, along with several others is included in the google App. Just download that one instead. It’s right there under Apps in the google app.
Eric Dye says
Sweet. Thanks for the tip!