Google's Text-to-Speech Engine Praises Apple's iPad

MacRumors · Jan 4, 2013, 01:37 PM

A bug in Google's text-to-speech engine is causing Google Now and Google Translate to interject the phrase "he now praises the iPad" into sentences that end using phrases such as "end with," "enraged with," and "filled with."

The mysterious phrasing, which first came about in October 2012 on the Android support page, was publicized by Hacker News last night, resulting in some hilarious sentences.

One altered spoken sentence, for example reads, "Larry Page used to use an Android. But that is now at an end, he now praises the iPad."

This bug can be easily reproduced using Google Translate. Type any sentence, end it with one of the key words, and the text-to-speech option on the site will add "he now praises the iPad" to the sentence.

There's no word on why this phrasing exists in the code, but Hacker News speculates that it is an error in the algorithm. The original sentence came from a MacNN article posted in 2011, quoting Hearst Magazine president David Carey: "Describing the negotiations last spring as being filled with 'so much drama,' he now praises the iPad."

Theoretically, Google's algorithm improperly incorporated this sentence, causing the bug. Thus far, Google has not resolved the problem, so for the time being, Google Now and Google Translate can still be used to create humorous sentences.

Article Link: Google's Text-to-Speech Engine Praises Apple's iPad

apfeljonas · Jan 4, 2013, 01:44 PM

I don't want this to be resolved cause it is hilarious!

DaveN · Jan 4, 2013, 01:46 PM

Roflmao

Avatarshark · Jan 4, 2013, 01:48 PM

Cue in Samsung ad.

Edit: Use "hard with" to activate the bug

Edit2: ok, it is with combination, you got to play around with the words.

OldSchoolMacGuy · Jan 4, 2013, 01:55 PM

Funny.

ThunderSkunk · Jan 4, 2013, 01:56 PM

Disgruntled programmers unite!

Ichabod. · Jan 4, 2013, 01:57 PM

Haha, how entertaining.

Keerock · Jan 4, 2013, 02:00 PM

They removed text to speech already.

MacRumorUser · Jan 4, 2013, 02:08 PM

Siri has become self aware and she's out taking revenge

StarDal · Jan 4, 2013, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keerock

They removed text to speech already.

Still working for me.

Radio · Jan 4, 2013, 02:08 PM

I only wish Siri would work so well

DaveN · Jan 4, 2013, 02:16 PM

Translategate... Lets see if fandroids demand an apology from Google because Google isn't praising an Android product!

gorskiegangsta · 02:21 PM

No way it's a bug. It's an intentional dig against Apple

EDIT: I think it was supposed to be an intentional dig against Apple in some key phrases (e.g. Larry Page fell and hit his head so hard, he now praises the iPad), but it got out of hand

Formul · Jan 4, 2013, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorskiegangsta

No way it's a bug. It's an intentional dig against Apple

sounds more like a free advertising :-)

gorskiegangsta · Jan 4, 2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Formul

sounds more like a free advertising :-)

Considering the volume of people using Google's services daily, it may be the most effective advertisement.

I kind-of wish it happened before the holidays

MsQueen · Jan 4, 2013, 02:33 PM

Too awesome. A bug you're in no hurry to have fixed.

Rocketman · Jan 4, 2013, 02:50 PM

Not a bug, an Easter egg. It is programmer tradition.

extricated · Jan 4, 2013, 02:32 PM

A mole is working at Google.
Pretty darn funny.

Solomani · Jan 5, 2013, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by extricated

A mole is working at Google.
Pretty darn funny.

Not surprising. Many Google employees love their Apple products.

Kinda like we already know there are a good deal of Microsoft employees who love their Apple gadgets, and yet they still risk the ire and wrath of Microsoft Management when they still smuggle their Apple products to work.

shandyman · Jan 5, 2013, 07:07 AM

not working here in the UK in the browser or the google translate app on iphone

bbeagle · Jan 5, 2013, 11:41 AM

Epic Fail. This spells the end for Google. Google is doomed.

Only writing this as a joke because this is the exact thing many iHaters on this board would write if this was an Apple bug. But since it was a Google bug, none of the iHaters are attacking Google. It's simply 'funny'

chiguimania · Jan 4, 2013, 03:21 PM

That's not a bug, thats a feature to remind Android users that the iPad rules

LOL

brayhite · Jan 4, 2013, 03:25 PM

lesson learned: submit a tip, don't start a thread.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1519350

olowott · Jan 4, 2013, 03:32 PM

lmao still unbelievable.

milo · Jan 4, 2013, 03:43 PM

So weird. I just tried it and it added "so much drama, he now praises the ipad".

If text to speech is not working, it may be because of Click2Flash or some other flash blocker.

Jan 4, 2013, 01:37 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Google's Text-to-Speech Engine Praises Apple's iPad A bug in Google's text-to-speech engine is causing Google Now and Google Translate to interject the phrase "he now praises the iPad" into sentences that end using phrases such as "end with," "enraged with," and "filled with." The mysterious phrasing, which first came about in October 2012 on the Android support page, was publicized by Hacker News last night, resulting in some hilarious sentences. One altered spoken sentence, for example reads, "Larry Page used to use an Android. But that is now at an end, he now praises the iPad." This bug can be easily reproduced using Google Translate. Type any sentence, end it with one of the key words, and the text-to-speech option on the site will add "he now praises the iPad" to the sentence. There's no word on why this phrasing exists in the code, but Hacker News speculates that it is an error in the algorithm. The original sentence came from a MacNN article posted in 2011, quoting Hearst Magazine president David Carey: "Describing the negotiations last spring as being filled with 'so much drama,' he now praises the iPad." Theoretically, Google's algorithm improperly incorporated this sentence, causing the bug. Thus far, Google has not resolved the problem, so for the time being, Google Now and Google Translate can still be used to create humorous sentences. Article Link: Google's Text-to-Speech Engine Praises Apple's iPad
	3

Jan 4, 2013, 01:44 PM	#2
apfeljonas macrumors regular Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Germany	I don't want this to be resolved cause it is hilarious! __________________ Used Mainly MacBook Pro, Late 2011, i5 2.4 GHz iPhone 5 32 GB Black Not Used as Much iPad 1, 32 GB iPod touch 4G, 32 GB Some older stuff...
	17

Jan 4, 2013, 02:00 PM	#8
Keerock macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2005	Google is fast.. They removed text to speech already.
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 02:08 PM	#9
MacRumorUser macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ireland	Siri has become self aware and she's out taking revenge __________________ A gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally. MacRumor:User Microsoft MVP : Macintosh
	20

Jan 4, 2013, 02:16 PM	#13
gorskiegangsta macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY	No way it's a bug. It's an intentional dig against Apple EDIT: I think it was supposed to be an intentional dig against Apple in some key phrases (e.g. Larry Page fell and hit his head so hard, he now praises the iPad), but it got out of hand __________________ "The reason I talk to myself is that I am the only one whose answers I accept." - George Carlin Last edited by gorskiegangsta; Jan 4, 2013 at 02:21 PM.
	3

Jan 4, 2013, 01:46 PM	#3
DaveN macrumors regular Join Date: May 2010	Roflmao
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 01:48 PM	#4
Avatarshark macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: The Digital Frontier	Cue in Samsung ad. Edit: Use "hard with" to activate the bug Edit2: ok, it is with combination, you got to play around with the words.
	0

Jan 4, 2013, 01:55 PM	#5
OldSchoolMacGuy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2008	Funny.
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 01:56 PM	#6
ThunderSkunk macrumors 65816 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: On da moon.	Disgruntled programmers unite!
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 01:57 PM	#7
Ichabod. macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012	Haha, how entertaining.
	3

Jan 4, 2013, 02:08 PM	#11
Radio macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central California	I only wish Siri would work so well
	1

Jan 4, 2013, 02:33 PM	#16
MsQueen macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Baltimore, MD	Too awesome. A bug you're in no hurry to have fixed. __________________ 15" MacBook Pro - late 2011, 2.2 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 750 GB HD iPad (4th gen), 64GB, wifi + 4G iPod Touch, 64 GB (4th gen)
	0

Jan 4, 2013, 02:50 PM	#17
Rocketman macrumors 601 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Claremont, CA	Not a bug, an Easter egg. It is programmer tradition. __________________ Think Different-ly! The Pres. always campaigns against Cong. The D Sen is led by D Sen ML Reid and D VP and Sen Pres Biden, under orders of D Pres Obama. House bills die in the Senate.
	6

Jan 4, 2013, 02:32 PM	#18
extricated macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2011	A mole is working at Google. Pretty darn funny.
	5

Jan 5, 2013, 07:07 AM	#20
shandyman macrumors 68040 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newbury, UK	not working here in the UK in the browser or the google translate app on iphone
	1

Jan 5, 2013, 11:41 AM	#21
bbeagle macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Buffalo, NY	Epic Fail. This spells the end for Google. Google is doomed. Only writing this as a joke because this is the exact thing many iHaters on this board would write if this was an Apple bug. But since it was a Google bug, none of the iHaters are attacking Google. It's simply 'funny'
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 03:21 PM	#22
chiguimania macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2008	That's not a bug, thats a feature to remind Android users that the iPad rules LOL
	7

Jan 4, 2013, 03:25 PM	#23
brayhite macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: N. Kentucky	lesson learned: submit a tip, don't start a thread. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1519350 __________________ Feasog Rua
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 03:32 PM	#24
olowott macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dundee, UK	lmao still unbelievable. __________________ 2011 13" Macbook pr-- iPhone 4s 16gb -- iPAD 2 32gb
	2

Jan 4, 2013, 03:43 PM	#25
milo macrumors 603 Join Date: Sep 2003	So weird. I just tried it and it added "so much drama, he now praises the ipad". If text to speech is not working, it may be because of Click2Flash or some other flash blocker.
	4

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