Google Translate For iPhone

MacRumors · Aug 12, 2008, 06:02 AM

Google has released an iPhone version of Google Translate. Google Translate is a service that translates text between languages using computer algorithms and while its accuracy has room for improvement, it is generally accurate enough to get simple points across when no other resources are available.

Quote:

Google Translate for iPhone is optimized for speed, supports all of the existing Google Translate language pairs, and uses a client-side data-store on your iPhone to hang on to your past translations so you always have them at hand, even if you can't use the local data network. We wrote this using the AJAX Language API, so every time the Google Translate team updates the languages they support, the languages will automatically be added here.

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bigmanathome24 · Aug 12, 2008, 06:44 AM

im surprised the translations, at least those on the image are that bad. even altavista's babelfish is better than that. bit useless i think - easier to have a link on the home screen to the av website

mikes63737 · Aug 12, 2008, 07:29 AM

Yeah, those translations are definitely grammatically wrong.

But it's pretty good when you're just looking up one word. I'm glad this page will load faster on my iPhone for Spanish class where we only have EDGE.

Shasterball · Aug 12, 2008, 07:40 AM

May be worth it when there is a local app version?

Scooterman1 · Aug 12, 2008, 08:08 AM

Useless. They need to read Macrumors. People don't want to run up a high Data Bill while in another country. They need to develop one into a low cost App.

born4sky · Aug 12, 2008, 08:34 AM

Thank You Google ...

maverick808 · Aug 12, 2008, 09:09 AM

Without caching translation info locally this application is completely pointless. Who is going to want to run up massive data costs while abroad?

Orlandooo · Aug 12, 2008, 09:24 AM

That is shocking translation.

OneMike · Aug 12, 2008, 09:26 AM

ah it's a webapp. was going to say it's good but if a webapp have to compare to babelfish and in that case it's not as good.

Sinsinnati · Aug 12, 2008, 09:30 AM

Uggg, why can't we have Japanese, Chinese & Korean translate in the roman alphabet?

"Konichiwa B*tches!"

iNfowarrior · Aug 12, 2008, 09:39 AM

Nice, been waiting for something like this.

swingerofbirch · Aug 12, 2008, 09:59 AM

I noticed you can suggest better translations, I suggested, "Me puede dar una taza de cafe?" instead of "Puedo tener...?"

BornAgainMac · Aug 12, 2008, 10:43 AM

I converted some Chinese symbols on a web page to English and it actually did a good job. I didn't use my iPhone but just a PC and a web browser though. I can't draw Chinese symbols.

Rojo · Aug 12, 2008, 10:47 AM

Even though it's far from exact, I use Google Translate a lot to translate chunks of text I find on the web or in other documents. However, with no copy & paste yet, this is useless for me...

gcmexico · Aug 12, 2008, 11:49 AM

I'll take a look at it...might come in handy

iThink4U · Aug 12, 2008, 03:39 PM

Sounds more like a LOLcat.

I can has a grand coffez pleaze ?

ThunderBull4 · Aug 12, 2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iThink4U

Sounds more like a LOLcat.

I can has a grand coffez pleaze ?

hahaha Yeah that's so true.

Kilamite · Aug 12, 2008, 04:33 PM

If they made it into an actual application (could be quite big, depending on how many dictionaries they include) it would be useful.

Even if there is grammar errors, if you were in a sticky situation and didn't speak the language, it'll definitely help.

bpl323 · Aug 13, 2008, 10:24 AM

That could be really useful when abroad.

freediverdude · Aug 14, 2008, 09:01 AM

What would really come in handy for tourists, is if they made something like this and added on text-to-speech. So, you could type in "I want a double cheeseburger" and the iPhone actually speaks the phrase in the foreign language for you. Star Trek universal translator! hehe That would be indispensable for a lot of tourists, they could charge quite a bit for that.

iThink4U · Aug 16, 2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freediverdude

What would really come in handy for tourists, is if they made something like this and added on text-to-speech. So, you could type in "I want a double cheeseburger" and the iPhone actually speaks the phrase in the foreign language for you. Star Trek universal translator! hehe That would be indispensable for a lot of tourists, they could charge quite a bit for that.

That would be great, is it posible since the iPhone is Leopard ?

squeakyclutch · Aug 21, 2008, 04:13 PM

Sounds cool.

iTeen · Aug 21, 2008, 04:20 PM

Wish there was a actual app...in Spanish class that would be very useful.

niaz333 · Aug 21, 2008, 10:37 PM

wow i can imagine!

Aug 12, 2008, 06:44 AM	#2
bigmanathome24 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Surrey, England	bit iffy im surprised the translations, at least those on the image are that bad. even altavista's babelfish is better than that. bit useless i think - easier to have a link on the home screen to the av website __________________ Listen to The Chicken Tikka Lunch, Wednesday 1200-1300 on www.lcrlive.co.uk - Facebook 24" ALU iMac, 2.8GHz 15" uMBP, Bose Companion 5, PS3

Aug 12, 2008, 07:29 AM	#3
mikes63737 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2005	Yeah, those translations are definitely grammatically wrong. But it's pretty good when you're just looking up one word. I'm glad this page will load faster on my iPhone for Spanish class where we only have EDGE. __________________ Bring back base-2 file sizes in 10.6 - http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

Aug 12, 2008, 08:08 AM	#5
Scooterman1 macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2008 Location: Houston, Tx	Useless. They need to read Macrumors. People don't want to run up a high Data Bill while in another country. They need to develop one into a low cost App. __________________ --i-------------- ---P---3-------- ----h---2---3--- -----o---G---G-- ------n---B---S-- -------e---------

Aug 12, 2008, 09:24 AM	#8
Orlandooo macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2008	That is shocking translation. __________________ "Thou shalt not covet" I think I'm on the wrong site...

Aug 12, 2008, 09:30 AM	#10
Sinsinnati macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio	Uggg, why can't we have Japanese, Chinese & Korean translate in the roman alphabet? "Konichiwa B*tches!" __________________ 2 Feet of iMac

Aug 12, 2008, 07:40 AM	#4
Shasterball macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NYC	May be worth it when there is a local app version?

Aug 12, 2008, 08:34 AM	#6
born4sky macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2008	Thank You Google ...

Aug 12, 2008, 09:09 AM	#7
maverick808 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Scotland	Without caching translation info locally this application is completely pointless. Who is going to want to run up massive data costs while abroad?

Aug 12, 2008, 09:26 AM	#9
OneMike macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2005	ah it's a webapp. was going to say it's good but if a webapp have to compare to babelfish and in that case it's not as good.

Aug 12, 2008, 09:39 AM	#11
iNfowarrior Banned Join Date: Jul 2008	Nice, been waiting for something like this.

Aug 12, 2008, 09:59 AM	#12
swingerofbirch macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Amalgamated States of Central North America	I noticed you can suggest better translations, I suggested, "Me puede dar una taza de cafe?" instead of "Puedo tener...?" __________________ Blog of Failure After using a PC all day, coming home to my Mac is like a tall, cold glass of peach iced tea.

Aug 12, 2008, 10:43 AM	#13
BornAgainMac macrumors 68030 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Florida Resident	I converted some Chinese symbols on a web page to English and it actually did a good job. I didn't use my iPhone but just a PC and a web browser though. I can't draw Chinese symbols.

Aug 12, 2008, 10:47 AM	#14
Rojo macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New York City	Even though it's far from exact, I use Google Translate a lot to translate chunks of text I find on the web or in other documents. However, with no copy & paste yet, this is useless for me...

Aug 12, 2008, 11:49 AM	#15
gcmexico macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New York City	I'll take a look at it...might come in handy __________________ PB G3, Imac G4, Imac G5, MacMini Media Center, MBA, TV, 3gS Iphone, 4th gen Nano, Drobo

Aug 12, 2008, 03:39 PM	#16
iThink4U macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2008	English to LOLCat to Spanish Dictionary Sounds more like a LOLcat. I can has a grand coffez pleaze ?

Aug 12, 2008, 04:33 PM	#18
Kilamite macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland	If they made it into an actual application (could be quite big, depending on how many dictionaries they include) it would be useful. Even if there is grammar errors, if you were in a sticky situation and didn't speak the language, it'll definitely help. __________________ - MacBook Pro Unibody 15" 2.8GHz 'anti-glare' - Apple TV 1TB (work in progress) - iPhone 3G 8GB - MobileMe // OS X 10.6.2

Aug 13, 2008, 10:24 AM	#19
bpl323 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2005	That could be really useful when abroad.

Aug 14, 2008, 09:01 AM	#20
freediverdude macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2006	What would really come in handy for tourists, is if they made something like this and added on text-to-speech. So, you could type in "I want a double cheeseburger" and the iPhone actually speaks the phrase in the foreign language for you. Star Trek universal translator! hehe That would be indispensable for a lot of tourists, they could charge quite a bit for that. __________________ 17" core2duo white iMac/Snow Leopard, Apple TV, 32gb black iPhone 3GS

Aug 21, 2008, 04:13 PM	#22
squeakyclutch macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Westwood, CA	Sounds cool.

Aug 21, 2008, 04:20 PM	#23
iTeen macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Washington	Wish there was a actual app...in Spanish class that would be very useful. __________________ Macbook black 2.16 2gb 160hd \| iPod Touch 32gb 2nd Gen. \| iPod 2gb Shuffle

Aug 21, 2008, 10:37 PM	#24
niaz333 macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2008	nice wow i can imagine! __________________ Poker Forum Ebay Acai Berry Juice Berries

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