Google Translate app gets weighty update, will translate signs through your smartphone camera

Google's multi-lingual translation app decided that (online) words were not enough. Beyond digital text, a new update to Translate will let Google's bots translate what you're looking at, whether that's hand-written directions or a sign saying, "wrong way." Though its not the first time we've seen an app that translates text from the camera (not even for Google) the update includes a convenient touch-guided interface that allows you to draw over the text you'd like converted into English -- it seemed to master our beginners' Spanish textbook with ease. The update also adds improvements to its voice translations, with new dialect preferences and improved handwriting recognition for Japanese input. Grab the download before you board that flight abroad this summer -- just ensure it's on a WiFi-only connection once you get there.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

Google Translate app gets weighty update, will translate signs through your smartphone camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.