Metaglossia: The Translation World

In this modern age our mobile phones tend to travel everywhere with us. A few years ago many devices would not work abroad but the modern smartphone is more than up to the task. This also means that there are a range of applications available for devices like the Samsung Galaxy S3 that can help us when we are on our travels. These range from currency converters to translation tools. We take a look at one of the very best translation apps, the excellent Word Lens.

Word Lens for the Samsung Galaxy S3 is one of the stand out translation applications currently available. Many pieces of software that perform this task act rather like a simple dictionary where users type in the word that they want translated. Word Lens is a little different in how it goes about its business. The software requires users to point the primary camera on the phone at the word or phrase that they need translated and the application then does the rest of the work. Word Lens can prove an invaluable tool in a number of different scenarios ranging from reading restaurant menus to understanding road signs. French, Spanish and Italian are the three languages that the application covers although the initial cost of the download only gives users access to one of these. If you do require a second or third language then you will need to pay again for the application. It remains to be seen whether new languages will be added but we feel that this is inevitable if the popularity of the software continues to grow.

There is one area where Word Lens for the Samsung Galaxy S3 differs from other rival software that performs a similar function. The application uses augmented reality to present users with the search results. Augmented reality basically means overlaying computer generated graphics onto real images. In the case of Word Lens this real images are the words you are scanning with the phone. After a couple of seconds the foreign words transform into their English meaning. This looks very good although some phrases that we tested did appear slightly wobbly on the screen of the phone. When we tested the app on single words it worked almost without fault although the result were no quite as impressive when tested on phrases. Word Lens is primarily designed to decipher single words so phrases can sometimes across slightly jumbled but usually it gives you a good idea about the meaning of the phrase.

If you are traveling abroad this summer and don't speak the local language, don't forget to download the new version of the Google Translate app.