Google Translate for Android goes Conversational

Aims to enable a conversation between individuals speaking different languages

Google has tweaked the Translate App for Android platform with a slew of interesting changes to help users. The new Translate for Android App promises to enable two-way speech that lets users to converse with a person speaking another language. Translate App supports up to 53 languages and voice input for 15 languages.



Translate for Android App brings new drop down boxes for easier selection and interactivity. Google has introduced a new Conversation mode that works only for translation between English and Spanish. This Conversation mode has been optimized for letting users communicate with a person speaking another language. To use this Conversation mode, simply press on the Microphone icon and speak the word or phrase.

For instance, if you happen to bump in to a Spaniard, then you can load Translate app, press the Microphone icon and then speak to the phone in English. Google Translate App will translate your speech and read out the translation through the mobile phone speaker to the Spaniard. When the Spanish person responds to you, Google Translate will again translate the Spanish words into English. Of course the accents, background noise and rapid speech might be a hindrance to use this function.

The interface of the new Conversation mode on the phone appears like a chat conversation with dialogue boxes. So Google Translate would use a combination of Speech-to-Text and Text-To-Speech engine for the translation's Conversation mode. We don't expect it to be 100 percent accurate but over a period of time it may be useful to every Android owner. Translate for Android App is available in Google Market for smartphones running Android 2.1 or higher.