Google has updated the Android Google Translate to use the OCR function from Google Goggles to allow you to get another step closer to the Babel Fish from the HHGTTG. The app now has a camera function which once you open you simply point it at the text you want translated, tap to freeze the picture and then swipe over the phrase you would like translated. It supports recognition for Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish and they’re adding more.
There is also an option to click the text-to-speech icon and have the app read out the source text or the translated text. Looks pretty easy and for a free app, if you’re thinking of travelling to any country where those languages are common it would probably be a good idea to install this app, whilst it may not be perfect it’s still a great place to start.
