The World Lens app by QuestVisual was introduced in 2010 and used a typical smartphone camera to convert printed text in real time. Here’s the video announcing the product:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2OfQdYrHRs]Google recently integrated the technology in their translate app, so now with a single app you can perform a variety of translation tasks. With the World Lens app, additional languages required an in-app purchase. The Google product will include 36 languages for free.
Learn More
Here are some resources to learn more about the technology.
- Apple iTunes Store Page for the Translate app
- Google Play Store Page for the Translate app
- Google adds Word Lens technology to Translate app (ZDNet, 14 Jan 2015)
- Google’s New Language Translation App Is Astonishing (Business Insider, 15 Jan 2015)
- Hands-on: Google Translate Is Now a Way Better Travel Companion (Time, 14 Jan 2015)
- Updated Google translate app doesn’t need Internet (CNBC, 14 Jan 2015)
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