Word Lens

Few days ago iPhone and iPad users got this cool new app called Word Lens. Word Lens is an app which uses the device’s camera to capture the text and translate it directly on the screen.

From the iTunes site snapshot, you can see the pricing. The core app is free, but if you want to use the live translation, you have to purchase the language packs. One translation package cost USD4.99 and that’s for either English to Spanish OR Spanish to English only, not both. For both, it’s USD4.99 x 2. Stunning. But once you’ve got the languages installed on the phone, you do not need an internet connection which makes it ideal for traveling. [source]

Check out the video below.This video from the developer has over 2 million views now since the video was posted on Dec 16th.

The idea and implementation of this app is really fascinating. But this app is still in its early stages and requires further development. One of the biggest limitations for us here now in Malaysia (or even Asia) is that this app currently only has English<>Spanish translations. Imagine how cool it would be to translate some Chinese menu on the spot or travel across the border to neighbouring Thailand and actually understand what the signs there mean. I’m assuming that Spanish is the mother tongue of the developers which make it the first and only language translation available now so it’s not sure how long before other languages come along.

In the meanwhile, if you really need an app that does translation with the phone camera, don’t forget that Google Goggles does translation, although the process is not as cool looking as Word Lens.

You snap the text you want with the Goggles app, which then scans the text and sends it to Google Translate. Google Translate requires internet connection though but since it’s in the cloud, more languages are supported. Best of all, it’s free for both iOS and Android. [source]

 

 

Best Phones of 2010

Christmas is here, christmas is here…typically the time of the year when telcos will be in a merry mood and give promotions on their phone prices (hopefully). Not sure of which to get? Check out recommendations from Steve himself on the Phones Show 127. A slight warning though, non of these phones are below the RM1000 mark.  To summarize:

• Media creator: Nokia N8  (for the high resolution 12mp camera and xenon flash)
• Communications junkie: HTC Desire HD  (for the huge screen and HTC sense with integrated social networks. I was personally expecting something with a hardware keyboard though)
• Hardcore gamer: iPhone 4  (iOS has the best mobile games around)
• Media consumer: Nokia N8  (for HDMI out to connect to your TV and USB OTG that reads most USB mass storage devices)
• Work addict: Nokia E7 or HTC Desire Z?  (No suitable phone yet actually)
• Tech enthusiast/Hacker:  Google Nexus One  (Updates, updates and more updates, plus hackability. Still more solid and well made than the new Nexus S)
• Web-a-holic: HTC Desire HD  (for the big screen, plus flash support)
• Normobs (normal mobile users): iPhone 3GS  (the best of the iPhone 4, with a affordable price)

Actual YouTube video below,  phone recommendations start at 1:21.