Speak the languages of the world with Google Translate

No need to carry around dictionaries or translation books if you have your Android smart phone with you.

Google Translate is the effective app for Android that brings Google Translate to your Android smart phone. Simple and functional, this app is really useful if you spend time in foreign countries or deal with visitors from foreign countries on a regular basis.

The greatest thing about this app is that it can translate between 64 languages. This makes it an app that is applicable to a wide variety of countries, allowing you to use it in many different situations. I found this extremely effective, especially if you travel for business quite often.

The app is also very, very easy to use. You simply type in the phrase or word that you need translated and choose the languages that you would like the phrase or word translated between. You will get a dictionary translation with different options.

An added feature to the Google Translate app is the fact that you can use the microphone option to speak the phrases or words that you want translated. This can be a very handy addition, making the app far more convenient to use if you want to find a phrase quickly or don’t feel like typing out the entire thing. You can also have the translations spoken out loud for you so you know how to pronounce the word or phrase. And nothing is better than a bit of convenience!

There is a nice array of settings to choose from including conversation mode, which allows you to have a conversation and have it translated from text to speech. This can be a handy tool in a business meeting. You can also view the history, save Favourites or use the SMS translation, which takes you straight into your inbox of messages and lets you choose one to directly translate. This is a nifty little shortcut. You can also write down the word that you want to translate, using your finger to hand write as opposed to typing.

I think this app works well but could be expanded to include more features. The dictionary translations of words, I think, could come with definitions or further explanation as to what the difference is between the two. This would be very beneficial so that you don’t end up using the wrong word in the wrong context. In my mind, you might as well not even try to use the word at all then. Another added feature would be including all of the languages in the translation speaking option, as opposed to just 17.

I also think that the developers could have gone a bit further with the interface, making it more aesthetically pleasing. It is a simple app, but a few quirky pictures and some colours go along way when it comes to an app for your Android.

I would give this app a 3-star rating because it serves its function well, but I think the developers have a lot of potential when it comes to this app. It’s a great tool to have and I think it’s only going to get better.

Current Version: 2.4.1
Requires Android: 2.1 and up
Updated: 4 June 2012
Category: Tools/Travel
Size: 4.1M
Price: Free
Developer: Top Developer