Google has acquired Quest Visual this week, the developer of the camera-based translation app "Word Lens."
The search giant will integrate the technology into its Google Translate service, with Quest saying it will be incorporated "into Google Translate's broad language coverage and translation capabilities in the future."
Word Lens is available for iOS, Android and Google Glass and uses the smartphone's camera to translate words on print to another language in real time, without even the need to be connected to the Web. The app works great in small doses, especially signs or menus. Trying to translate a full book on the fly will simply not work.
The app and all its respective language packs will be free for the time being while the company is transitioned over to Google.
Word Lens is available for iOS, Android and Google Glass and uses the smartphone's camera to translate words on print to another language in real time, without even the need to be connected to the Web. The app works great in small doses, especially signs or menus. Trying to translate a full book on the fly will simply not work.
The app and all its respective language packs will be free for the time being while the company is transitioned over to Google.
