Google Translate For iPhone uses Uses a Client-side Data-store oniPhone

Still another popular web service optimized for the iPhone user.
Go Google!
Google Translate For iPhone

Tuesday August 12, 2008

Google has released an iPhone version of Google Translate. Google
Translate is a web service that translates text between languages
using computer algorithms and while its accuracy has room for
improvement, it is generally accurate enough to get simple points
across when no other resources are available.

Google Translate for iPhone is optimized for speed, supports all of
the existing Google Translate language pairs, and uses a client-side
data-store on your iPhone to hang on to your past translations so you
always have them at hand, even if you can't use the local data
network. We wrote this using the AJAX Language API, so every time the
Google Translate team updates the languages they support, the
languages will automatically be added here.

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› See More: Google Translate For iPhone uses Uses a Client-side Data-store oniPhone

"The Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> "Google has released an iPhone version of Google Translate."
>
> The fact that the iPhone is not capable of using the legacy application
> (in
> this case and a hundred others) is what I was speaking to.

I doubt the iPhone has any problems with Google's translate service- even my
WinMo phone handles it fine.

Google is optimizing their services for iPhones to look prettier on the
iPhone display. Not really different than their old "WAP," "Palm," and
"PPC" optimized pages of a few years ago (that all were consolidated to "m"
for "mobile.")

In message <[email protected]> The Bob <[email protected]>
wrote:

>DevilsPGD <[email protected]> amazed us all with the following
>in news[email protected]:
>
>> In message <[email protected]> The Bob
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>4phun <[email protected]> amazed us all with the following in
>>>news:[email protected]:
>>>
>>>> Still another popular web service forced to provide an unnecessary
>>>> patch
>>>for the iPhone user.
>>>
>>>There ya' go- I fixed your mistake for you.
>>
>> Do explain, how is this an unnecessary patch? Looks like a useful
>> app, but not a patch to anything.
>
>
>"Google has released an iPhone version of Google Translate."
>
>The fact that the iPhone is not capable of using the legacy application (in
>this case and a hundred others) is what I was speaking to.

The iPhone's browser doesn't seem to have any problems using the web
interface, if that's what you're talking about

Web interfaces have limits though, among them, speed, and the obvious
fact that they're only available online.

Native apps can resolve these limitations without imposing as many of
their own.

Todd Allcock <[email protected]> amazed us all with the
following in news:[email protected]:

> At 12 Aug 2008 20:08:41 -0600 DevilsPGD wrote:
>
>> >"Google has released an iPhone version of Google Translate."
>> >
>> >The fact that the iPhone is not capable of using the legacy application
> (in
>> >this case and a hundred others) is what I was speaking to.
>>
>> The iPhone's browser doesn't seem to have any problems using the web
>> interface, if that's what you're talking about
>>
>> Web interfaces have limits though, among them, speed, and the obvious
>> fact that they're only available online.
>>
>> Native apps can resolve these limitations without imposing as many of
>> their own.
>
>
> True, but I don't think the app does any offline translation- it sounds
> like a client-side interface to shuttle the data to/fro Google's
> translation server without going to the webpage with Safari, and stores
> your past translation _results_ for offline reference later.
>
>
>

Exactly.

At 12 Aug 2008 21:37:30 -0500 The Bob wrote:

> > True, but I don't think the app does any offline translation- it sounds
> > like a client-side interface to shuttle the data to/fro Google's
> > translation server without going to the webpage with Safari, and stores
> > your past translation _results_ for offline reference later.
> >
> >
> >
>
> Exactly.

But what's wrong with that? Particularly on small screen devices, with
awkward touchscreen or 10-key input, web-accesing client software to ease
or automate common web use makes life easier.

Often on my WinMo device I'll launch Windows Live Search to do a reverse
phone number search rather than open a browser, navigate to a yellow pages
site, etc. With WLS I fire it up, enter the number in the search bar, and
the app spits back the info, along with single-tap options to save it to
Contacts, SMS it to someone, map it, or give me directions to it. Much
quicker, easier, and far more useful than a web page offering the same
information.

Similarly, the translate app will save time and bandwidth since you
wouldn't need to navigate to Google's translate page before entering the
data- you type it all in, select the languages, and submit the form to
Google, who spits the answers back, and stores them all for future reference.
A neat time-saver when stuck on slow data networks, and a savings for our
overseas friends stuck with pay-per-kb or capped data plans- particularly
since oft-used translations can be referenced again without additional data
charges.

Capisce? ;-)

Todd Allcock <[email protected]> amazed us all with the
following in news:[email protected]:

> At 12 Aug 2008 21:37:30 -0500 The Bob wrote:
>
>> > True, but I don't think the app does any offline translation- it
>> > sounds like a client-side interface to shuttle the data to/fro
>> > Google's translation server without going to the webpage with
>> > Safari, and stores your past translation _results_ for offline
>> > reference later.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> Exactly.
>
> But what's wrong with that? Particularly on small screen devices,
> with awkward touchscreen or 10-key input, web-accesing client software
> to ease or automate common web use makes life easier.
>
> Often on my WinMo device I'll launch Windows Live Search to do a
> reverse phone number search rather than open a browser, navigate to a
> yellow pages site, etc. With WLS I fire it up, enter the number in
> the search bar, and the app spits back the info, along with single-tap
> options to save it to Contacts, SMS it to someone, map it, or give me
> directions to it. Much quicker, easier, and far more useful than a
> web page offering the same information.
>
> Similarly, the translate app will save time and bandwidth since you
> wouldn't need to navigate to Google's translate page before entering
> the data- you type it all in, select the languages, and submit the
> form to Google, who spits the answers back, and stores them all for
> future reference. A neat time-saver when stuck on slow data networks,
> and a savings for our overseas friends stuck with pay-per-kb or capped
> data plans- particularly since oft-used translations can be referenced
> again without additional data charges.
>
> Capisce? ;-)
>
>
>
>
>

And without knowing it, you've bolstered my argument. Your Windows Live
Search is a perfect example of original design working as opposed to
developing a web app for a specific phone just to make things look
pretty. My interaction with Translate a couple of minutes ago was
wonderful. I saved the webpage as a favorite on my BB Pearl and can now
access it quickly and exactly as designed. I even get a full rendering
of the page, so it doesn't need to be prettied up in any way. And what
did I need for my phone to fo this? Just a phone.

So with such an uproar and palpable excitement in the room, we should
all celebrate the use of Google Translate on our non iPhones. All I
have to do is press an icon on my screen and away we go- ready for
immediate use and fully rendered. Who would have thought technology
used for such a long time by most of the world needed a bastardized son
to please the Apple fanbois.crowd


Google already had a solution for the mobile world. The iPhone simply
demonstrates ir's inability use that which is already functional and
available, and then sounds the trumpets when they figure out how to make
a minor app work on their new toy, inferring that nobody else can do it,

In message <[email protected]> Todd Allcock
<[email protected]> wrote:

>True, but I don't think the app does any offline translation- it sounds
>like a client-side interface to shuttle the data to/fro Google's
>translation server without going to the webpage with Safari, and stores
>your past translation _results_ for offline reference later.

Exactly. Storage of said results is a huge bonus if you're traveling
out of reception and prepare a little in advance.

4phun <[email protected]> wrote in news:31070955-e84a-4a34-9387-
[email protected]:

> If you knew how the iPhone worked you would not be so smug, Bob.
>
>

Hell, that's easy.....

Pocket WebTV Sellphone

4phun <[email protected]> amazed us all with the following in
news:31070955-e84a-4a34-9387-9d73434730ef@l42g2000hsc.googlegroups.com:


>
> If you knew how the iPhone worked you would not be so smug, Bob.

I know exactly how it works, fanboi. And don't confuse knowledge with
smugness.

>
> When you save a link on the iPhone to the main screen or you bookmark
> a web site like Google, it can also store data directly on your iPhone
> for future use as well. That is a standards compliant feature of
> Safari that WinMo browsers do not do. Microsoft Explorer doesn't even
> do it through version 7.


With the limited amount of memory available on the iPhone, I'm not sure
that I would wantr that functionality chewing up space.

But I do understand the needs of simpletons to have things as simple as
possible for them. God forbid they should learn how to properly use
technology.

>
> I am not sure of the BlackBerry browser but most people think it sucks
> rocks.

Source for that claim, troll? After all, RIM now has a 10% market share,
which dwarfs that of the iPhone. That would lead me to believe that the
browser does not "suck rocks" (nice junior high school prase, btw).


>
> Cheer up Bob.
> I understand it is coming someday as Microsoft struggles to catch up
> to Apple. ;>)

What sales figures are you looking at to jump to that conclusion?


>
>
>
>
>

On Aug 13, 7:35*pm, The Bob <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> With the limited amount of memory available on the iPhone, I'm not sure
> that I would wantr that functionality chewing up space.
>

Bobby, what is limited about having 16GB to play with when most
mobiles are limited to 256 MB or even 128 MB? The iPhone has 64 times
more memory than most smart phones!

Of course, whenever you travel internationally, roaming charges
(sometimes huge ones) can come into play, but if you find yourself
tooling around Spain and need more phrases than ¿Dónde está el baño?
or Tú eres mi chica, Google's web app will do the trick fast and easy.

And there's some nice coding in there, too -- the phrases translated
get stored on the client side of the phone, so if you've already
translated something, you don't have to reload the page to see it
again. To use the service, just point your MobileSafari to
translate.google.com. Folks in other countries probably still won't
care too much what you have to say, but at least they'll know what
you're saying.

4phun <[email protected]> amazed us all with the following in
news:[email protected]:

> On Aug 13, 7:35*pm, The Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> With the limited amount of memory available on the iPhone, I'm not sure
>> that I would wantr that functionality chewing up space.
>>
>
> Bobby, what is limited about having 16GB to play with when most
> mobiles are limited to 256 MB or even 128 MB? The iPhone has 64 times
> more memory than most smart phones!

Really? Even my 15 year old daughter has a phone that can hold 8GB memory
cards that can be switched at will.

Your statement PROVES your level of stupidity on the subject.


>
> Of course, whenever you travel internationally, roaming charges
> (sometimes huge ones) can come into play, but if you find yourself
> tooling around Spain and need more phrases than ¿Dónde está el baño?
> or Tú eres mi chica, Google's web app will do the trick fast and easy.

Or you could...hold on...I know this is above your head...LEARN THE
LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTRY YOU ARE VISITING. Many of us find that the easiest
way to deal with it.