Google Blog: Speak easy while traveling with Google Maps. “This month, we’re adding a new translator feature that enables your phone to speak out a place’s name and address in the local lingo. Simply tap the new speaker button next to the place name or address, and Google Maps will say it out loud, making your next trip that much simpler. And when you want to have a deeper conversation, Google Maps will quickly link you to the Google Translate app.”
translation
Neowin: Microsoft is discontinuing the Skype Translator bot
Neowin: Microsoft is discontinuing the Skype Translator bot. “Today, Microsoft announced that Skype is getting an update to version 8.54, which Skype Insiders have been testing for a couple of weeks now. As has been the case with most recent Skype updates, the list of changes is very small, but there’s something interesting, a new feature Translated Conversations. Skype has been able to translate conversations for a few years, but the feature was called Skype Translator, and that’s changing now.”
Make Tech Easier: How to Use the Google Translate App Like a Pro
Make Tech Easier: How to Use the Google Translate App Like a Pro. “Initially, Google Translate was a Web version for desktop devices, but all that has changed, as you can use the mobile app to translate whatever you want while on the go from your smartphone. It’s as easy as typing in anything, and the app will translate it into another language. You also have other options like using your camera to scan text and get it translated, plus much more.”
Boston University: ASC Launches Research Project on Ajamī Literature in West Africa
Boston University: ASC Launches Research Project on Ajamī Literature in West Africa. ASC is the African Studies Center. “The research project will identify and digitize manuscripts in four major West African languages – Hausa, Mandinka, Fula, and Wolof, transcribe the texts and translate them into English and French, prepare commentaries, and create related multimedia resources to be made widely available within and beyond the United States. The Ajamī literatures that have developed in sub-Saharan Africa and hold a wealth of knowledge on the history, politics, cosmologies, and cultures of the region, are generally unknown to scholars and the public due to lack of access.”
ProPublica: Google Says Google Translate Can’t Replace Human Translators. Immigration Officials Have Used It to Vet Refugees.
ProPublica: Google Says Google Translate Can’t Replace Human Translators. Immigration Officials Have Used It to Vet Refugees. . “Documents shared with ProPublica show that immigration officials have been told to vet refugees’ social media posts using Google Translate. Language experts caution even students against using the service.” I could do a whole big article on Google Translate being used inadvisably.
The Verge: YouTube changes community translation system to contain trolls
The Verge: YouTube changes community translation system to contain trolls. “YouTube has changed its rules around community contributions after the feature was misused for a harassment campaign. Under the new rules, contributed translations won’t be published to YouTube until the channel owner has manually approved them, making it harder for trolls to sneak abusive or self-promoting translations onto a popular channel.”
Make Tech Easier: How to Use Google Translate in Google Sheets
Make Tech Easier: How to Use Google Translate in Google Sheets. “Google Translate is a handy tool when learning a new language. With the Google Translate app, you have various options available such as identifying a language or using your camera to translate a sign (among others). It’s also possible to use Google Translate in other Google services such as Sheets. By inserting a simple code into a cell, you can translate any language into another.”
