September 27, 2004
Free phones aid tourists lost in translation
The Kyoto prefectural government will launch a project in December to lend 500 mobile phones with language-translation and road-navigation functions to foreign visitors, reports The Daily Yomiuri.
"When a user types an English or Korean word into the phone, it will appear on a screen in Japanese. Plans are to introduce a translation function for Chinese users next fiscal year.
A road navigator with a global positioning system will display a map on the screen and help users find their destinations by indicating subway lines and bus routes.
The prefectural government plans to offer the mobile phones at Kansai airport, hotels and other places and will provide information about local events and locations via the phones. " Very nice.
Other mobile translation services:
-- SMS translator - A computerized SMS translation service called TransClick, provides quick and accurate translations between most major languages.
-- SMS translation service for travelers launched - The Dutch motoring organisation ANWB, and Van Dale, a prominent dictionary publisher, have launched an SMS-based service that translates between French, German, English, Spanish, and Dutch.
-- My Taylor is Rich: Translation cell phone - A groundbreaking cell phone that automatically translates the speaker's language from Japanese to English and vice versa could be on the market by 2007.
-- Lingophone.com - Lingophone allows mobile users to translate English text into numerous European languages while on the move.
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