Skype Unveils Preview of Live English-To-Spanish Translator

mpicpp writes that Microsoft, after demoing the technology back in May, is giving some real-world exposure to its Skype-based translation. The Skype preview program will kick-off with two spoken languages, Spanish and English, and 40+ instant messaging languages will be available to Skype customers who have signed-up via the Skype Translator sign-up page and are using Windows 8.1 on the desktop or device. Skype asked two schools to try Skype Translator – Peterson School in Mexico City, and Stafford Elementary School in Tacoma, USA – playing a game of 'Mystery Skype' in which the children ask questions to determine the location of the other school. One classroom of children speaking Spanish and the other speaking English, Skype Translator removed this language barrier and enabled them to communicate.

Comments

few details digging into the articles.

[nimbius]

The few articles that are found from slashdot and the translation team blog seems to imply this technology wasnt developed in redmond, but in chinese universities by post-doctorates. For example, critical components like phonome learning and the social media training method were all conducted as research. Then, somehow, this magically became a microsoft product.

A major argument can be made that microsofts myopic approach to consumers still exists today. While skype is indeed popular, cobbling the breakthrough translation to an OS no one wants to use is nothing short of the redmond we've come to know and love for the past 20 years. Skype clients exist in linux, mac, and android, but Redmond is needlessly mandating the latest, and least popular version of Windows. lock it in, force it through, then quietly abandon it after 2-4 years when your customers rebel and you've hemmoraged too much cash from X-Box to keep up appearances.