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Google Home Gets Real-Time Interpretations For 27 languages (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

Google Assistant has announced the introduction of real-time translations with Google Home speakers and third-party smart displays like those from JBL, Sony, and Lenovo. Interpretations will initially be available in 27 languages. From a report: Plans are to later bring real-time interpretations to mobile devices, but no date has been set, a company spokesperson told VentureBeat. Real-time interpretation with Google Assistant is the latest conversational AI milestone from Google, following the release of Duplex and Call Screen for Pixel phones in late 2018. But just like the first response to Duplex, you should taper your expectations. Initial demos by VentureBeat found Interpreter Mode to be quick in its response, but each exchange could last no more than 15 seconds, a limitation that makes Interpreter Mode helpful but not yet capable of handling the longer exchanges that often occur in a typical conversation.

16 comments

  1. But should you temper expectations? by raymorris · · Score: 1

    TFS says you should taper your expectations, going from thin to wide. Should also you temper them, counterbalancing hopeful expectations against the actual current capabilities?

    1. Re:But should you temper expectations? by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      TFS says you should taper your expectations, going from thin to wide. Should also you temper them, counterbalancing hopeful expectations against the actual current capabilities?

      Sure, taper them, start out really excited and then slowly grow in disappointment. :)

    2. Re:But should you temper expectations? by butzwonker · · Score: 1

      You need go make make tapering fulfilments with Google translate product items, much fried rice.

    3. Re:But should you temper expectations? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Sure, taper them, start out really excited and then slowly grow in disappointment.

      As in the product will start out really good, then Google will inevitably ruin it and then eventually cancel it.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. pointless article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The number is kinda useless without a list of the languages involved. Let me guess: traditional English, simplified English, bad English, Indian English (I guess that one could actually be useful), ... ?

    1. Re:pointless article by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      27 is already easily the number of German dialects it would have to understand to even remotely stand a chance to understand Germans.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:pointless article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      https://www.theverge.com/2019/...

      Here's a full list of languages supported:

              Arabic
              Chinese
              Czech
              Danish
              Dutch
              English
              Finnish
              French
              German
              Greek
              Hindi
              Hungarian
              Indonesian
              Italian
              Japanese
              Korean
              Polish
              Portuguese
              Romanian
              Russian
              Slovak
              Spanish
              Swedish
              Thai
              Turkish
              Ukrainian
              Vietnamese

    3. Re:pointless article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't see American on the list, let alone Canadian.

      It doesn't specify which Chinese, either - there are quite a few mutually incomprehensible dialects of Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, ...). It's not like written Chinese, where there's essentially one, broken into Tradional and Simplified scripts.

  3. killer app? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is this one of these things killer app? Learning a new conversational language?
    Force your Alexa/Home/Siri whatever device to chat with you in another language but also know when you say, "I don't understand"

  4. Baby Babble Fish For Free! by forkfail · · Score: 1

    Just let us listen to everything you say, ever...

    --
    Check your premises.
  5. Tin foil hat alert! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let's count how many people rant about letting a NSA always on spying device into the home.

  6. Engrish by vladimir.sakharuk · · Score: 1

    Is my Engrish within the list, It used to be working, but after some upgrade 2 years ago stopped.

  7. No Esperanto? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Bonvolu direkti min al kvinstela hotelo."

    1. Re:No Esperanto? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So what?

      There's also no Klingon, Elvish, or High Valerian on the list either. And any of those would be more useful than esperanto; unless you want to watch William Shatner fight demons instead of the aforementioned Kilngons.

    2. Re:No Esperanto? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Qu'vatlh guy'cha b'aka!!

  8. Japanese English by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does it do accurate fluid Japanese to English (and vice versa)?

    That's what it would take to actually impress me.