Skype Translator to be rolled out

[Larry]

I don't know about changing the world, but if this works well it might be a valuable assist to international dating.  If we can easily communicate directly with FSUW who don't speak English, which is most of them, we will greatly expand our pool of possibles.  Guys currently use Clownfish with skype but this new product seems like it could be a considerable advance over Clownfish.

Skype Translator Will Change the World

Microsoft has just announced that its researchers have developed, after a decade of work, with the help of Microsoft's Skype and Translator team, speech recognition software that can decode languages in real-time, called Skype Translator. This software, that will enable users previously barred by a language barrier to instantly communicate with one another, has only been tested from English to German and Chinese for the moment, by way of subtitles at video conferences.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacques-attali/skype-translator_b_5437328.html?utm_hp_ref=world

[Manny]

speech recognition software

I guess most of us have iphones and thus SIRI? That only works if you speak in an American accent. Or otherwise very clearly and slowly (and still then you must Americanise some words). I get no sense out of SIRI at all.

I ask it to call John and it asks me if I want to search Google for 'jog'. I have a similar system in my (British) car. I tell it CD 6 track 11, it says "sorry" over and over. Or at best plays CD3 track 4.

I think my wife has trained SIRI, either that or she sounds American to it (which seems unlikely). She says what sounds like "Col Lesya" in her accent, and the damn phone says "Calling Olyessa". I say "Call Olyessa" and the phone says "Shall I search Google for 'Saul Odessa'?   

I'd be surprised if the Skype version was much better.

[2tallbill]

I don't know about changing the world, but if this works well it might be a valuable assist to international dating.

My bet is that it will suck @ss so bad that people will stop using Skype
and that Google translate will suddenly stop working on Skype too.

[Mikeav8r]

We use Skype Translate which is not verbal of course, but when we do not quite understand what is being said, then it is typed and instantly translated.  It is not needed often but comes in handy when it is.  I am not sure a verbal translator will work too well.  Siri comes up with some doozies with me too

As difficult as Russian is to translate (Google, Dicter, etc.) I can imagine some rather interesting misunderstandings during initial Skype conversations that may do more harm than good.

"No, I like your mom...I said I had an itch on my bum!!!"