Google Aims for Voice-to-Voice Translation

Ah, Google. They’re the tech company that isn’t evil.  Of course, Steve Jobs disagrees with that, but that’s another story.  However today Google has announced its plans to create a voice-to-voice translation service on their phone, the Nexus One (hint: TechTrackr Review?).  To find the full scoop, read on past the breakage point.

Google, as we know, has ventured into many areas, including (but definitely not limited to) phones, Goog411, and Google Translate .  The NexusOne is the NexusOne, running Android 2.1 with a few special additions.  One of these special additions is voice navigation around the phone using voice recognition.  Goog411 is Google’s free 411 service, which you speak to normally and, using voice recognition, can get you the number you need.  Google Translate is Google’s translation service, which can play back text, but not translate speech.  Google Translate is a great service, and I highly recommend using it for the times you need to translate something, and while it’s not perfect, it’s definitely good enough.

Combine a NexusOne, Goog411, and Google Translate, and you’ve got one of the most powerful phones on the planet combined with not one, but two great voice recognition programs, and one of the best translator services in the world.  I guess it was only a matter of time before someone over in Mountain View decided to but these together.  In order to get around those pesky differences in every human’s voice, Google has stated that each NexusOne will gather data over time when the owner uses the voice recognition software on the phone.  This data will allow the translation service better understand each person’s individual voice.  Google has also stated the service will be ready in just a few years.