If you’ve used Bing Translator before, you’ll know it to be a simple and mostly effective method of getting a quick translation, either by inputting text or selecting portions or whole web pages for translation. For sites like ours, who have the Translator widget installed, you can just click on it (in our right-hand sidebar) and if your language isn’t already auto selected, just select the correct language and get a translation. And if you use Windows Phone, the Bing Translator for Windows Phone app allows you to not only input text and get translations, but features the ability to use the camera to get a translation of printed text (like a menu or a street sign), offline translations, and translations via speech or keyboard input.
Now, Bing and Microsoft Translator have brought all this functionality into a new Bing Translator app for Windows.� According to a blog post on the Bing Search blog, the new app has been designed from the ground up to offer a compelling set of features:
Translating content whether browsed, typed or scanned is nearly instantaneous. Just point your device’s camera at printed text and watch as the translation is automatically overlaid over the video stream – creating subtitles for everyday life. You can also type to translate with your keyboard and hear translations spoken with a native speaker’s accent.
The Translator app is the perfect companion when traveling. The app can help overcome language barriers, even when there’s no internet connection. Save on expensive data plans when traveling with offline language packs for select languages so you can travel with confidence, even in the most remote locations. More language packs coming soon.
The Translator app works well in Snap mode, allowing you to keep the translator handy as you browse, or just select text and share it with Bing Translator through the Share Charm for a quick translation.