Talkman, a $70 application for Sony's PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld, utilizes speech recognition software to translate conversations in real-time between English, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin) and Korean. This translator includes a small microphone which is mounted on top of a PSP handheld in its USB port. To engage in multi-lingual conversation, users speak into the microphone from approximately eight inches away. The software automatically translates what a user says while holding down the square button and languages are switched when the triangle key is pressed. Talkman's cartoon-like interface allows users to select backdrops from a list of settings that are intended to mirror real-life environments for multi-lingual conversation such as airport terminals and hotels. While a US release of Talkman isn't planned, Sony is localizing it for a European version that will also feature the common languages of the Old World; French, German, Italian, Spanish, etc.

The Philoneist Says: As translation software becomes more accurate, cell-phones and VOIP applications will likely have this feature available too - certainly a boon to eBay/Skype international small-business transactions among other ventures. A text-based conversation translator as an integrated part of an IM or e-mail application would also chip away at the Tower of Babylon's foundation.

The Misoneist Says: Text-based translators will always be an optimal means of translating languages because without a significant breakthrough in sound isolation, noise pollution prevents accurate voice recognition in most situations.

Read the article.