Microsoft Translator 4+

I have been using this app for a number of years and it always did an adequate job of bi-directional translation to help me as I learned Spanish. About a month ago I discovered the Group Conversation functionality and it has been a complete game-changer. I teach ESL classes to a diverse audience with five languages present and it initially did not look like it would be possible to have a multi-language class. The Group Conversation allows everyone to hear in their original language as they learn new material and then we can all practice in English. I have been able to use it in four class sessions so far and after working out some initial kinks, it works great. The only thing I would ask for from Microsoft at this point is better written installation and set up procedures. Initial setup with a large class is cumbersome but I am not going to rate this lower than five-stars for that piece. The functionality rocks. Well done.

Update: One feature that has been changed in the new version is the removal of the two buttons in conversation mode, one for each language. It is now only auto-detect. This has not worked as well as having two buttons when it comes to accuracy. I prefer the option for either method, like it used to be.

Update Jan 2024: The ability to delete your translation history is finally added! Split screen is back, sizable, and rotatable! Good user interface improvements and better options in settings! Nice update, guys!

Two bugs I found: #1: I can’t get auto-speak translations to work. #2: In split-screen mode, both user microphones are on my side of the screen. One should be on the other person’s side. hopefully these will be fixed soon.

March 2023: I really like the new ability to tap the microphone and have it continuously translate, without it shutting off the microphone every time the speaker pauses. That said, the split screen option should also still be available, as it is not practical to explain to someone speaking a different language that they should download the app and initiate conversation mode on their own phone. It’s a good feature, but should be optional, not mandatory! Also, please add back in the ability to delete all history at once. I do not wish to individually delete hundreds of translated messages. [UPDATE: Devs say this will be added back in] Also, there should be a way to do one-way translations. Sometimes the app incorrectly hears Japanese language as English, and tries to translate it into Japanese!

I use it to find characters left out of the 2nd addition Collins while translating the other…. Well I will keep that to my self… though it all started with a Websters for 7 dollars ever English speaking person should buy and start at “letter” the problem with the binding in the 2 simpler books is an issue I may need to buy them twice. This app can do much more than the two books. But I enjoy the ancient characters considering the keyboard can distinguish them better. The knew characters are PC but the old characters are better at guiding. This program recognizes both and uses a slightly different font to help recognition of characters one may find on on the street as a business owners personal touch.

One time I was looking up characters in mandarin to see how it was said they surprised me with a addition to it that only a teacher would say.

The attributes of one’s hand weighting may account for the inability to compute a translation for my personal righting but the “cost accountant” probably said hold on that.