Top iPhone language translation appsWi-Fi hotspots aren’t the only places you’ll need help with the local lingoBy Reid Bramblettupdated 7:15 a.m. PT, Fri., Aug 21, 2009
BEST FREEBIE World Nomads Free
Languages: Twenty-three, including Arabic, Cambodian, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Lao, Malay, Mandarin, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and Australian — the last app is handy for translating otherwise incomprehensible Aussie slang.
Usability: The World Nomads apps present lists, divided into categories, of a few dozen basic travel phrases. After tapping through the categories, such as "places to stay" and "directions & transport," you can select an appropriate phrase and hear an audio clip of a native speaker pronouncing it — a high-end feature we're surprised to find in a free app.
Frustrations:
Overall: Most of what a tourist needs to understand is covered, including key words (such as "please" and "thank you"), numbers up to 10, and a few phrases useful in transportation ("Where is your ticket?"); lodging ("Too expensive!"); and safety ("Stop, thief!" and everybody's favorite "Those drugs aren't mine!"). There's also a Language Lesson feature in which all of the phrases are strung together in a short audio skit of a "typical tourist situation," complete with background sound effects.
Dining phrases are missing — a big drawback. There are also inconsistencies. The Thai app tells you how to say "yes," but not "no." (For the record, it's mai.) Sometimes, an app suffers the opposite problem and presents the forest rather than the tree you need. For example, the Arabic app suggests five ways to greet people, but none of them is the handy salaam aleikum, which is all you need to know.
hahahhahahha I just download it and try it out.. words are limited, they need to have some conversation sentences included it in.
for example:... sao ngarm si pai sai? = where are you going pretty lady? ai kor number dair = can i have your number please. mue lang pai kin beerlao num ai nor = would you go out and have some beerlao with me.
hahahhaha here are some of examples that they need to include it on next update.
