Microsoft is teasing Windows 10 linguists by listing a new Translator 10 Beta app in the Windows Store but refusing to serve it up. The universal Windows 10 app shows up in the store for both PCs and phones, and offers up screenshots for both platforms, but is currently unavailable to both.
The Windows 10 version appears to offer much of the functionality of the previous Windows 8.X version, but integrates the Windows 10 user interface elements. You can use it to snap a picture of a sign and translate it on-screen, speak and the app will speak back in the preferred language, or discretely type words and phrases and try to impress French waiters when ordering a meal.
A full list of features follows:
- Text translation: Enter text to translate into one of 50 languages and scripts
- Camera translation: Point your camera at signs, menus, newspapers–any printed text in 19 languages and scripts–then tap to see the translation.
- Voice translation: Translate by speaking one of 10 languages into your phone.
- Offline translation: Download a translation pack so you can translate even when you’re offline–handy when you’re traveling and you want to avoid expensive data roaming charges.
- Text-to-speech: Hear translations from a native speaker.
- History, search & favorites: Your translations are saved, so you can search through your history to find them later. Mark translations as favorites to find them even more quickly.
- Word of the day: Learn a new word or phrase everyday by pinning Translator to Start.
Microsoft provides no indication of when the app will be available, nor how long it will remain in beta. Keep an eye on the Windows Store, though, and we’ll be sure to report back when it’s finally ready to download. In the meantime, you can play with the Windows 8.X version of Translator to get a feel for the new app’s functionality.
