Microsoft Translator Overview
Microsoft Translator is a comprehensive, cloud-based multilingual machine translation service provided by Microsoft, integrated into various Microsoft products and services. Here’s a detailed look at what the product does and its key features and functionality.
What Microsoft Translator Does
Microsoft Translator is designed to facilitate text and speech translation across a wide range of languages and dialects. It is part of Microsoft Cognitive Services and is available through multiple platforms, including web apps, mobile apps, and integration with other Microsoft products like Office, Skype, and Bing.
Key Features
Text Translation
- The Microsoft Translator Text API allows for text translation between numerous languages and dialects. This service is accessible via a free tier supporting up to two million characters per month, as well as paid tiers for higher volumes.
- Users can translate text within Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) by using the built-in Translate feature under the Review tab.
Speech Translation
- Microsoft Translator integrates with Microsoft Speech services to offer end-to-end speech translation, supporting both speech-to-speech and speech-to-text translations. This feature is available in the Microsoft Translator apps for Android and iOS, as well as in Skype Translator.
Custom Translator
- The Custom Translator feature enables enterprises, app developers, and language service providers to build neural translation systems tailored to their specific terminology and industry needs. These customized translations can be integrated into existing applications and workflows using the Microsoft Translator API.
Live Conversations
- The live conversation feature allows up to 500 people to engage in multi-device, multi-language, in-person translated conversations. This feature is available in the Microsoft Translator apps and on the Microsoft Translator website.
Offline Capabilities
- The mobile app offers the ability to download language packages for offline use, making it a useful tool for travelers or users in areas with limited internet connectivity.
Additional Functionality
- Language Detection and Transliteration: The service includes features for automatic language detection and transliteration, which can be particularly useful for languages with different scripts.
- Bilingual Viewer: When translating web pages through the Bing Translator, users can view the original and translated text in parallel, with synchronized highlights, scrolling, and navigation.
- Phrasebook and Photo Translation: The app includes a phrasebook for practicing important phrases in foreign languages and the ability to translate text in photos and screenshots.
Integration and Accessibility
- Microsoft Office Integration: Microsoft Translator is integrated into Microsoft Office applications, allowing users to translate text directly within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office programs.
- Mobile and Desktop Apps: The service is available through dedicated desktop and mobile apps for Windows, iOS, and Android, offering similar functionality across platforms.
- Web App: The Bing Microsoft Translator web app allows users to translate texts or entire web pages and provides a Bilingual Viewer for parallel viewing of original and translated content.
Use Cases
- Business and Enterprise: Businesses can leverage the Translator Text API and Speech services for large-scale translation needs, including custom translations tailored to their industry.
- Travel and Communication: The app serves as a valuable travel companion, enabling users to translate speech, text, and photos, and facilitating communication across language barriers.
- Education and Research: The integration with Microsoft Office and the availability of bilingual dictionaries make it a useful tool for educational and research purposes.
In summary, Microsoft Translator is a robust translation service that offers a wide range of features and functionalities, making it a versatile tool for various use cases, from personal travel to business and enterprise applications.