Gmail inline translation on the way?
- TAGS:5th anniversary, email, Gmail, Google, inline, Translation
- IT TOPICS:Cloud Computing, Devices, Enterprise Apps, Mobile, Operating Systems
Google has scheduled an event commemorating the 5th anniversary of Gmail in Brussels today. Word on the street is that Google will announce inline Gmail European language translation for its enterprise Apps email product as well as regular Gmail.
This is really the next step in global communications. For a company like mine, with headquarters in Madrid and other offices in Europe, the US and India, this will be a huge communication bridge between offices.
Most internal communications in Madrid, naturally, are in Spanish while outside of the headquarters, the communication is predominantly in English. Many of our clients speak other languages, such as French, German, Italian and so forth.
The idea is that people can feel free to write in their first/natural language and expect that the receiver will be able to translate it on the fly. This will speed up communications as well as making people more comfortable communicating with international colleagues.
The downside is that, like any translation software, the results will be imperfect. Google Translate has always been useful 95% of the time for me, but 100% correct only about half of the time.
Is this the type of ratio you want in important corporate communications? No. But Google is getting better. And 50% is a whole lot better than nothing. Watch this space.
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