Word Lens - App Review

This is a translator with a difference, in fact a big difference.

Rather than enter text, you point your iOS device at a sign or some text and get it translated.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The App is pretty intuitive to use.

Touch the bar at the top of the screen to define the translation to be effected.

You can choose from:

Reverse words and erase words; these are really to get you familiar with the App and convinced that it actually works; it does.

English to and from any of:
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish

Simply point your device at the text. The device can be angled in either landscape or portrait mode, as well as being locked into either of these modes.

Pressing the play button enables you to translate as you pan; pressing pause allows you to click on any particular word and check it in the dictionary.

Cost
The App is free but you need to pay for the individual dictionaries through in-App purchases.

On the plus side, the App does not need an Internet connection once it has been downloaded.

Indispensability
This isn't an App you are going to use every day but, it does come in useful at times. One particular use is to understand road signs with text... obviously, there are very many more (menus for example... although the translation might put you off trying some exotic sounding dish).

Dependability
The ability to pause and check individual words increases your chances of a contextually correct translation. The App is a definite help although, like all translators/dictionaries, it is not foolproof.

Security

ACIDS Test Rating:

Escargots; not going to try them then!

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Word Lens here and support for the App here.