The magic of software (interview with Word Lens inventor)

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Welcome to the Future

Have you ever seen magic? I have and once in a while I see magical software.

Over on Quora we were discussing just what software is magical, but here we have an even newer example: Word Lens, which translates Spanish to English (and vice versa) in real time on your phone.

Here the inventor, Otavio Good, talks about that “the magic comes out of video translation and no one else has done that yet.”

Now, this isn’t perfect, and in the interview you’ll see Otavio lays out why it isn’t, but I am more amazed that this works at all, than the fact that it doesn’t work in all situations.

Anyway, over on Quora you’ll find some other magical software and I’m definitely looking for more. Got some magic? Let me know scobleizer@gmail.com

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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8 thoughts on “The magic of software (interview with Word Lens inventor)”

  1. Apple should buy them and somehow merge onto Siri line of product, coz its hard to sell this as a consumer product! Their brilliance doesn’t deserve the nasty appstore reviews!

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  2. “Magical?” Why are you talking exactly like Steve Jobs? Anyway, none of the technologies discussed in that Quora link can be described as beyond belief or the realm of possibility if you’re aware of the current developments and achievements of technology.

    Calling any technology “magical” really is an insult to all the advanced engineering, thought, and hard work that people put into development.

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  3. My second oldest is in a spanish immersion elementary school here in Tulsa and his homework is harder on me than it is on him!! So having the Word Lens module comes in really handy on a nearly daily basis. We’ve been recommending it to all the parents in the school and it’s living up to everyone’s expectations.

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  4. Rob, while I’ve not always been a big fan I think you did a great job with this interview. The video production is very good (is there a Rackspace team helping or is that all your work?) it didn’t distract from the story at all. I have no problem with calling it “magic” because as Arthur C Clarke so famously said: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Attention getting headlines are the mark of good reporting. Keep up the good work.

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  6. I have no problems with the words “magical” and “cool” and feel they pretty much sum up the total awesomeness that is Word Lens! My always spotty Spanish is improving quite a lot since I started to play with this software, even though I tend to usually detest language/translation programs.

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