skypeing in tongues

15 May 2006. Inspired by translation tools.

Be on the phone with an interpreter within seconds. Now all Skype subscribers can have immediate access to live, high-quality professional interpreters, who speak over 150 languages. Whether for business or personal use, our “Personal Interpreter” pay-as-you-go service allows quick and easy access highly skilled & certified interpreters in more than 150 languages directly from your Skype phone.

This is genius. Finally, a consumer-friendly front end for translation services. Some uses:

* When travelling, you use your Skype mobile to help communicate. Maybe you could pay a premium to have the same translator (who you like and find good) available on hand within certain hours.

* You make a tipjar and pay to have a film that isn't being released in your country to be translated for private viewing. $2.99 a minute? That's $270 a film. Bargain.

* Subscription-based translations of other countries' media/blog/podcasts/literary magazines. Wait for increased uptake on Creative Commons licences allowing not-for-profit translation (or more specific ones created).

* Walking around the Japanese server of a MMORPG with a translator avatar at your side.

On the net, the biggest communication problems are 1) people who aren't connected (yes, they do exist and we have to keep remembering that they're people too), and 2) other languages. About time that high-end translation was moved into the micropayment realm. This is a good thing.

If I were a 2.0 entrepreneur, I'd be setting up a proper feedback-based front end now. And the next thing I'd do is buy the seekrit translator's homepage proz.com, purely for access to its KudoZ system. I'd make it far more pleasant to use, too.