14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced the availability of a limited preview version of Skype Translator, a tool that was presented for the first time earlier this year and which allows two users to talk to each other even though they speak different languages.
As revealed in a demo a few months ago, Skype Translator automatically translates the spoken words into the language used by your contacts, so no matter the language you speak, everyone should be able to talk to each other really easy.
Obviously, it also depends on the number of languages that are supported by the service, so for the moment, only a few can actually be used.
Today’s early preview version is available only to a limited number of people, so you can register for the program on this page, but it could take a while until your account is approved.
Available in all Skype versions
Interestingly, the registration form that you need to complete when signing up for the program allows you to choose which devices you use to chat with your Skype contacts, so the Translator could be available on all versions of the application, no matter the platform.
Additionally, you also have to choose from several languages, including English and German, but not all will be available from the beginning, the company says.
“Participation in the preview will be confirmed depending on: the date you registered; the devices you selected; the availability of selected languages; and registration code (if you have one),” it says.
Free and limited to Windows 8.1 users
The program will obviously be completely free for everyone who owns an account and will initially kick off for computers and tablets running Windows 8.1, the company notes.
“Language barriers have been a hindrance to productivity and human connection, but Skype Translator will pave the way for a more personal and more human era of computing,” Microsoft points out.
As the company says, the preview program is only available to a limited number of registrants, so if you want to give it a try, you’d better hurry up and apply for an account.
Needless to say, bugs are something expected to happen in this preview version of Skype Translator, but there’s no doubt that the company will work to improve it significantly in the next releases.
As always, Microsoft says that consumer feedback is critical for the overall performance of this feature, so make sure that you send any issues that you come across in order for Microsoft to fix them before this tool is released to more users.
