Steape announced the launch of a series of talking phrase books for mobile phones. The products allow travelers to easily communicate in a foreign language using an application on their mobile phone. The translators have already gained popularity in the Netherlands and now they are also made available in the UK and USA.

The Steape translators cover 17 languages and 272 language combinations, including versions communicating from one non-English language to another (German to Italian for example). In addition to western languages such as English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, travelers can also make themselves heard in Mandarin, Russian, Korean, Arabic, Turkish, Polish, Czech and Japanese. The phrases come with both text and sound, to overcome the eventual pronunciation difficulties. The voices are recorded by native speakers and are played back via the phone's speaker.

The Steape offering includes three products: Mini-Speaking Dictionary, Steape Travel and Steape Knowledge. The Mini-Speaking Dictionary consists of more than 500 essential traveler-related words. Steape Travel contains nearly 100 phrases covering travel-related topics, such as Chat basics; Travel & Go; Small Talk; Overnight Accommodation; Money; Shopping; Flirting & Dating; Going Out & Sightseeing; Eating & Drinking; Help & Health and Service & Communication. Steape Knowledge comprises useful basic vocabulary, such as numbers, days of the week, spoken alphabet etc. and can be obtained for free when another product is purchased. The translators are currently compatible with 138 phone models from manufacturers including Alcatel, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Sagem, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, with more supported devices to be added in the future.

Marc van Bommel, CEO of Steape, said "Have you ever been in a situation where no-one understands a word you're saying? Frustrating, isn't it? The most important aspect of our translation products is that they offer you exactly the words you need, at precisely the moment you need them. Also, the fun-factor of letting your mobile talk for you means that you can quickly break the ice and enjoy a conversation."

The Steape translators can be found HERE.