Word Lens for iPhone Review

Our rating:

By: Quest Visual

Version #: 1.0

Date Released:

Developer: By Quest Visual

Price: Free

User Rating:

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Augmented reality is a term to describe a entire genre of apps that have cropped up on the iOS and other mobile platforms. It put it simply, augmented reality is when you utilized the power of the internet, or computers in general, to enhance the world around you. The classic form this takes is using the camera on a smartphone to show location information. Word Lens by Quest Visual is a similar, but much more interesting idea. We are all familiar with the internet’s ability to translate languages easily. Word Lens couples this with letter recognition to create what has been marketed as a magical experience, where words translate and transform before your very eyes.

Word Lens is simple to use. Point the camera at words and they are magically transformed right on the screen. Word Lens has the ability to translate spanish and english, but Quest Visual states that more languages are soon to come. These language packs are in the form of in-app purchases, which lets you try the app out demos where the letters are reversed, or where the app will erase the words all together. As new packs are available you will be able to purchase the ones that you need.

The interface gives you the ability to freeze frame the image, as well as to temporally stop the translation. There is also a conventional dictionary that will let you type in words and see the translation. The convenience is that you can point this app at a sign, or menu, and instantly see a translation of the text. I found the conversion to work best with large sans-serif fonts like signs. Smaller text and stylized fonts made it more difficult for the app to locate and correctly convert the text. In regular use I feel that this app, while very impressive, still needs a little work before it can be a reliable tool. This app is a sure buy for anyone wanting to be on the cutting edge of mobile technology and the amazing things people are doing in the mobile space. On the other hand, if you are wanting a translation tool for an upcoming trip, I would suggest that you at least not rely solely on this app’s ability to translate. Word Lens is a free download, and the translation packs are $9.99 each. Each pack translates either english to spanish, or spanish to english.

We rate this app 4 out of 5 stars.