The Daily App: Word Lens For Android, iOS

Today's Daily App tackles one of the most immediate challenges of traveling in a foreign country: reading the street signs. Word Lens is a $4.99 text translation app by Quest Visual for Android and iOS devices that instantly (and amazingly) converts text from one language to another.

Word Lens uses the mobile device’s built-in camera and -- just like taking a picture -- immediately converts the text it sees to the desired language. Supported conversions include English-to-Spanish, -French or -Italian and vice-versa. The app itself is free, but language packs cost $4.99 each. Word Lens does not require a data connection.

For the most accurate translations, the app should be used on clearly printed text such as road signs and menus; it doesn't recognize handwritten text. There's also a search bar where words can be typed in and translated. The free version also includes Reverse Words, which spells all the text backwards, and Erase Words, which digitally whites-out the text.

PUBLISHED JULY 10, 2012