In Time magazine they recently had an article about Google and its new app called Goggles Translate. Basically as of May 6th the newest app was made available to the public for one's smart phone, which allows the owner to snap a photo of foreign text resulting in a near perfect translation. The new software builds on two pre-existing apps, Goggles, and Translate. Goggles was basically a visual search engine that would take any picture of any landmark, sign, book, or bar code and within seconds pull up links to the image. Translate would simply translate words that have been typed into a smart phone, but together allows users to not have to search deep into a phone screen for answers. So far the app is only allowed for Android phones, but as of this coming summer available for all smart phones. Times magazine compared this new device with Star Trek's handheld tricorder to scan new life-forms, analyze data and communicate with aliens. Goggles Translate will definitely be a step forward to keep communication worldwide thriving and understandable. I wonder what other fictional inventions will be next to pop up and mesh into American society.
I am glad you bring this up - Star Trek is the precursor for an innumerable amount of technological devices. The people who grew up watching Star Trek have revolutionized the technological world and have implemented such changes as - cell phones, media players, webcams, plasma screens, and even fusion reactors. Sci fi becoming reality is happening all around us and it is simply amazing.
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