Google may have a new spin on language translations, according to a report from The New York Times this week. A possible update to the Google Translate app could bring real-time translation capabilities, and more importantly a human-operated speech-to-text service. The update sounds similar to the translation capabilities Skype rolled out late last year.

Real-time translation tools come in handy in our era of globalization, particularly for travelers, international business and online social communities. Yet automating translations has been a major obstacle for service providers like Google. Those familiar with Google Translate know the service is not flawless, and many phrases literally get lost in translation.

These obstacles haven’t dampened the spirits of startups around the world, as several Google Translate alternatives are currently available on the market. Each has its own initiative to be more effective than its rivals, including one app that prints translations.

As we wait for a breakthrough update to Google Translate, here are some other apps to consider:

Word Lens Translator

This is an augmented reality translation app that utilizes your smartphone’s camera. Just point your smartphone camera to a sign you don’t understand and watch it translate to the language that you do understand. This Quest Visual, Inc. translator is available for iOS and Android and translates foreign words to English and vice versa. It supports Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese, and you don’t need an Internet connection for the app to work, which means it is great for traveling where cost of data use may be higher.

Odyssey Translator

This iOS app not only translates words but also phrases. The best part is that the translated phrase or word is spoken by native speakers so you get to hear the way it is pronounced, which means the locals can better understand you. The Odyssey Translator is available in nine languages: French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese and Korean. The different phrasebooks feature phrases used for the most common travel situations, such as booking a hotel or ordering at a restaurant.

Navita Translator

BlackBerry Limited phone users have the Navita Translator to help them understand their world better. The app supports English, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese interfaces and is capable of speaking more than 60 languages. You can speak or type the words or phrases you want to translate, as well as send the translations to Facebook, Twitter, email, text or save it as a memo.

iTranslate

The iTranslate app, by Sonico Mobile, helps you translate words, texts and speech to a language you know. It is available for Windows, Windows Phone, iOS, Mac, Google Play and Kindle Fire. It supports over 80 languages, has text-to-speech functionality, allows gesture-based input and can translate Chinese characters into readable words for easier translation.

iTranslate Voice 2

Sonico’s iTranslate Voice 2 is an enhanced version of iTranslate. It allows for voice-to-voice translation and has AirTranslate features, which allow users of different languages to connect with other people easily and help them talk with each other without the language barrier. It supports 42 languages and dialects, and you don’t always need an Internet connection for it to work, as you can download language packs and use them offline when you need to.

photo credit: nic0 via photopin cc