SDL Real Time Automated Translation
October 27, 2010
UK-based SDL has moved real time, automated translation to the cloud. The translation system complements the firms publishing system. According to “SDL Unveils Cloud Platform for Real-Time Automated Translation,” Through an easy-to-use web-based portal, SDL BeGlobal instantly enables users to manage global, trusted communications with customers in real-time, through one central interface for multiple types of content, communication and social media. SDL BeGlobal is an intuitive cloud platform that can turn any business user into a multilingual publisher, delivering content faster than ever before.” SDL asserts that it…
is the leader in Global Information Management solutions. SDL’s solutions increase business agility to enterprises by accelerating the delivery of high-quality multilingual content to global markets. The company’s integrated Web Content Management, eCommerce, Structured Content and Language Technologies, combined with its Language Services drive down the cost of content creation, management, translation and publishing. SDL solutions increase conversion ratios and customer satisfaction through targeted information that reaches multiple audiences around the world through different channels.
Our view is that there is a growing interest in on-the-fly translation. With the shift to mobile computing, making seamless, near real time translation available for text and spoken content is a hot area. We keep thinking about Google’s “free” translation service. Specialists will have to content with Google if the company gets serious about moving translation to the world once described in science fiction novels. For more information about SDL, navigate to the firm’s Web site at www.sdl.com.
Stephen E Arnold, October 27, 2010
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One Response to “SDL Real Time Automated Translation”
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You may also be aware that IBM, Lionbridge, Microsoft, Yahoo, Systran, ProMT and Google have been doing this as well – in some case for years.
For a different perspective on this announcement see:
http://kv-emptypages.blogspot.com/2010/07/is-sdl-getting-serious-about-mt-does-it.html
This is perhaps a response to the Lionbridge / IBM announcement in June.
The problem all these public portals have is that they lag in terms of translation quality behind Google on the raw MT capabilities. Also Google provides this for free. While Microsoft has a shot at competing with Bing translate I think few others can really do this raw MT at Google quality levels.
So is there really an opportunity for broad lesser quality MT when Google and MSFT offer it for free at higher quality? I think most would say the opportunity is not great.
There however continues to be a thriving market for highly customized and focused MT engines that can outperform the Google engines in terms of raw translation quality and this is where perhaps the enterprise opportunity lies. These engines are unique to each customer and so there is less business leverage however.