Microsoft ruined the app
As of the new update in April 2023 the offline use feature was removed rendering the app useless without access to the internet. Current rating: 0 out of 5 stars Previous rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Updated to garbage
I used this app exclusively when I lived in China because I had no access to Google. I recently deleted it because with its new quote improvements“ it has become virtually unuseable.
It’s frequently either dumps all of the written work to translate or translate it back into the same language then I typed it in. Not very effective
It’s frequently either dumps all of the written work to translate or translate it back into the same language then I typed it in. Not very effective
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Update is pathetic. Now clear history is removed
The developers who created the recent update really should be fired. The “clear history” is an essential tool from a privacy point of view, and now the feature is gone. I use this app to converse with real people in the real world, and now all of my previous conversations are available to view by anyone at a quick scroll. Why any developer would think that removing the “clear history” feature is an improvement i really don’t know. The app is also far more clunky to use since the update.
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The best I have found for a large group conversation
I have been using this app for a number of years and it always did an adequate job of bi-directional translation to help me as I learned Spanish. About a month ago I discovered the Group Conversation functionality and it has been a complete game-changer. I teach ESL classes to a diverse audience with five languages present and it initially did not look like it would be possible to have a multi-language class. The Group Conversation allows everyone to hear in their original language as they learn new material and then we can all practice in English. I have been able to use it in four class sessions so far and after working out some initial kinks, it works great. The only thing I would ask for from Microsoft at this point is better written installation and set up procedures. Initial setup with a large class is cumbersome but I am not going to rate this lower than five-stars for that piece. The functionality rocks. Well done.
Update: One feature that has been changed in the new version is the removal of the two buttons in conversation mode, one for each language. It is now only auto-detect. This has not worked as well as having two buttons when it comes to accuracy. I prefer the option for either method, like it used to be.
Update: One feature that has been changed in the new version is the removal of the two buttons in conversation mode, one for each language. It is now only auto-detect. This has not worked as well as having two buttons when it comes to accuracy. I prefer the option for either method, like it used to be.
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A big improvement over the old
The app has been completely overhauled. It did take me a few weeks to get used to the new format, but on the whole I think it is more intuitive and easier to use. Someone coming into the app with fresh eyes unused to the old product probably wouldn’t have any problems.
For Mandarin translations, I’m still frustrated by the lack of Pinyin transliterations alongside the Hanzi characters. The Pinyin is only showed if translating from Chinese (Simplified) to Chinese (Traditional) or vice versa - never to English or other languages. The Pinyin should always be shown! Such an easy thing to include and so helpful for Latin alphabet users; the oversight is confounding. Here’s hoping this feedback is considered for a later update. Thanks
For Mandarin translations, I’m still frustrated by the lack of Pinyin transliterations alongside the Hanzi characters. The Pinyin is only showed if translating from Chinese (Simplified) to Chinese (Traditional) or vice versa - never to English or other languages. The Pinyin should always be shown! Such an easy thing to include and so helpful for Latin alphabet users; the oversight is confounding. Here’s hoping this feedback is considered for a later update. Thanks
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Don't like the new version
The new version is too difficult to use, there are so many bugs, can I use the old version back?
No longer impressed
I’ve used and loved this ap for about 5 yr. Loved that it worked offline. With the latest update it not only has a totally different look but it no longer works offline..not impressed when I now have to use data or it doesn’t work at all when out of cell range ☹️☹️☹️
The update killed it
Once again Microsoft can’t leave a good thing alone. The most recent update took away all the best features, like being able to copy/paste and especially, especially the split screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH?!? I also noticed the font size on the translations, especially for language like Hindi or Korean, is smaller makes the translation very hard to users to read.
I depended on this app when traveling through Italy, India, and Greece and have used it religiously for years now. It took away all the stress of being stranded in areas where little English was spoken. I needed it when I found myself in the emergency room in Croatia, and had no one to help me explain my problem and fill out the paperwork. I would have been lost without it. The split screen is so helpful when shopping or even renting a car. I’m sick to have to delete it and hopefully find something similar. Didn’t you all do any user research before you updated???
I depended on this app when traveling through Italy, India, and Greece and have used it religiously for years now. It took away all the stress of being stranded in areas where little English was spoken. I needed it when I found myself in the emergency room in Croatia, and had no one to help me explain my problem and fill out the paperwork. I would have been lost without it. The split screen is so helpful when shopping or even renting a car. I’m sick to have to delete it and hopefully find something similar. Didn’t you all do any user research before you updated???
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Update is horrible. Change it back!
There was absolutely no need to update this once perfectly useful app. It’s now garbage. The newest update is so terribly confusing to use with most of the main features I downloaded it for now gone. Can’t even figure out how to download languages to use offline anymore - if that’s even still possible. What’s the point of this app if it can’t even do the basic things advertised?
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Bring back previous version.
This app updated early March 2023. The new version is completely different and sadly just not as neat, simple and straightforward as the previous version. You can’t even swap from French to English and vice versa. You have to swap from one to the other then type all over again. The previous version also had a dark theme and was much easier to view, the new version is cluttered and inelegant. I don’t think I’ve ever been so disappointed with an update in my life, I have now switched off automatic updates because of this. Google translate is now vastly superior.
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