Pleco 2.2 Chinese Dictionary uses iPhone camera to translate text in real time (video)
Can't say we've heard of the Pleco Chinese Dictionary app prior to today even though it's been around for two full version releases. Of course, we've seen plenty of Google Goggle-like smartphone apps that can snap pictures and then convert the image to text using optical character recognition (OCR) -- something that can be incredibly useful when important stacks of business cards. Pleco 2.2, however, is one of the first apps we've seen that can translate text in real time using the live image presented on your phone's camera display. The new feature, targeted for release in September, requires iOS 4 and should work with either the iPhone 4 or older 3GS. Sure, you might not need this app every day, but it might just be the difference between ordering chop suey or a thousand-year old egg garnished with a side of stinky tofu. See it in action after the break.
