Google Chrome gets speech input capability

Web surfers may soon enjoy the convenience of having their speech translated into another language almost instantly, just by talking to their browsers, with a new feature that search giant Google introduced in its Chrome browser. Google said that Chrome's new stable release now allows speech input through HTML - potentially allowing instant translation through sites like its own Google Translate. "Here’s one example: Using Chrome, you can now translate what you say into other languages with Google Translate. If you’re translating from English, just click on the microphone on the bottom right of the input box, speak your text, and choose the language you want to translate to. In fact, you can even click on the 'Listen' feature to hear the translated words spoken back to you!" software engineer Josh Estelle said in a blog post. Estelle said that speech input through HTML is one of many new web technologies in the browser that help make innovative and useful web applications like Google Translate’s speech feature possible. He added that this was just one of more than 200 submissions by web developers using technologies in the browser. But an article on CNET said the "microphone" and voice-to-HTML feature appears to work only with English at this time. The CNET article also said that such a speech-to-text feature may give its upcoming Chrome OS "a modicum of accessibility for users who have difficulty with keyboards." "When the browser is the operating system, being able to speak to the computer and have the computer know how to interpret that speech is a quick way to ensure a broader appeal," the CNET article said. — TJD, GMA News