Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Portables, Odds and ends, Apple
iPod being used by Army as Arabic translator in Iraq
Macenstein's got the tip on the Army using iPods in Iraq to speak Arabic. Vcommunicator Mobile is a hardware/software setup (the iPod straps to your arm, and gets a small speaker hooked up to it) that allows soldiers in Iraq to "speak" Arabic by choosing and playing certain phrases through an iPod-like interface. Very interesting-- the Arabic text even shows up on the screen as the sound clip is being played, and phonetic translations and simulated graphics of suggested gestures for each phrase are included in the browser.A new Nano version is planned (having the whole thing in a Flash drive will probably make it a little more sturdy), but for now Mac says the 10th Mountain Division will be hauling around 160 iPods to speak phrases like "Please get out of the car," and "may I see your ID?"
Here's hoping the whole thing is working as well as Vcom3D is saying that it does-- clear communication is invaluable, especially in an environment as volatile as Iraq. Just another great use for Apple's little mp3 player.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tomjennings83 said 11:33PM on 10-10-2007
this is the craziest thing ive ever heard
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futurepastnow said 12:04AM on 10-11-2007
Sounds like a great idea to me. Using off-the-shelf technology like this is certainly a win for taxpayers.
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James F said 12:50AM on 10-11-2007
How quickly can you select a song (this sounds more like a video) and have it play? If it takes over 10 seconds, it would be a step backwards from the flash cards they used to use.
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Jacques Lema said 3:37AM on 10-11-2007
Great. Finally the iraqis will be able to hear the translation of "Get the fuck down or I'll shoot you".
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initialsBB said 4:18AM on 10-11-2007
it is a sign that things are not going so well US soldiers can't even pronounce basic arabic after all this time. needing an ipod to say "Get the fuck down or I'll shoot you" is ridiculous !
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Se7s said 5:24AM on 10-11-2007
The Arabic pronunciation is a bit off. The guy speaking it is very vulgar too.
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Kostas said 6:57AM on 10-11-2007
"Just another great use for Apple's little mp3 player."
Oh really? how is that exactly? by transforming a device that is meant to be for fun (music, movies etc) into a tool for the army? I am not judging what the American Army is doing to Iraq, everybody has his own opinion on that. But I think that the whole concept about devices like iPod is about peaceful people having a good time with each other. And the other hand you have the Army (any army)... Somehow this combination creeps me out... But maybe it's just me.
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ecobore said 8:45AM on 10-11-2007
How about a button to say "those people over there are over-paid private contractors, do not even look as though you want to disagree with them because they will shoot you!"
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Jim said 8:54AM on 10-11-2007
Actually, these days the Iraqis are much more likely to hear the translation of "Isn't is great to be working together to kick Al Qaeda's ass?" (You do know that many areas of Iraq have turned against Al Qaeda, right?)
Maybe the iPods are helping our soldiers bridge the communication gap, and maybe that's one reason were winning. I'm happy we're winning -- are you?
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Chad said 8:54AM on 10-11-2007
I need one of these for shopping at my local convenience store. Seriously.
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Cameron Campbell said 9:11AM on 10-11-2007
"it is a sign that things are not going so well US soldiers can't even pronounce basic arabic after all this time. "
Please look into the concept of troop rotations.
I mostly agree with James F that these are a step back from flash cards, but I can see how the flash cards are probably annoying. Imagine you're at a road block, freaking out because some guy in armor with an assault rifle is about to search your car. Now imagine the same guy is now sticking some bit of paper in your face and wanting you to read it. Much simpler to have a stock phrase all cued up.
As for iPods being fun and this not being fun. I'm going to suggest that anything that makes communication clearer and (hopefully) creates a situation where no one gets killed is pretty much the definition of fun.
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mentalsticks said 9:23AM on 10-11-2007
@Jim: I hate to tell you this, but the only place where you are winning is Fox News.
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mentalsticks said 9:25AM on 10-11-2007
Oh and BTW, most areas of Iraq were never in favor of Al-Qaeda before the US occupied Iraq. They actually hardly knew of its existence.
Read a history book or something before making asinine remarks.
/angryofftopicmode
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Jim said 9:57AM on 10-11-2007
@mentalsticks: I hate to tell you this, but Al Qaeda is getting their ass handed to them in Iraq by a combination of coalition forces and the Iraqi people themselves. Don't feel bad, lots of people don't know what's going on over there.
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tomjennings83 said 9:57AM on 10-11-2007
im getting one so i can order at taco bell!!!
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MV said 10:00AM on 10-11-2007
This will work until they find some Culture Club songs on it and then the Army will fire the iPod for being gay, just like they did to all the other Arabic translators.
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Karim said 11:09AM on 10-11-2007
Apple should just sell the phrases in the iTunes Store. They could make iTunes Essentials albums out of them (e.g. "Checkpoint Duty," "EOD," "Air Assault," etc.)
> Finally the iraqis will be able to hear the
> translation of "Get the fuck down or
> I'll shoot you".
Actually I think that one is already for sale in the Hip-Hop/Rap section of the iTunes Store.
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mentalsticks said 11:12AM on 10-11-2007
@Jim: fortunately there's you and Dick Cheney to explain it to us.
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Cameron Campbell said 12:06PM on 10-11-2007
I am loath to do this here, but there is little evidence that Al Qaeda is in Iraq (to the extent that a loose coalition of like minded people with some centralized VC can be "in" anywhere).
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Khaled said 10:25AM on 10-23-2007
Ironic, since the iPods can't even display Arabic!
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