When an organization begins offering Web content in multiple languages, it must decide how best to direct Web users to these languages. Enter the “global gateway.” The global gateway is a term I began using a number of years ago…
With SDL buying TRADOS, the maker of the leading desktop translation memory (TM) tool, globalization tools competitor Idiom is betting that translation agencies will be reluctant to buy TM tools from SDL, since SDL also sells translation services. Enter the…
The rumors were true: Lionbridge announced that it is acquiring Bowne Global Solutions (BGS) “for at least $180 million (excluding cash received), in a combination of cash and common stock. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter…
My favorite tech news site, Engadget, announced today the launch of its Japanese language site. It already offers a Chinese site and I expect the Spanish site to be announced shortly. Engadget provides an excellent case study of how small…
Last week, I asked for reactions to the SDL/TRADOS acquisition and boy did I get an earful, most of it positive and most if it from translation agencies. Here are a few excerpts: • ” If SDL keeps its promise,…
So now that SDL has announced its plans to buy TRADOS, the buzz around the industry is when Lionbridge is going to finally pull the trigger on purchasing its larger competitor Bowne Global Solutions (BGS). Based on what I’m hearing,…
Apple’s globalization of iTunes appears to be moving right along. According to the press release: “iTunes Music Stores were launched in the UK, France and Germany in June 2004, and now operate in 17 European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark,…
eBay held its annual developers conference and, according to this article, is not close to launching any translation service for sellers. Here’s an excerpt: Another questioner wanted to know if eBay had any plans for a translation feature, saying it…
Simon Anholt is the author of Another One Bites The Grass and Brand New Justice, two books that don’t get nearly the amount of attention they should. I’m glad to see Simon resurface recently in a partnership between him and…
There was a great article recently in the Wall Street Journal that describes the challenges that Disney faces in launching Hong Kong Disneyland later this year. According to the article, there are more than 290 million consumers in China under…
The term “transcreation” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it is getting used increasingly by a new wave of firms seeking to distance themselves from translation firms. This article profiles an ad agency that is marketing transcreation as a…
SDL International, the world’s third-largest translation/localization agency announced today its plans to acquire TRADOS, the maker of the world’s most popular machine translation software. In the translation industry, this is very big news. Every translation agency that uses TRADOS (which…
The announcement by the WSJ that Google is prepping a payment service is big news in the ecommerce world and, I think, good news for consumers. According to the article, “Exact details of the search company’s planned service are not…
According to this AP article, the European Union has promoted Gaelic, Ireland’s native tongue, to “official” status. This is good news for Gaelic translators, as the EU will have to churn out official documents in this language, in addition to…
According to Bloomberg, the US Hispanic population is growing three times more quickly than the US population as a whole. Here’s an article excerpt… Hispanics accounted for half the U.S. population growth from July 2003 to July 2004 and numbered…