Russia mandates locally made apps on mobile devices
What was for many years a threat has now become a reality — a Russian law requiring mobile phone manufacturers to ship with preinstalled Russian-made apps (or allow them to …
iPhone
Apple waves goodbye to flags
As readers of this blog know, I’ve long advocated for Apple to abandon its use of flags on its global gateway. I first began saying so publicly in 2004. In …
Apple Translate is coming
Very cool (and overdue) announcement this morning from the Apple WWDC. The Apple Translate is on its way and is all about voice (and privacy). Here are the supported languages. …
Google to the Internet: Go mobile or watch your sales rank fall
Four years ago, for the Web Globalization Report Card, I began noting (and rewarding) those websites that supported mobile devices. Even then one could easily see the virtual grounds shifting in favor of mobile …
So what if the icons are ugly, iOS 7 now supports Tamil
So I just spent an hour upgrading my iPhone to iOS 7. My first thought was: Boy, these icons are ugly. And there’s this strange mix of text-only buttons and …
iYouth: The battle over the next generation of tech consumers
I love these new Apple advertisements: And… But one thing I couldn’t help but wonder while watching them: Where are the older folks? That is, where are the people of …
Apple iOS 6 provides a multilingual welcome
Apple provides a subtle, but global, welcome to new users of iOS 6. I just downloaded the OS today and captured a few screens to illustrate below: The only thing …
Taking Mobile Global: Tips for Aligning Mobile and Global Web Strategies
Here’s a new article I’ve written for UX Magazine on the importance of aligning global and mobile strategies. Too often, companies develop mobile apps and mobile websites without considering localization requirements. Here …
Windows 8 primed to win tablet war — at least in languages
When it comes to tablets, Apple is far and away the leader. But later this year Microsoft is expected to unveil its Windows 8 tablet and, in doing so, will …
Web globalization in a post-PC world
The 2012 Web Globalization Report Card is my first attempt at analyzing web globalization in a post-PC world. By post-PC world, I’m referring to a world in which the website adapts not …
Language negotiation in a mobile world: Improving the global user experience
Language negotiation is the process of detecting the language setting of a web browser and responding with the matching language, if available. Companies such as Google and Facebook have used …
Global by Design turns 1,000
In 2002, I launched this blog. It was the first blog devoted to web globalization. In fact, I don’t believe there were any blogs devoted to translation either at that …
Google Translate App for iPhone: Will it hit number 1? (Answer: Yes!)
I’m a little amazed by all the press that the Google Translate app for iPhone is getting today. From The Wall Street Journal to the LA Times, this app is …
Setting up FaceTime for Mac-to-Mac chats
I interrupt this blog for a brief tutorial on how to use FaceTime for a Mac-to-Mac video chat. Apple has made lots of noise about how iPhone 4 users can …
Apple iPhone 4 improves international support
The iPhone is a global success story. And one of the reasons for this success can be attributed to the device’s support for more than 30 languages. But with the …