Monday, December 27, 2010

THE Must-Have Adoption Translator App!

As we are dwindling down to these last few days until we leave to pick up the boys I am finding that my obsessive.....errrr frequent blog reading is coming in quite handy.

I know things now(thanks to all of you) like
Where to stay
What to do
Where to eat
What to bring
and most recently
this app.



Hello.
It
is
amazing.
(It's $25 amazing...
...but it's amazing nonetheless)

It's the Jibbigo app and if you are about to adopt a child that is old enough to draw a Mandarin character or even write in pinyin then this app is a must have!

And if you order now we'll double your order for the bargain price of only $19.99
that's right folks only
$19.99!
Just pay separate processing and handling!

Ok, just kidding.
I don't sell it or have any stake in the company or anything I am just geniunely amazed at what it can do.

You speak in English
It repeats back to you in Mandarin.
You type something in English
It types it out in Mandarin.
...and here's where it gets even better.
The boys can draw a Mandarin character or 2 or 12 of what they want to say and will translate it for me.
Hello.
This is genius.
Just ensure that you enable the keyboard in order to gain this function of the app.
It's incredibly fast, easy, and accurate.
We....(and by "we" I mean John cuz I am technologically incompetent)....has installed this on all of the kids iPod touches and such as well so that they can communicate effectively with their new brothas.



I know I'm a rookie here but to virtually take away the communication barrier seems to me like a perty nifty idea especially considering my Mandarin skills are hovering somewhere around Ni Hao!

Joseph and Jacob: Mom I'm hungry.
Me: Ni Hao!
Joseph and Jacob: We are thirsty!
Me: Ni Hao!
Joseph and Jacob: We need to go to the bathroom.
Me: Ni Hao!
Joseph and Jacob: Does this crazy woman say anything other than Ni Hao?!
Me: Ni Hao!


Yeah. It's not pretty.

And really, come to think of it, even if you are adopting a toddler or baby this could come in handy for you. Just record what you want to say in English and it will say the phrase or word in Mandarin.
This is big people!
Big, big, big!
Of course then there's the fact that everybody out there probably already knows about and has this app and my excitement over it is about 1 year behind everyone else.
But that's ok.
It's all good. 

Ni Hao!

11 comments:

  1. Hilarious!
    What a great app! Course it also helps if you own a smart phone or iphone or whatever. :) Which we don't and didn't back in July when we traveled. You are right, this IS huge!
    Tick, tock, you are getting closer!

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  2. that IS mighty cool!!!!! that should relax you a bit- but you will be AMAZED at how fast they pick up and speak English!!!

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  3. Very cool...I had never heard of this. I don't have a need for it, but you could probably talk me into buying it! :) I can see how handy and helpful it will be for your family. What a great thing to have especially with adopting older children.

    You are so close now!! Happy New Year!

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  4. How cool! Does this app exist in other languages (Korean, for example)?!? Great idea!

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  5. Hmmmm, I'm not sure if it has other languages or not. I would guess yes! If not this app then certainly there would be another one that does?! I'll look around and get back to ya!

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  6. That is amazing!! What a great tool! Can't wait till you're there!!

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  7. Ni Hao! that's it for me too. :) This is GREAT!

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  8. Ooooooh, sit by me in church so we can play with it...errm, I mean, translate Patrick's incredible sermons into Mandarin! Can't wait to type Auntie Kaye in so those darlings can talk to their fave non family member!
    Love yall!
    Kaye
    Ni Hao right back atcha!

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  9. You just solved one of the things that I have been wondering about...since our children are 6 and 10, I knew that I wanted some way to communicate with them!! I am doing the Chinese For Adoptive Families, but I am pretty sure that I will barely get above Ni Hoa....

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  10. I love this app!
    Wish I had one last January when we were in China adopting Avery.

    maybe next time?

    Whoops! Did I just say that???

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