It’s time for a review of the five top language translation apps on the market to see how technology is keeping pace with the demands of the evolving language landscape.

From time to time we’ve reported on several individual language translation apps for use on your smart phone or tablet. But until now we never provided an assessment of the top five apps together, side by side, in the context of one post. So here we go.

Google Translate

The first app in the top spot is pretty much a no-brainer. Brought to you by the good folks at the search engine giant, Google Translate features an easy-to-use interface. As one of the more popular language translation apps, Google Translate tackles translating words and phrases in more than 60 languages.

You can also speak your entry into your phone instead of typing it, displaying the translation in full screen mode, making it easier to read, and the listen to the translation upon completion. Best part is that it’s free to download.

You can download or learn more about Google Translate for your mobile device at the Google Mobile website.

Word Lens

In the number two spot is Word Lens. Just snap a photo with your smart phone camera and send it to the app and presto! You’ve got an instant translation. This app converts words in pictures to voice or text translations in real time.

The app itself is free, but you’ll need to buy language packs separately – with prices starting from $4.99 each. Unlike Google Translate, Word Lens doesn’t require an internet connection to work, making it a better option if you’d like to avoid overseas roaming charges.

Further information about Word Lens is available at the Quest Visual website.

iTranslate Voice

Imagine yourself in a situation where you need to speak with someone right away but that person doesn’t understand English. Now imagine simply speaking into your smart phone and immediately hearing yourself in the language that the other person speaks. Pretty cool, right? Well this is what iTranslate Voice can do in up to 36 languages. And the cost is just $1 for the app and you get more languages and dialects than with Google Translate, including Cantonese, Greek and Hungarian.

You can learn more about iTranslate Voice by visiting the company’s website.

SayHi Translate

This app utilizes the same voice recognition technology used by iTranslate. However SayHi’s user interface processes translations a bit faster and since it’s a universal application, you only have to buy the app once to use it on both the iPhone and iPad.

Visit the SayHi Translate website to learn more.

Lonely Planet Offline Translator

Like Word Lens, Lonely Planet Offline Translators don’t require an internet connection and each app is specific to one language. Supported languages include Chinese, Korean, Japanese and German.