Show HN: Mantaphrase, an app that lets you converse in a foreign language

This sounds like a very good idea and I would happy pay a few bucks for it on Android the next time I have to travel somewhere I don't speak the language.<p>Have you considered providing the flip side of the conversation? I would want to use an English interface to present a question and possible answers to a person who speaks another language, but it might also be possible that I'd want to let them pick from a list of phrases/questions in their language and allow me to answer as well.

Does the app read out the phrase? If not, I see this as a big challenge in developing countries where, depending on who you interact with, the person might not know how to read (even their native language)

At a street market in Quito, Ecuador a few years ago I watched in horror as a backpacker pulled out his shiny iPhone and shoved an app like this in the face of a vendor.<p>The phone cost more than the vendor will make in a year, and the backpacker was oblivious that he was shoving that in her face.<p>I would never use such a thing.

Looks great.<p>I'm hoping there's an Android version in the works?

This is excellent! I recently moved to Switzerland without knowing any French, and while using Google Translate to figure out how to ask basic questions works fine in a pinch, I'm usually at a loss if the person responds by speaking too fast or using complex vocabulary. Though I can get by in French now, I'll definitely bring this with me when I'm Taipei and Tokyo later this year. Keep it up!

So legit. I'm taking Chinese right now and not only does this let you converse in a foreign language, but it can help you learn the characters for everday sayings along the way. Great design and I'm excited to see that it's launched!

Useful app and a good idea, but if I could pick phrases by saying them (or keywords), it will make this a <i>super</i> useful app and a <i>brilliant</i> idea.<p>(edit) I've been using a Google Translate-based contraption to do what this app does, and the most annoying and awkward part is that pause in the conversation when you have to type stuff into the phone. You get rid of this pause, you got yourself an <i>exceptionally</i> useful product.

Nice. The "universal translator" is the 'Trek thing' I'm looking forward to getting next. Seems like the race is on between the replicator and the translator.

These guys have been working for a while on this, and I know they have some other ideas that aren't even in the app yet. Looking forward to seeing them add to the app.<p>It's a beautiful app, and I wouldn't be surprised if it won designs from Apple.<p>-sc

Best implementation of voice-to-voice communication I've seen yet: <a href="http://www.vocre.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.vocre.com/</a>

Cool idea!<p>You mention "large, readable text"... would it be larger and more readable if the app was in landscape mode? Or would it be harder to use?

Where are you sourcing the exchange rate data from? Since August CAD has been above USD, but the app shows it at ~$0.98 instead.

I'm curious to know how much field testing you guys have done with this app. It looks very promising!

The UI looks great! I wish I had this when I was traveling in Japan.

It's quite nice looking. Nice job guys!

Congratulations on launching!

Congrats guys

bummer that 5.1 is mandatory :(

looks legit

I stopped at: Hand your $600 phone to a stranger.<p>Although, they could sell a tether as an accessory.