Compiled by JOHN COLLINS

Google Translate used in real time

Thanks to The Next Web for spotting this video of two girls in the US using Google Translate to call a real Indian restaurant, typing in their order in English and letting the website speak it back in Hindi. Posted as part of Google Demo Slam, where users are encouraged to post videos of themselves using the company’s technology, it’s claimed this is an amateur video creation, but we have our creeping suspicions.

[ http://bit.ly/avfP0WOpens in new window ]

Enterprise Ireland's Best Connected blog

In operation for just six months now, Enterprise Ireland’s Best Connected blog, which is billed as “linking Ireland’s software and services innovators with the world”, is an essential bookmark if you have any interest in positive business news stories. Whether it is deals done by Enterprise Ireland client companies or links to a positive story about Ireland’s technology sector on Bloomberg News, Best Connected wraps it all up in the one place.

[ http://BestConnected.Enterprise-Ireland.comOpens in new window ]

HulloMail on your smartphone

Let’s face it, Irish mobile operators haven’t being particularly innovative around voicemail, well, pretty much since they introduced it. If you have a smartphone, consider HulloMail, which has recently been introduced in Ireland. Have your voicemails e-mailed to you as MP3s, visually manage them through the iPhone, Android or Blackberry app and even post them direct to Facebook. What’s more, it’s free.

hullomail.com

foursqWAR - Foursquare goes to war

Irish iPhone developers Project Zebra spice up location-based app Foursquare with a dose of humour, turning the game of check-ins and mayorships to one of missions and generals. You’ll need to be set up on Foursquare first but once that’s done, you can download the €0.79 Foursqwar and become a military tactician, competing against your friends and hopefully rising to the rank of general.

bit.ly/foursqwar