Yandex Browser update introduces Image Translate functionality
Yandex published an update of the company's Yandex Browser earlier this month that integrates Image Translate functionality natively in the browser. Yandex Browser is based on Chromium, the same core that powers many other browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Edge or Vivaldi.
The update, introduced in version 21.3.1, improves the built-in translator, powered by Yandex Translate, which works similarly to Google Translate in Chrome. When Yandex users visit foreign language sites, they get the option to translate the content into another language.
With Image Translate landing in Yandex Browser stable, users of the web browser may now do the same for any image they encounter.
All it takes is a right-click on any image that is displayed in the browser and the selection of "translate image" from the context menu to get the translation on the image itself after a brief moment. Yandex notes that on some images, you may also get a small button in the upper right corner to invoke the translate functionality.
The browser submits the image to Yandex Translate when the "translate image" menu option is selected by the user. The translated text, if detected correctly, is then returned to the page and displayed instead of the original image.
Image translate works on most images, but not on all; or to be more precise, it may not work in the following cases:
- when Yandex Translate fails to identify the text correctly.
- when a website prevents this from happening.
- if the detected page language is identified as the "to translate" language.
- when the image has a lower size than 200x200 pixels
A quick test confirmed that the feature works well most of the time, but that you may run into issues with some images and sites, especially the errors "couldn't recognize text" and "text already matches page language" are common issues.
Yandex Browser prompts users to translate page images if page translate is being activated on a webpage; this is handy as it will result in the translation of all images on the page as well, something that did not happen in previous versions of the browser.
The company plans to improve the image translate functionality in future builds; this includes improved detection to only translate images with text and context recognition.
Now You: do you use translate functionality on your browser?
I used to use Yandex translate (website) on Android for Russian -> English because Google/Bing simply won’t work. Quality-wise it was okay, but not great.
Vivaldi/Android is a new, better option, the translation feature in the latest snapshot builds works reliably and with better quality than Yandex (Google backend?). SmartCookieWeb browser/Android also offers built-in website translation, but doesn’t work for me.
Image translation is a nifty feature, though you could install any of several OCR apps to do it locally, minus privacy issues. (I can recommend IOCR/Android, spartan interface but good translation from Russian.)
Yandex Translate seems to have some unique translation abilities that not even Google Translate or Bing Translate have (image translation).
If you don’t like the browser, you can use https://translate.yandex.com/ to get the same functionality.
I stay away from anything Yandex since it is Russian owned and I avoid products from authoritarian regimes.
Can they add a Recaptcha solver?
Just use Opera browser
It is better to avoid Yandex browser if you care about privacy:
it collects a huge amount of telemetry; collects the addresses of all sites added to their speed dial counterpart; all clicks on links from search results; all your bookmarks; all history; collects data on yandex zen usage even FROM OTHER browsers installed on the system; as well as each installation of the browser is assigned a unique identifier, which is transmitted to its servers every time you use the default search (even if it NOT yandex search) or any other interaction with their servers.
It also counteracts the installation / operation of external (not built-in) ad blockers (extensions such as uBO, ABP, etc.) on their own sites.
AND when entering the number of a payment card on any page, the address of the page with the payment form and the first five digits of the card are sent to Yandex server (can be switched off, but enabled by default).
@Lemegeton,
ðŸ‘
Everything you wrote is completely true for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and almost everyone else … Nothing new. Do not expect browser privacy.
> Everything you wrote is completely true for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and almost everyone else … Nothing new. Do not expect browser privacy.
No. While it’s true that almost all major browsers collect some amount of data about their users, the amount of data they collect differs. For example, the aforementioned Yandex browser collects much more than, for example, Firefox. I don’t think it’s really necessary to collect credit card numbers (even if partial) to improve the browser experience or collect some data from OTHER installed browsers.
Also, there are browsers that are more respectful of user data: Ungoggled Chromium, Vivaldi, Brave (not in default configuration, but after some tuning), LibreWolf.
@Ariweee,
> Everything you wrote is completely true for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and almost everyone else … Nothing new. Do not expect browser privacy.
Your comment is too extreme. There are varying degrees, which is a decisive difference.
To use a boxing analogy, “If you are hit without a guard, you will take decisive damage, but if you guard and sway back, you will not take any damage.
You are underestimating telemetry and tracking too much.
As related information:
Spy Files Russia | WikiLeaks
https://wikileaks.org/spyfiles/russia/
Russia’s laws – especially the new Yarovaya Law – make literally no distinction between Lawful Interception and mass surveillance by state intelligence authorities (SIAs) without court orders. Russian communication providers are required by Russian law to install the so-called SORM ( СиÑтема Оперативно-РозыÑкных МероприÑтий) components for surveillance provided by the FSB at their own expense. The SORM infrastructure is developed and deployed in Russia with close cooperation between the FSB, the Interior Ministry of Russia and Russian surveillance contractors.
About SORM
SORM is the technical infrastructure for surveillance in Russia. It dates back to 1995 and has evolved from SORM-1 (capturing telephone and mobile phone communications) and SORM-2 (interception of Internet traffic, 1999) to the current SORM-3. SORM now collects information from all forms of communication, providing long-term storage of all information and data on subscribers, including actual recordings and locations. In 2014, the system was expanded to include social media platforms, and the Ministry of Communications ordered companies to install new equipment with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) capability. In 2016, SORM-3 added additional classified regulations that apply to all Internet Service providers in Russia.
The European Court for Human Rights deemed Russia’s SORM legislation in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in 2015 (Zakharov v. Russia).
https://www.ghacks.net/2021/03/16/wonder-about-the-data-google-collects-in-chrome-and-links-to-you-now-we-know/#comment-4489317
View the Telemetry Data that Microsoft collects on Windows 10 | gHacks Tech News
https://www.ghacks.net/2018/01/24/view-telemetry-data-windows-10/
Firefox is cool nice browser fast good
I use the yandex browser because it supports DNSCrypt encryption, as I know it’s the only browser supports this. DOH bla bla bla etc are there but this is also nice to have
https://abload.de/img/v5r6qmfgqjb8.gif