FreeTranslation's website is today being upgraded to a full translation resource portal. The Web's most popular instant translation service has been enhanced to offer professional translation from one of the world's most respected vendors as well as access to the instant translation service from within Microsoft Office.

 With more than 1.5 million visitors per week and 25,000 words being translated every minute, www.freetranslation.com is the most popular site of its kind on the Internet. Whether you want to translate emails from someone in another country or to understand content on websites from around the world, instant free translation offers great value for both business and private users.

Now, when the user receives an instant translation, they will see how much it would cost to have the same text professionally translated by SDL International, the world's leading translation provider. Also available is an 'editing' service, a fast, inexpensive way to improve machine-translated text. Users continue to have the option of free, instant translation, however, when a text requires the highest standard of translation quality they can now submit it for fast-turnaround, professional translation.

In addition the FreeTranslation portal now plays host to a subscription service that allows you to obtain translations directly from your desktop. SDLDesktopTranslator is a downloadable toolbar, providing instant translation from within Microsoft Word 2000/XP or Microsoft Outlook 2000/XP via an online connection. This subscription service costs less than $40 a year. The toolbar also provides a button in Office from which to initiate professional translations.

"The FreeTranslation offering is constantly evolving," says Rachael Allan, General Manager of FreeTranslation.com." Combining automated and human translation services through one website allows users to get what they want, when they want it, either free of charge or at a price that makes fast, professional translation broadly accessible."

"Webmasters can also add FreeTranslation's services to their own website using one of the custom designed applets", she added "Or you can personalise your browser by adding buttons to your toolbar, allowing you to translate web pages and text on the Internet with one easy click."

FreeTranslation.com is owned by SDL International, the world's leading multilingual services and software solutions company.