This photo clearly uses a fake goat. If it was a real one it would have eaten the phone.

I had to check the calander when I saw this. For a minute I thought March had passed me by and it was April 1st. However, it’s true. Google have released an Android app which can translate animal noises into English. No really. It’s here: http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/landing/translateforanimals/. The choice of ‘languages’ include cat, dog, bird, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, horse, chicken, sheep, donkey, pig and er tortoise. What kind of noise does a tortoise make? None at all as far as I can remember.

Although the app is serious, showing Google’s ability to use algorithms to do just about anything, the search company is tongue in check about the results. Their site states that ‘it is not Google’s responsibility if you are offended or disappointed by what your chosen animal may say. Also please note, we do not guarantee stimulating conversation’. As well as giving the animals words as text it can also speak the translation. Google haven’t said if it works in reverse. Will users be able to talk into their phone and it will then speak it in ‘Dog’?