Word Lens is an amazing new iPhone app that instantly translates language right before your eyes. Using the video camera on your iPhone, Word Lens can scan, for instance, the words on a sign or menu. The app then runs that text through optical character recognition software and displays the translated type in context. Because Word Lens looks up words in its onboard dictionary, you don’t need to be connected to the internet for the app to work; there is no delay, roaming fees, nor reception problems to contend with. It’s a $4.99 paid app, which for the moment offers only English to Spanish and Spanish to English translation.

Techcrunch reports that the app is the culmination of 2 1/2 years of work from founders Otavio Good and John DeWeese. Good says in the video below that he got the idea for the app when he was in a foreign country and couldn’t read the language on a sign. He thought to himself “why doesn’t my cellphone do this?” Now that the translator is complete and deployed to the App Store, Good notes that Word Lens is not perfect, but it usually gets the point across. It doesn’t work on handwritten type, very stylized fonts, or cursive. . Sometimes the translation will have mistakes, and may be hard to understand. If a translation fails, there is a way to manually look up words by typing them in.

TestFlight let’s developers distribute beta builds for free.

TestFlight

Hey, iOS user, ever found yourself tapping away on your virtual keyboard when you suddenly utter the phrase “Damn you, Autocorrect!” We thought you had. Well now that phrase is captured (along with user-gernerated autocorrect fails) as the name of the new Pop Hangover Network site damnyouautocorrect.com. We like that the developers of a site which is all about writing problems caused by a ghost in the machine still saw fit to properly deploy the comma in the site’s name.

If you don’t feel like playing, here’s how to disable the auto-correct on your iOS device.

Otherwise, it’s time to get started checking out the hilarious fails and submitting some of your own.

damnyouautocorrect.com

PatentlyApple reports the über tech company has been granted a patent for the iPhone’s original broadband antenna — a design which has nothing to do with the iPhone 4 death grip design.

PatentlyApple

Oh what doors get flung open when a company has a PR problem to solve.

iOnApple

Seen the four new iPhone 4 FaceTime spots? Over at Susty, George has a few thoughts on Fortune Online labeling them “Heartbreaking.”

Advertising Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab, USA
CCO/ECD: Duncan Milner, Eric Grunbaum, Scott Trattner
ACDs: Jamie Reilly, Kevin Tenglin
Sr. CW: Pete Figel
Agency Producers: Hank Zakroff, Ben Bragg
Production Co: Epoch Films
DP: Harris Savides
Editorial Co: Nomad Editing Company, Inc.
Editor: Glenn Martin, Jared Coller
Post Co: Company 3
Artist: Brian Robinson, Stefan Sonnenfeld

With the growing number of apps in the iTunes App Store, a helping hand vetting the selection is always welcome. AppStoreApps.com provides focused reviews of apps for iPhone and iPad with the site proprietor, Doug, targeting one new review a day. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the customer reviews in the App Store, this site provides a bit of a breather as you search for new apps to choose. AppStoreApps