Babylon (software)

Babylon
	Babylon version 10.0
Original author(s)	Amnon Ovadia
Developer(s)	Babylon Software Ltd.
Stable release(s) [±]
Windows
Windows	11.0.1.6 / 22 June 2021
Android	4.1.2 / 16 December 2016
iOS	2.0.1 / 14 February 2013
Windows Phone	1.0 / 18 January 2012
Operating system	Windows Vista and later; Android 2.3.3 and later; iOS 5.1 or later; Windows Phone 8 and 8.1;
Type	Dictionary, machine translator
License	Freemium
Website	babylon-software.com

Babylon is a computer dictionary and translation program developed by the Israeli company Babylon Software Ltd. based in the city of Or Yehuda. The company was established in 1997 by the Israeli entrepreneur Amnon Ovadia. Its IPO took place ten years later. It is considered a part of Israel's Download Valley,^[7]^[8] a cluster of software companies monetizing "free" software downloads through adware. Babylon includes in-house proprietary dictionaries, as well as community-created dictionaries and glossaries. It is a tool used for translation and conversion of currencies, measurements and time, and for obtaining other contextual information. The program also uses a text-to-speech agent, so users hear the proper pronunciation of words and text. Babylon has developed 36 English-based proprietary dictionaries in 21 languages. In 2008–2009, Babylon reported earnings of 50 million NIS through its collaboration with Google.^[9]

Between 2010 and 2013, Babylon became infamous for demonstrating questionable behavior typical of malware: A Babylon Toolbar bundled with Babylon and other software, has been widely identified as a browser hijacker that is very easy to install inadvertently and unnecessarily difficult to remove.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] This eventually led to Google terminating its agreement with Babylon Ltd. in 2013.^[14]

^ "Babylon Translator". Google Play. Google. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ "iBabylon". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ "Babylon Translator". Microsoft Store. Microsoft. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ "Babylon Translator". Google Play. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ "iBabylon". iTunes Store. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ "Babylon Translator". Windows Store. Microsoft. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
^ Game over in Download Valley? Haaretz, Inbal Orpaz, Orr Hirschauge, 22 August 2013
^ Conduit Diversifies Away From 'Download Valley' Wall Street Journal, Orr Hirschauge, updated 15 May 2014
^ "Shares in Israel's Babylon dive as Google ends contract". Reuters. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
^ Cite error: The named reference Babylon Search Hijacker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Remove Babylon Search Toolbar was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Come-Uppance was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Getting rid of Babylon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Google says enough! was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] "Babylon Translator". Google Play. Google. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[2] "iBabylon". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[3] "Babylon Translator". Microsoft Store. Microsoft. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[4] "Babylon Translator". Google Play. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[5] "iBabylon". iTunes Store. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[6] "Babylon Translator". Windows Store. Microsoft. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

[7] Game over in Download Valley? Haaretz, Inbal Orpaz, Orr Hirschauge, 22 August 2013

[8] Conduit Diversifies Away From 'Download Valley' Wall Street Journal, Orr Hirschauge, updated 15 May 2014

[9] "Shares in Israel's Babylon dive as Google ends contract". Reuters. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

[Babylon_Search_Hijacker-10] Cite error: The named reference Babylon Search Hijacker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Remove_Babylon_Search_Toolbar-11] Cite error: The named reference Remove Babylon Search Toolbar was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Come-Uppance-12] Cite error: The named reference Come-Uppance was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Getting_rid_of_Babylon-13] Cite error: The named reference Getting rid of Babylon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Google_says_enough!-14] Cite error: The named reference Google says enough! was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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Babylon (software)

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