A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for a method in a portable device for transliterating text. An image of the text is generated using a camera function in the portable device. The image is sent with an identification of a source language and a target language to a transliteration service using a wireless communications link. A response is received from the transliteration service, wherein the response contains a transliteration of the text in the target language. The transliteration is then presented on the portable device. The presentation may be, for example, text displayed on the portable device or in the form of speech presented audibly to the user.