Recent decades have seen the work of translators shift into several new dimensions, mainly due to technological advances and the process of globalization. The dramatic increase in the information to be translated, along with the availability of translation-memory tools, has led to changes both in the translator’s work processes and in relations with clients. This text presents an overview of these developments, looking at the principles of translation memories, the non-linearity of the information objects translators work on, the corresponding concept of 'content', the rise of content management, the use of localization tools, and the role of machine translation. While it is agreed that translation technologies may increase consistency and allow translators to focus their best efforts where they are most needed, the many possible disadvantages include high costs in terms of financial outlay and learning curves, the deepening of divisions within the labor market, and the conceptual restriction of translation to narrow text-replacement activities. It is concluded that the solution to these problems lies in developing greater control over technology.