Learning Chinese is hard, but it can be a lot easier with the help of a few great apps. As a native English speaker who's currently living in China, this is a process I've recently gone through. After playing the field, here are the three apps I personally think will help you the most with your Chinese learning adventure.
Apple released iOS 12.2 beta 4 to developers on Monday, March 4, then shortly thereafter also pushed it out to everyone on the iOS 12.2 public beta program. All previous public beta updates for iOS 12.2 were released the following day, but this one changes course. In the iOS 12.2 public beta 4, there are new icons, an updated "About" page, and better Now Playing tile.
After years of rumors and waiting, Samsung's first foldable smartphone is finally a reality. The phone itself is a bit wild, but with Samsung going so far out of their comfort zone with this one, there were some bumps in the road that caused a delayed release. The launch has been pushed back yet again, but when it does hit stores, it could end up being one of the most influential devices in years.
While developers received iOS 12.2 beta 3 on Feb. 19, public beta testers had to wait one extra day, following suit with previous iOS 12.2 beta releases. The third beta update includes fixes for Group FaceTime and the missing date on the lock screen, as well as a few tiny app updates.
Apple just released the third iOS 12.2 developer beta Tuesday, Feb. 19, fifteen days after the release of iOS 12.2 developer beta 2. Beta 3 fixes an issue with the lock screen, and reintroduces Group FaceTime to beta testers. Overall, iOS 12.2 hosts a wealth of new features as well as bug and security patches.
The "controversial" Pixel. No phone in the history of Google's Pixel lineup deserves this title more than the Pixel 3 XL. For some (including myself), the design is a welcome change that embodies the modern design of 2018 flagship phones. For others, it has an ugly huge display notch that destroys symmetry.
After delaying its launch by four months, LG revealed its 2018 entry to the flagship market on Wednesday, May 2. After years of an underperforming mobile division, the LG G7 ThinQ is the first product since a shakeup within the division to get things back on track, and it brings a number of upgrades over its G6 predecessor.
In case you didn't catch the big event in Cupertino, Apple just unveiled two of the most cutting-edge phones ever made — the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. Out of the many glorious specs that were rattled off on stage, one stands out for being just a little confusing: Both models are rated IP67 under the IEC standard 60529.
Scientists know that bacteria create their own energy, get nutrients to run their cellular processes, and multiply. But, bacteria haven't been shown to respond to external mechanical stimulation or signals in a way that's similar to how our bodies respond to touch, until now.
In the "Do Not Disturb" menu in your iPhone's settings, you can choose to allow phone calls from everyone, your favorites, or specific groups. However, this does not apply to text messages, only phone calls, so there's no way to get vibration or sound alert for messages from select contacts — but that doesn't mean there isn't a way.
We are totally buggin' about Pinterest's update to their Lens. I know, I had to.
It's become a routine for many of us to ring in the New Year with pledges to finally get our budgets and finances under control. Unfortunately, it's also quite difficult to to keep those promises. Some of us will just dive into our resolutions and wing it as we move forward, which usually ends in failure. But even for those of us who plan carefully, obstacles along the way can spell doom for New Year's resolutions.
Snapchat has already found a compelling way to create advertisements in augmented reality with their branded filters, but they continue to experiment with new ways to monetize the bridging of the real and digital worlds. Their latest idea, which requires users to "snap" an image to unlock content, could succeed where QR codes haven't.
There's no doubt you've heard the old saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." The phrase was penned in an obituary to a dwarf actor in 1915 by an anarchist named Elbert Hubbard, who lost his life five months later aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was torpedoed by a German submarine.
An app called Launcher was released for iOS 8 last September that let users open any installed app directly from a widget in the Notification Center pull-down. For some reason, Apple didn't take too kindly to this and banned Launcher from the iOS App Store just a few days after its release.
Developing an imperceptible lie is difficult, especially when you're lying right to someone's face. Thanks to smartphones, getting people to trust you is now easier than ever. You can craft a lie in seconds and hit send, all without ever seeing their untrusting faces.
Every year, Black Friday gets a little more insane. People get up at ungodly hours, wait in lines forever, and get into some of the most ridiculous fights you've ever seen. All in the name of saving some cash. Everyone loves saving money, but without a game plan, you could end up missing all the good deals and going home with nothing. Luckily, the Internet is here to take some of the stress out of holiday shopping. With these sites and apps, you can find out about all the best deals before yo...
Don't look much like Taylor Swift? Don't even have the same colored hair? It doesn't matter—you can still get Taylor Swift's hottest hairstyles as long as you have the right length. Katinthehat4883 shows you her method of mimicking Taylor Swift's latest curly hair. You'll need only four items: a curling iron with glove, hairspray, hair shine serum and thermal protection spray.
With the new iOS 4.2 (and 4.2.1) firmware for all mobile Apple devices, printing from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch has become easy… well, maybe not. Despite the new AirPrint software in iOS 4.2, it can still be difficult to print papers and photos from your mobile device since Apple removed AirPrint from the Mac OS X 10.6.5 software update, due to some kind of legal dispute.
At some point in Fallout: New Vegas on the Xbox 360, you'll eventually find yourself in Hidden Valley, the secret location of the Brotherhood of Steel. After exploring their bunker, you may find yourself meeting with Knight Torres, the Quartermaster for the Brotherhood of Steel. She will tell you that she is missing a Laser Pistol from her last shipment and wants you to go look for it. Well, not just any old Laser Pistol will do, apparently— she wants something very specific. In this video, y...
If your yard has hedges, shrubs or trees, chances are you'll need to occasionally cut them back, and that's where pruning comes in handy. Not only does pruning give nice shape to the hedges, but it can also help them grow thicker and healthier. Lowe's has the advice you need to tame your bushes.
They always did say, "simple music is the hardest to play, and Blues is simple music." Playing the Blues requires a specific touch that takes practice as well as a great compilation of licks! In this video you will learn how to play a signature Freddie King lick (ripped off by Eric Clapton, Stevie and other great guitar players, because that's what we do) over the IV chord of the progression (the fourth chord in the scale of the key). The faster you get with it, start to add trills, quick ham...
In this tutorial, we learn how to understand dotted notes (Dotted whole, half, quarter). Dotted notes are a dot after a note that add more to the duration of the note. A whole note is four notes, adding the dot adds two more beats to the note. A whole note with a dot is worth six beats. Basically, you will have to read the music to see if it's a half a note or a whole note, then subtract the dot from the note to see how many notes that specific part of the song is. You will need to be familia...
Getting your dream job is reliant on impressing the hiring manager with a resume and cover letter. Make sure you tailor your resume for the specific job you're looking for, and format for maximum presentability. From title to reference, this video will help you get the job you've always wanted.
Christmas is The holiday of the year for many bakers, as the festive occasion offers more than enough excuses to bring out their best cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and yummy desserts. All red and green and Christmas-themed, of course. Christmas allows those creative juices to flow, but offers up very specific icons to work with.
Cosplay, or "costume play," is basically dressing up with costumes and accessories to represent a specific character, usually one in anime (like Sailor Moon) or manga. Like most Japanese fashion trends, cosplay emerged from the trendsetting Harajuku district of Japan and continues to thrive today, even in America when people wear costumes to anime conventions.
The Hitachi disc drives included in many XBox 360 consoles are prone to a specific kind of malfunction that results in a unplayable disc message when you try to play games and a telltale grinding noise from the drive when it spins. Fortunately, this is a pretty simple problem to fix. These videos will show you how to do it by taking your drive apart and reaffixing one tiny piece to it's intended area.
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to use Flickr photos in their screen-saver. This task can only be done on the Windows computer. Users will need to download the program from the website provided in the video. Once downloaded and installed, there is an option in the Screen Saver Settings. Users are able to take photos from specific users or groups, or can search through tags and contacts. Further options include selecting the size of the photo and delay between switching the photos. U...
The Canon EOS 7D digital SLR is the first Canon EOS camera that can trigger off-camera Speedlites with the cameras build in flash. The integrated Speedlite transmitter is fully compatible with the Wireless E-TTL Flash System. See exactly how all this works and how to use your flash functions.
You want the best quality photos you can get, and the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR camera makes perfecting your pictures easy. There is a range of technologies to enhance image quality. This video shows you the many options you can use.
This quick Blender 2.5 video tip tutorial demonstrates how to use multiple background images. This feature is very useful and allows for layering images in the viewport and assigning separate images to specific viewing angles. Without the need for multiple viewports. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video ...
Need a general introduction on how to get started creating your own Flex-based web applications in Adobe Flash Builder 4? This clip will show you what to do and introduce you to the general architecture of Flex apps. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular Flash IDE (previously titled Adobe Flex Builder) or simply wish to become better acquainted with the program, you're sure to find benefit in this free video software tutorial. For more information, including specific, step-by-step instruction...
Learn how to create 3D extruded text within Final Cut Pro using the Boris Title 3D title tool. This free video software tutorial will show you how. Whether you're new to Apple's Final Cut Pro non-linear video editor or just want to better acquaint yourself with the Final Cut Pro 6 workflow, you're sure to benefit from this video tutorial. For specifics, and to get started using this effect in your own projects, watch this FCP lesson.
Want to conform 50p or 60p DSLR clips to a slower framerate (e.g., 24, 25 or 30 fps)? With Cinema Tools and Final Cut Pro, it's easy. Learn how with this clip. Whether you're new to Apple's Final Cut Pro non-linear video editor or just want to better acquaint yourself with the Final Cut Pro 6 workflow, you're sure to benefit from this video tutorial. For specifics, and to get started using this effect in your own projects, watch this FCP lesson.
Want to create a surface that isn't complete smooth when working in Maya 2011? Then, my friend, you'll want to know how to use the program's displacement and bump mapping tools. This clip will show you how it's done. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with the Maya 2011 workflow, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For specifics, watch this free video guide.
Ever wish there were a way to get a peak at what's inside a zip archive without having to unpack it? Well, with Mac OS X and Quick Look, there is. And it's easy! So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to from Tekzilla can present a complete overview of the process in just over two minutes. For specifics, and to get started previewing the contents of zip archives without expanding them, give this guide a look.
New to Microsoft Excel? Looking for a tip? How about a tip so mind-blowingly useful as to qualify as a magic trick? You're in luck. In this MS Excel tutorial from ExcelIsFun, the 351st installment in their series of digital spreadsheet magic tricks, you'll learn how to create an area chart for x and f(x) data as well as how to use the IF function to show a second data set plotted to show a specific area section.
Learn how to choose and care for poinsettias with Southwest Yard and Garden's John White. You will be taken through the typical height and specifications for poinsettias, as well as what to look for in the leaves and flowers. One of the most important parts of growing poinsettias is keeping to a specific schedule. Measuring the plants is also important as plants that are too tall or too short are undesirable. Remember to frequently water the plants, but be careful not to overwater. Also, keep...
New to Excel? Looking for a tip? How about a tip so mind-blowingly advanced as to qualify as a magic trick? You're in luck. In this Excel tutorial from ExcelIsFun, the 203rd installment in their series of digital spreadsheet magic tricks, you'll learn how to use the SUMIF function to sum with specific criteria.
This video is demonstrated completely through visual movement and accompanied with a brief written description. A young man speeds down the soccer field with a ball and scores a goal. His signature move leading up to the goal is broken down into very specific methods of movement, the first of which is a high speed attack as he races down the field. The next method to this signature move is the weight shift, in which the goal scorer shifts his weight, along with the ball, from foot to foot to ...
