grammar

Easy Spanish tutor

Learn Spanish with this simple program aimed at helping users develop speaking skills from the ground up. With easy controls and a few surprises, this is a great tutor for those getting into this beautiful language.

The program's interface will be a blessing to computer users of all skill levels. With simple icons that do a good job of describing their function, users need only hold the cursor over each for a more in-depth description to pop up. A Help file is also available, which focuses on program functions and not Spanish language. Users begin by choosing what level … Read more

The 404 296: Where the new iPod Shuffle looks like a suppository

Apple releases a new iPod Shuffle that looks curiously like something you would use to take care of constipation. It looks as if "SNL" wasn't that far off though when it suggested the iPod Peque?o. But hey, this one talks to you!

In more Apple news, Chinese hackers figure out how to crack the iTunes gift card system. Apparently, it's just a key code generator, and for a mere $2.60, you can get yourself a $200 gift card. We don't know if it works, and even if it does, it won't be for long. If you do know, tell us by calling 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Along those same lines, we find out that "Full frontal nerdity" is already taken for a show motto. Please send in more suggestions.

In depressing news, grammar is apparently becoming horrible on Twitter. No surprise given the 140-character limit. Let's just hope @replies don't wind up in some kid's term paper. Also more depressing, "Star Wars" is coming back as a television show. If the new J.J. Abrams-directed "Star Trek" movie becomes a hit, they may make restart the television franchise.

We've got a whole slew of guests coming on the show in the coming days including Erica Boeke, Dr. Michael Breus, debbiefromtoronto, and Jonathan Coultan. And our very own Justin Yu makes an appearance on the "Bore Out Loud." Keep listening to "The 404!"

EPISODE 296 Download today's podcast… Read more

Facebook 'gender policy' has grammar in mind

A blog post from Facebook product manager Naomi Gleit early on Friday announced an update to the site that initially may seem extremely minor: after years of using the grammatically abhorrent reflexive pronoun "themself" to describe actions in members' activity feeds (i.e. "Dwight Schrute tagged themself in the album 'Booze Cruise '08'"), the social network will be using the proper "himself" and "herself" instead.

My initial reaction to the announcement: big deal. Sounds like someone high up at Facebook was guilt-tripped into making the change by a finicky former English teacher.… Read more

Who, er, whom do we have to thank for 'proper' English?

It's National Grammar Day. That's right: grammar. Not glamour. It's OK. I've made the same mistake. A friend invited me to a New Year's Eve dinner a few years back and I could have sworn she said the theme for the evening was "grammar." I think she nearly dropped the phone when she doubled over. (I've never quite seen the glamour in grammar, but it turns out the two are linked.)

The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar has suggestions on how to celebrate National Grammar Day, including: "If you … Read more