During the Beijing Olympics, I provided a limited re-release of Primezero Chinese Tools 2008, a Large Type English Chinese Dictionary search tool.
Feedback from users showed me that I need to maintain more versions of the dictionary tools for more users.
So, I plan to release several types of dictionaries in the next few months, including re-designs of Primezero Aulenti and Primezero Soleri Picture Dictionary systems.
You will notice the quick start feel when you are simply asked to give your email to get started.
David, creator of Adostrans, wants to bring Chinese learning to a fast, learn-it-now (at your own special) pace.
At this objective, he is doing a great job. The content is fresh, the layout is clean and he is responsive to student requests.
Try this mobile Chinese dictionary on your Nokia phone using Opera Mini. You will find it is different than most dictionary tools. Every character is clickable and you have links to Flickr, YoutTube and Google..
When I first started learning Chinese, I used NJStar. However, it was not convenient to install NJStar CJK Word Processor to simply view a Hanzi To Pinyin Conversion of a simple text clipping.
The new iPhone introduces new capabilities including quick access to the web. Now you take Primezero’s Chinese Dictionary with you … just point your iPhone to http://m.primezero.com
The interface is sleek, fast and expandable. However, for now, let’s just do baby steps on the iPhone.
Remember, most of the key features of Primezero are integrated into the mobile version for iPhone or Nokia smartphones:
Chinese number conversion
Chinese decimal/fraction conversion
Chinese time conversion
Chinese money conversion
Chinese date conversion
You can also jump into Chinese searches on:
Flickr
YouTube
Google
If you have any questions or special requests for iPhone apps, just let me know. Several releases for iPhone and Nokia are scheduled between now and December 2008.
Investors have been rushing into China to catch the social networking boom. How do you say it? Learn how on the Primezero i18n Terminal, where you can see the simplified and traditional Chinese and actually hear a tutor pronounce the words for you. Example Search: social networking
Everyone is looking for the next big thing in English-Chinese Dictionary design and development.
Unfortunately, I don’t have it.
Instead, I have a good idea about which companies will do well in the next 6 months with the Beijing Olympics approaching and the huge interest in Chinese languages this entails.
My two favorite companies right now are Nokia and Apple. They are attempting to penetrate the enterprise market where Blackberry dominates, so they are really taking some bold steps.
One area I am sure will grow is translation. Two people in two different timezones in two different languages should be able to communicate basic protocols and business objectives without fancy software. Nokia and Apple both provide new exciting opportunities for software developers, as the phones are bringing human machine interaction to a whole new level.
Personalized English-Chinese Dictionaries will help individuals build vocabulary. Combined with digital language tutors, the dictionaries will provide a new channel of interoperability and understanding.
If you are learning Chinese before you go overseas to cover the Olympics or just want a quick reference for words you find in translation here are 5 Primezero Chinese Tools for you:
Saying “I love you” in Chinese is similar to saying “I love you” in English. Subject + Verb + Object. You can learn how to actually say it using the Primezero Terminal and Chinese Tools.
Leylop’s voice helps you learn how to pronounce Chinese words. Just listen as many times as you like, when you like. Learn to say “Starbucks” in Chinese.
I saw this post out of the corner of my eye. It introduces us to a student who is trying to use Sohu blogging system while trying to get a gist of the registration requirements.
Leon Fleisher is a music genius who lost the use of his right hand to focal dystonia. Learn how to say it in Chinese. Dystonia in Chinese is pronounced: jī zhāng lì zhàng ài
I created a Text-To-Speech (TTS) plugin for Primezero Chinese Tools to improve my Mandarin pronunciation. Now, many other students and professionals worldwide are using this tool to help with pronouncing Chinese words and phrases.
It is easy to get started. Simply click “On” in the pink “Hear it?” box.
Next, mouse-over the green “charged” text to hear the sounds.
English to Chinese translators use Primezero i18n Terminal for a few key tasks:
to remind them about other words — they can click any character to find word branches
to find mistakes within the terminal and find them — this exercise is great practice for proofreading
to discover new ideas about words to be added to lexicon — it is wonderful to see more and more translations from different points of view, from different parts of the world, from different contexts
By building the The Terminal as a simple platform, there are several uses for each creative user.
Primezero Research is now expanding the custom Chinese flash cards printing program beyond college campuses and select financial services companies.
Now, many more users can order single flashcards starting from 8 cents per card. You can order directly from the Primezero i18n Terminalin the search results.
Good list of Chinese measure words, which should not be overused. Sometimes just better to use GE general classifier for many situations. More on exactly why later on …
Judging from the feedback, 8 out of 10 users of the Chinese Seal Chop Widget for WordPress actually prefer the Chinese Seal Chop Google Gadget since it is faster to install and doesn’t require futzing with settings from a dashboard or re-uploading updates and patches every month.
I think the vision at Google is to completely relieve end-users from the burden of updating their software all the time, so they can focus on content development.
Microsoft Windows XP never thought that users would need to read the Chinese language on the computer out-of-the-box. So, they made it more complicated for you.
If you view the Chinese results in Primezero i18n Terminal and have not installed Chinese characters, you only see blocks…
How do you pronounce girlfriend in Mandarin Chinese? Well, we already read it from the title, but do we understand how to say it.
For your learning methods, you have a choice:
the usual visual method with Hanyu Pinyin — nǚ péng yŏu – like in textbooks. that’s boring and you are not sure if your pronunciation is correct.
-OR-
the audio method using the Primezero i18n Terminal: nǚ péng yŏu, where you can go at your own pace and practice the pronunciation. As you practice more, your kinesthetic learning style is also used.
this audio method that i call “pinyintype vocalization” is useful for documenting rescue languages.
For me, The biggest thrill of being one of the smallest companies online is when your tiny, insignificant contribution to web development is actually used by a leading Internet company AND applauded or critiqued by notable researchers.
Just as big a thrill (if not bigger, ya, that’s right… bigger than biggest) is the use of PrimezeroTools by a small workshop or student in school, where the development time has been significantly reduced.
You can download PrimezeroTools 0.9.4 from PZPHP Google Code Site.
Simply copy and paste the Chinese characters into the leftbox and get a printable pinyin annotation on the rightbox.
Developer’s Notes
Introducing online Hanzi To Pinyin Conversion from Primezero i18n Terminal. You need to have a web browser (Firefox with Ruby XHTML Support Add-On, MSIE6 or later) that can read Ruby Characters. I am working on another version that will display the characters nicely for all web browsers. I wanted to get this version out.
Markets are closed, but that doesn’t mean it is time to completely relax. You can take some time today to find some translations using the Primezero i18n Terminal.
Today you can learn how to say a few words for your next business meeting in Hong Kong or Shanghai. I’ll show you how: jump on the Primezero i18n Terminal and type away.
That’s it.
When you first arrive at the terminal home page, you will notice that there are no instructions yet. This is because I am still designing the terminals features around you.
I want this tool to be so easy to use that you can FIND the translation you need WHEN you need on your desktop or (soon) your mobile terminal.
Here are a few features some users have discovered:
Smart Hanyu Pinyin Dictionary results
Contemporary results, with names and places in the news
Fast and clickable Chinese dictionary results
Powerful Chinese Number Conversions (e.g., time, money, dates, fractions, etc)
Some words that are ‘not found’ today are available the next day
Then, when asked if you would like to stop “FunInputEngine”, select Force Quit.
Task #2: You need to move all the FunInput* items to the trash.
Use Spotlight and search “funinput”.
All six items must be placed in the trash can. FunInputEngine, FunInputToy.bundle, the PKG file, the PLIST and both FunInputToy folders from user and root libaries. All 6 items. Gone!
Empty the trash.
Logout and re-login. All gone. You can re-install this great program whenever you want.
Several factories are having difficulty finding replacement labor for the migrant workers who refuse to return to the work after Chinese New Year holiday.
This is going to put further stress on logistics companies who rely on constant flow of export goods with business models that are tooled for razor thin margins. Several vendors have shut down in Mainland China, no longer able to keep furniture or home decor operations afloat during the U.S. economic downturn.
Consumer electronics factories will soon be floating without customers as demand comes to a screeeeeeching halt. Yes, that’s right. Your cell phone may not have the replacements parts available. Funny.
Comments: I do not think Americans are ready to see empty shelves at Wal-Mart, because that’s what’s next. If you cannot produce the product, and the people who ship the products go out of business, how does your product get to the store shelves? … Teleportation?
Oh, btw, I can only pay my vendors in RMB, Hong Kong Dollars, Yen or Euros… those are my choices. F**k!
I am not really focusing on English to Chinese, actually I am focusing on Chinese as the pivot language and allow translators from all over the world to use this application for hopefully better understanding of language and culture.
If we understand each other, then we can have some world peace and quiet.
I am trying to develop a completely new way to provide translation to non-speakers and students learning of Chinese. There is a lot of scribble on the paper so please be patient whilst I bring the ideas from paper to production.
The concept is called the Primezero i18n Terminal. The platform is based on years of user feedback. You can start creating your own translation engine if you want using PrimezeroTools, freely available open source code at my Google Code Site, pzphp.
More details about Primezero i18n Terminal coming soon…
You can add HanziBlox, a Chinese Character block image service thingy to your webpage or blog easily by using the IMG tag, with very simple HTML markup. Here is some sample HTML code for your reference:
\If you want a translation, I’ll do that later…
