john - The Fix: a confusing name??
Premium subscribers have access to "The Fix," an audio file that pushes you to practice the new vocbulary from the lesson. It's not mindless listen-and-repeat, though. You hear the English first, and then you're supposed to say the corresponding Chinese word. After a brief pause, you hear the correct translation in Chinese, which either confirms your answer or gives you the right answer.
Lots of users have raved about this feature, but we do get one complaint over and over again: before you try it out, you have no idea what it is. The name gives you no clue as to what it is or what it's for. Many users have requested that we change the name, and we are now ready to do just that.
What name would you use? We're leaning toward something simple, like Audio Review. It's not very punchy, but at least it's clear. We would like to avoid the word "drill" because you're not just listening and repeating, and "drill" seems to imply very little brainpower is involved (mental translation is work!).
Please let us know what names you would prefer! We're listening...
Posted by john February 25, 2008 .
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dave says
February 25, 2008
A name change is a good idea. I can't imagine anyone really loving 'the fix' title but stranger things have happened. Audio Review sounds good to me. Anything that simply states exactly what it is works for me.
AuntySue says
February 25, 2008
I'd like to keep calling it the fix, whether that's its new name or not. When I talk to myself about "doing the fix", it feels good, makes me want to do it. I'd never feel the same about "audio review", yuk, work, boring. How about this. Perhaps the name "the fix" could be lengthened to include some descriptive words, which we could then choose to omit?
AuntySue says
February 25, 2008
and "audio review" sounds a bit like the dialogue-only mp3 to me, because that's how I use them.
azerdocmom says
February 25, 2008
"The Audio Fix"
john says
February 25, 2008
AuntySue, Adding too many words makes the name too long. I understand that "the Fix" is more fun, but it really means nothing to new users, and that's a problem...
john says
February 25, 2008
AZERDocMom, That sounds like the file you download when you hear chipmunks in the regular podcast MP3 file... :P
dave says
February 25, 2008
Call it The Brain or The Goat.
vikram says
February 25, 2008
I initially thought it was the file to download if there were chipmunks on the main podcast. Change of name would be a good idea. call it the 'lesson vocab drill' or something like that
kimiik says
February 25, 2008
My try : Force-feed vocab ;o)
ratatouille says
February 25, 2008
the skinny lesson-lite wash-rinse-repeat CD - Chinese distilled Lab -Little audio bits RPM- Reduced Performance for Memory Espresso - a Cpod rush The Sticker Supporting Patterns Chopped to Stick
rjberki says
February 25, 2008
"lesson review". Where did "fix" come from anyway?
jpvillanueva says
February 25, 2008
Audio Express All Together Now Say It! Speak Up! Lesson Remix Your Turn! Maybe "the Fix" just needs a subtitle. "Audio Review" is accurate, but it makes me sleepy. Sleepy, I say!
john says
February 25, 2008
JP, Maybe the subtitle could be different for every single one (hey, it worked for Futurama!).
mikeinewshot says
February 25, 2008
Vocabulary audio drill
rjberki says
February 25, 2008
How about a chinese name such as 回顾 hui2 gu4 (review) or 请回顾 qing3 hui2 gu4 - as in please review. Perhaps Connie has a better one but Chinese is appropriate and instructional. Just a thought. -RJ
michele says
February 25, 2008
and, what about "AudioGym",or even "WordGym"..?
ratatouille says
February 25, 2008
Since this is a brainstorm anything goes right? deKenandJennyfied/DeJohnandJennyfied the Kernel (it's what's in the pod) earplough ( hey, if earworm works, why not!) Zen (the mellow tones in the Fix are so soothing, like NPR) After show party (well it is just after the Oscars!) Take-away (eh, not the fish and chips variety!) Repeat After Me Listen&Repeat A Different Take One on one Compactor Lingo Lasso
ratatouille says
February 25, 2008
Echo tutorial Learning aid ping pong More learning the jog Finessing After Class Post lesson review Test Drive Afterwords
calkins says
February 25, 2008
Sweet and simple, just like John says at the beginning of each Fix: "The Vocab"
henning says
February 25, 2008
John, don't listen to the voices. "Audio Review" is perfect because that's exactly what it is. The name is not to narrow and not to wide and the "boringness" that JP complained about translates to "clarity" for me. Exactly like the new "boring" exercise menu which is so much more straight-foreward, efficient, and user-friendly now .
henning says
February 25, 2008
sorry, "not too narrow, not too wide" Please make those comments editable.
ratatouille says
February 25, 2008
The "audio" in "audio review" is redundant and there is will be a .MP3 file right next to it as opposed to PDF. So this second word should be used to indicate that this is a stripped down, bare-bones podcast that supports the main lesson. So what word would that be - "core" perhaps? "Core review" or "Script review" or "Text review" or "Text step-through"
perle says
February 25, 2008
The Rivet
AuntySue says
February 25, 2008
Yes, the word "audio" is quite redundant. Also, the fix is not much use for quiet listening, it only works at its best when you're talking, which makes it different. More brainstorming vocab challenge vocab check challenge speak up say it voice workout voice trainer (the) repeater noisy pod don't-try-this-on-the-bus We must be careful not to use localised English, though. For example, to me an "oral workout" would be something unspeakable to do with the number 69, and while "vocab dump" would have only positive connotations here I'm sure it wouldn't sound so pretty in some countries.
ratatouille says
February 25, 2008
Dialogue coach ...it follows naturally from the Dialogue positioned above it.
weiaisi says
February 25, 2008
Actually, "Dialogue Coach" or "Vocabulary Coach" sounds pretty good.
weiaisi says
February 25, 2008
Oh, I also really like "Lesson Remix".
moloch says
February 25, 2008
Not sure if anyone else said this, but how about Lesson Review. Another term I could see improvement on is Conversations, which for a language learning website could mean a whole other thing.
xiaohu says
February 25, 2008
Hmmm... Personal Tutor? Counselor? Private Tutor? Personal Trainer? Private Coach? Use What You Learned? (Dave's line, "Use these words in context") The Context? The Practice? The Tutor? Memorize? Nmonic? i-Tutor? i-Coach? i-Trainer? Tutor-pod? Tutor-cast? I like the idea of peronalizing it, since it's the next best thing to working with a private tutor, in essence the fix is an e-tutor!
jpvillanueva says
February 25, 2008
I like ratatouille's idea of "echo." It's got 'audio' and 'repeat' built in. The Echo Mix The Echo Pod The Echo Cast Echo Review Echo Logic Echo-tron Echo-phiia Echo-saurus
jpvillanueva says
February 25, 2008
Echo Sessions
john says
February 25, 2008
"Echo" sounds like "listen and repeat," though, which is not what it's about.
dave says
February 25, 2008
What is it about John? Give me the deeper meaning! I yearn to understand...
john says
February 25, 2008
Dave, Refer to the original post: It's not mindless listen-and-repeat, though. You hear the English first, and then you're supposed to say the corresponding Chinese word. After a brief pause, you hear the correct translation in Chinese, which either confirms your answer or gives you the right answer. In Ken's words, it's actually "generative review," because if you really do the exercise, you're forced to do the translations from your mother tongue into the target language.
AuntySue says
February 25, 2008
OK then, DIY - Do it yourself
ratatouille says
February 26, 2008
It is what it is and can't be dressed up too much. Yes there is an element of listen & repeat and that looks like rote learning. Can't call it "sonic massage" while the other files are listed plainly as Podcast otherwise Newbies will skip the main course and go straight to dessert! That's why I'd favour Dialogue Coach or Dialogue Review because it is as minimal as the Dialogue file positioned above it but with a layer of coaching or review for deeper learning. "Deeper Learning" "Higher Learning" "The Habit" "Interact!" "Good2Great" "Soapbox"
phil says
February 26, 2008
According to my iTunes downloads the name was already changed from "The fix" to "Lesson review" between lessons 704 and 705 around 29th Nov 07? Lesson review seems clear enough to me.
ratatouille says
February 26, 2008
"Super-sonic learning" has a ring to it!
xiaohu says
February 26, 2008
Free associate...free associate...free associate Vocab Stretch Stretch out The Mastery The Lab Expound e-view i-view Reinforce enhance Mobilize I-mobilization Refine Define Apply The Application Retrieve Think Tank How about something John challenged me to in a recent post... -Cognitive learning- What about "The Cognition" (or would people understand what that means?) It's like the answer is right in front of me and I can't just reach out and grasp it...annoying... (Forgive the scatillogical nature of this post)
john says
February 26, 2008
Speaking of cognition, we actually have ideas for how to bring more cognition into the "Fix-like" auditory experience. Dave Lancashire is working on it already. That's for another day, though... :)
wei1xiao4 says
February 26, 2008
Has someone already suggested 复核 fu4xi2 review? It goes with qing wen.
ratatouille says
February 26, 2008
OK then firstly what was wrong with "The Fix". Well, it suggested something was broken, like the main podcast and you had the download the Fix to get it to work properly Also the Fix has a narcotic connotation ranging from acceptable caffeine to more illicit varieties. So what to replace it with? Well the Fix had a snappiness to it suggested something quick , grab and go. So....I would suggest The Blast. It rhymes with Podcast, heck you could even coin a new industry word, PodBlast. Also The Blast has an audio meaning: "I was cruisng in my car and the stereo was blasting my favourite lessons" The Fun meaning: "That lesson was a blast" The "Grab and go" meaning "I just blasted through, I was in a hurry" Short and snappy meaning "Give us a blast of the lesson, I don't want the whole thing" What do ya think?
AuntySue says
February 26, 2008
...which reminds me, how does anyone know what Qingwen is?
calkins says
February 26, 2008
Why does it need to be a fancy word or phrase? Keep it clear and simple, and why not have some continuity with the "lesson downloads" and the "lesson tabs"? As it is now, you have "Dialogue MP3" and "Dialogue", "The Fix MP3" and "Vocabulary". Wouldn't it makes sense to just change "The Fix MP3" to "Vocabulary MP3"? That way the audio download name matches the lesson tab name, and there's no confusion to newbies as to what the MP3 is. It's the vocabulary!
azerdocmom says
February 26, 2008
Keep it simple, ladies and gents---- VOCAB TUTORIAL Ahhhh, that sounds juuuusssst perfect (to me)!
frank says
February 26, 2008
With all due respect to the great minds at CPod, I think you guys are seriously over-thinking this. The Fix is a great, brandable name. So what if nobody knows what it is before they listen to it? That's what the 7-Day Free Trial is for! Explain it in your marketing materials, talk about it on the site, but don't change the name. I mean... nobody knew what a Big Mac or a Slurpee was until somebody told them, but now they're branded to the companies that created them. Just something to keep in mind!
rjberki says
February 26, 2008
I think Frank has a point. And who cares - its there now - leave it.
harregarre says
February 26, 2008
@frank: The Fix however is not some new word they came up with too, as opposed to Big Mac and Slurpee. If they had called it "Shindizzle" I would've been with you, though. Anyway what about: "The vocabulary review or: How I learned to stop worrying and love Mandarin." Hehehe.
julesong says
February 26, 2008
What I know is that, without a Premium account, I always assumed "The Fix" was a supplementary file that "fixed" or explained a broken podcast mp3 or PDF.
julesong says
February 26, 2008
Someone suggested something like "Vocab Coach" up above, and I think the connotation of "coaching" to go along with what the file actually does is a very good one.
laorui says
February 26, 2008
The Fix is used to make the vocab stick. Why not call it the glue? Vocab Glue
shungli says
March 23, 2008
if your in need of such a name changing adventure why not do something daring and change the letters around "teh fix" that would surprise them all. The Fix sounds great though, it's like sorry man I can't hang out right now I need to get my fix bro^^ ugghh.. I just need my fix so bad right now^^ ......no need to change!
rich says
March 28, 2008
I vote for it being a name in Chinese, even if it just meant "vocab review" (in pinyin of course)... having something in Chinese makes people feel like they are doing something chinese-ish. Yes, new people might not know what that means, but it could be noted somewhere about the fix. I have to agree that "The Fix" makes it quite interesting, and anything else quite boring-sounding. Just today I was joking that I needed a fix, uh, not of drugs, but just chocolate or something, and right away I thought of ChinesePod and how I never do the Fix any more. Truly, I think a catch phrase, even if it doesn't hit the meaning right on, is more important even if it gets some complains. (I'm like a month over due on writing this comment, but just found this discussion for the first time)
pchenery says
March 28, 2008
I like the "Fix" name. But if you are looking for an alternative, perhaps "Test Yourself" would be more meaningful.
pchenery says
March 28, 2008
As a follow up to my post, the "Fix" is more than just a review of the vocab. I see it as an interactive tool where I can both review the vocab, practice the pronunciation and "test myself" by listening to the English example sentence and then trying to formulate the Mandarin translation in my head (during the extended pause). Just my 2 cents...I'm sure other learners have their own methods.
memmifer says
June 6, 2008
The Workout.
chrisdo99 says
June 7, 2008
This sounds like a very very useful feature. How do I access it?
Also, how do I rate a lesson? In case you can't tell, I'm new to Chinesepod. But I love it!
Christine
man2toe says
June 8, 2008
I kinda like the double meaning that can come from the word - fix.
Fix your vocab and get a fix of vocab so, how about
The Vocab Fix
Vocab Fix
The Cpod Fix (The Spanish Fix- The French Fix etc.)
Cpod's Fix It
or the mental workout idea has some legs,
The Vocab Gym
Workout the Vocab
Or how about just straight forward-
Learn It
Cpod's Learn It Spod's Learn It Fpod's Learn It
man2toe says
June 13, 2008
Any results with the Fix adjustment? Is it Audio Review?
man2toe says
June 13, 2008
And what happened to the community based Dictionary? Searched fountain today to see if I could say 水泉 or if I should use 噴泉 but fountain is not in the glossary.
mfalkoff says
July 23, 2008
Vocabulary Review