Alan Buckingham

Been looking to learn a foreign language? Depending on your skills for such things it can be easy or difficult – we're all different. Some people seem to pick them up like a magnet and others struggle. But these days it's easier to at least try. No more classes or books, you can do it right online.

Babbel is one of many online services willing to help you and it has a number of languages available to choose from so you can learn to be bi-lingual.

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Are you ready for one of the biggest nights in music? The Grammy awards are just hours away from kicking off and many fans are likely wondering how they can watch the festivities live. For those without cable that is a real concern.

Everything kicks off tonight at 8pm ET and it will be hosted by James Corden. If you are one of those of a growing number that don't have cable TV then there are no worries, providing you do have a Roku.

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If you have used a streaming service like Netflix then you know the value of profiles. In a household of two or more people, profiles keep things sane. Especially when two people watch the same show, but not always on the same schedule -- you can each have it in your profile to keep track of which episode you're both on.

It may seem like simple technology, but it's something Hulu has lacked since its inception. While the service has grown in both terms of popularity and shows available, separating things has never been possible.

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Ultra HD and 4K are all popular words these days. It's the latest in TV and everyone is jumping on board. It costs a bit of money, as it requires a new TV, something manufacturers have been looking for a way to push since HD became common and sales slowed down. 3D didn't work out so well, but 4K seems to be more popular.

Now Netflix, the popular streaming movie and TV show provider, as well as a purveyor of original content, is bringing it's 4K Ultra HD to Microsoft's latest operating system.

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2016 is drawing to a close and we're already looking forward to everything a new year will bring. It gets started quick when the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off 2017, but before we start ogling at all those products that may or may not ever see a store shelf, it's time to take a glance back at the year that was.

Many products showed up on the BetaNews doorstep this year and we all worked hard to bring you an overview of them so you'd know what to buy and what to avoid. Now it's time for me to take a look at a few of my favorite items from the past 12 months.

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Not long ago we told you that Sling TV was testing a cloud DVR, something that previously annoyed cable providers. At the time, and now, the service is in beta testing and you must sign up and be chosen to get in.

The good news is that you can still sign up, but the bad news is that it filled up pretty quickly and you may be waiting for a while.

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Looking for that last minute gift? You're running out of time, and some things are simply just no longer available. Many of the hottest devices this shopping season have proven tough to come by -- not really a surprise, as it's been this way every time for years.

While Amazon is offering free shipping (for Prime customers) through today, some things simply are not there and you won't be getting them in time.

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Regardless of whether or not you're a country music fan, you almost certainly know the name Garth Brooks. The famed musician is married to another icon of that genre, Trisha Yearwood. While both still tour and remain popular performers, the latter can also be found cooking on Food Network, sometimes with her husband in the kitchen.

While Brooks retired years ago, it was simply in favor of spending time with his kids, and he's since made a comeback. But getting ahold of his music has proven troublesome.

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On a day that we expect to see the repeal of North Carolina's controversial passage of House Bill 2, which cost the state millions of dollars in lost revenue thanks to performers cancelling concerts, businesses moving out and the NBA changing the venue for its All-Star game, we have one more state looking for a problem where one doesn't exist.

A representative in the state of South Carolina wishes to place a porn block on all new computers sold within its boundaries.

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British Telecom, more commonly known as BT, is the top UK supplier for broadband. However, "top" doesn't always mean best, and in this case the point is proven. The London headquartered company is the subject of a new report.

Regulator Ofcom is announcing its findings for the third quarter of 2016 and BT is number one for customer complaints, averaging a whopping 36 per-100,000 customers, a number that is almost double the industry average.

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Sling TV is a name familiar to many people, especially those who no longer use cable or satellite for their TV service. The alternative brings cable-like live TV to the home, it just comes in through an internet connection. It also works with most devices you have -- phones, tablets, Roku, Fire TV and more.

Now Sling is rolling out an update designed to make things just a bit more user-friendly. It is rolling out now and includes several key items.

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Waiting for the new season of Game of Thrones? Perhaps you like some other show that airs on a premium network such as HBO or Cinemax. There's no shortage of exclusives -- regardless of your tastes you're bound to find something that suits you.

Well, if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber then the wait is over. Both HBO and Cinemax are arriving on the premium subscription service.

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Cord-cutters are certainly aware of services such as Sling TV and devices like Roku, the latter also being popular even with those who still retain a cable or satellite connection. There are drawbacks to some of this since you can't record a show you'll miss, though Sling does allow you to go back and watch what has already aired -- on certain channels.

Now Sling wants to change all of that, bringing a cloud DVR to its service. The new release is a slow roll out and is beta only. However, the stats on it are promising.

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If you happen to own the Amazon Echo and also happen to have a Fire Tablet sitting around, then you have an update for the tablet that has either arrived or soon will. Version 5.3.2 brings a very interesting feature that many users have been clamoring for.

This update rolls Alexa into the mix, bringing voice control to the handheld device. This means you can access the Echo from anywhere in your home, even out of voice range.

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Fake news stories are on the rise, spreading across the internet via social media. They spread at a quickening rate thanks, in large part, to well-known people sharing them. Now some services are cracking down on these stories, but is it too late?

Just recently we learned that both Google and Facebook are clamping down on the spread of fake news stories, with Google withholding ads that appear on sites it deems to contain misleading content.

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