Just wanted to let you guys know about another resource that has popped up recently and mentioned in a couple other places I visit (but not here yet I think).

It's called RhinoSpike ( http://rhinospike.com ), kind of like a lang-8 but for audio recordings. Well not really but you request any text to be read in that language and somebody posts an audio file of that text free to download. Of course it relies on you doing the same for them. Mandarin currently is in 4th place by amount of material available.

Check it out, it's free it's fresh, and unlike real rhinos won't hurt you.

*I have no affiliation with the site and have just found out about it myself

*pps. read the newsletter, 4458 characters in 2.4 minutes per character, only 180 hours? WTF!!!!! :) Good job, so jealous.