Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)UPDATE 23 March 2009
*SERIOUS WARNING* Rosetta Stone's customer support is awful. They will hassle you like no other software company I have ever dealt with in 16 years of computing. Should you have a system crash or two, good luck trying to reactivate. Their product activation policy (2x) is preposterous. Same machine, same IP address, same e-mail, same phone number, couldn't care less. Can you imagine if you're on the road?
For the money they charge, they should bend over backwards to work with you. I would not buy this software based on this "policy". How sad and stupid. Be very careful or you'll have a $500.00 useless Yellow Box.
*SERIOUS WARNING*
There is a lot to be said for the Rosetta Stone method of picture recognition. Also, it is set up very intuitively requiring minimum computer skills on your part to engage. I was able to get it running on both a Vista x64 desktop & a Vista x32 notebook for test purposes.
The instructions are clear and easy to follow. You have a main program disc and then the level 1, 2, 3 discs as you progress. There is nothing confusing about the process. Registration is not required. However, for activation and update of downloads I strongly suggest an Internet connection be available. Immediately upon install there were updates waiting for me. Should you not be connected, there is a toll-free phone number to call that will enable you to activate and unlock all features.
My 82 year old mother was able to negotiate and understand the program as was my 10 year old nephew. Neither one was interested at first but they admitted to having fun with it.
The quality and production values of both the software and packaging are first rate with one personal annoyance. Given the dependency on images that Rosetta Stone utilizes I would have preferred more specific Germanic cultural associations and quite frankly, less multiculturalism. The picture of a couple eating soft boiled eggs from egg cups...very German; the picture of women in robes walking across the desert with bowls on their heads...not so German. This diversity is unnecessary as far as immersion is concerned, though I assume it saves on production costs since one size seems to fit all languages, however I want to learn German, not Esperanto!
That said, this is an excellent language program, especially for the beginner. It's fun and lively. Having lived in Berlin for a year (back when there was a wall) I find the accents used by the actors to be clear and precise. And the the speech recognition very forgiving. This is a good thing because there is nothing worse than impeding progress over pronunciation. Proper pronunciation comes eventually. If you are having problems with pronunciation there are a couple of things you can do. There is a slider bar in the setup to adjust the strictness of the speech recognition engine. Also, you can click on the items causing issues and there is a more intense pronunciation sub lesson complete with graph and syllable breakdown.
I like the visual associations because you are figuring things out for yourself and really building on what you know to learn something new. It's a subtle process...but it works...at least so far. German grammar has always driven me nuts but somehow this program has really polished my grammar. I only wish I had had this software when I was in Berlin. But then there were no PCs either!
The included USB microphone, while a bit flimsy and sans volume control, is none the less accurate, lightweight and perfectly up to the task. And since it's USB it makes connecting a whole lot easier. Great for a notebook.
This package also comes with the audio discs for when you're on the road or in your hotel room and need a jolt of subliminal/revisional learning without the computer. Plays in a CD or MP3.
I will have to save my pennies for the Spain-Euro-Spanish version because if this is any indication it will be superb as well.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Rosetta Stone V3: German Level 1-3 Set with Audio Companion
Foreign language learning with Rosetta Stone German Levels 1, 2&3 you connect with the world around you.With level one you begin learning fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers. Gain the confidence and enter the intermediate level where you will be able to talk about your environment; give and get directions, tell time, dine out with self-reliance, shop and enjoy basic social interactions.Taking what you've learned in Levels 1 and 2, we help you reach an advanced level of competence.This competence allows you to connect with the world around you.You will learn to share your ideas and opinions, express your feelings and talk about everyday life; your work, current events and much more.Now Rosetta Stone with Audio Companion allows the learner to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go!What is Audio Companion?Audio Companion CDs are activities that correspond to the Rosetta Stone CD-ROM software lessons. The learner can listen to Audio Companion and practice what they've been learning on the computer, turning travel time into productive language learning time.Audio Companion lets the student access the power of Rosetta Stone lessons whenever and wherever they want, they can play the CD's on a stereo, or download them to a MP3 player.It empowers the student and helps reinforce the lessons in any busy lifestyle!
Click here for more information about Rosetta Stone V3: German Level 1-3 Set with Audio Companion
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