Rosetta Stone V3: German Level 1-3 Set with Audio Companion Review

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(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.


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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!

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Rosetta Stone V3: Italian Level 1-3 Set with Audio Companion Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great product that has some installation and minor sound system issues that go along with it. I am running Vista on the computer I installed the program on. Although I followed installation directions faithfully, I was unable to update the product when following the suggested steps. I could not update it until after I had completed registration, so I would advise registering the product before trying to do much else. After registering the product, updates were installed seamlessly. Updating was time-intensive, taking over ½ an hour over a DSL connection. Luckily, this appears to be an infrequent occurrence. After installing the updates, I set up the headset (a minor repair had to made--an ear piece had come apart and was easily fixed), and proceeded to try the program.
At first I was unable to try the program because of sound issues. Although my system volume was not set high, the sound coming through the headset was entirely too loud to be listened to. I had to go into my volume mixer and reset a variety of sound levels--and located the separate Rosetta Stone volume control--before volume was at a workable level. All of the tries at updating and then sound issues made for a very slow start to beginning to enjoy the software. But once all of the "dust" settled and I was able to begin the program, I was very favorably impressed.
The language-learning portion of the program is easy to use and customizable to what you wish to learn. Are you more interested in spoken language? Well, you can emphasize that and spend less time with written language. The program's approach is indeed an immersion approach and doesn't require that you spend time overtly memorizing by rote, as many approaches to learning a language seem to take. This makes the program a pleasure to use, particularly for visual/auditory learners. The more you use the program, the more you will find yourself remembering and the more success you will have in your chosen language. And, the more success you have in learning Italian, the more you will find yourself wanting to use the program. You will be learning language in the same way a native speaker of the language learns. The program creates such a positive learning experience, I find myself not wanting to miss a day of practice!
Currently, three of us are using the program, as the program does let you add users on the same computer. Everyone proceeds at his or her own pace, and you may revisit lessons and set your user interface to learn whatever aspect of language interests you most. The ability to go back and review is invaluable. You may also set up your voice recognition software to be more or less "strict" about what it finds acceptable in terms of pronunciation. One of the three program users in the household is taking an accelerated course in Italian at the local university and finds that this program is a wonderful adjunct to the live class, giving them extra practice and a pronunciation leg-up. Other than the initial set-up hurdles, the three of us give the program a very big "thumbs up." The program is well worth the price. I've taken many language classes over the years and find this to be one of the easiest and most fun approaches I've been presented with.


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Foreign language learning with Rosetta Stone Italian 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!

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DeLorme Earthmate LT-40 GPS Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a difficult item to review simply....in part because it is three different items (hardware, software, compatibility). I'll review them separately. I am an established Delorme customer, with a long history of their products (10-12 states of TopoQuads, a Xmap license, both 1.0 and 2.0 versions of 3D TopoQuad software).
The GPS unit itself is really a gem of a product in its own right and an update of the earlier Earthmate GPS units. I rate the LT-40 highly (5/5). It is small light and accurate/fast, from my experience. On a cross-country trip, it rarely was off the road centerline. My only gripe is very poor (well -- Non! ) support of this unit in earlier software products XMAP and 3DTopoQuads. This is not documented by Delorme, and in fact there is an Earthmate link and a USB option in the earlier software. Also, their web site suggests it should work, and there are instructions for installing a Serial-USB emulator that will allow it to work as an NMEA device (it didn't work!). I also obtained some support from Delorme trying to get it to operate. But their tech support had to eventually say "we don't guarantee backward compatibility..." for their own product to work with their own product. 5/5 (but see compatibility below...)
The software is good to work with in 2-D mode and follows the tried-true Delorme right panel/bottom panel navigation model. The 3-D mode does have a nice "big number" mode that is useful on the road, although the 3-D view reminds one of a bad video game and is only useful for people who absolutely cannot read maps. The routes one chooses do have to be checked and if necessary "fine tuned" by adding "via" points, but that is surely true of all navigation software. I like the customizable preferences for speed/road type. Yes the Microsoft Mary and Mike voices are dreary, but one can't blame that on Delorme (I am waiting for Microsoft Obama.....with proceeds going to the Hillary campaign fund!!). But the voice interface has great potential for vehicle work, and I plan to experiment with a microphone for software control. Voice speed can also be tinkered with, and we found that slowing Mike down made him more understandable. My main complaint is that the top-line interface is non-intuitive, with no "File/Edit" bar and just a bunch of fairly non-customizable icons. 4/5
Compatibibility: poor. No, completely lame. I think it is unconscionable how poor the support of the LT-40 is for earlier Delorme TopoQuad software, and, for that matter, why can't Street Atlas support earlier state 3-D topo quads. This is either bad design/engineering by Delorme, or extortion of users to have to re-purchase data products (I have $1500 or so invested now). This is complicated by the fact that the state TopoQuad series no longer exists and one now has to purchase the whole country in DVD (same maps...) to get new software that will work with this GPS. Come on guys -- patch your supported products to allow us to use the LT-40 with Topo Quads, or patch street atlas to work with topo quads. If the LT-40 is not supported by earlier Delorme products then you should at least have the courage (chutzpah?) to state this in black and white in marketing materials and on your web site.0/5
Average 3/5 for an excellent little GPS unit, from a very frustrated Delorme user.....

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Turn your laptop PC or UMPC into a powerful GPS navigator, with voice-guided navigation, automatic back-on-track, GPS Radar to locate travel services, and other top-end features. DeLormes newest USB-powered GPS receiver includes a new super-high-sensitivity chipset, support for ultra mobile personal computers, superior on-screen GPS displays, and updated Street Atlas USA 2009 DVD software included. New Sicroelectronics GPS chipset delivers faster satellite acquisition, and DeLorme ConstantLock technology means surefire signal retention even in challenging GPS environments. GPS tracking is easier than ever with NavMode, including optional 3-D perspective and larger, more accessible user controls. Locate over 4 million places of interest (hotels, restaurants, attractions, sports venues, and businesses of all types most with phone numbers included). Create routes automatically with user controls to ensure you take the roads you want. Calculate fuel usage and costs, and GPS-navigate with total confidence anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, and on major roads in Mexico.

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