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 enlarge | From: Rosetta Stone
Category: Software
List Price: $549.00
Buy New: $475.99
You Save: $73.01 (13%)
New (4) from $475.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  87 reviews
Sales Rank: 21
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows 2000, Windows Xp, Mac Os X, Windows Vista
Media: CD-ROM
Edition: Level 1, 2 & 3
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 6.5 x 3
Model: 20988
UPC: 794678209888
EAN: 0794678209888
ASIN: B001AFFZM2
Release Date: June 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Easy and complete system for learning a language July 29, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I've always wanted to learn Spanish. Installing the software and reading about the product in the "Getting Started" card that came with it, I began to see that this was more than just a language software. It's a unique system. It not only teaches you through a process they call "Immersion", which provides the building blocks for learning, it comes with a USB headset/mic to allow you to interact with the voice recognition system. There are parts of the system where you speak into the microphone to say the phrase you are learning. The system will analyze and tell you that you repeated the phrase correct or not.
In the very first series of lessons, you are provided with a picture and a phrase above it. You begin to associate the phrase with the photo. Then, you say the phrase and match the pronounciation. Next you are provided with the same phrase and several pictures and asked to click on the photo that matches the phrase. You begin to understand the appropriate phrase and it's use in everyday life. I learned right from the beginning that Spanish has a masculine and feminine identification. Ever wonder the difference between "La" and "El"?
Also included are audio CDs that you can use to hear phrases and continue to learn how they are applied.
This system is great. If I knew learning a language was this fun and easy, I would've gotten this system a long time ago.
I also like the fact that software allows you to create different users. So, if there are more than one in your family that wants to use Rosetta Stone, then you just need to create a profile for each. Then everyone can learn at their own pace and not interfere with your progress.
The software also saves your progress when you quit. So you don't have to start over when you come back.
Rosetta Stone has other languages; Japanese, French, Italian. This product is worth looking into.
The setup was very, very quick and easy. The only thing I had a problem with is the "activation" process. It said I had no connection to the Internet, and so I had to call by phone to activate the software. Not too big a deal, but once I did, it was not a problem. Activation is crucial, because without doing it you'll only have access to a limited amount of resources.
I'm very impressed with this software and highly recommend it to those who don't know a language and want to learn one.
A good program for learning Spanish from the begining July 27, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
There appears to be big plus for family use. The Rossetta stome program appears to allow many users which makes it possible to make custom progress for each user. This is an essential feature. Children appear to catch on to the method much faster than adults. While there is no surprise here, it does appear that some accomodation should be made for older users. Short of having a native speaker in the house, this program is the next best thing. There are minor flaws in the paradigm, but I think the program does what it promises, namely teach Spanish in a reasonable way and in a reasonably short time. I have not gotten far enough in the program to see if the vocabulary one develops would permit a conversation with a real person in Spain or South America, or is simply a sufficient jumping off point when you are really immersed in the Spanish speaking country. In the US, it is easy to find out if you have made progress. Just tune into Spanish language TV and see if you can follow along, then go out and try to talk to someone who has recenly come into the country from the south. My experience is that they will laugh a bit, but then help you.
Since I have experience with Rosetta Stone programs, the Spanish program installs easily. I'm new to Spannish as are my 3 grandchildren (10,8, 6) who will be working on Spanish with me along with their mom and dad. They already speak French and English fluently, but Spanish is new. The big problem is figuring out how to share the microphone. We'll probably go through each lesson series several times. So far so good ---- everyone's having fun. I'll add to this review as we progress (hopefully).
A big thing in using the Rosetta Stone program is in setting up the microphone to get nearly 100% voice recognition. The two key items are setting up in a totally quiet environment in a room with carpet to surpress echos, and second, not putting the microphone too close to your mouth where the sound of exhallation of air affects the microphone.
One thing clearly missing is a vocabulary starter in Spanish and English. The opening pictures are confusing when you do not know any Spanish words. We obtained a traditional textbook to help get started. I'm surprised that the program does not start with spoken language basics such as hello, how are you, I am fine, what is your name, my name is...etc. Perhaps we will get there in a later stage.
The book helps. Now the learning is going much more smoothly. The basic verbs and nouns are essential to have in your head before total immersion via a program really works well.
They aren't kidding! July 26, 2008
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
I have always heard good things about Rosetta Stone language software (and you cannot avoid the TV commercials no matter how hard you try), but I've never actually used any until now.
I've had this package for only a few days and have spent about 5 hours so far with it, all in Level 1. To qualify my review, I should point out that I have no formal training in Spanish. I did not have any foreign language classes at all in school. I've picked up perhaps a dozen words and a few phrases over the years, but I would classify myself as very much a beginner.
The immersion technique is wonderful. I was hesitant at first -- I'm 50 years old and out of practice when it comes to academic study -- but soon felt at ease with it. I am astounded at how much vocabulary I already have picked up and at how comfortable I am trying to "think" in Spanish after just these first few hours.
My pronunciation leaves something to be desired, but that is not the software's fault and I feel confident that this system can help me overcome that. I like the graphic way it compares what you say to the native speakers, very helpful.
I am really looking forward to finishing the entire system. Not only will that give me an excuse to vacation in Latin America :-) but also, perhaps more importantly, I hope to qualify then as bilingual which can help a lot in the job market nowadays.
It's pricey, yes, but if you must achieve basic command of a language in a compact amount of time (or just don't have the patience to spend months or even years at doing so), I think this would be very effective for just about anyone, any age for that matter, and it's a lot less expensive than classroom courses I've seen for intensive language study -- plus you can do it on your own schedule and in your PJs!
A new twist to the older RS programs July 25, 2008
24 out of 27 found this review helpful
I thought to myself: Why is there yet another version of Rosetta Stone Spanish. That was enough to try out the new program with my children in mind.
First reactions: They have an option built in for home-schoolers. I thought that was kind of a neat twist to educational products on the market with any kind of national and international appeal. They are making themselves open to a new demographic and it may assist those smart little children to excel even more and assist their parents in tracking the progress of their national spelling-bee winning offspring.
Next: Very well put-together set of instructions. Everything is there and the instructions are easy to follow. There is nothing confusing and the tech-talk is entirely absent. No computer degrees are needed to install and use this software. Although an internet connection will certainly help you with registration, it is not necessary. They have a toll-free phone number to call that will enable you to register and unlock all features.
Then: I asked my 8-year old to sit down, telling her it was a program that *might* help her learn Spanish. She began to click. I didn't help at all. The first few exercises were very easy for her and she began to see the genius behind the RS program. Pictures, comparisons and a scoring system to tell her the progress that she had made. I happened to have a microphone, plugged it in and she could compare her speach pattern to the native speaker assisting her through the learning process by way of viewing a voice graph that scrolls over a timeline. She took right to it. Within three attempts, she had learned how to properly pronounce new terms. Her voice was recorded and she would listen to how she pronounced a word and then compare it on audio and by that graph to the native speaker. Very impressive and very helpful.
I will now try this with my 6-year old daughter, seeing how well and how easily the older girl dissected the lessons.
I enjoy the option to take the additional audio lessons with us while we drive. I even have a little MP3 player that I am going to load the Audio Companion on for the reinforcement value.
Well done, Rosetta Stone. I fully recommend this program!
I really like the changes in Version 3! July 25, 2008
11 out of 14 found this review helpful
I used Rosetta Stone Latin a few years ago, and although I can't recall the version or edition (home school, business, personal) I can already say that this is a more well-rounded program.
In this version, you learn a wide range of ways to communicate whether it's through reading, hearing, speaking, or writing. The writing part surprised me as my last edition never asked me to type answers. This was very refreshing, and ideal for home schoolers and parents wishing to augment their children's classroom instruction.
The speaking was not easy to set up. It took several tries at the easy level to even get the microphone to recognize my voice. I found it was better to just speak (to yourself, not the microphone) as you work your way through all the lessons and turn off the speech function.
I've used lower cost language software and none of it can compare to the effectiveness of Rosetta Stone. Rather than teaching you translation, it immerses you in the language so you associate objects with their Spanish term rather than constantly translating in your head from English to Spanish. English is not used in the program at all except for installation and startup. My seven year old daughter is especially good at this and in fact is ahead of me in lessons with a higher score.
I highly recommend this 3 level set if you are serious about learning a new language, and as long as you don't live in New York, ordering from Amazon is a huge savings on sales tax.
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