Product Description

With Spanish (Latin America) Level 1-2-3 you connect with the world around you. Build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure. Quickly gain the confidence to enjoy social interactions such as greetings and introductions, travel

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1650 in Software
• Brand: Rosetta Stone
• Released on: 2007-08-28
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Mac OS X
• Format: CD-ROM

Features

• Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through our proficiency-based listening and reading activities
• You will pronounce words correctly after practicing with our proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools
• In no time you will speak without a script Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot
• With Rosetta Stone Milestone activities you quickly gain confidence to engage in real-life conversations
• Rosetta Stone's unique Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you in the real world

Amazon.com
Why is Rosetta Stone the world's No. 1 language-learning software? Because it works.

Escape the endless tedium of translation, memorization, and grammar drills. Get the language you want, the skills you need and the success you deserve by learning a new language naturally--the same way you learned your first language.

You learned your first language without translation.
You learned your first language easily and naturally by connecting words to objects and events around you. With Rosetta Stone, learn a new language the same way: using native speakers and thousands of real-life images to help you think in the new language from the very beginning. Studies show that learning exclusively in the new language, without translation as a crutch, is crucial.

The exclusive Dynamic Immersion method reinforces your natural language-learning skills with award-winning instructional technology. Identify your learning goals, then choose customized courses that take you there.

	The complete immersion environment puts your native language-learning skills to work, eliminating your dependence on tedious translation and rote memorization.

	Images		Intuition
	In Rosetta Stone you learn the meaning of new language from clear, real-life images. In this activity you learn colors.		You advance using language you've learned and clues from new images. That's your intuition at work. Now that you know colors, you can easily grasp the meaning of the new words...
	Interactivity		Instruction
	Throughout Rosetta Stone, you constantly interact with the program to confirm your intuition. ...and then check what you've learned.		From beginning to end you build systematically toward your language-learning goals, for the most effective and enjoyable instruction anywhere. And finally, you get the fun of trying your new language in a real-life simulation. Speech recognition shows you exactly how you're doing.

The timeless immersion method, along with research-based techniques and new technologies, make Rosetta Stone the clear solution to your language-learning needs.

What will you be able to do?

Understand everyday language.
Through Rosetta Stone’s proficiency-based listening and reading activities, you'll learn quickly.

Pronounce words correctly.
After practicing with Rosetta Stone’s speech recognition and analysis tools, pronunciation will come easily.

Speak without a script.
Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and cues you need to get the words out on the spot.

Spell and write accurately.
You'll build gradually from letters to words and sentences.

Engage in real-life conversations.
With Milestone activities, gain confidence using speech alone in simulated situations.

Retain what you learn.
The unique Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you in the real world.

Customer Reviews

REVIEW FOR ALL MAC OWNERS
BACKGROUND
Using Rosetta Stone French (v.3) on a Mac iBook G4 (10.3.9). Using home school addition. Have used it for last 6 weeks.

SUMMARY
In spite of the cost, the awkward port from Windows and difficult network set up, it's still best of class for learning a foreign language.

REVIEW
Powerful, detailed and complicated: those are the adjectives I would use to describe this program. If you want to learn the language, then this program systemically teaches it to you. It keeps record of your progress, gives tests and records your grades. It treats you as if you are a student in a classroom. Additional workbook, study guide and included microphone headset supplement the visual and audio CD disk. But having said all this, there are some things I wish as a Mac user that I would have known.

The set-up of the program is SO non-intuitive and non-mac like. This includes installation of the application and its MANY helper files needed to run in the background with the main program disk. In my former life, I was an Apple System engineer, so I am no stranger to the Mac and networks setups. But even this installation caused me to eventually have to call Rosetta's technical support for instruction. This is partially due to my complicated home network set up (I've got multiple Macs with multiple (non-Mac) Routers that work as Access Points and bridges), and partially because of the complexity of installation of the program itself. This is definitely NOT a "drag-and-drop", or "double click to un- compress" or even "double click and follow the step by step instruction" type of experience. It is "multi-step, enter by hand, enter in data and information" type of installation process.

That is what is most disappointing to me. This is a BAD PORT of a PC program. They did nothing to make the program conform to Apple program standards. This means there are many helper files (20 something??!!!) in various folders. There is a network component that HAS TO run in the background for the main language program to run. This means you have to always first launch this secondary program (or leaving it running all the time). If you run on a network (like I do), you have to assign the computer's IP address that the program is running on (can't use the default, non-network IP given by the setup program). If your computer ever is assigned a different IP address locally by your router (power goes out, etc), then you will have to make some changes or this network helper file will not launch, and therefore, the language program will not either.

Getting to the place to even begin to first use the program is a tedious and complicated process. Another helper program that keeps track of the students progress must also first be set up. The "teacher's" name, access settings, the "student's" name(s) and their access privileges must first be established. ALL THIS IS DONE AWKWARDLY AND IN AN IBM 90'S INTERFACE. Constant referring to the user guide is necessary. There is no way some one could figure out what to do by only looking at the screens.

And this is the main criticism of the program, this clunky interface, non-intuitive layout of material is the same throughout the entire presentation of the language program. The program's strengh--the detailed comprehensive, multi-media presentation of material--is also it's greatest weakness. It's hard to follow where you are, where to go, what stage you are in, how much further you have to go on any given unit, lesson or session. The implementation of more than one user account and switching between the two is counter intuitive as well.

My 16 year old daughter, is now working her way through the program and has used it enough now to understand how to advance though it. But it was a slow start. She is enjoying the program and is learning the language of her love, and I have no doubt this program is a great help, I just wish more effort and forethought was given to making it more elegant in its presentation. Basically this looks to me like a 90's program in desperate need of a face lift. While calling the toll-free tech support and talking with a couple of different individuals, you quickly come to understand these people don't fully understand the Mac. The first individual had to pass me on once he discovered my Mac issues. The second was very polite and patient and we finally got my set up to work. But it wasn't easy for them since I was on a Mac. And I bet if you call you will get the same two people, They are, after all, not a help desk, but a language learning software company.

CONCLUSION
OK, so that's it. I hope this review was helpful. I've tried to share my experience for other Mac users so they know more of what to expect before they buy the program. A program that has (from my research) no other comparison as far as best in class for learning a foreign language, but a program that--in it's implementation and presentation as far as on Macintosh computers is concerned--leaves a lot to me desired.

Tom

Grossly overrated and overpriced
I've tried out a variety of language software, and frankly, for the money, Rosetta Stone sucks.

In terms of teaching approach and ease of use, it's pretty comparable to the software available from Transparent Language... but it costs about 4-5 times as much.

Aside from expense, my biggest beef against the Rosetta Stone software is: it's BORING. It presents sets of four words at a time - a digestible number, to be sure - and then quizzes you on them before presenting the next set. But then it continues to repeat the previous words, at various intervals, without any variation in the teaching style.

Not only that; the pictures are the same across a lot of different language groups, so they're not culturally relevant. While this isn't an absolute must, I think it's easier to internalize the word for "girl" if the matching picture includes some aspect of the culture. For example: When I'm studying French and see a photo of a Chinese girl, it's not helpful, really... if anything, it's a distraction.

Overall, I'd say the Transparent Language software is a viable (and more fun) alternative for a hell of a lot cheaper. If your computer is tolerant of older software, you might try Learn to Speak Spanish by the Learning Company (re-released by eLearning - I think). The Rocket language courses online aren't bad, either. But I think the myth should be dispelled that Rosetta Stone is some magical approach to learning languages, because it's not even as good as some courses which are significantly cheaper as well.

If you do decide to buy, rest assured that Rosetta Stone DOES honor its refund guarantee, and will return your money in a timely manner. I know this from experience.

Buena suerte!

Stay away if you have Vista
Rosetta Stone is not compatible with Vista, despite claims to the contrary on their website. After spending hundreds of dollars on their software, I received it only to find that I couldn't activate the product. Apparently though the program itself is compatible, the program they use for activation is not. If you read on their website in the "system requirements page" they clearly state that they disclaim any warranties related to their product's performance with Vista.

The other big problem is their customer service. Unlike most companies, which have 24/7 support, theirs is only open from 9am-8pm M-F. If you work as much as I do, these hours pretty much mean that there is no chance you'll be able to talk to them. Once I did talk to them right before closing, the person put me back into the phone system after they had closed, forcing me to leave a message.

As a result, it took me over a month to talk to them to try and resolve my problem. Eventually, they pointed out that their product is not compatible with Vista and that the only workaround was to do a phone activation. Unfortunately, their phone activation hours are only slightly better, adding a few hours on Saturday.

For a product this expensive, I expect quality customer service rather customer service that makes you change your life to get their help. I also expect honest disclosure about their compatibility with Vista. Don't say something is Vista Compatible when it actually isn't.

Rosetta Stone, treat your high paying customers better.