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Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese Deluxe

3 stars (Not a replacement for a chinese teacher ... but can help you to improve your chinese skills) - I bougth this Set after 2 months of intensive chinese mandarin lessons, and it was hard for me to understand the method used by this software to teach mandarin. First, the method starts inmediatly with chinese caligraphy and not with pinyin. Second, some of the test that supose to help you to remember the vocabulary are really bad, for example the software dictates: "Ni hao" (hello/how are you) and if you write "ni hao" instead "Ni Hao!" you have a wrong answer, and you will spend your time until you understand that this software recognize capital letters and exclamation symbols in a dictation. Also one of the test ask for the opposite of the word ... and i don't have a clue where is the meaning of the word (in english), how could i know the opposite of that word in a chinese caracther Third, 3 Cds are just audio CDs with no more information than the others cds with the sofware. Fourth, one cd it's a game! Five the others Cd could be in just one! A+++: However, this pack have good graphics, a good software for voice recognition and a good chinese--->english dictionary. But doesnt replace a good chinese teacher. Lack: It doesnt have an english --->chinese dictionary (very important), just have like four lessons (common expressions, clothes, animals, etc). Doesnt have a tool to help you with your chinese caligraphy (i have another software that includes one, and it's really useful) Starts toooo fast with chinese caracthers. It's a funny software.. can help you... but it's not for beginners and not for advanced students PD: Sorry... for my english ... my first language it's spanish, From the south of the world Carolina from Chile 1 stars (Where to start?) - Wow, I wish I had read these other reviews before buying Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese Deluxe . I'm a beginner trying to learn the language because my girlfriend is Chinese. But when I put the CD i...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Asian :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese Deluxe

Instant Immersion English Platinum

Instant Immersion English Platinum ...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: ESL :: English Second Language :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion English Platinum

Rand McNally StreetFinder and TripMaker Deluxe

1 stars (Rand McNally should have stood in bed. . .) - I don't think a thorough review of this is in order, because YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BUY IT. While it has some cute features, the main problem is that it DOESN'T KNOW ANY ADDRESSES of anyone I've tried to find. My own house has been here 50 years and the address is not in the program. '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC' is not there (though 'White House' is). None of my friends' addresses are there. It seldom can even find an intersection ('no match found'). On the other hand, Microsoft Streets & Trips has 90% of the addresses I've asked it to find. Too bad, because the GPS interface on R-M is good and it's exceedingly primitive on Streets & Trips. 4 stars (What program are these people using?) - I am surprised to see the many negative comments on this product. The only issue I have had with it is that my GPS initially did not work properly. This was due to Windows XP recognizing it as a serial pointing device and had nothing to do with the software. I had the same issue with streets and trips. Once I got that ironed out, it has worked perfectly for me. I used it recently to plan a cross country trip and it worked fine. I was able to get back on track a couple of times when I took a wrong turn simply by using the GPS for reference. I see that some complained that you have to be online to use the program but this is not true. You DO need to be online to get current updates on road construction, but this should be done before leaving home where you have internet access anyway, not on the road. I think that perhaps people are expecting a lot from a program that costs less than 50 bucks. Take the tutorials included with the program, plan your trip at home or in the hotel, not on the road and use a little common sense and it will work fine for you. My only complaint would be that there is no option to update the street-level city maps via the internet. 1 stars (Dont Even waste your time with this Software) - Wh...
Topics Entertainment :: Hobby Hobbies :: Map Info (Mapinfo) :: Route :: Travel Planners (Planning) :: Maps (Mapping) :: Dictionary (Dictionaries) :: Encyclopedia (Encyclopedias) :: Referen :: Rand McNally StreetFinder and TripMaker Deluxe

World Talk - Learn Russian - Intermediate Level

World Talk - Learn Russian - Intermediate Level ...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Cyrillic :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: World Talk - Learn Russian - Intermediate Level

Middle School Success Deluxe 2006 DW DVD

Middle School Success Deluxe 2006 (DW DVD) ...
Topics Entertainment :: Secondary Education (High School) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Kids (Children) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Middle School Success Deluxe 2006 (DW DVD)

Instant Immersion Italian 5 CD-ROM Set

1 stars (Instant Aversion) - Bought version 2.0 of this at a local bricks & mortar retailer. I couldn't get the software on disc 1 to work. Exchanged the disc - tried it on a few different computers but no luck, so I'm shopping for something else now. 2 stars (Not practical for actually speaking Italian) - I received this item as a gift to prepare for my vacation in Italy. This CD is good for a young child who just wants to learn very, very basic words and phrases. You learn a handful of phrases you might need but that is about it. And the other customer was correct, the 2nd CD in Talk Now is completely italian and contains words and complete sentences that were never even introduced in the first CD. If you want to have your 7 yr old child impress his/her grandparents by knowing how to count in Italian or know how to say colors in Italian, this is great. However if you want to learn to actually somewhat converse in Italian, skip this CD. 3 stars (Hard to actually learn the language) - The first CD teaches vocabulary. After having fun with this, I popped in the second CD. I found that the second CD is all in Italian and that the vocabulary words I learned from the first CD were not nearly enough for me to understand the full Italian sentences spoken on the second CD. There is nothing here -- on any of the CDs -- to really teach Italian sentences. It's a struggle to learn anything but vocabulary from this. Caveat emptor. ...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Italian :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Italian (5 CD-ROM Set)

Math Success Deluxe 2006 DW DVD

Math Success Deluxe 2006 (DW DVD) ...
Topics Entertainment :: Secondary Education (High School) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Math Success Deluxe 2006 (DW DVD)

Vocabulary Builder Cantonese

Vocabulary Builder Cantonese ...
Euro Talk :: Foreign Language - Dictionaries & Phrase Books :: Chinese :: Topics Entertainment :: :: Vocabulary Builder Cantonese

Instant Immersion German Deluxe

3 stars (Not for beginners) - I don't know any German and I am really struggling with these CD's. They don't give you any instructions on which CD's to use first. I installed the beginner software and tried that first - I couldn't understand most of what they presented. Then I listened to the audio CD's (there are three, each with different content,) and that helped a little. The audio CD's are more helpful and I think you're actually supposed to listen to those first before trying the software. I hope to use this software when I become a little bit more familiar with German. 3 stars (Not beginner software) - I received a B.A. in German in 1998 and spent a year in Kassel on a university exchange in 1996-1997. Since I haven't used my language skills in several years, I wanted to get something to help me get my skills back. I seriously doubt a beginner will enjoy this software. The beginner disks don't have any introductory phrases, doesn't discuss the alphabet, or numbers until you have already been forced to learn that hundreds of people get off the train everyday, creating a large crowd. How about teaching, "Guten Morgen," "Guten Tag," and "Guten Abend," or "Mein Name ist..." before learning "Erscheinung des Totes" is a "Gespenst"? As for the person who said "...the software recognizes your voice and can correct your pronunciation mistakes." Not true. I can say "Morgen" with a thick Southern accent and poor inflection and still receive 7/7 bars! If you want the ROMs for your computer, save yourself some money and buy the 5 disc set for $20. If you are a true beginner, listen to the additional 3 audio CDs in the set to get some basic "listening/speaking" skills, before using the ROMs. As for someone who already has a background in German and needs to brush up, this software will do. 5 stars (Self Paced Instruction) - This is really a great tool that fits a variety of needs. First of all, it helps someone like myself continue my study of the language that...
Topics Entertainment :: German :: Learn learning :: French :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion German Deluxe

Talk Now- Learn Pashto - Beginning Level

Talk Now! Learn Pashto - Beginning Level...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Talk Now- Learn Pashto - Beginning Level

Instant Immersion Spanish 5 CD-ROM Set

5 stars (Awesome....learning fast!!!) - My husband and I bought this item in hopes of being able to understand some of the locals in Mexico (we go there quite often). So far, we absolutely love this program! We've both learned more in one weekend of using the program than in the months we spent trying another program. I am currently on the second disc (out of 5) and he is nearing the end of disc one. We've also looked at disc 4 (the picture dictionary...a great disc!). We also downloaded the Spanish-English Dictionary bonus disc. I would buy this item again in a heartbeat! 1 stars (Beware, only Castillian spoken here) - This set is fine if you only want to learn Spanish in the Castillian accent. Castillian is a rare accent that you will encounter in certain areas of Spain. No Latin American countries use Castillian! You'd be better off with a different set of software if you truly want to learn the Spanish that most native speakers use. 5 stars (Very Helpful for Beginners) - Excellent in presentation, the only disappointment is that it is teaching the "th" sound that you find in Spain, not in Mexico, but all in all an excellent product. ...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Portuguese :: Spanish Espanol :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Spanish (5 CD-ROM Set)

Math Success 2005 Large Box

1 stars (Not what I expected at all) - I was initially excited to obtain this collection of Math cd's after reading the positive reviews. Intended to brush up on my math aptitude and be used by a younger home school family member. I started with the Algebra I CD and to my dissatisfaction, the complete format of the program, designed to teach/explain the problems, confused me and I am a college graduate. The audio voice that would go through the problems would talk to fast and no pause button is available to stop at certain points of the speedy and quick lecture. (Not a big deal, but it bugged me) This was not at all what I expected and desired. I was hoping for a study guide that would go step by step and explain WHY and WHAT was being done. I actually have an OLD Algebra I CD from about 10 years ago that is much better than this 2005 edition. My advice to anyone considering buying this item as a study guide would be to look elsewhere and quite possibly stick with books. Sure this CD set provides math problems and solutions, but the explanation and understanding is totally inadequate. 3 stars (Good and Bad) - The good - so far I have been using this software a short time and I really like the practice section. The bad: Hey, I have a high powered PC - what is the deal with the choppy voice audio? And where were the QA testers? The little certificate after the subtraction practice has subtraction spelled wrong... subtarction. It prints it wrong on the screen and the printed output. Come on guys that is an easy one. :) Makes me wonder what else I will run in to that was missed. 5 stars (Math Success 2005) - This product has truly helped my son increase his scores on his school test and Pre-SAT scores. This product is absolutly a great. I am very pleased with what it can do to help my son in his grade. ...
Topics Entertainment :: Secondary Education (High School) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Math Success 2005 (Large Box)

Webster-s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus Jewel Case

Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (Jewel Case)...
Topics Entertainment :: Dictionary (Dictionaries) :: Encyclopedia (Encyclopedias) :: Reference :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Webster-s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (Jewel Case)

Instant Immersion Arabic Jewel Case

1 stars (Big Disappointment) - The first CD - Talk Now! - was nice for learning some basic vocabulary items and expressions. It's good to know before you buy it that you get nothing but vocabulary, no grammar at all. The second CD surprised me because I imagined it would be more of the same, but you can't use the second CD UNLESS YOU ALREADY KNOW ARABIC! That struck me as bizarre, since I expected the second to build on the first. But they were miles apart in level. 5 stars (Great intro to Arabic) - If you are comfortable using computers, and you want a fun way to learn very basic arabic words and phrases, this is an excellent program for the money. Areas covered include numbers, colors, food, countries, shopping, etc. Fun quizzes and matching games as well. I recommend any of the Instant Immersion language cd's. 4 stars (USEFUL AND PRACTICAL) - THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN BY ONE WHO IS AN ARABIC MEET-UP COORDINATOR AND TEACH ARABIC ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS TO ARABS. I THINK THIS CD IS DEFINITELY USEFUL FOR IMPROVING YOUR RECOGNITION OF THE LANGUAGE, AND THE SOUNDS OF THE LANGUAGE. NOW IT IS NOT THE END ALL AND BE ALL OF LEARNING ARABIC. YOU WILL NEED OTHER MATERIALS LIKE A BOOK... I USE THE 100 WORDS AND THE READ AND SPEAK ARABIC FOR BEGINNERS FOR MY CLASS. I HAVE YET TO USE THIS CD BUT ONE OF MY STUDENTS HAS IT AND LIKES IT.... I HAVE CHECKED IT OUT AND LIKE HOW IT TEACHES YOU TO SOUND THINGS, HAS A GAME TO SEE HOW WELL YOU REMEMBER... ...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Arabic (Jewel Case)

Instant Immersion Japanese Deluxe

1 stars (One of the worst ever) - I have tried many different language programs and this is by far the worst. I couldn't even figure out how to use the thing. I really that learning a new language isn't easy, but this is by no means the proper way to go about it. The software is confusing, there is no reference book, and it is definately not for beginners. Stay away from this program. 3 stars (Lots of information, little direction.) - It's as clear as the title. When I got this I had no idea what to do and was confused about whether or not I bought a bad product. Once you give it some time though, you realize there is a lot to it (not the language, of course there's a lot to that, but the software). It's lacking direction almost entirely though, so that means you'll need to put in a good amount of effort. Doesn't that make sense though? You couldn't seriously think you could learn a language with a new set of characters without putting in effort did you? It just takes some figuring out. It's good to start off with the blackbelt disc and learn the kanji and then after you've spent some time on that try the other set of discs. Switching back and forth seems the best way to do it. Since you don't have a tutor (but you can get a 2 week online tutor for free) it might be good to make up your own excercises or something. I just used a method from learning spanish. Write the word in english, then write the kanji version of it twice, then write the romanji form of it so that you know how to pronounce it. Writing and studying will help you learn. I'm unsure exactly about whether or not I'm writing correctly. I haven't gotten that far in the program yet though. 3 stars (Difficult, but effective with help) - After owning this program for two days, I can confidently tell any prospective buyer that this is a SUPPLEMENT program. As mentioned before, it has no clear beginning or process to it. You are brought to a menu with links to such things as "Dialogue" "Exercises" "Prono...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Asian :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Japanese Deluxe

Talk Now- Learn Armenian - Beginning Level

Talk Now! Learn Armenian - Beginning Level...
Topics Entertainment :: Learn learning :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Talk Now- Learn Armenian - Beginning Level

Kaplan GMAT-GRE-LSAT 2004 Deluxe Edition

1 stars (For GMAT, avoid this dog!) - I bought this product to help me study for the GMAT. I was particularly interested in the PDA flashcards for the GMAT so I could study on the go. There are two major issues with this product for me: 1) They do not explicitly say that the included software is identical to the GMAT 800 software, which I had already bought. Not too big of a deal, since I really just wanted the PDA software, but it would have been nice if this were noted in the product description. 2) Many of the PDA flashcards have serious errors on them. On the flashcards, there is a Question tab, and an Answer tab. For some flashcards, the answer on the answer tab wasn't even one of the options. On other flashcards, the description isn't correct, or leaves out special cases (and is thus wrong). They obviously put this product out too early and/or did not subject it to any quality control, and I have not seen any updates on their website. Actually, I haven't seen ANY updates for anything on their site. If I could do it over, I would have just bought the GMAT 800 book/CD combo instead. The flashcards are virtually worthless. ...
Topics Entertainment :: Interactive :: Study Skills :: Test Preparation (Prepare preparing prep) :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Kaplan GMAT-GRE-LSAT 2004 Deluxe Edition

Educator-s Choice Phonics and Reading Excelerator Grades 1-4

Educator's Choice Phonics and Reading Excelerator Grades 1-4...
Topics Entertainment :: Secondary Education (High School) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Kids (Children) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Educator-s Choice Phonics and Reading Excelerator Grades 1-4

Instant Immersion Chinese

Instant Immersion Chinese ...
Topics Entertainment :: Asian :: Learn learning :: Foreign Languages (Language) :: Reference :: Education (Educational) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Instant Immersion Chinese

WorldBook Encyclopedia 2005 2 CD Set

3 stars (Good Product.) - World Book 2005 is a good software product. The content is not as good as Encarta 2005 in my experience. It is just not as complete or encompassing. Of course, no comparison to EB 2005 textual content need be made as EB is obviously much more academic. That being said EB 2005 is horrible software and ruins the experience. WB 2005 is fast and well organized. Good for casual browsing as it has a random browsing feature which Encarta 2005 does not really have. Encarta 2005 has a Visual Browser but you have to already have an idea of a topic your interested in. I am glad I purchased this product. If I want further info on a topic, I can search it on Encarta as well. I really would not purchasee Encyclopedia Brittanica 2005 software. It is just way to slow. See my review of the Deluxe cd version of that product. I gave it a one star. ...
Topics Entertainment :: Secondary Education (High School) :: Education (Educational) :: Dictionary (Dictionaries) :: Encyclopedia (Encyclopedias) :: Reference :: Kids (Children) :: Compu :: WorldBook Encyclopedia 2005 (2 CD Set)