Learn Italian: Fluenz Italian 1+2+3 for Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad & Android Phones, Version 3

First, a very important distinction: my quibbles apply to programs 1 & 2. My superficial glance at program 3 suggested that much changed for the better. But the 1-2-3 package is predicated on needing 1 & 2.Since I believe this to be a product with potential that many people will like, I have given this four stars even though I really disliked it myself and would rate it one star as regards my own reaction to it.In a nutshell, it is a good program ruined by the "glitz", by the intolerable background musak through the entire audio CDs and podcasts, by the narrator's incessant and annoying habit of making cute cringe-making remarks (works in person as ephemeral passing live quips, NOT in a recording to be heard over and over), and the program's insufferable visual effects that have me groping for aspirin after two minutes. Visually, everything that happens "slides" in or oozes in like an insufferable Powerpoint presentation by an eight year old who's enamoroured of the technology. Every request as to whether the next lesson should be with captions or not, and each and every phrase that appears on screen, every box outline that precedes each segment, glides or oozes in. Unbelievably, the annoying shopping center musak on the CDs and podcasts is not just for an intro (I could deal with that) but it STAYS ON! What on earth were they thinking?I hated it and returned it. But again, the shame is that the actual content is good -- it's just that it is rendered unusable.I chose Fluenz over its bigger rival Rosetta Stone because I don't believe in RS's approach of learning without direct translation. (Yes, that's how babies learn their native tongue, but it's a stupid way to teach an adult new languages.) I wanted a program that identifies the meaning and/or function of each word -- that is, a literal translation. And the only comprehensive program that I am aware of (other than just audio CDs & accompanying books) is Fluenz.The Italian levels 1-3 set comes elegantly packaged, and installs easily (Win 7 Pro). The rest has been less impressive.There are other relatively minor (but unnecessary) annoyances. For example, the program occupies only a small part of my screen, and I see no way to correct this. On the computer DVDs, the background music can be switched off during the course, but can not be stopped during start up & intro. This is bearable. On levels 1 & 2 (not 3), the teacher wears a boom mic (surely not needed to record the program!), another gimmicky touch that makes me feel like I'm watching a telemarketer.I fully expected to follow this purchase with another language from Fluenz, but that's not going happen unless the interface changes (more straight-forward, less glitz) in future versions.I just wish that the program itself had the option of saying "no" to the irritating "wow" effects, not to forcibly subject me to their canned musak. A good product, ruined, IMO.The online flashcards are excellent, but if I were to use Fluenz just for flashcards, the Byki program is better and a fraction of the price.

I've used many courses in my quest to learn Italian over the years & I've struggled with all of them. Ive purchased Rosetta Stone, Pimslure, Speed Learning Italian, Language innovations, & many others along the way. Ive spent a lot of cash along the way also! Dealing with Lung cancer along the way kept me from doing a lesson each day & my retention wasn't very good. But all the courses had/have their positive points. Rosetta Stone was my first purchase & it was good but required me to sit at a computer to do he course lessons? I didn't always feel like doing that or the computer wasn't where I was all the time. So, I purchased Pimslure. It was Great because I took the course with me everywhere I went on my iPod...but there was no visual learning. If I couldn't quite make out the word, I couldn't just go look it up ( there's no course guide to go to, to see what is being said)....or I spent hours with a translator trying to figure out exactly what was being said. So I added a few other courses & between all of them I learned basic Italian. Then, I became very sick again for ~ 4-6 months. All I felt like doing was listen to the Pimslure audio lessons once & awhile. But being sick, my retention sucked! I forgot most of what I'd learned by the time I returned to the courses. I just couldn't retain anything no matter how many hours I listened to the audio courses. Your brain is never the same after you've had 10-12 rounds of chemo in a year or two! The Rosetta Stone courses seem to be just dragging on & on never really learning anything of real use. I could tell you the color of things, give you the Italian name for a lot of things like car, boat, tree, bicycle & so on, but nothing that I could step out on the street & use to make conversation. That was until I purchased the Fluenz Itailian course. After the second lesson...approx 2hours, I was learning, re-learning & retaining the material like never before. I didn't want to stop at just one lesson per day. I had to just walk away so I didn't do too much...to fast. Now, it's sitting at my computer once again but I also have the material on audio. The lessons start off with one word of a sentence then they add the next word of the sentence explaining the what-when-where & why of that word before you move on to the next word or sentence. You see the words, you hear then & then you write the sentences adding a word each time. Example... What, what do, what do you, what do you want... & so on. Your asked to do this from written English & from spoken english....then it's reversed. Your given written Italian & spoken Italian to translate back to English. ( hope that makes sense). But the repetition drives it home. My wife thinks its funny that I can't spell crap in English, but I can spell in Italian pretty good! Now, I still use my Pimslure course religiously. You can't get too much exposure to your chosen 2nd language. Pimslure is a superb language course but not everyone learns the same way. I need both audio & visual to learn. The structure of the Fluenz course is the best at learning useful material if you learn better sitting at a computer...the Pimslure is the best if you learn better from audio only courses while driving to work, fishing, sitting on a plane & ect. But, if your like me, combine the two. They compliment each other. But if I were to have to choose just one course to use, I'd choose the Fluenz course hands down. Even if it meant I couldn't get to the computer but once or twice a week. It is set up to learn material you'll use everyday very fast...and you'll retain it better. Like the Lil Lady in the course says " you'll be able to handle yourself at a coffee shop pretty good just after the first lesson", and that is the truth. Now again, everyone learns differently. You may be a person who loves to break down sentences into verbs, adverbs, adjectives & so on. You may be one who doesnt care about that & just wants to know how to order a beer & pizza. But no matter how you learn, the Fluenz course will work for you. But if your not around the computer but just every now & again...the Pimslure course may work better for you especially if you spend all your time on a job site with just weekends home...and you want to spend those precious hours with the family & not in front of a computer. But if you have the time, the Fluenz course will be easier, faster & more rewarding. Just go to their website & try the sample lessons. One other plus for Fluenz is if you buy a course level like 1-2-3-4 all at once or one at a time, in the end it all cost the same & shipping is Free! So you can just buy as you go. You won't be pressured to buy levels 1-4 all at once to save money. Also, price wise, Fluenz is a lot cheaper than most.Hope this helps you decide which to buy. Don't go buying any of those $20-$30 courses...their worthless. Your better off to go to the Kindle Store or iTunes and get a free language course. They are actually better than those ~$25.00 courses.Arrivederci