| Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion | 
 enlarge | From: Rosetta Stone
Category: Software
List Price: $549.00
Buy New: $494.10
You Save: $54.90 (10%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 333
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows Xp, Mac Os X, Windows Vista, Windows 2000
Media: CD-ROM
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 6.5 x 2.8
Model: 21785
UPC: 794678217852
EAN: 0794678217852
ASIN: B001AFFYSW
Release Date: June 16, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through proficiency-based listening and reading activities, proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools | | • | Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot | | • | Milestone activities quickly give you confidence to engage in real-life conversations; Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you | | • | Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go | | • | Build a foundation and navigate your surroundings: learn fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Rosetta Stone Personal Edition contains everything you need to start learning a language. It's built around our award-winning Rosetta Stone curriculum, which has been adopted by organizations around the world including the U.S. Army, NASA, major corporations such as Deutsche Telecom, IKEA, Royal Dutch Shell, and over 10,000 schools worldwide--and is available in 31 languages spoken by over 90% of the world's population. The Fastest, Easiest Way to Learn a New Language Proceed at Your Own Pace
Rosetta Stone is considerate of your time. Anytime, anywhere, you can learn a new language with Rosetta Stone. You learn comfortably without feeling pressured or overwhelmed. Rosetta Stone provides guidance to make your language learning effective, fast, and enjoyable with a process that is intuitive, interactive, and visually engaging. At the end of each lesson, you are given the opportunity to test your new skills. And, since Rosetta Stone automatically records your progress, you can easily pick up where you left off, when other priorities arise. | The comprehensive language-learning solution that fits your life. 
Learn Naturally
Learn your next language the same way you learned your first language. Dynamic Immersion empowers you to see, hear and comprehend without translating or memorizing. You already have this ability, Rosetta Stone simply unlocks it. Engage Interactively
Get feedback to move forward. You learn best by doing, and you'll apply what you've learned to get to the next step. Rosetta Stone adapts to your individual needs and skills, because you drive the program with your progress. Speak Confidently
Start speaking immediately. From the very first lesson, you'll speak. You'll begin with essential basics, which form the building blocks of the language. Soon you'll create new sentences on your own using words you've learned. Have Fun
Best of all, Rosetta Stone is addictive. With every entertaining activity, you'll feel success. You'll want to use Rosetta Stone to have that next moment, that next breakthrough. So you'll keep using it, and you'll learn more! | Make Language Learning Intuitive with Dynamic Immersion
Rosetta Stone uses rich visual imagery to help you learn. You will be presented with sets of images to match correctly with a spoken or written phrase in the new language. You will advance to the next set of prompts once you've successfully matched words and images and pronounced the words correctly. With Dynamic Immersion, you learn by directly associating your new language with images--nothing is lost in translation. Fun, Easy, and Immediate Reinforcement
Interactive exercises create a learning environment that is engaging and game-like--it's fun! How It Works As children, we gradually learned our first language through a process of associating mental images with words or phrases, accompanied by complete immersion in our environment. This approach was simple because it was natural and allowed the brain to adapt to increasing complexity. Rosetta Stone recreated this natural way of learning by developing a method that uses a computer to mimic the environment in which we learned our first language. We call this Dynamic Immersion. A simple, intuitive interface and advanced technology confirms learning at every step of the process by prompting you to make connections between images you already understand and the new language. You receive immediate feedback, which helps you to reinforce learning. This systematic structure builds from simple nouns and verbs to more complex concepts and phrases very quickly, helping you achieve your language-learning goals faster than you ever thought possible. Level 1, 2 & 3--Connect With the World 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, dining out, giving and getting directions, shopping and other recreational activities. Learn to share your ideas and opinions, express your feelings and talk about everyday life, your work, your interests, current events, and much more. Features & Benefits Faster and More Effective
Rosetta Stone will teach you as fast as you can learn! Leveraging your natural language-learning ability, Version 3 immerses you immediately in the new language, providing just the right context to prompt you to speak, pronounce, read and write in the very first lesson! Intuitive, sequential learning builds progressively and makes every lesson count. Our Dynamic Immersion method is so fast and so effective, it's used by the Fortune 500, the U.S. State Department, and over 10,000 schools. Convenient
You pick the time, the place and the pace! We are ready when you are because there are no class schedules or missed lessons to make up. From your desk or your dining room, your valuable time can be turned into productive language learning that fits your lifestyle. Enjoyable
When something is fun, it captures your attention...and holds it! The interactivity in Version 3 instantly engages you. Rich, vivid imagery, real-life context and voices of native speakers make Rosetta Stone different from any other product out there--never tedious or boring. Rosetta Stone provides a captivating, game-like experience. Milestones
Learn and apply! Our MILESTONE feature lets you try out your new language knowledge in real-life situations. Track Your Progress
New ADAPTIVE RECALL feature tracks your progress, reinforcing your strengths and revisiting your development areas. New Speech Recognition Technology
State-of-the-art new speech recognition technology helps you learn to speak your new language even faster. And our new Speech Analysis Tool compares your voice to that of native speakers, helping you perfect your pronunciation. Life-like Context
Our New CONTEXTUAL FORMATION feature uses real-life simulations and vivid imagery to give you exactly the context you need to produce new language--all on your own! Level 1, 2 & 3 Set Includes: The Basics
Nouns, verbs, adjectives, numbers, questions, colors, clothing. Friends and Family
Ages, family relations, household items, introductions, landmarks, states, descriptions. Work and School
Times of day, greetings, calendar terms, body parts, speaking, personal hygiene. Shopping
Buying, selling and shopping; entertainment and sports; merchandise, speed and weight, comparing and contrasting. Travel
Destinations, transportation, directions, locations, telling time, distance, cost, weather. Past and Future
Tenses, letter writing, school subjects, signs, workplace terms, polite requests. Friends and Social Life
Months of the year, arrivals and departures, social interaction, celebrations, meal courses, quality terms, apologies. Dining and Vacation
Future tense; terms for art, architecture and music; emotions, places of worship, travel and lodging. Home and Health
Terms for home, garden and backyard activities; household items and appliances; terms for strength and physical activity. Life and World
Emotions, continents, life milestones, oceans, botanical terms, terms for animals. Places and Events
Opinion and judgments, currency exchange and transactions; measurements, household repair tools, culinary terms. Talking About the World
Nationalities, governmental leaders, political terms, media terms, business terms, religious terms. Doing things!  Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go. | Audio Companion--Taking Rosetta Stone to the Next Level Introducing Audio Companion from Rosetta Stone, the newest enhancement to the world's #1 language-learning software! It's a great addition to the Rosetta Stone experience, allowing you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go! What is Audio Companion?
Audio Companion CD-ROMs enhance language learning anytime, anyplace. You can learn new skills on the computer, and then reinforce them with Audio Companion. Play the CDs on a stereo, or download them to a MP3 Player and go! Enhance the Rosetta Stone Learning Experience
Audio Companion activities correspond to Rosetta Stone CD-ROM software lessons. You can listen to Audio Companion and practice what you've been learning, turning travel time into productive language learning time. Extend Study Time
Now, you don't have to stop learning when you leave your computer. Audio Companion lets you access lessons whenever and wherever you want. It empowers you, and works within your busy lifestyle! Build Vocabulary and Pronounce Words and Phrases
Audio Companion features distinct words and shorter phrases to make them easier to hear and repeat. Build good enunciation habits by hearing native speakers pronounce them first. Speak and Converse
The speaking portion of Audio Companion lets you listen to questions and answers, repeating them to use later. To help them build your conversation skills, first you'll listen to a conversation and then repeat phrases individually.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 Innovative but Imperfect August 27, 2008
The "Rosetta Stone" language programs use an immersion technique to
teach language, where all the lessons are done in the language you're
looking to learn. The idea is that it is how we all learn language in
the first place, so it's the most logical way to learn a second
language.
There are several styles of exercise in the Rosetta Stone program.
The simplest version presents a word in the new language, along with
several pictures, one of which matches. Sometimes the word is spoken,
sometimes written, and usually both. More complex variations will
present a number of phrases, which form a pattern, and ask the student
to complete the pattern on a fourth phrase.
For example, one exercise might give the student "The man is wearing
pants," "The man is wearing a hat," "The woman is wearing a hat," and
a picture of a woman wearing pants. The student then has to give back
the sentence, "The woman is wearing pants."
Again, there are different ways to do this. Sometimes, it's a
multiple-choice question, where the program will offer, "The woman/man
is wearing pants/a hat," and ask the user to select the appropriate
words to fill in the blank. Other times, the student must speak the
entire sentence into a microphone. (A USB headset/microphone is
provided.)
This voice recognition is the most disappointing part of the program
to me. Simply put, it's not nearly as good as a person. There have
been many times where I've said an incorrect answer - knowing I'd
messed it up as the words left my mouth - and had the program mark it
as correct, and vice versa. As the program always repeats the correct
answer back, once it thinks you've given it, you shouldn't get led too
far astray.
All in all, the Rosetta Stone software looks like an effective way to
learn the rudiments of a language. It excels at teaching and drilling
vocabulary, and in offering many excellent examples of correct
pronunciation. It falls short of its goals in being able to validate
the student's pronunciation, and in teaching subtle points of grammar.
For those, supplementing the program with conversation with a native
speaker, and a decent textbook will be invaluable.
Great for learning to speak August 22, 2008
I've used Rosetta Stone for both German and Japanese. It's wonderful for learning to SPEAK a new language, but isn't great when it comes to learning to WRITE and READ new languages. Very easy to use, lessons broken up into segments which is good if you want to do a few minutes a day.
Rosetta Stone Japanese - Great Product, But Use With Other Tools August 21, 2008
Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion is a great program and is definitely speeding up my language learning. I have studied and used several languages for work, and Japanese has been on my list for a while. Like most tools this software should probably be used in combination with other tools. Learning the Kanji character alphabet will probably be the hardest with the included method. While it does help you with building a vocabulary, learning the intricacies of the various formal tenses is also something that may need to be augmented. Still, this is an excellent resource for the serious language learner who wants to learn a little bit at a time. The high cost may stop some people but overall it's probably worth it for those serious about learning Japanese.
The Product
The product that includes the 3 levels is definitely a better value than the single level products, which won't provide enough content to allow even basic speaking ability. Included you will find:
1) Nice quality printed manuals
2) Software CDs for all 3 levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced
3) Audio companion CDs for all 3 levels, also a huge extra and well worth the extra $50
4) A basic computer headset with headphones and a microphone
Overall, the box seems somewhat small. But once you see all that's included within it, you will understand where your money went. There's a lot of content packed on those disks, which is what you pay for.
The Method
The full immersion method forces you to avoid the traditional translation of other learning methods. The good thing is that it helps you to quickly gain the basics in terms of vocabulary and comprehension. The challenge is of course that you must work much harder to learn grammar and written syntax. This version does allow you to see and learn some characters along with the lessons, but most serious learners will still want to augment this immersion method with some traditional study too.
The software allows you to focus on language areas. There is less emphasis on repetition within modules, but you can repeat them as desired if you prefer drills. The USB headset allows you to repeat phrases and improve your accuracy, which also facilitates learning. The structure is very good and the integrated visuals along with the audio will allow you to gain confidence quicker than other methods. Since many people learn visually and others learn by hearing, this method allows both groups to learn effectively.
You can also begin to learn to read basic Japanese characters by selecting that option. The program allows you to select traditional roman characters or Japanese. There are also exercises that test your comprehension by making selections onscreen.
The method may be overwhelming at first for some people, but is actually easier than traditional learning. The only qualms I have with it is that I personally do learn a little better with traditional grammar and repetition methods.
The Software
The software is very good, but not error free. I was somewhat surprised by how demanding it was. I did experience a few errors that required me to restart the program, as well as some general slowness moving between sections. I recently upgraded the RAM on my computer, and have had more responsiveness since then. However, you are limited to installing this on one machine as far as I could tell. So from that perspective, make sure you install it on a good one that you feel comfortable with.
The audio companions are perhaps more akin to traditional programs I am familiar with. These have been a great addition for me. I started out only using the software and have begun to augment with the CDs too.
The Alternatives
The Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3 version doesn't include the audio companion, but as far as I'm concerned this version is well worth the small premium relative to that one. Similarly, you can buy each level individually but getting them together is a much better value.
Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1,
Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 2,
Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 3
Coming from somebody who is used to learning a language from a combination of Barron's programs and books, this program is a very welcome addition to my toolbox. I would still recommend using those other programs to augment your study though. Particularly, books on characters like Essential Kanji: 2,000 Basic Japanese Characters Systematically Arranged For Learning And Reference, Schaum's Outline of Japanese Grammar and Japanese Kanji Flashcards, Vol. 1 (Third Edition) are going to be very useful if you need to learn for more than just conversation.
Relatively speaking, I suppose the Pimsleur programs like Japanese III - 2nd Ed.: Learn to Speak and Understand Japanese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Language Program)would be considered comparable in price to these, though they are also more expensive if you buy each level individually. Relative to those, there is no comparison. This software approach wins hands down and is actually a better value.
Conclusion
This is a great language program and should do the trick if, like many people, you are not a fan of the traditional memorization method that is common in language learning. While the investment is significant, it's well worth if you're serious about learning Japanese.
Enjoy!
 Nice Product August 21, 2008
I was very happy to get this product. I am Japanese American myself but am ashamed to say pretty much the only Japanese I know is being able to order from a menu, or else the more impolite words like "bakatare" (stupid) or "yakamashi" (loudmouth) or "monku" (complaining.. hence the "monkuboy" moniker, haha). While my friends went to Japanese school on Saturday mornings I resisted and my parents never forced me so I learned nothing. However, I bet everyone who went forgot how to speak or understand it anyway so we all wound up at the same place.
Regarding this program: The box is impressively heavy. It installed without a hitch using the accurate instructions, though it did take a fairly long time. The headset installed without a hitch also - I use Windows XP and it recognized the device right away and the first test with the software was successful. It is a rather flimsy headset so you have to treat it gently. Also, make sure you turn down the volume on your PC before using it because the voices are LOUD.
The lessons are pleasant to take and the sessions last about half an hour which seems about right to digest things. Even though most of it is intuitive as far as what to do (repeat the phrase, match something to a picture, etc.), there is a help screen present and the guidebook that comes with the set is also helpful.
I find Japanese is harder to learn than say Spanish or French because there's hardly any similarity to English (except when they borrow English words, like "juice" becomes "juisah")in the words or structure. I think the full immersion method is good because it forces you to use the language. I expect to have a basic knowledge after I finish with everything and to be able to converse on a very elementary level.
However, no matter what method you use, it has to be practiced frequently, with a native speaker. Just like my friends who went to J-School back then, if you don't use it you lose it. At least my parents speak some Japanese and I know a few other people who do so I can bludgeon them with my efforts but for those who don't have someone to practice with, it makes it difficult.
I know someone who has the Korean version of this and he likes it very much (and he has a Korean wife so he gets a lot of free help!).
Overall, I rate this as a very good package for those who want to learn the language. The lessons are clear and understandable, and flow from one to the other in a sensible and logical way. I would certainly recommend it.
So far so good... August 21, 2008
I didn't have immediate expectations of being fluent or even conversant in Japanese from using this program (that will be a much longer journey) - so I am rather pleased so far. I can understand many of the criticisms.
In the near future I will be doing a business trip to Japan - and I wanted to not be totally clueless as to the language. My limited expectations have been met!
The program installs easily, and activiation is simple for all 3 levels. I have a long journey ahead of me to make progress, but I think this is a very good first step as a learning tool.
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