Learn Italian Now Reviewer's Comments

*Learn Italian Now is still available for purchase, however we chose not to review it again in this review cycle because it is part of the #4 product, The Complete Italian Learning Suite. It is still available to be purchased individually or with the suite. Below you can find the previous review of the product under it's old name: ItalianNow! Deluxe.*

 

 

ItalianNow! Deluxe by Transparent offers you several tools to help improve your ability to learn the Italian language. The software covers quite a few of the basics of Italian and also provides a few neat incites on Italian culture.

Features:  

Although you can quickly navigate from section to section, some of ItalianNow! Deluxe's controls are difficult to understand and it may take some time and practice for you to get them down.

Fundamentals:  

When it comes to improving your Italian pronunciation, ItalianNow! Deluxe offers you a few different options. First, there is a feature that lets you slow down how the speaker pronounces each word, which allows you to better hear exactly what the speaker is saying and how they are saying it.

The program also comes with speech recognition technology, which records your pronunciation and then compares it against a native speaker. While this software can be beneficial, we found it not very accurate.

Another helpful feature that ItalianNow! Deluxe offers is a check-word application. This allows you to build your own vocabulary lists. The software also offers some teaching in the form of games. Its use of crossword puzzles provides you with a fun way to increase your vocabulary and spelling skills, while being challenged at the same time.

A feature that ItalianNow! Deluxe is missing is the ability to track your own personal progress and to set language personal learning goals.

Ease of Use:  

The installation of ItalianNow! Deluxe was fairly simple. However, if you install the Global Writer program and you use the Windows 2000 operating system on your computer, you may have some conflicts with your word processing program.

Teaching Tools:  

Transparent supports ItalianNow! Deluxe through email support, a toll-free technical support line and by providing FAQs, updates and online technical request form on their homepage.

Word Tools:  

ItalianNow! Deluxe comes with an additional grammar and writing CD to help you better understand Italian. The software covers the Italian language fundamentals quite well and the program instructs you in correct pronunciation and sentence formation through word and sentence pronunciation tools.

One area that we felt this program needs a little help in is its conversation practice. While you can see and hear conversations, the program doesn't really give you the chance to actually participate in a conversation.

Tech Support:  

ItalianNow! Deluxe does a good job of instructing you in several basic Italian language skills. It's specifically designed to aid in essential vocabulary and phrase acquisition and to introduce and practice conversational skills. The program also includes several interesting cultural facts.

Summary:  

Overall this product immerses you in the Italian language and does an adequate job of teaching Italian to a beginning language learner. However, if you are looking for a product that tracks progress, offers superior pronunciation tools and can promote you from beginner to advanced, try our #1 product, Tell Me More Premium.