Just as one shoe does not fit all, one learning German software program does not fit all learning styles, budgets or learning requirements. What follows is a review on the most reputable learning German software programs around and a breakdown Cheap Rosetta Stone of their styles, price and more.
1. Rosetta Stone
Now in it's 3rd edition, Rosetta Stone German has improved a lot from the 2nd edition, for more varied exercises and drills. Now for those who don't know how Rosetta Stone works, it's essentially an elaborate flashcard game: see the picture, match the word. Of course it's a little more complicated than that and it works quite well in it's attempt to replicate how we all learn our first language. Rosetta Stone is ideal for a businessman who has a trip to Germany or discount rosetta stone Switzerland planned, needs some German under his belt and isn't afraid of the $549 price tag.
2. Tell Me More German
The Tell Me More learning German software is a little different from Rosetta Stone, with a wide variety of activities and "methods" if you will, all rolled up into the one software program. This makes for a huge amount of content to get through, which on first thought sounds great, but it's a double edged sword. Organising all that content is a job that Tell Me More didn't do the greatest job of, so the interface is at times confusing and frustrating, rosetta stone software and it kinda feels like drowning in a sea of German. OK, that may have sounded like a negative spin, so let me balance it: if you've been learning German for a while, you know roughly 300-500 words and a decent amount of grammar, then Tell Me More will be your best friend. Why? Because at that point you'll be able to properly navigate that "sea" of German, picking what exercises to work on and when, and because there is so much content, Tell Me More will just about take you to fluency. Just remember it's not for beginners.
3. Rocket German
As the 2 learning German software courses suit a particular segment of people, rosetta stone german Rocket German suits another type of people: beginners. And it does a very good job of catering to that market. It has an audio component which is similar in content to the popular Pimsleur program, 3 software games that mix spelling and grammar, plus an interactive forum for Rocket German students to ask questions or talk about learning German. While Rocket German doesn't have the size of content that Tell Me More has, it's also substantially cheaper (just under $100) and easy for a complete newbie to pick up and start learning.
Resources:
Any of these learning German software programs are great, http://nrfwe29.blogspot.com suits those who can afford to pay a premium, Tell Me More is good for those who are relatively advanced, and Rocket German is perfect for beginners. Here's a little tip: if you go through this Rocket German reseller you can order Rocket German plus get some extra free materials and programs that will help you learn German more easily.
