Customer Reviews

"IVideo" French

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

iVideo French was my first introduction to the series of iVideo language DVDs, and it's a wonder nobody thought of this earlier. There are tons of online language programs similar to this, but this is the first one I've seen with an eye towards iPod integration and DVD home playback.

There are additional versions including iVideo German, iVideo Italian and iVideo Spanish. I thought I would check out the French one as a refresher, and it met that need perfectly. I have since purchased the German one, and was again very satisfied.

The PDF instruction manual states that upon inserting the disk the product should launch on its own. In my case the program didn't launch automatically. Still, it was easy to get it to work. I simply opened the DVD in a window and dragged the contents over iTunes.

Another thing that is confusing is the product information listing this as 60 minutes long. On the actual package, it says this product includes "2 hours" of video. So which was it? After watching all thirty videos, I can say it's somewhere in between but definitely more than 60 minutes. There are also additional audio versions of lessons 13 to 30 that add some audio length to the program.

The lessons themselves are very basic. The great thing is that as you hear the people speaking, you can watch their mouths and see the written dialogue at the same time!!! I would imagine the content is more than enough for those looking for basic conversational French for a short trip.

There are a few cons with this product. The packaging is a clear plastic display box that was a little difficult to get open, but nothing too bad. You will most likely want to find something else, such as a case or CD envelope, to store your DVD in.

Apple's iTunes software does not automatically order and play the videos one after another. You will have to select each lesson individually in order. This is more a knock on iTunes than this product.

Pilmsleur and Living Language have many programs with much more content at much higher prices. Yet I really love the way they designed this. Compared to the usual audio programs on the market, this is a very well designed product that will help you get the basics quickly. And at this price, these are going to be VERY popular.

Definitely give this one a try.

Enjoy!!!

iVideo French is an amazing introduction to the French language.

There are ten core lessons each consisting of three parts: Words and phrases in which two French speakers say and repeat the core vocabulary for the lesson; conversation in which these words are shown in a common interaction; and a special topic in which an aspect of French grammar or culture is briefly discussed.

Each topic has a different theme. They are:
1. Greetings
2. Introductions
3. Do You Speak French (and how to find someone who speaks English)
4. Directions
5. Needing, Wanting, Having
6. Travel
7. Hotel
8. Restaurants and Food
9. Shopping
10. Emergency and Pharmacy

All the important basics. These core lessons are supplemented by 2 review movies, each covering five lessons.

These movies aren't at all complex. We are introduced to Manuelle, a middle-aged woman; Sylvaine, a younger woman; and Jean, a younger man. Two of the three lead us through each lesson. And they genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves, making listening and repeating after them more fun.

In addition to the core lessons there are about 17 supplemental movies, which also can be found as just audio tracks, each about 5 minutes long. These are vocabulary lessons with each helping to build basic vocabulary, such as numbers, months, clothing, weather, etc.

Two pdf files included on the DVD are the complete text of all the lessons and supplemental vocabulary. I printed these out (a total of 41 pages) and can study either the movies or the text.

Also, this is very designed for use on an iPod. I don't own an iPod and don't use iTunes. And the DVD I received played a bit choppy on my laptop, making playing straight off the DVD a bit too frustrating. So I just copied the folders onto my hard drive (about a 665mb). Windows Media Player was able to play the movies just fine for me, though others might have to adjust a setting or download a codec for it to work for them. Putting these onto another portable player, such as a Creative Zen, would require converting the files from the Apple (m4v) format and there are programs that do this quite easily.

With all it has to offer iVideo French is just about the equivalent of a first year high school French class. However, because there is no solid discussion of grammar or other foundational topics this might be best for those with at least a rudimentary understanding of foreign language study. It is, for me, a great way to be introduced to the language and learn the basics that could provide just enough for a visit to France, or a great foundation for future study.

There are other, more thorough, programs for learning a language but combined with the flexible format and the amazing price of iVideo French I highly recommend this as a great, great place to start. If you can really master the content of this DVD you'll have shown yourself ready to invest in a more expensive program that could push you even farther in learning this wonderful language.

The iVideo French: Video Learning for the IGeneration is a fun introduction to the French language. Granted, you won't be able to speak the language fluently (or understand it very well), but you will be able to address people properly and get a few essentials down when travelling. Shopping, emergencies, general greetings and more are covered on this disc that can be viewed either on your DVD or iPod device. When in your computer, the DVD provides additional information including a handy vocabulary feature.

Although it involves the standard repetition of many other language courses, this DVD also features a great cast of people who actually seem to be enjoying repeating French phrases to each other. It's a lot nicer than having one or two boring individuals repeat phrases back and forth.

If you're looking for an introduction to French or are planning on taking a trip to a French-speaking country, iVideo French is just what you need.

iVideo French is a clear and easy way to learn some important conversational French prior to a visit to France (or parts of Canada!) The people in the video are inoffensive and they enunciate clearly which really helps teach the pronunciation. The "Special Topics" sections after each lesson have valuable tips and the two reviews were my favorite and most useful part of the DVD.

This is a very introductory video...if you have no background in French or if your French class was YEARS ago, this is the DVD for you.
(I got a kick out of how one of the useful phases for us Americans was: "I need a larger size." !!)

I've been trying to refresh my French from High School and iVideo has come up with a fabulous idea - language lessons for your iPod!

You can use it in your DVD player to watch on TV but you can also install it in your iPod or other media player. There are video and audio versions available. It was easy to install. When I first put the disk in my computer (I'm on a Mac) - it opened DVD player and started to play the disc as it would on my television, so I did need to quit DVD player (they don't mention that in the instructions). Then you can just drag and drop the movie folder (which goes into your TV show files if you're using an iPod) and the audio book folder, which goes to your audio book file.

The lessons are geared to being able to have some basic conversation skills for traveling and they are very nicely presented with the teachers saying the word and the words in both English and French as subtitles on the screen so you can see the words as you hear them.

I also love the short segments. Each lesson runs anywhere from a minute to five minutes, so you can do a quick lesson anytime. And my teenagers love it - I keep having to see who's got my iPod!

Very well done and it's a bargain - you get a lot for your money. Highly recommended!

I think this product would be useful for someone who already had some knowledge of the language and just needed a refresher for a trip. There isn't any instruction in how the language works - it's just phrases repeated over and over. The people in the video are pleasant enough, but the presentation can be a little geeky. I laughed out loud a couple of times. I did find it helpful in brushing up on my French, but I used to speak French. If I had never studied it, I think this would leave me a little lost.

The phrases are practical things you need to know if you're traveling - where's the bathroom, which way to this landmark, etc. I was a little dubious about a couple of the pronunciations. The word "plus" for example - I've only ever known it to be pronounced "ploo" with no ending consonant - in the video, it is pronounced "ploo-seh." I'm sure people would know what you meant, but I've never heard it used that way, and I've spent some time in Paris. Other than that, the pronunciation of the demonstrators is quite good, though, again, I can see how they could be intimidating to someone with no familiarity with the language.

I gave it four stars because if you were taking a trip, you would want to know at least the information included here, and if you have a reasonably good ear, this will get you from point A to point B.

This DVD from Global Access Visual is from a series that helps the viewer
learn just enough of the language to help them speak it reasonbly well.
This one teaches you a little bit about French. I was amazed when I watched the first lesson, how many of the words I already knew. The lessons are easy to watch, and also easy to repeat or just pause the disc
to practice. There are also reviews on the disc too. You can also download the lessons on to your I POD and take them with you, which makes this a much more useful way to learn the language than using just a phrase
book. This is also much easier than using CD's or Cassettes. It also plays in any DVD player or just on your PC or MAC. It is a fun and easy
way to learn a few words of a new language.

This disc can be utilized in several ways, and I used it as a DVD. It provides a decent smattering of vocabulary and just a touch of basic grammar to allow you to get the feel of the language, especially the pronunciation and intonation. Everything is demonstrated by native speakers in an upbeat and fun mood. Each lesson begins with vocabulary and phrases and then moves on to simple situations between two speakers and sometimes goes into grammatical rules. Two reviews are also provided. The only shortcoming I felt was that it all takes place inside the studio rather than on actual location, which would have been more interesting. This DVD delivers exactly what it advertises, and you should have no trouble moving on to more advanced studies if you desire afterwards.

The iPod is so ubiquitous and so easy to use, given its simple interface and iTunes's simple design, that it's surprising there aren't more academic programs utilizing both audio and video available for it. Perhaps this iVideo live action French learning program marks the beginning of a trend. You'll see that the video lessons are already encoded in the mp4 format recognized by the iPod when you search the enclosed DVD. There are 30 lessons, lasting nearly 2 hours. It is a simple matter of transferring them to your iPod by dragging and dropping the files into your iTunes library. The lessons are also encoded in standard DVD video format so they can be viewed on your computer or on any DVD player by playing the disc. Once loaded onto your iPod they appear under TV programs in your library.

The lessons have native French speakers saying the words that are printed on screen. Each word or phrase is repeated. At the end of each segment, there is usually an indepth look at a topic applicable to the lesson. It's very simple, clear and straightforward. Because the iPod makes it easy to skip and search, repeating segments that offer difficulty are as easy as a single click. The French lessons themselves are rudimentary. This is simple 'Hello, how are you?' stuff. Basic travelers French. But that is all this program is advertised to be. Anyone throwing themselves into these lessons should master them in a week or so. Given its effectiveness and ease of use, its easy to recommend iVideo French, as long as all you need to learn are the basics.

I returned, within the last month, from a trip to France. I took Spanish in high school and some Italian post-college, but beyond "parlez-vous anglais?" and some other basics, French isn't my language.

In preparation for my trip, however, I downloaded many episodes of a free podcast called Coffee Break French. It was not a video cast unless you subrscribed with a fee for their service, but I find them vastly superior to this program even just doing the free (non-video) subscription.

There is no introduction nor explanation in the beginning of the lessons, suddenly people are just repeating phrases (and not useful ones, in lesson one, I might add.) Another review mentioned some dubious pronounciations and I have to agree - based on what I heard in France and based on my other lessons.

I am a fairly quick language learner - I feel that I did well enough in France - but this program wouldn't have helped me near as much as my free podcast did. It just doesn't have the oomph needed to keep people interested, and in fact isn't terribly helpful. Don't waste your money if you're a beginner. I'm not even sure it would be great as a review, as it's so completely boring.

I guess I would look for just a little "more" - the free podcast I used had very personable people, who gave a lot more explanations about what you were saying and why, along with personal examples, differences for what a guy would say or what a girl would say, much more grammar explanations, etc. Watching two people repeat disjointed phrases just doesn't do it for me.