Customer Reviews

Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese Deluxe

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Unfortunately this is not a good software.
1. There is no system in presenting information (lessons not really lessons)
2. They could combine all 5 interactive CDs into just one! Each of them has no more than 140MB and "Black Belt" CD has just 25MB! So, all that "8 CD set" is nothing but an advertising trick!
3. There is a Chinese(pinyin)-English dictionary but there is no English- Chinese one!
4. Could not find any info about how to write Chinese characters
Overall, may be good for those who already know at least 300 characters and currently studying Chinese (like in college or with a native) but for independent study - below average.

This program doesn't seem to be good for absolute beginners, but it's good for expanding your vocabulary. It took me a while working with other programs for learning Chinese before I was ready to make good use of this one. Dictionary part of it is awesome because you can see how the words are written in Chinese characters as well as in pinyin. It has lots of fun games to test your comprehension and a lot of the material is focused on testing your knowledge of Chinese characters.

The program does teach some dialogues as well as grammar and it is helpful for making sure you're pronouncing the words correctly, but for me the greatest benefit of this program lies in helping one to learn lots of words and characters. You get to learn about 3000 words and 800 characters and the best part about all of these words is that you get to hear them and you get to play with characters through lots of fun games. It really does help to retain the information.

As another reviewer said, this "deluxe 8 cd" stuff is misleading. The core part of the software is the "Tell Me More" 4-cd set. However, there is only 1 lesson on each cd (total = 4 measley lessons). If you click on the "choose a lesson" icon, you are presented with a choice of...one lesson! Pathetic! If you buy the proper "Tell Me More" pack, you will have only 1 cd but it will contain loads of lessons.

Also, I was really interested in learning to speak and listen, not so bothered about reading and writing. Speaking and listening only makes up about 5% of the software, so it's not very useful in that respect. Also be aware that the characters are all simplified Chinese characters, so if you wanted to learn traditional characters, keep away. If your main interest is learning to read simplified Chinese,then this is not bad,otherwise I think it's not much use, and putting so little content on so many cds is really dishonest, and I think Topics shouldn't be rewarded for such trickery. My advice is: don't give them your money!

I bougth this Set after 2 months of intensive chinese mandarin lessons, and it was hard for me to understand the method used by this software to teach mandarin.
First, the method starts inmediatly with chinese caligraphy and not with pinyin.
Second, some of the test that supose to help you to remember the vocabulary are really bad, for example the software dictates: "Ni hao" (hello/how are you) and if you write "ni hao" instead "Ni Hao!" you have a wrong answer, and you will spend your time until you understand that this software recognize capital letters and exclamation symbols in a dictation.
Also one of the test ask for the opposite of the word ... and i don't have a clue where is the meaning of the word (in english), how could i know the opposite of that word in a chinese caracther
Third, 3 Cds are just audio CDs with no more information than the others cds with the sofware.
Fourth, one cd it's a game!
Five the others Cd could be in just one!
A+++: However, this pack have good graphics, a good software for voice recognition and a good chinese--->english dictionary. But doesnt replace a good chinese teacher.
Lack: It doesnt have an english --->chinese dictionary (very important), just have like four lessons (common expressions, clothes, animals, etc).
Doesnt have a tool to help you with your chinese caligraphy (i have another software that includes one, and it's really useful)
Starts toooo fast with chinese caracthers.

It's a funny software.. can help you... but it's not for beginners and not for advanced students

PD: Sorry... for my english ... my first language it's spanish,

From the south of the world
Carolina from Chile

Wow, I wish I had read these other reviews before buying Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese Deluxe. I'm a beginner trying to learn the language because my girlfriend is Chinese. But when I put the CD in, the autorun takes me to a screen where I can choose from several different lessons. But there is no explanation as to what lesson to do first and when I browse around in the different lessons, I still don't get any clues about where I start. Surely, as a biginner, I would think they would tell me "Do this lesson first", etc., but they don't. I contacted their customer support and their only answer was "Do whatever one you want to do first"!! Wow, that may work for someone experienced in Chinese, but for a total beginner like me I have no criteria or hints as to what one to choose first, and when I choose one at random, I'm lost in the lesson. It's clear that's not the one to start with. Help me!! I want to learn Chinese, but clearly this is not the way. Don't buy this software unless you already know Chinese somewhat (I'm basing that on other reveiws I read here).

The editorial review for this CHINESE software above states "Start your study by mastering Hiragana, Katakana, and basic Kanji..." Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji? Chinese does not use Hiragana or Katakana and the "Kanji" are known as "Hanzi", so goodness knows what you are getting with this software! Steer well clear!

This is a great software to learn Chinese.
Indeed, I would have never though I will be able to learn Chinese as it seems complicated but this software had the answer for me.
First, you are able to hear the language, and then it is your turn to talk and improve your pronunciation. This immersion method was very helpful.
You could learn and pronounce hundreds of words, sentences.
Very interactive package that I will highly recommend. The activities proposed in the software are also very good with fill-in-the blanks, crossword puzzles,..., a good and fun way to learn a difficult language!

Some time ago i bought the French version of this software, and it helps me a lot. Based on this reference, i bought the Mandarin software, and i started to learn some phrases and practic some dialogues after 1 or 2 hours of being started.

My review, is simple, i was expecting to learn, and i'm.

Thanks!!