Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 16 [OLD VERSION]

by Riverdeep

Product Features

• Customized training for improving typing speed and accuracy
• 40+ self-paced lessons; fun arcade-style typing games
• Updated user interface; improved sound quality of new voiceover text
• Download to a Palm OS handheld device for practicing on the go
• Track progress with detailed feedback and performance analysis

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001GU7JC
• Item model number: 382167
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 5, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,960 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #49 in Software > Education & Reference > Typing

Product Description

Type Better.  Email Faster.  Work Smarter.

Product Information

With time at a premium and success tied toefficiency, get the vital skills you need to move ahead with Mavis Beacon.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 16 delivers the customized training you need in a motivating, engaging format. Work at your own pace with lesson content that keeps youinterested. This flexible program is an ideal choice for any would-be fluent typist, including students, email enthusiasts, and office professionals. If you use the keyboard, you'll benefit from Mavis Beacon.  Keep track of your progress,dynamically adjust your lesson plan based on your performance, and will help guide you towards becoming a faster typist in a short amount of time.


Includes

• 44 Motivating Practice Lessons
• 8 Fun-FilledArcade Games
• Motivational Progress Tracker
• Numerous User Settings
• State-of-the-Art Classroom Environment

Product Features

• The exclusive Adaptive ResponseTechnology dynamically adjusts your lesson plan to your age, typing ability and progress.
• Hone accuracy, speed and rhythm with entertaining practice games.
• Track speed, accuracy, WPM goals and keyproficiency.
• Select your goals, age, keyboard style, language and music preferences.

Windows Requirements

• Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP (Not Vista compatible)
• 266MHz Pentium II processor or faster
• 64MB of RAM
• 8X CD-ROM Drive
• 320MB free hard disk space*
• 16-bit color monitor
• 800 x 600 resolution
• Windows compatible sound card
• Windowscompatible mouse
• Optional:  Internet Access, color printer (300 dpi or better

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great SW with a big technical problem for XP SP2, October 23, 2004

By 

Cato - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 16 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

This is an excellent program. My daughter uses it at school and loves it. However, when I installed it on her laptop (she has a limited user account under Windows XP Service Pack 2.), I received an error message "Could not create file for system settings." I went to the Broderbund website and found a technical note (ID: 39783)for this problem. The instructions work for XP prior to SP2, but they are completely useless under SP2. As a result, my daughter completes a set of lessons and, instead of moving on to the next lesson, the programs throws her back anywhere from 5 to 15 lessons. This has been sufficiently discouraging that she has given up on the program. The Broderbund site has no facility to send a question or inform them of a problem. I'm hoping someone from Borderbund will see this review and post a fix to their website. Without a fix for this problem, I'm stuck and this program unfortunately becomes a waste of time and money.

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too bad I'll never know how great it is., November 22, 2004

By 

Shannon Murphy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 16 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

I looked forward to plunging in and getting my typing up to speed. The program sounded great! After I purchased the software and pulled half my hair out looking for a solution in the documentation and online I finally resorted to a long wait on hold to get to a tech. According to him, this program won't work on a wide aspect ratio screen! Now after all that exhaustive searching, one would think that a tid-bit like that might show up somewhere. As these screens are becominig very common, I suggested that information like that should be included somewhere. For the time being it is a closely held secret.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Let down with product and Broderbund's lack of support., March 17, 2005

By 

J. Irvine - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 16 [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

My son and I had been using Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Version 12, making progress and having zero technical difficulties. What a great program that one is -- especially in comparison to Version 16. Version 16 has numerous glitches. It frequently bumps my ten-year old son out of his lesson back into the classroom. You can imagine how this infuriates someone, particularly a little boy. Little things annoy also, like having 3 spaces after a period when I adjust the settings for 2. The music comes on after i've adjusted the settings for no music, etc.

The most infuriating of all is the lack of product support. No phone support, almost hostile voice on phone advising me that my call is being terminated when I chose a software support option. Constant referal to the online support website, which does not have an item corresponding to the problems we are experiencing. And careless response to my email.

Big disappointment after Version 12 was so great and funcitonal. We are looking at other software now and will no longer give enthusiastic recommendations for Mavis Beacon as we have in the past.