Review by Alexis B.

I already have the Spanish version of Rosetta Stone, but we are planning a trip to Italy (hopefully) this fall, so I jumped on a recent offer to try out the Italian version, too. (Please see my review of the Spanish version, as well.)nnI find the software incredibly intuitive to learn and use, and while there’s a LOT of review, it definitely drums things into your head. I also like the diversity used in the photos – OK, sometimes it’s a little surprising to have a picture of a man who’s clearly Central Asian when you’re in the middle of your Italian lesson, but people from all ethnicities speak all different languages in this jet-setting world, so I guess it really shouldn’t seem all that unusual!nnOne relatively minor complaint: Both my husband and I have had some issues with the headset. Sometimes we’ve found ourselves shouting into it in Italian, trying to get it to pick up our words. Other times, we’re positive that we’re pronouncing the words correctly, but it doesn’t think we are. The one that came with my Spanish set seems to work better than the one that came with the Italian set, for some reason. Considering the cost of the program, a more reliable headset would be nice.

A word about the audio companions – they’re very handy, but they will NOT work on their own. We find them useful mostly for when we’re driving and want to practice a bit. I particularly like to use them to keep me from forgetting what I’ve learned when I haven’t had a chance to use the software for a little while.