Thanks for the unbiased review, Herr Antrim!! To me you were very transparent and above board in this video about everything, which is appreciated (also lol at your bleeps in the flash back clip). Despite your positive review of this app, your overall perspective of language apps has been consistent imo. Even though everyone is allowed to change their minds, especially if new information becomes available... Also, I'm glad you are getting sponsorships!! Your channel is such an amazing resource, and you deserve the support!! Danke!
I've just had a quick go at it there. First thing I notice is that it's directed primarily at mobile users - the speaking tasks do not work on PC.....which is a shame because many people like doing their German learning on their computers too.
On iPhone, it requires to create a subscription, even if you choose the free trial :( you should cancel subscription manually, if you don’t want to use it.
At first I thought that's what the Android version did, but I just had to tap the X in the corner and it never asked again. Is it really requiring you to choose a subscription or is there an X in the corner of the iPhone version too? I don't have an iPhone, so I can't check it.
@@MrLAntrim it wasn’t possible to start anything until I accepted the free trial with monthly/yearly subscription, I closed the dialog multiple times with the x, but no luck. Maybe I missed something. Anyway, handling your subscriptions in settings not a big deal.
I wouldn't use any app for that level. Read books, watch movies, listen to podcasts and find other ways to immerse yourself in German. Then use those things to expand your vocabulary and find gaps in your grammar knowledge.
@@MrLAntrim Understandable. As someone who is self-taught, I constantly fear potential grammar gaps that I don't even realize I have. Thank you for the tips!
Mr Antrim, what do you think about Rosetta Stone's approach to language teaching, have you tried it? They basically let you figure out things with pictures and don't help you much, which is meant to be language learning through (comprehensible) input.
Comprehensible input works great, but you need to have someone explain grammar at some point. Native speakers in German and English get instruction in their schools about the grammar of their own languages, because they can speak and understand just fine, but their grammar is off. The same is true for those learning these languages as a second language. Input is not enough. You also need to know how to use the words together properly. If you only have input, your grammar will only be as good as the input you have received. If you misheard something or overapplied a rule, you could find yourself making unnatural errors due to this fact. I tried Rosetta Stone over a decade ago and wasn't impressed. It was incredibly boring. I only made it a few days before giving up on it. I'm sure they have made some improvements over the last 10+ years, but I have no desire to revisit it.
@@MrLAntrim thanks for replying. I think "your grammar will only be as good as the input you have received" is really where a lot of the magic (and all the problems) of comprehensible input lies. I am convinced it's possible to pick up grammar rules through this method, keen observers will surely notice that suddenly, certain particles, auxiliaries etc are different from what they had expected for example. I'm not arguing against the study of grammar in a vacuum, in fact I am studying grammar alongside using CI. I am trying Rosetta Stone for Japanese right now and I don't feel their method works very well with unknown scripts. I wouldn't say it's boring, so perhaps there have been improvements since you used it. Either way, thanks again for your reply and your video/efforts
Yes it is true that the free prescription doesn’t need a credit card but I downloaded the app though the apple store. Apple store has my credit card and so i was charged for the yearly prescription
On the German version of their website they misused the genitive case on their sales page ("echte Sprecher jeden Geschlechts" instead of "jedes Geschlechts", which is a Google Translate error). They also used other phrasing I have only ever seen on Google translate ("wann immer" instead of "immer wenn"). They are a language learning app that used Google Translate instead of real translators to convert their website. Imagine where else they used it... When reading reviews the number 1 complaint from learners is that they don't include articles. Occasionally there is a comment back from Speakling saying they do include articles, but if that many people are complaining about it, the article isn't clear enough. I'll pass.
@@MrLAntrim "jeden Geschlechts" is not wrong though. Google it and you'll find 170.000 results from various German sources. More than for "jedes Geschlechts". (41.000 results). Additionally, "wann immer" has a different meaning/usage than "immer when". It depends on the sentence. "Wann immer du willst" would be perfectly fine for example, "immer wenn du willst" sounds strange. I am a native German speaker BTW.
The downfall to this app is they don’t offer enough languages which is disappointing like Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and more which bums me out.
Herr Antrim: I will tell you, most language learning apps SUCK! I don't care if they're used by the CIA to train spies, or anything like that, they'll NEVER make you fluent... EVER!! Speakly: Well... can you at least give us a try? Herr Antrim: ... Fine. *After using Speakly* Uuuuh, wow! This... is... AWESOME!!
You spent years telling everyone not to even think about using apps. You claimed they were useless and we believed you although not what you said but because we tried them ourselves. And now you sell out to a new app? I have no problem if you want to advertise for it but you need to be transparent about how much stake they have given you in terms of stocks. So claiming a new investment for you is a truthful a legit app is anything but transparent. Makes us lose faith in you and your judgement
I have been consistent in the way I talk about apps. They are great for a lot of things, but they will not make you fluent. That includes this app. Directly after the quote that was used in the video (No app will make you fluent.) I continued to explain how apps can be useful. That clip was taken from this video: ruclips.net/video/6mHpknsUF4c/видео.html This video is labeled as "contains sponsored content". I mentioned very prominently both at the beginning and end of this video that they reached out to me in order for this review to happen. I drew attention to exactly what you are saying about my past statements about apps in the very beginning of the video. I even restated at the end of the video that an app will not make you fluent including this one. It is an awesome app, which is why I agreed to do the review and take their money. I don't do paid reviews of apps unless they are great. I'm not sure how much more transparent I could be without telling you how much they paid me, which is not standard practice anywhere on the internet.
Thanks for the unbiased review, Herr Antrim!! To me you were very transparent and above board in this video about everything, which is appreciated (also lol at your bleeps in the flash back clip). Despite your positive review of this app, your overall perspective of language apps has been consistent imo. Even though everyone is allowed to change their minds, especially if new information becomes available...
Also, I'm glad you are getting sponsorships!! Your channel is such an amazing resource, and you deserve the support!! Danke!
I've just had a quick go at it there. First thing I notice is that it's directed primarily at mobile users - the speaking tasks do not work on PC.....which is a shame because many people like doing their German learning on their computers too.
How do I make use of the 60% discount?
On iPhone, it requires to create a subscription, even if you choose the free trial :( you should cancel subscription manually, if you don’t want to use it.
At first I thought that's what the Android version did, but I just had to tap the X in the corner and it never asked again. Is it really requiring you to choose a subscription or is there an X in the corner of the iPhone version too? I don't have an iPhone, so I can't check it.
@@MrLAntrim it wasn’t possible to start anything until I accepted the free trial with monthly/yearly subscription, I closed the dialog multiple times with the x, but no luck. Maybe I missed something. Anyway, handling your subscriptions in settings not a big deal.
If someone is already level B1 or B2, how much content does this app have for them? Was ist das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis für sie?
Good question
I wouldn't use any app for that level. Read books, watch movies, listen to podcasts and find other ways to immerse yourself in German. Then use those things to expand your vocabulary and find gaps in your grammar knowledge.
@@MrLAntrim Understandable. As someone who is self-taught, I constantly fear potential grammar gaps that I don't even realize I have. Thank you for the tips!
Mr Antrim, what do you think about Rosetta Stone's approach to language teaching, have you tried it? They basically let you figure out things with pictures and don't help you much, which is meant to be language learning through (comprehensible) input.
Comprehensible input works great, but you need to have someone explain grammar at some point. Native speakers in German and English get instruction in their schools about the grammar of their own languages, because they can speak and understand just fine, but their grammar is off. The same is true for those learning these languages as a second language.
Input is not enough. You also need to know how to use the words together properly. If you only have input, your grammar will only be as good as the input you have received. If you misheard something or overapplied a rule, you could find yourself making unnatural errors due to this fact.
I tried Rosetta Stone over a decade ago and wasn't impressed. It was incredibly boring. I only made it a few days before giving up on it. I'm sure they have made some improvements over the last 10+ years, but I have no desire to revisit it.
@@MrLAntrim thanks for replying. I think "your grammar will only be as good as the input you have received" is really where a lot of the magic (and all the problems) of comprehensible input lies. I am convinced it's possible to pick up grammar rules through this method, keen observers will surely notice that suddenly, certain particles, auxiliaries etc are different from what they had expected for example. I'm not arguing against the study of grammar in a vacuum, in fact I am studying grammar alongside using CI.
I am trying Rosetta Stone for Japanese right now and I don't feel their method works very well with unknown scripts. I wouldn't say it's boring, so perhaps there have been improvements since you used it. Either way, thanks again for your reply and your video/efforts
Yes it is true that the free prescription doesn’t need a credit card but I downloaded the app though the apple store. Apple store has my credit card and so i was charged for the yearly prescription
That sucks. Is there any way around that? I haven't had an iPhone since the iPhone 2 or 3, so I was not aware of this issue when writing the review.
What about Speachling?
On the German version of their website they misused the genitive case on their sales page ("echte Sprecher jeden Geschlechts" instead of "jedes Geschlechts", which is a Google Translate error). They also used other phrasing I have only ever seen on Google translate ("wann immer" instead of "immer wenn"). They are a language learning app that used Google Translate instead of real translators to convert their website. Imagine where else they used it...
When reading reviews the number 1 complaint from learners is that they don't include articles. Occasionally there is a comment back from Speakling saying they do include articles, but if that many people are complaining about it, the article isn't clear enough.
I'll pass.
@@MrLAntrim "jeden Geschlechts" is not wrong though. Google it and you'll find 170.000 results from various German sources. More than for "jedes Geschlechts". (41.000 results).
Additionally, "wann immer" has a different meaning/usage than "immer when". It depends on the sentence. "Wann immer du willst" would be perfectly fine for example, "immer wenn du willst" sounds strange.
I am a native German speaker BTW.
How much did Speakly pay your for this?
It's hard to find a review of Speakly that doesn't sound like a sales pitch, with affiliates link :-/
I absolutely love this review and I think Speakly is an amazing app!
The downfall to this app is they don’t offer enough languages which is disappointing like Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and more which bums me out.
Herr Antrim: I will tell you, most language learning apps SUCK! I don't care if they're used by the CIA to train spies, or anything like that, they'll NEVER make you fluent... EVER!!
Speakly: Well... can you at least give us a try?
Herr Antrim: ... Fine. *After using Speakly* Uuuuh, wow! This... is... AWESOME!!
Pretty much sums it up.
geil
You spent years telling everyone not to even think about using apps. You claimed they were useless and we believed you although not what you said but because we tried them ourselves. And now you sell out to a new app? I have no problem if you want to advertise for it but you need to be transparent about how much stake they have given you in terms of stocks. So claiming a new investment for you is a truthful a legit app is anything but transparent. Makes us lose faith in you and your judgement
I have been consistent in the way I talk about apps. They are great for a lot of things, but they will not make you fluent. That includes this app. Directly after the quote that was used in the video (No app will make you fluent.) I continued to explain how apps can be useful. That clip was taken from this video: ruclips.net/video/6mHpknsUF4c/видео.html
This video is labeled as "contains sponsored content". I mentioned very prominently both at the beginning and end of this video that they reached out to me in order for this review to happen. I drew attention to exactly what you are saying about my past statements about apps in the very beginning of the video. I even restated at the end of the video that an app will not make you fluent including this one.
It is an awesome app, which is why I agreed to do the review and take their money. I don't do paid reviews of apps unless they are great.
I'm not sure how much more transparent I could be without telling you how much they paid me, which is not standard practice anywhere on the internet.
@@MrLAntrim Thank you for your clarification and keep up the good work
this is actually really good app. lol try it out and then make a comment.