I've spent years trying to find a language learning program that I can stick with but make real progress on - Rocket Chinese is that program! The price is comparable with a 10 weeks in-person language course - but you get far more material! I love that each piece of information is presented in multiple ways, and there are so many ways to review.

The price can't be beat! I especially enjoy that I control what and when I want to focus on for my study sessions. The interactive audio sessions actually helps me to think in the target language. I'm having problems with the speech recognition and will likely need to contact tech support; however, the first few hours into the course and I'm enjoying what I received for the price.

I had used Living Language's NOOK tablet app, which opened my eyes to just how helpful computer-based language learning could be. I also tried Rosetta's app. As I researched available systems, I discovered Rocket Languages Chinese (Mandarin). After only a few weeks' study, using Rocket Chinese, I was able to greet,and exchange pleasantries with ,Dr Paul Lam,in his native Mandarin! He even complimented me on my correct use of tones, then asked how I learned. Of course, I was thrilled to tell him about Rocket Chinese. The Rocket Chinese course really brings the language alive ;while allowing the learner to progress at their own pace. I wish the Premium Plus level had more exposition of grammar; but overall, Rocket Languages provides unbeatable "bang-for-your-buck". Using Rocket Chinese, I have reached a level where I can now start to use more- traditional, book based grammars,and make sense of the material- whereas, before , the books were just mute, and cryptic, and I just was not absorbing the lessons. Rocket is the way to go!

It's AMAZING!!!! Hen BANG! I wish i knew about this website 5 years ago. I would have saved $2000 for impractical Chinese vocabulary AND 5 years worth of time. I even used to be rejected by a boyfriend's family just because I don't speak Chinese. In this country, people really take background very seriously when it comes to marriage. Many men only accept women who speaks Chinese to marry. I guess I would have been married to him now if I knew this website 5 years ago. Thank you so much Rocket Chinese!! I love you!!!

The record with voice recognition grading really helps to get your pronunciation right, and the playback of your voice really helps you find out why you did get the grade you expected. These tools give a strong incentive to practice speaking, and have helped me to progress faster. The downside is that these tools are only practically useful on PC and not useful on Android because of speed and different limited web page. (I cannot speak for Apple versions).

I would give the course 5 stars if all features were available on all platforms.

On android viewing the website, speech recognition is so much slower to respond, and much less accurate, so the time delays become frustrating - it is very dependent on internet and wireless speed. The key thing android misses is it that it has no ability to play back what you said (so that you can hear and correct your own mistakes). From the forum comments this appears to have been missing for 2 years or more, and I think Rocket Languages should make playback of your own voice a priority fix for android users.

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I find there is generally too much preamble getting into each dialogue - too much from the English guy especially. Ironically, he seems to be talking as though adressing an ESOl class . However, as a native speaker, I find his delivery and Uk accent quite amateurish. E.g he says "wiv" instead of " with" etc. just irritating. Also, I am disappointed that he is used in dialogues when his Mandarin accent is not spot-on. Just model the genuine accent by using a Chinese speaker for each dialogue. Also, in the 2nd Premium pack, the upgrade, I wouldn't have bothered buying it had I known it involved a module devoted to planning a wedding - relevant to about 5% at best of your the average audience.

I really like the format on the website. And I really like that it has a mobile app. However I travel a lot and the time I have most available to practice Chinese is when I am on a plane. You can download the MP3 files but I really wish the APP would allow you to cache the sections you are working on so they worked on a plane. Overall I think it is a good value. and I like the program but I just wish it was more tailored to working off line.

This is an amazing program! I had tried Pimsleur and Fluenz when learning Spanish. Rocket simply blows those away. And with the iPhone app and mp3 recordings you can practice anywhere. Enjoy learning your new language!

Great value for price! I like the browser but was really impressed with the app on IOS. Since I am on the go quite often, it is nice to learn Mandarin and check things off right on my phone. The more exposure to the language the better, and now I don't have to just sit at a computer all day and learn. Despite a few little bugs it has been more than I expected and I would recommend Rocket over Rosetta Stone anytime.

I am just restarting to learn Mandarin using Rocket Chinese because I had been too busy teaching and building new courses at my current school in China.

Positive:
1. Listening, Reading (in pinyin - latin script and Simplified - chinese script), Writing (initially in pinyin) and speaking is available from the very first lesson.
2. Step by step in a logical fashion based on what would seem to be logical needs of a person new to learning the language.
3. Clear and colourful interface that is easy to follow.
4. There are now cute little incentive badges that give you a sense of your progress. These complement the already colourful interface, but I think this is helpful for both younger and older learners

While I like the course layout very much, there are just a couple of tiny problems that I suspect will be addressed quite quickly on the technical side.

1. I haven't yet figured out how to prevent my browser (Firefox) from asking permission everytime RocketChinese wants to use the camera/microphone. Because I am used to the 7/24 customer service, email is obviously slower, but their responses are usually within 24 hours... so, not intolerable.
2.

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