Top 5 Apple Apps for Learning Foreign Languages

The iPod Touch, and it’s big brother the iPhone, are perhaps the best language learning tools to date.  Their portability and massive storage allow you to carry around your immersion with you no matter where you are in the world or how busy you may get at work or home.  In addition to the benefits of downloading podcasts onto your iPod (which can be listened to on any portable media player or computer by the way), the iPod Touch and iPhone allow you to choose from literally thousands of applications (called “Apps” in the new tech vernacular).  Most of the apps are free, with paid versions usually costing only a dollar or two.

Here is 5 top list of apps well suited for language learning:

1. Google Mobile (Free)

In addition to all the other uber-useful and always free Google tools (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Tasks, Reader, News, etc.), the Google Mobile app takes you right to the world’s best translation software: Google Translate.

Features:

• Clean, easy to use interface
• Translate a single word, phrases or entire webpages
• Search by text or voice
• Google’s propriety translation algorithm produces surprisingly accurate translations

Download Google Mobile from the iTunes Store

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2. Wikipanion (Free & Pro Versions)

Wikipedia articles are a great source of reading input that fits your exact personal interests (in language learning, interest trumps all!)  The problem is that viewing the normal Wikipedia site is bit tedious on smaller devices.  To make things a little easier, Wikipanion repackages the content of Wikipedia into a streamlined mobile interface.

Features:

• Easy to view related articles
• Offline browsing (Plus)
• Add articles to the que for later reading

Download Wikipanion from the iTunes Store

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3. eReader (Free)

Don’t want to shell out another few hundred bucks for a Kindle?  No problem! Just download eReader and view thousands of free and for sale ebooks.

Features:

• Choose from a variety of color combinations to make reading easy on your eyes     (e.g. dark on light in bright rooms and light on dark in darker rooms)
• Annotate the text: add notes, bookmarks, highlights, etc.
• Read with one hand using the autoscroll feature

Download eReader from the iTunes Store

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4. Apple Voice Memos (part of iPod OS 3.1)

Language learners have long known about the benefits of recording conversations to later check their pronunciation and review difficult to understand sections of a conversation.  The problem is that people get nervous when they know you are recording them.  Using Apple’s high quality headphone mic and Apple Voice Memos, you can discreetly record yourself or others without anyone knowing.

Features:

• Ultra cool user interface with retro mic and voltage meter
• Easily email voice recordings
• Trim, rename and classify recordings

Read more about OS 3.1 on the Apple website

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5. Skype (Free)

The amazing VOIP (voice over IP) power of Skype is now available on iPod Touches and iPhones.  Don’t rack up your cell phone minutes; use Skype’s instead.  It’s free to call people when they’re online and very cheap to call normal phone numbers.  You can even text now.

Features:

• Free calls and instant messages to Skype users
• Cheap calls and texting to everyone else
• Syncs your Skype contacts

Download Skype from the iTunes Store

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Copyright © 2010 by John Fotheringham. For more tips, tools, and tech for Mastering ANY Language, go to LanguageMastery.com

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