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Would you buy a language repeater? | ||
Tags: Gadget | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| habadzi Super Polyglot Senior Member Greece Joined 5606 days ago 70 posts - 106 votes  Speaks: Greek*, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Hindi, French, German, Italian, Ancient Greek, Modern Hebrew, Arabic (classical), Indonesian, Bengali, Albanian, Nepali | Message 1 of 13 04 December 2013 at 8:49pm | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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Hello,
I am a polyglot and long-term participant in this group. For years I have relied on language repeaters. The models I have are tape recorders that save a segment on electronic memory and then cut it up, slow it down, repeat to model voice etc. They are invaluable for language learning. Language repeaters became obsolete as tapes disappeared a few years ago, but I tracked down one factory that still makes them. Now they have models that still use tape but also work from computer files. Either USB or microSD are inserted. I was able to get some samples. They are the size of small tape recorders. Is there a market for this product? Perhaps we could import some and market them through a website. Would you buy one of these? And how much would you be willing to pay? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
| dampingwire Bilingual Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4697 days ago 1185 posts - 1513 votes Speaks: English*, Italian*, French Studies: Japanese | Message 2 of 13 05 December 2013 at 12:06am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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What would such a beast do that I can't do with free audio software?
I can certainly take audio files and chop them up and slow them down (or speed them up). Can this machine do more than that? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
 jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6941 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 3 of 13 05 December 2013 at 12:13am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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Well, it seems as it's more portable than a computer (unless we're talking about a small laptop or even a tablet). I mean, there's a time and place for each kind of gadget. I like being able to work on the computer but I don't bring it on long walks - I listen to radio dramas on the MP3 player instead.
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| s0fist Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5078 days ago 260 posts - 445 votes Speaks: Russian*, English Studies: Sign Language, German, Spanish, French | Message 4 of 13 05 December 2013 at 7:49am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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Most free audio software can do that... unless I'm misunderstanding what a repeater is
Also you why would anyone buy a dedicated device when any phone can have an app that does it just as easily. Now, if you could figure out and automate the process of what needs to be repeated, how many times, why, when, how, etc so that a machine could teach me better than a human created course, that would be cool. Or you could be another Pimsleur or Michel Thomas, and manually create language courses by personally deciding what to repeat, when and how often, that could have market value too... the content of those courses. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
| Doitsujin Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5352 days ago 1256 posts - 2363 votes Speaks: German*, English | Message 5 of 13 05 December 2013 at 11:22am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
To be honest, I've never heard of language repeaters. In what way did you find them invaluable for language learning, how exactly did you use them and what advantage, if any, would they have over MP3 players with variable speed and looping options?
According to AliBaba, several Chinese companies also offer them at relatively low wholesale prices.
Why don't you send some of your product samples to well-known polyglots who run their own language learning websites for evaluation. IMHO, if they endorse them, you stand better chances of selling them. Alternatively, write an ebook about how to properly use them and market the book bundled with a low cost language repeater.
Maybe, if they came with an English manual and English firmware and cost no more than an entry-level MP3 player including shipping. (After all, they are available at very low wholesale prices.) 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
| habadzi Super Polyglot Senior Member Greece Joined 5606 days ago 70 posts - 106 votes Speaks: Greek*, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Hindi, French, German, Italian, Ancient Greek, Modern Hebrew, Arabic (classical), Indonesian, Bengali, Albanian, Nepali | Message 6 of 13 05 December 2013 at 11:37am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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Some language repeaters are still shown as available wholesale from Ali Baba. The ones available work with tapes only. If you have digital files, they don't work.
I have been looking therefore for language repeaters with digital functions. I saw pictures of models, but no one could sell them to me, wholesale or otherwise. After trying for years, I finally got a reply from one factory in Shinzen. They are more expensive than the old tape models. Indeed mp3 players often have the A/B function and some slow down speed (e.g. Transcend 860). But is is done PROSPECTIVELY. This means, you want to hear many times the next segment, and then you can easily use the A/B. The language repeater does this RETROSPECTIVELY. I.e. I am listening and did not catch something. Now I click one button to hear again the last 1-5 minutes. With another button I can cut down to just 3 words and hear those in a slow-down mode infinite numbers of times. This has been invaluable to me. Also the language repeater allows you to listen to a segment, record your voice, and compare. Frankly I don't use this much, but some people may find it useful. For a wholesale purchase, the factory has promised labeling in English and writing manuals. Edited by habadzi on 05 December 2013 at 11:42am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4390 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 7 of 13 05 December 2013 at 11:50am | IP Logged | |||||||||||
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I hadn't known about language repeaters. Thank you madame for the information.
I saw a chinese ad for them, but I don't know its functions and how to order. Edited by renaissancemedi on 05 December 2013 at 11:51am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||||||||
| habadzi Super Polyglot Senior Member Greece Joined 5606 days ago 70 posts - 106 votes Speaks: Greek*, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Hindi, French, German, Italian, Ancient Greek, Modern Hebrew, Arabic (classical), Indonesian, Bengali, Albanian, Nepali | Message 8 of 13 05 December 2013 at 2:12pm | IP Logged | |||||||||||
Unfortunately you can't order. I tried for years. I was finally able to get samples only as a potential wholesale buyer. This is not my usual vocation, but I decided to look into market interest. I cannot retain a lot from a language without a language repeater. (Ok, I am 62, but I have been using them for over 10 years.) In fact I had to tape Swahili digital files in order to work with them with my old analogue device. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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