Comment from Mark
Time: January 16, 2008, 6:36 pm

That type of gadget is probably the way things are going. Overall a good thing for all the reasons stated but there is something “tactile” about finding a quiet corner in which to read a good book.

Quizás yo sea un poco “friki” también! Just wasted a perfectly good hour on YouTube and found this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngRq82c8Baw

I’m probably late in finding this clip but I found it hilarious.

I think that any adult learning a foreign language, no matter how advanced they now are, will be able to relate to this song. Being able to laugh at oneself removes one obstacle in the learning process!

Comment from Charles F. Wilkes
Time: January 16, 2008, 7:29 pm

I have all sorts of digital text which I have obtained over a long period of time to help me learn Spanish. But somehow my computer wasn’t where I was when I had time to study, like in the john, in bed, at a restaurant with poor service (all), while waiting in my car for my wife to go in a store “for just a minute”, etc.

Now I am in the process of sending this material off to my Kindle “wirelessly” and since I bring my Kindle whereever I go — to the john, to bed, etc., I always have it handy to study in the few minutes I can dedicate to it as I go through the day. It’s easy to send text to my Kindle, although I could do a better job if I have time to format things properly. But it goes — good or bad, and I can always replace it later if I get too annoyed at the appearance of a particularly valued one.

And since my Kindle is just about the best digital audio book player I’ve seen, when I get a minute I’ll put my Spanish audio materials on my Kindle as well. I think this is really made to audio for language study.

Would I buy new language aids if they could be sent by the publisher direct to my Kindle like more and more ebook vendors are doing these days — you bet I would. But email requests to these people aren’t even answered. They are living in the past century, and will be gone just as quick to the elephant graveyard of businesses who didn’t keep up to date.

Comment from ben
Time: January 17, 2008, 10:26 am

@Mark - excellent video, thanks!

@Charles - Wow, the Kindle sounds great when I see all the uses you put it to. Can you get our podcasts onto it?

Comment from Marina
Time: January 17, 2008, 2:46 pm

Charles, It is great to hear about someone who actually has the kindle after reading so much about it. It is fantastic that you get to use it so much!!!

Comment from Ferdinand
Time: February 22, 2008, 2:08 am

I’m just beginning some Spanish courses, and was wondering how you would say, “Ban and Marina are hotties,” in Spanish.

Comment from Galena Alyson Canada
Time: March 14, 2008, 1:09 am

Will there be no more Beginners’ editions? ‘Lena

Comment from ben
Time: March 14, 2008, 6:55 am

Yes, we’ll be recording more after Easter. Ben