Duolingo is Actually Much Better on PC!!

[AureliaeLacrimae]

While I was using Duolingo on my tablet, I was very frustrated with the app because there were no grammatical explanations (so if you're a beginner, you have to learn things via trial-and-error method, which isn't really the best choice) and you had to type in a lot of things, which is a real bother on phones and tablets. I always make a lot of mistakes when I type on my phone simply because the "keys" are too close and sometimes the phone doesn't register every tap... anyway, Duolingo on either a tablet or a phone is a nightmare! 

Just recently, I saw my mum using Duolingo on computer and I glanced at the screen. I was very surprised simply because there were more options available! There is even a grammar section! Before every lesson, there is a quick introduction into the basic grammar concepts. My mum had a table with the full conjugation of German verbs which she copied into her notebook. So practical and useful! 

Thus, I can only say, Duolingo as an app is a bad choice. It's good only if you are revising the lesson. But if you want to study, you have to do it on PC. When you're on PC, you have explanations - not to mention that typing is made much easier considering that you have a real keyboard to type on. Plus, the screen is wide and you can do other things as well. 

What is your experience with Duolingo? Have you ever tried it on PC?

[宇崎ちゃん]

Not Duolingo per se, but I think almost every language learning app works better on a PC than on a phone.
The only exception would be Memrise, because that one is equally divided on PC and phone.

Memrise is like, you get explanation on PC and no time limit for every single question on phone.
But other than that (WaniKani, iKnow, Renshuu, (LANGUAGE_HERE)Pod/Class101, etc.), I prefer PC over anything else.

[VinayaSpeaks]

I have never used Duolingo. From the description, it looks like a language app. Is this available on Andriod market, can it be used on windows device? Is this a free app or do we have to pay money to use it. What are the languages available on this app? I will have to check this app myself and see if it is useful for me.

[宇崎ちゃん]

4 hours ago, VinayaSpeaks said:

Is this available on Andriod market

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo&hl=en

4 hours ago, VinayaSpeaks said:

can it be used on windows device?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/store/apps/duolingo-learn-languages-for-free/9wzdncrcv5xn

4 hours ago, VinayaSpeaks said:

Is this a free app or do we have to pay money to use it.

See the URLs I just supplied.

4 hours ago, VinayaSpeaks said:

What are the languages available on this app?

https://www.duolingo.com/courses

[VinayaSpeaks]

Thank you very much for your links. I have clicked some of the links and I think I can use it. I will be downloading and installing on my PC and phone soon.

[rz3300]

Well that is certainly good news, but I cannot say that I am surprised that the app works better on a full running PC.  It actually makes me wonder what I am missing or might be missing from my other apps and what I could gain if I were able to run them on the PC.  Of course that kind of takes away the convenience factor that is so nice to have with these apps, so that is something that  you have to consider.  It is certainly a step in the right direction, though.

[sillylucy]

Thanks for the tip! I didn't even know you could put it on your PC! I have always been using it on my phone and lately if I do a lesson on the subway, it does not save my progress because I am offline. Is it possible that I just don't have that much memory in my phone so it kicks it out? Whatever the case, I will be trying it on my PC soon! 

[fcuco]

If you use the app across various devices will your progress be synchronized between all of them? I hope so since that could be a killer feature.

I actually believe that Duolingo as an app for your phone is better, because then it is ubiquitous, you have your phone on you all the time I presume, so it should be easier to take it out and start practicing, you have fewer excuses since sitting at a computer to do something takes a little more effort, not to mention that you can use it while on the go or while traveling.

I started using Duolingo (I don't use it anymore but that's another story) as a substitute for the silly iPhone games that I used to play, the idea was that I was wasting a lot of time using the device for trivial stuff so I decided that  I may as well use it to learn something useful. 

I also can't help but wonder if the missing grammatical information is not actually a blessing as this forces you to learn from the context of the sentence, just like you learn a language in real life, basically by imitating what you hear and see. Kids don't learn grammatical rules until they learn how to speak first.

 

[iroxas]

I've only used Duolingo on a phone a couple times and I thought it was pretty good, but I never picked it up again, but if you're saying that on PC it's better, maybe I'll go check it out again. It would definitely help me for school and so maybe I could get a better score on my spanish final :).

[MissTe]

I've only ever used duolingo on my pc so I really have never experienced the frustration that you are talking about. I love the app and I think that it's especially great for beginners. I am currently using a different app but duolingo is still great.

[AgentD22]

Thank you very much for this tip, mate!

I stopped using duoling because I got to a point in my french lessons in which I felt like I was no longer learning but figuring out how to advance in the course, almost like a puzzle game. I'll have to give it a shot on PC, then. Do you know if the voice recognition should be trusted in these apps? I'm pretty sure my french is awful and I still managed to get pretty far.

[LeHolic]

I agree with the majority here. Software for mobile devices should be based on the same features as the PC version, only adapting it to the appropriate display format.

It is a pity that many software developers do not see this as something users expect. In fact, mobile applications can even enjoy more features by default since hardware such as camera and GPS are very common, unlike the limited set of default peripherals on the PC.

This is definitely something to have in mind when developing a multi-platform application.

[宇崎ちゃん]

51 minutes ago, LeHolic said:

I agree with the majority here. Software for mobile devices should be based on the same features as the PC version, only adapting it to the appropriate display format.

It is a pity that many software developers do not see this as something users expect. In fact, mobile applications can even enjoy more features by default since hardware such as camera and GPS are very common, unlike the limited set of default peripherals on the PC.

This is definitely something to have in mind when developing a multi-platform application.

But you should also have a reason to use the camera and GPS in a language learning tool.
Seems very pointless to me if I may be honest.

[LeHolic]

31 minutes ago, Blaveloper said:

But you should also have a reason to use the camera and GPS in a language learning tool.
Seems very pointless to me if I may be honest.

Please take this as a generic comment  

...More in line with what you mentioned here:

On June 24, 2016 at 9:44 AM, Blaveloper said:

Not Duolingo per se, but I think almost every language learning app works better on a PC than on a phone.

Hey! Nice to see an app developer around BTW. Good on you! 

[translateviet]

That is a nice tool for studying.

Translateviet.com document here!

[panipX]

I have never used Duolingo on my mobile. I have been meaning to try the app on my Android but haven't done it yet. I love it on the PC though. It is one of the best language learning app I have ever used. Even though it has some quirky moments here and there, it has got a lot better than when it first came out (yes, I am an early user). Anyway, thank you for the heads up, I will keep this in mind when I try out the mobile app.

[aviendha]

I was not even aware it was available on a PC and will definitely have to investigate - thank you for sharing! I have not had any qualms with the app, though, and thus far it has been my primary tool for learning. I am looking to expand at this point, so I figure any avenue to practice in has to be a good thing. 

[GaeilgeGirl]

I have Duolingo on my PC and I love love LOVE it!  It's been the best language learning resource I have.  I'm amazed at how well I'm doing with it, and I'm not that great at learning languages.  The only thing I would add to it would be a dictionary feature that has the word, the meaning, and audio on how to pronounce it.  Maybe the words would be unlocked as you do the lessons.  That would be awesome.

[111kg]

I've used them both. Duolingo for mobile is not for language learning, but rather more for language practice, for mastering what you have already learned. Of course you can make some progress, but when people are using this app on their mobile devices, they are usually surounded by other people or are in noisy places. In other words, most of the time they can't focus.

Other than that, Duolingo is amazing. Even though it's not a complete resource to master a language, it can surely teach you the basics and how to handle an average conversation.

[untalleslie]

Yes! I just discovered this app/website a few months ago and I really, really like it. I first used it to see what what my English level but then they offered me small courses to get better on it. And I really like the concept of it, it's a really fresh concept compared to other sites who teach you languages, it's a great thing, you learn about the language and you can have fun while doing it. But still, I wish that they would add more languages to it, just like Japanese or korean, I really want to learn them there. 

[Portugirl]

I used it the same way you were thinking about which is main learning on the computer/laptop and revising on the tablet/cell phone. Using both together really helps solidify what is learned and aids in additional practice. I do believe the computer/laptop is the way to go for the same reason you noticed which was more options! I definitely love the program as it has really helped me get my foot in the door regarding learning another language. I love how easy the interface is to use. I really think it a great free tool. I only wish it had some sort of a replying function just to see if I am pronouncing words correctly. Listening and writing can only take you so far. Being able to speak it as well ties it all together completely.