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Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

voiczy.com

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Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#21

Post by wantsanagent »

preinheimer wrote: post #16
wantsanagent wrote: post #14

Just say "No" to "Free" trials that require a credit card on file.

I run a product that has a free tier. There's one person with ~30 accounts, each with their own unique email address (gmail). Credit cards are a decent tool to stem the tide of people making lots of free accounts.

Fine, then charge $1 and don't auto-convert to a subscription. That practice is what is offensive.

Or if it's just a few users don't ruin the free trial for everyone based on the actions of some bad apples. Spend some time on IP based screens etc.

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#22

Post by meowster »

Attempted to try the demo, it requested microphone access which I denied, then the page was stuck. The only option to move forward was tapping on the chat icon, and then it wanted my email address and I wrote "no thank you" which it seemed to accept but not process.

It looks like your app only wants people to do things a certain way, and if the user doesn't, then too bad?

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#23

Post by rioppondalis »

rahimnathwani wrote: post #12

My 8yo son uses Duolingo every day, to study Spanish. Is voiczy likely to be more effective or efficient?

I can’t say with 100% certainty that Voiczy is more valuable than Duolingo. Duolingo has years of experience and likely offers unique content—they're a large company with many resources.

However, Voiczy was born out of necessity. We tried Duolingo and other apps, but they didn’t suit our son’s needs. Every child has a different learning style. I encourage you to give Voiczy a try. We offer a 7-day free trial, and I’d be happy to extend it for you if needed. You can see if your son finds it helpful and let me know your thoughts & feedback.

What sets Voiczy apart is that we use the child’s native language to bridge the gap with the new words they're learning. This makes the process feel less pressured and more engaging and faster to grasp. That’s what we observed with both our son and beta testers.

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#24

Post by rioppondalis »

rahimnathwani wrote: post #15
bradarner wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I can't vouch for voiczy, Duolingo is in the business of user retention and engagement in order to meet investor demands...language learning is the hook. Duolingo is notably POOR at real language acquisition.

Yeah I get that. I don't think my son is ready for something effortful like LingQ. So, even if Duolingo is only a tenth as effective per unit of time spent, it's better than nothing.

With Voiczy, we recommend limiting sessions to 15-20 minutes per day. We plan to add more games in the future to make learning even more enjoyable. Given that children (and even adults) have short attention spans these days, consistent daily practice can make a significant difference over time. After a month or two, you’ll likely notice great progress!

We’ve seen excellent improvement with our son using Voiczy daily. Of course, we know we’re not perfect. We're just a small parent-run company. It’s just me, my partner, and our son, who happens to be our main tester! :)

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#25

Post by rioppondalis »

davidzweig wrote: post #11

Tried the demo, looks similar to the Rosetta Stone method. Very nice execution. We also make a language app.

Thank you! I appreciate your comment. What language app are you working on?

Do you have any feedback or suggestions for us? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can succeed in this market. Any advice is welcome! :)

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#26

Post by [deleted] »

meowster wrote: post #22

Attempted to try the demo, it requested microphone access which I denied, then the page was stuck. The only option to move forward was tapping on the chat icon, and then it wanted my email address and I wrote "no thank you" which it seemed to accept but not process. It looks like your app only wants people to do things a certain way, and if the user doesn't, then too bad?

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#27

Post by rioppondalis »

ugh123 wrote: post #18

It's unclear on first impression of the landing page what your unique value prop is. You say this: " Voiczy transforms language learning into an exciting adventure." and then you ask me to click a free trial button. I think that deserves some kind of visual, either screenshots, illustrations, or demo video right next to that blurb. Your Demo button shows a video play button, but when I click it i'm greeted with a 2-s…

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. You're absolutely right, and I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us.

I’ll work on addressing your points soon. Just a quick question: while adding a video is straightforward, for the actual "try demo," we need to gather the user’s native and target languages, as well as request microphone access later to provide an accurate demo.

In this case, what would you suggest? Should we demo a common language pair, like English to Spanish? Or should we avoid showing games that require microphone access in the demo to simplify the process?

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#28

Post by rioppondalis »

meowster wrote: post #22

Attempted to try the demo, it requested microphone access which I denied, then the page was stuck. The only option to move forward was tapping on the chat icon, and then it wanted my email address and I wrote "no thank you" which it seemed to accept but not process. It looks like your app only wants people to do things a certain way, and if the user doesn't, then too bad?

Apologies for this. I realize now that microphone access might be unnecessary for the demo. The issue is that we have a game requiring microphone use, where kids practice saying words aloud to help with memorization and pronunciation. For children, this is a crucial step in overcoming any shyness about speaking the language.

I’ll work on addressing this by making microphone access optional or removing that specific game from the demo entirely.

Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. I really appreciate it!

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#29

Post by rioppondalis »

mtalantikite wrote: post #17

Congrats on shipping! I'm curious to know if kids in this demographic (2-6) see any extra benefits to something structured like this versus just watching cartoons in their target language? I've met plenty of people that have told me something like "Oh, I learned English from just watching Scooby Doo as a kid". They then went on to study English more formally in school when they were older, but they really claim they…

Cartoons can also be beneficial. We've discussed various techniques with two experienced speech therapists, each with their own beliefs shaped by years of working with children facing language disorders or expat families encouraging their kids to speak.

One specialist advised limiting cartoons to a maximum of 20 minutes per day, while the other suggested cartoons could be quite effective. I believe expert opinions should vary depending on the case.

In general, I think Voiczy can have a greater impact than simply watching cartoons. When playing a game, children are more engaged, focusing on learning words to advance through the levels. This can motivate them to pay closer attention. While cartoons can help with listening and understanding concepts, they may not be the best option for developing speaking skills, as they don't offer much practice.

Re: Show HN: I made a simple web app to help kids learn a new language

#30

Post by rioppondalis »

ugh123 wrote: post #18

It's unclear on first impression of the landing page what your unique value prop is. You say this: " Voiczy transforms language learning into an exciting adventure." and then you ask me to click a free trial button. I think that deserves some kind of visual, either screenshots, illustrations, or demo video right next to that blurb. Your Demo button shows a video play button, but when I click it i'm greeted with a 2-s…

Update: I removed microphone access need. Moved the voice game to one of the last games, this way hopefully less people will have a problem with it.

Thanks again for your good suggestions

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