12N - the app you can count on in 120 languages

Dec. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Vicsgames, an educational software service company, developed 12N to offer a multilingual numbers and currencies translator that doubles up as an intuitive learning tool. It

 uses a unique digit to text to speech feature to facilitate the comprehension, the understanding and the mastering of numbers in many languages.

“The natural instinct when seeing digits is to read them in your mother tongue”, explains Jack Amberg, Owner and Director of Vicsgames,  “but being agile with numbers in a foreign language is the real proof of fluency. We wanted to develop an app that was useful for most people but went beyond simple translation to also serve as a learning device. This is a truly multi-lingual app that can be used anywhere from Albania to Zimbabwe.”  

How does it work?
The 12N app uses a combination of oral and visual options to enable users to learn numbers and currencies intuitively. Users can view a video tour of 12N before downloading the app. The first option let’s them type a figure using the keypad. The result is displayed in text and in phonetics and the size of the text can be adjusted at any time to suit different needs. The listening icon tells them how to pronounce it with a native accent, and the recording tool enables them to practice saying it. Tapping the listening icon again lets them hear how their pronunciation compares with the original.

The second option involves a little test to practice oral recognition. The app speaks a number at random and gives the user three attempts to write it correctly. 

 For example, if the language selected is French and the recording says ‘deux mille onze’, the user should type ‘2011’ using the keypad. After the third incorrect attempt, the app will display the correct answer.

The third option is the currency converter, which uses daily updated exchange rates. The app converts amounts from one currency to another, and pronounces the results in the language of choice. First, the user selects the source and destination currencies then the language. 

This option also allows the practicing of pronunciation and oral recognition, as described in option one.

“The app is especially useful in countries where several languages are spoken such as Belgium and Switzerland, as you can switch from one language to another by simply tapping a flag.” Adds Jack Amberg.

Who is this app for?
12N is primarily designed for educational purposes. Teachers can motivate students of all ages to learn numbers in the language they are studying by practicing with 12N. The app can also help children learn numbers in their own language. It is obviously an ideal companion for anyone travelling or doing business abroad and for expatriates who may not have full command of the native language in their host country. It will also be of interest to those planning a gap year abroad or a multi country trip.

12N is currently available for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices, and can be downloaded from the respective App store or by visiting http://12N.com. The first language is entirely free for everyone and other languages can be purchased for around US$ 2. New languages

 are regularly added to the app for immediate access.

Ongoing commitment to supporting multilingual education by the developers means that the iPad version of the app is entirely free for educational institutions and teachers can request access for the number of iPads or Tabs in use in their classroom. Full free access is also available to journalists. To request access; click on the ‘Press’ or ‘Teachers’ icon on http://12N.com.

The App has already been downloaded from many parts of the world, with the top six countries being: France, Korea, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and the USA.

About Vicsgames
Vicsgames is an educational software service developer located in St Germain en Laye, France. In 2008, it started developing Vicsgames.com a multilingual educational platform, initially to help overcome language barriers in multilingual societies and to enable students of all ages to enhance their linguistic skills. The concept uses a mix of textual, oral and visual elements to facilitate learning through a matrix approach that allows moving from one language to another simply by clicking on a flag. This methodology based on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), and designed by the Council of Europe, is used across Europe as the common way of teaching languages.

In 2011, Vicsgames used the same methodology to develop the mobile app 12N and help people, wherever they may be, learn about numbers and currencies in written and oral forms. The key to the unique functionalities of the app lies within the deep understanding of how the combination of written, oral and visual elements work together to facilitate the learning and ability to communicate with confidence in another language. 12N aims at providing numbers proficiency in 1 to maNy languages.

To download the app, go to the iTunes or Android store, or visit http://12n.com.

Notes to editors and journalists
You can read a technical review of 12N on the iPhone app review website http://www.theiphoneappreview.com/2011/03/12n-hd-ipad-app....
For more information about 12N or if you would like to request access to the App on more than one device, please contact Jack Amberg by email at jack@vicsgames.com

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Vicsgames is an educational software service developer located in St Germain en Laye, France. In 2008, it started developing Vicsgames.com a multilingual educational platform, initially to help overcome language barriers in multilingual societies and to enable students of all ages to enhance their linguistic skills.