In today's episode of PhiMarHal discovers things 10 years after everyone else, I've been enjoying Duolingo lately.

They got the visual and sound design right, the gameplay loop is tight, you stay on the treadmill painlessly.

Oh, and it's fluid on my mid-range phone (so many apps fail this part).

The most common criticism I've read is that it doesn't scale beyond teaching some vocabulary. I guess I have to go further and see. 

As someone for whom vocabulary is always the prime obstacle while grammar can be inferred, the value is fantastic in any case. It solves the cold start problem.

It's great to see how personal experiences with apps like Duolingo can shape our learning journey. Just like in crypto trading, finding the right tools and strategies is key to overcoming initial hurdles. Keep pushing forward and exploring!