Will be in Italy (Rome, Florence, & Sorrento) for 10 days in late September. Looking for recommendations [or dis-recommendations] for

(a) books
(b) computer software

for quickly learning enough Italian to get by and not appear too much like an ugly American.

(I have some lingering knowledge of my high school French; I can ask questions with a fairly good accent; however, understanding the answers is an other issue... )