Hello Ian, I still think Seeing Eye or Nearby Explorer are a better solution than Apple or Google Maps alongside Blindsquare, but that is just my opinion. I never was as impressed with Blindsquare as some others were. Unfortunately I can't comment on how well Seeing Eye or Nearby Explorer work in England and if there is any integration with public transit. Hopefully you can find some users in your country who can answer those questions.
Regards, Sieghard -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ian Harrison Sent: Wednesday, April 4, 2018 3:26 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Maps usage guidance Dear Sieghard, I don’t normally clog up these lists with replies of thanks. However, your very considerate response demands comment. It is such a well considered reply that I am going to keep it for reference when I meet the newly blind or others that are struggling. I consider myselfa competent cane user and I am confident in familiar locations. I am making it a project to widen my sphere of independence as well as actually be of help when with sighted friends or family. I am technically competent with IOS but some of the settings and descriptions in apple and google maps put me off trying them out. I can afford to buy one of the more expensive apps, especially if they are easier to use with very little sight. This is one of the reasons I asked about podcasts comparing the various offerings and how to use them effectively. I am also in the UK , so worry that the experience may not be as good over here, especially when linking into public transport systems. To answer the other contributor, would something like nearby explorer or seeing eye be a simpler and more efficient system over a combination of free maps and blind square talking to me at the same time? Sorry to go on in such detail, but these lists often see people asking the same questions; so I know it is a hot topic. All the very best Ian > On 3 Apr 2018, at 15:55, Sieghard Weitzel <[email protected]> wrote: > > Ian, > > Do you have a dog or do you walk with a cane? If cane then have you had O&M > training? I am a very big believer that you have to first know how to get > around without these apps before they become really useful. If you are not > profficient in travelling with a cane and to make the best out of your > environment using your senses then relying on an app might do more harm than > good. I don't want to discourage ou, I have no idea about your age, abilities > and whether you deal with other disabilities other than blindness or even > whether you can still see a little bit, but it's a bit like cooking or > baking, if you have no idea about any of the basics of cooking/baking then > having a good recipe app does not necessarily mean you can come up with a > well done dinner or fancy cake. > When I lost my sight back in Germany at the age of 16 (that was back in 1984 > when such things as GPS for the general public let alone for the blind didn't > even exist) I was lucky to be at the school for the blind in Marburg, Germany > where even before I went back into grade 10 I spent an entire year learing > braille, proper type writing, O&M and other life skills including cooking. > This included 10 hours of O& M training every week for the first few month, > then as I was able to walk around more by myself it was a bit less. I think > Marburg which is a very old ccity was a great place because unlike most > cities here in North America it is full of crooked streets, over and > underpasses, little alleyways, a lot of hills and stairs, areas which are > cobble stone and others which are paved. > I was a cane user for 10 years after I became blind and then switched to a > guide dog and I think as most guide dog users I'd never go back, but I find > that this comprehensive O&M training was one of the most important skills I > learned and it gave me the confidence to go anywhere. > After I graduated from High School in 1989 and just before I immigrated to > Canada to start University here I travelled to southern Spain where my Uncle > had a house by myself by train via Frankfurt, Paris and Madrid. > After I came to Canada I travelled by bus and hitch hiking all over northern > British Columbia and the Yukon Territory just with my backpack, sleeping bag > and tent camping along the way, of course I went back to Germany many times. > I spent a week camping on Maui in 2008 where I learned how to scuba dive and > that is the first travel experience I had where I had an accessible GPS, a > Trekker Maestro. > I also travelled to the Philippines 5 times to visit my then girl-friend now > wife and while I have no problem asking for help at complicated airports I > don't feel intimidated by the prospect of travelling by myself. > I now use the Seeing Eye GPS app as well as Apple Maps if I go to Vancouver > or other larger cities, here where I live I rarely need them because I'm in a > small town and at best I might use the technology after it snowed a foot and > all landmarks have disappeared under the snow. To me it sounds that you might > get more use out of a blind specific app like Nearby Explorer or the Seeing > Eye GPS app just because they do provide more feedback than Apple Maps or > Google Maps and you won't have to use a combination of apps to get the > information you need. > > Regards, > Sieghard > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of > Richard Turner > Sent: Tuesday, April 3, 2018 6:24 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: Maps usage guidance > > Hi Ian, > > First, in my opinion, there is no definitive answer. Everyone has a slightly > different take on the best combination. > > Personally, I would choose Google Maps and Blind Square. > Or, if you want an app that combines the best of both into one app, Nearby > Explorer. > Personally, I find Google Maps and BlindSquare a little easier to set up and > use. > > I search for a destination in BlindSquare whether it is abusiness name or a > street address, then select plan a route from the options that come up. > I then choose Google Maps as my turn-by-turn application. > You wait a few seconds while Google Maps launches. > Then, you will have Google maps voice telling you when to turn and > BlindSquare telling you what streets you are coming to. > Personally, I want as little chatter as I can get, so I have BlindSquare set > to streets only. Some people want to hear whatever points of interest it > happens to announce as well, but I find that pretty useless since it is never > an exhaustive list of the businesses I am passing. > > Google Maps of course is free, and BlindSquare is $39.99. > > Nearby Explorer combines all that into one app, which is $79.99 but it also > then has a lot more settings to sort out, which is great, but it is more > complicated because it is a bit more powerful. > > I believe there are podcasts on Nearby Explorer and BlindSquare on > Applevis.com as well as other places. > > If you don't mind spending a lot of money, Seeing Eye GPS is also a great app > that combines all that, but is significantly more expensive, though you can > do a month trial I think for around $10. > > HTH, > Richard > > > > “The secret is not to make your music louder, but to make the world quieter.” > - Mitch Albom from The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, page 1 > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ian > Harrison > Sent: Tuesday, April 3, 2018 3:02 AM > To: 'RobH. ' via VIPhone <[email protected]>; > [email protected] > Subject: Maps usage guidance > > Dear listers, > > I have decided to become a bit more independent in walking around. I am a > pretty experienced voice over user but struggle to set up journeys for turn > by turn guidance in both Apple maps and Google.. > > I have listened to many in depth podcasts but cannot seem to find one or two > that cover the skills needed to accomplish a good experience with these apps. > Can anyone point me to a masterclass? > > On a connected note, I have read all the recent discussions on various > support apps such as nearby explorer, blind square, soundscape. Is there a > definitive answer to the best combination of turn by turn walking and public > transport with spacial awareness as you go along? Again a complex series of > podcasts on this would be a major achievement. I am too inexperienced and > nervous to try and do a podcast experiment myself. > > Thanks for your thoughts. > Ian > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > [email protected]. 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Mark can be reached at: > [email protected]. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at > [email protected] > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. 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Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at [email protected] The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VIPhone" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: [email protected]. 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