Kelly, Ever since the beginning of the development of accessible GPS devices, detailed audio feedback about the environment has been a primary goal. Some of the important aspects I as a completely blind person want to know are as follows:
. periodic announcements of the street name I am on and the direction I am going. . information about upcoming cross streets like street name and how far I am from it . information about the type of intersection I am approaching like 4-way, 3-way etc. I have often walked along a sidewalkopposite the side where a street ended in a T intersection and where I had to turn down that street. Even if I have a route set with an app like Navigon and get the instruction "Turn left on Oak Street", assuming that is the street name, I might continue walking thinking I just go until I get to the intersection, then I cross and everything is good. Well, if Oak Street ends at the street I am on and across from where I am, I am likely to walk straight past it. I will of course eventually get the idea, but if the app says Next cross street is Oak Street follows that with 3-way intersection it makes a lot more sense to me. MobileGeo typically told me that kind of information and usually also told me whether the street was going off on my side or the other side. I have a feeling we will never see this kind of detail from a commercial app because sighted users simply have no need to know. They can first of all easily see it on the map the app displays on their screen and secondly they can just take a quick glance at the intersection. Sendero has been a pioneer in the development of these types of GPS solutions and I highly doubt Mike May has become a millionaire and I am quite certain they haven't decided to charge what they do by figuring out their costs and then tripling it. It is also well known that early adopters sometimes pay more for things or miss out on promotions, take Fleksy as an example. I can't even remember what I paid, but I think it was rather expensive as apps go, then they dropped the price and now it's a free app. But I nonetheless am not angry that I paid where had I waited I could have gotten it for free. The app has been out for only 2 or 3 days and it will take quite a bit longer for Sendero to compile all the feedback, analyse it, make decisions and implement them. Maybe in a month we suddenly see a month to month subscription or a one-week trial period for $5, maybe not. But let's all give them a chance to do their job. Everybody has to decide for themselves in the meantime whether he or she wants the app at the current conditions or not. As for the availability in other countries the same applies. Sendero's home base is the States, we in Canada are lucky because most Navteq maps cover North America and while Navteq definitely offers good maps for Europe, Australia and other places, it may very well make sense for Sendero to get the app going in one major market before tackling other markets. Regards, Sieghard -----Original Message----- From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2013 5:33 PM To: viphone@googlegroups.com Subject: Re: Seeing Eye GPS Demo/trial Mode Dear Sieghard, Thanks for the explanation. I understand the rationale for the Seeing Eye app now. For folks who have never experienced a GPS solution, Apple Maps in iOS 7 will likely be a great experience that can certainly be helpful and highly useful. For a high quality experience that offers insane accessibility and audio support to the blind traveler, the Seeing Eye app is clearly the option as it integrates the benefits of multiple apps into one package. I'm beginning to believe that an accessible GPS solution is entering into the realm of essential adaptive technology for the highly independent blind person along with a screen reader, portable book reader and OCR technology. In recent years, all of these have become more affordable so it is possible to talk about a complete set of tools within the budget of many. Kelly On 7/4/13, Sieghard Weitzel <siegh...@live.ca> wrote: > Hi Kelly, > > They may offer turn by turn walking directions which will definitely > be nice and possibly superior to what navigon currently offers, but I > assume that you still have to set a destination and calculate a route > before you get that. The big advantage of something like the SeeingEye > app is the fact that you can just load the app and start walking and > it will give you very useful feedback about cross streets, > intersections and points of interest without having to do anything. > Apps like Sendero LookAround, Ariadne GPS, BlindSquare and so on have > been developed largely because they offer some of this functionality > while commercial apps like \navigon don't offer this functionality at > all. I remember a lot of posts from new iPhone users over the years > who asked which GPS app they should use in order to get this level of > information and feedback along with turn by turn directions and the > answer was always that one had to use at least 2 or 3 apps, now there > is one that does it all and that does it better because none of the > other apps had intersection information. > > > Regards, > Sieghard > > -----Original Message----- > From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On > Behalf Of Kelly Pierce > Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2013 8:56 AM > To: viphone@googlegroups.com > Subject: Re: Seeing Eye GPS Demo/trial Mode > > Apple Maps will have turn by turn walking directions in iOS 7. I > wonder how the Seeing Eye app will be really different from that > experience. Chicago has loads of one-way streets so turn by turn > driving directions have limited value. > > I would very much like a short paid subscription. Apple Maps does not > work in EDGE service. I would like to try the Seeing Eye ap to find > out how it preforms in EDGE conditions. The fact that maps are > through the Internet and not my device is a bummer. No cell phone > carrier is available everywhere. However, a talking map can be > indispensable and should be available at all times like Navigon. > > Mike May described his difficulty in developing both a high quality > accessible GPS ap that was affordable in the March CSUN presentation. > I would like a monthly subscription to understand how the app works > under EDGE conditions. Those seeking a free or low cost solution are > really advocating for a socialist society. I essentially live in one > and life in this leftist paradise is not the utopia that many claim it to be. > > Kelly > > > > > Kelly > > > > On 7/3/13, Sieghard Weitzel <siegh...@live.ca> wrote: >> Hi Rose, >> >> I would check Applevis every now and then to see if somebody did a >> comprehensive Podcast on Seeing Eye GPS, I am sure there will be one >> sooner rather than later, but keep in mind that the app was only >> released yesterday and beta testers were probably obligated to keep >> their mouth shut until the official release. >> >> I also think that changing the price may well be possible, if enough >> people request a one or two week trial subscription for maybe $10 or >> so, Sendero might very well do this. I personally have a lot of >> confidence in Sendero and their ability to produce an outstanding app >> which will become more feature rich as time goes by. I downloaded the >> app and the only reason why I haven't registered/subscribed yet is >> because I am currently not going anywhere and don't really need it. >> After I paid for the $3,400 ACL surgery my guide dog had a couple of >> months ago I'll buy it so I can start learning how to make the most >> from it. I guess he had the physical pain, I'm dealing with how much >> that hurts my bank account and "toys/travel" budget *smile* >> >> >> Regards, >> Sieghard >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On >> Behalf Of Rose Combs >> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 11:42 AM >> To: viphone@googlegroups.com >> Subject: RE: Seeing Eye GPS Demo/trial Mode >> >> You know, I wish more people who have tried the app would weigh in, >> we can't change the pricing, we will all need to decide what meets >> our needs, so why can't we actually focus on what the app does or >> does not do, yes, I read the manual, it might help some who are sort >> of sitting on the fence to hear more about how the app is being used. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On >> Behalf Of John Diakogeorgiou >> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 8:52 AM >> To: viphone@googlegroups.com >> Subject: Re: Seeing Eye GPS Demo/trial Mode >> >> Hi: >> Regardless of whether I would or would not buy an app, I would prefer >> to get a copy without all the bells and whistles than have to wait >> six months or another year to get a full featured version. The Kindle >> app, Flexy, and several others are good examples of my point. At the >> same time however I would not spend $70 for an app which I can't test >> in advance. >> >> On 7/2/13, Mary Otten <motte...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> Eric, >>> >>> I understand what you're saying about the desire to have all the >>> features at the version 1.0 level. But that is simply not realistic. >>> Apple or not Apple, >>> 1.0 apps are not mature, and they never have the same feature set as >>> more mature apps. This app does things no other gps app on ios does. >>> If its feature set plus the history of the Sendero group's >>> commitment to gps for the blind isn't enough to give you confidence >>> to buy a subscription, that is certainly your right. But this has >>> nothing whatsoever to do with anything special to Apple and making >>> excuses. If you've been using screen readers, you know how many >>> years it takes for one of those to become mature. Same for the gps >>> apps. Same for MS Office >> or any other complex app. >>> >>> Mary >>> >>> Mary Otten >>> motte...@gmail.com >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >>> Google Group. >>> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >>> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >>> --- >>> 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >>> >>> >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >> Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> --- >> 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >> Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> --- >> 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" > Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> --- >> 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" > Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" > Google Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > 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 viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. 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