Vorail

Description of App

Talk instead of type. Answer a question and make a friend.
Be social through voice, QA format. Talk about issues you like with people you love.
Start and join conversations in voice with a subscription to Vorail:
• monthly subscription enables unlimited access for a month at a time. Listen to and record an unlimited number of questions and answers.
• annual subscription enables unlimited access and two free months. Listen to and record an unlimited number of questions and answers.
• monthly subscription is usd 4.99 per month, annual subscription is usd 49.99 per month.
• Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase
• Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period
• Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal
• Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase
• Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable
– terms of use
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ogySQksL63fq4IrLVxVRmbmdmLf74k3yV7UcesOz6C4/edit?usp=sharing
– privacy policy
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gj1qwU5CDfrlHR_ll8cyRlhw6TA2ED4JXagBwDtOlu4/edit?usp=sharing
Vorail in the news:
.. Dr. Mara Karpel & Your Golden Years ask the Vorail community about finding joy and happiness at http://drmarakarpel.com/sun-jan-22-vorail-com-social-media-app-global-visually-impaired-community-developer-tom-rosenthal-cellist-jen-mulhern-laura-gelezunas-puerto-vallarta/
.. RNIB App of the Month, May 2016 - Vorail (http://www.rnib.org.uk/blogs/technology-blog)
.. AppleVis Extra #43 Scott Davert and Thomas Domville talk about Vorail at http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-43-interview-developers-vorail

.. The Tech Doctor Blog and Podcast, Robert and Allison speak with a developer and a user of the new social media app called Vorail at http://dr-carter.com/podcasts/20160509withchapters.mp3

.. Randy and Jason feature Vorail on American Council of the Blind's Main Menu at http://acbradio.org/sites/default/files/archives/shows/mainmenu/mm20160610.mp3
.. iAccessVO Episode 15 by Ed Plumacher and Brian Fischler chat with Vorail developers at http://traffic.libsyn.com/iaccessvo/iAccessVO-015.mp3
.. AppleVis podcast by Scott Davert demos Vorail at http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/get-talking-vorail-ios
.. Blind Hour Podcast with Tom R (Vorail.com) at https://soundcloud.com/blindhour/bhp109
.. "Social networking through voice rather than vision" (E-ACCESS BULLETIN)
http://www.headstar.com/eablive/?p=1192
.. "Vorail: Social Media for People with Vision Loss" (Second Sense)
http://www.second-sense.org/2016/10/vorail-social-media-for-people-with-vision-loss/
Vorail VoiceOver implementation:
.. rotor action on feeds to connect with voices and people in different ways.
.. four button touch to bring focus to tabs.
.. magic tap on feeds and inbox to pause and resume playback of questions & answers.
.. magic tap on IM screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves.
.. magic tap on record screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves.
.. magic tap during play-all on feed skips to next answer from next person.
.. scrub to return to previous screen.

Version

1.87

Free or Paid

Free With In-App Purchase

Apple Watch Support

No

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

iOS Version

12.1

Accessibility Comments

Fully accessible with voice over

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads all page elements.

Button Labeling

All buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

The app is fully accessible with VoiceOver and is easy to navigate and use.

Recommendations

8 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Joseph 4 months 2 weeks ago

Options

Comments

By TheBlindDragon on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

Is this just a social app?

By Nina on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

In reply to by TheBlindDragon

Yes in the sense that it's possible to interact with people, like talk with people. A difference is that no pictures are used at all; just the voice. I think that's one of the things that make this app unique.
You build your profile by answering questions from the app. (The questions are interesting.)
You ask/answer questions from/to other users, and you can do more things but this is just a basic description of the app.
I hope this answers your question,
Hth

By Fleurppel on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

It was originally marketed as a dating app, but I think the focus has changed since then. I've been testing it since January and am having fun.

By Holger Fiallo on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

It can be both in which you can socialize with everybody and see if you like someone. It has feature that you can like or dislike a person.

By Faerie on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

So to clarify, you can still use this app if you wish to date no one? Is it like what melt used to be?

By Nina on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hi,
Yes you can still use it without dating anyone. Whatever you'd like to use the app for, whether it be socializing or dating it's your choice.
Maybe someone else can tell you about Melt in relation to this app. I have never used Melt.
Thanks

By Vorail on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

the vorail community includes married, engaged, single and divorced folks. if you think of vorail as a party or social gathering, you choose if you prefer to listen, ask, and answer questions from others, or invite someone to private chat. earlier today, one of vorail's users described vorail as “a site to get to know people, and then privately ask them whether they would be interested in friendship, hence the like button”.

By Fleurppel on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

In reply to by Vorail

I like that description. It makes more people willing to use it, I think.

By Nina on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

Smarter voice over implementation, more use of magic tap.

By Faerie on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

I am loving the app so far. However, I do have one question. What exactly is the magic tap?

By Vorail on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

In reply to by Faerie

my understanding of magic tap is two finger double tap. magic tap serves as a short-cut, it is defined differently on different screens.

reminder of current voice over implementation:
.. magic tap on home feed skips to next person in home feed.
.. magic tap on IM screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves.
.. magic tap on record screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves.
.. four button touch to change focus to tab.
.. roter action on home feed to connect with voices and people in different ways.

By wikan on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

i don't know what's wrong, but why i seem can't pass the page where the app asking about our age, gender, and our nick name. the thing is, there is no next or done bottom. can somebody explain what's going on?

By Vorail on Thursday, February 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @wikan,

i hear a wikan on vorail, looks like you figured out how to setup the app. any suggestions on how the setup screens should be changed to make it easier for new users?

if others run into same question as Wikan, there is a 'next' button at bottom of screen, end of voice over. flicking right gets you to the 'next' button.

By Nina on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Improvements to VoiceOver: magic tap on home feed skips to next person in home feed. Magic tap on IM screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves. Magic tap on record screen first time starts recording, second magic tap ends and saves. Four button touch to change focus to tab. Rotor action on home feed to connect with voices and people in different ways.

By Chrystal on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

I encountered the same problem as Wikan in that I couldn't seem to get past the registration screen with age, sex, gender and all that. The only way I was able to do it was to switch off VoiceOver, tap the bottom right of screen, then switch VoiceOver back on again. Hopefully this is something that can be addressed. :-)

By Matthew Bullis on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hello, one question I've not found the answer to about this app is can you narrow your focus to only talk with those in your area? That's the most important thing for me.

If you go into the search tab in the app, there are a couple of sliders in there and one of them is the radius around you that you want the App to search for people. Hope this helps.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @ChrystalAlex, i tested new user registration with voice over on in the beta release, and it worked. are you using beta release or did you get vorail from the app store? when you were on the first screen, and flicked right through name, age, gender, interested in which gender, and you flick right, you did not hear a 'next' or 'done' button? flick right worked, but it would get to the 'end' sound without playing a 'done' or 'next'? thanks! tom

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @Matthew Bullis, my experience same as @ChrystalAlex. four finger tap to move voice over focus to tabs. fifth tab is search. one of the sliders is distance from you. enabling app to know location is optional, some of the users may not grant vorail access to location data. we have not tested search screen in a while, main focus for coming weeks is improvements to main feed, inbox, and likes. thanks, tom

By Chrystal on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

In reply to by Vorail

Hi Tom, I downloaded it from the App Store. Infact if I typed my name in first I couldn't seem to get out of the edit field. The only way I could get past the registration screen was to set the sliders first, type my name second, switch off VoiceOver and tap the bottom right of the screen, then switch VoiceOver back on again. But for that one small glitch, I think it is an awesome app and I am well and truly loving it.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @ChrystalAlex, that sounds like a terrible new user registration process. i will delete myself today and test again registering as a new user with voice over enabled. do your device orientation change at all while registering? thus far, that's the only error we have been able to re-create, the app does not (yet) handle well when device is rotated (portrait to landscape). thanks, tom

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

with voice over enabled, how to get out of an edit field? with voice over off, user can find the return button on soft keyboard. with voice over on?

from @ChrystalAlex: "I couldn't seem to get out of the edit field."

By alex wallis on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

getting out of edit fields is fairly straight forward, normally in portrait mode there is a done button towards the bottom right corner of the screen, though you should be able to flick to the right or left in an edit field to access other controls without needing to decide to come out of the edit field.

By rdfreak on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

I found if I just simply double tapped return, it would take you to the next screen.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @alex wallis and @rdfreak, when soft keyboard comes up, i tap somewhere else on the screen, then i can flick right to the 'done' button. if i was in the edit field, typing my name, flick left right took me to different parts of the soft keyboard. i could not find the return key unless i looked.

worked on voice over implementation in new user register page, it may work better in the new build that went live today.

By Chrystal on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

In reply to by Vorail

Hi Tom, no I have my orientation locked in portrait mode.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

i do not know how to remove a post, but i found the edit button. i am still learning how applevis site works, in future, i will post only issues about the app store release version in this area. apple is reviewing a new release of vorail, i will post here when it is available (should take a week or two). thanks
---
previous post
---
new (minor fixes):
.. ‘ask-all’ button added to both ‘answers’ and ‘asks’ screen, upper right corner, after the page heading.
.. fixed a bug with like, now able to like or unlike somebody from likes screen.

list of highest priority scheduled new features and bugs fixes:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t06-ilEKeWJTSz-ys7Qz-RuUHUm8w5s7TqDotw_sK3I/edit?usp=sharing

By rdfreak on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Ah I had just downloaded it, so I must have been just lucky to get through to the new build where I could register easier.
Is this just a blindy specific app? I haven't seen anyone else on there; not that it matters.

By Nina on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hi @rdfreak,
I am glad you had no problems registering.
The app is not blind specific, both blind and sighted can use it; I think it was marketed for both.

By Maya on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hello All. Please, is it possible to listen to other's profiles without recording your own profile first? When you make your voice profile, is there an option to hear the recording before uploading on server? Thank you for your help in advance.

By Nina on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hi @Maya,
I don't know the answer to the first part about your question, hearing other's voices first before recording your own profile.
To listen to a recording before uploading on server, double tap on record button, record, double tap again and the recording will play automatically. You can choose to upload it to server by double tapping done button or record again by double tapping record button. You can do this for individual recordings only, so for example, if you wanted to listen to your whole profile before uploading it to server you cannot, it is just for one recording at a time.
Hth
Thanks

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @Maya, for the first part of your question, new users are asked to record an answer for the question of the day. you can record a few seconds of silence. this gets you through new user registration. then once you are on the feed, you can listen to all answers and asks without recording your own answers or asks. recording a silent answer is not great for everybody else because double tapping on your entry in the field will play silence, but it is ok if you need to. new voices and thinking are welcome on vorail :)

By Nina on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Added 'asks' tab to make more user ask-alls viewable, not just the most recent three. Ask-all button moved from tabs to answers and asks screen upper right corner.
Inbox updated to contain only private messages to you (public questions to all moved to 'asks' tab).
VoiceOver implementation improvements.

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

In the matches tab is there a way to view someone's profile instead of recordingjust a question to them? I never saw an actions setting in my rotor on the matches tab which is why I'm asking. Thanks all.

hi @KE7ZUM, the feature was added to version for external beta testers, and is included in the general release app store version submitted today (apple takes between one to five weeks to approve version for app store release). you are using the app store version? in beta version, the 'matches' tab is renamed 'like' tab, and on the likes (matches) screen, there are rotor actions for like (unlike), and view name's profile. app store version is usually two or more weeks behind beta version because apple review for beta is one day or less, but apple review for app store releases takes much longer.

thanks,
tom

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Yeah i didn't downoad the app store version released today, I guess we'll see what changed when I get round to updating my device.

hi @KE7ZUM, feedback on version released on app store today is layout is much better, easier to navigate and inbox makes more sense. the feature you suggested should be on app store in one to five weeks, when apple approves the version submitted for app store release earlier today. tom

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Ah normally apple are pretty good, actually I know of some devs who asked for a rush review of their app, in that case though something had broken accessibally. Apple had it out in a few hours. Lol! But yeah I'm patient. And so far loving the app. I wish though you could search by name for someone. That would be really nice.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @E7ZUM, we have done the expedited review once, but our understanding of apple rules is can only request expedited if there is an public event deadline, or something critically wrong with the app store version. we plan to bring back an improved search screen. i understand you would like to search by name. would you be searching for a name you already saw on vorail, or would you be searching the name of someone you know from another place, to see if they are on vorail?

thanks,
tom

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

In regard to searching, a bit of both actually. You might want to get other's opinions on that actually. No worries on the speed of the approval. The app is not broke, just a bit of an issue with the matches tab.

By zdenek on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hello, after few attempts I was able to register with vorail. I saw four tabs 1. answers tab where was written for instance :john answered all questions from chris: 2. questions tab 3. mail tab 4. likes tab, no search tab here, moreover when I click on "john answered all questions from Chris" nothing happends there seems to be no buttons nothing. Can someone help please?

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

That's odd. I no longer see those options. Try reinstalling the app as yu might not have gotten the updates released last and this week.

By Nina on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

Hi @zdenek, on the first tab, the answers tab, where you see "John answered all-question from Chris" for instance, and you clicked on that, did you hear any audio? Did you try with different answers? This is the tab where you find people's answers to questions. Generally you can play answers by double tapping one of them and see the different tabs at the bottom of the screen.
There is no search tab because that feature has not really been tested yet.
If you are still having problems I suggest you close the app and try again, if that does not work then a device restart might help, or as stated above reinstall.
Hth

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @zdenek, i have same questions @Nina asked. double tapping on the row plays the answer and the original question. flick right to next row. magic tap to move focus to next person. are you familiar with rotor actions? rotor actions flick up and down to scroll through options/buttons.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

hi @KE7ZUM, what are the options you no longer see? we pulled out the search tab. plan is to get feed (answers), questions, inbox and likes working perfect, then improve and reintroduce the search tab (possibility as filter tab).

By KE7ZUM on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

No I was commenting that this person's intrface looked like the older one, not the new updated one that got released this week.

Take care.

By Vorail on Friday, March 25, 2016 - 00:14

.. tag ask-alls
.. mute to make someone disappear from your feeds and inbox
.. lots of voice over improvements and bug fixes, such as message will continue to play after screen locked and playback of your recordings will be smoother