Seeing Eye GPS

What's New in Version 1.2

- Resolved iOS 7 issues
- Fixed VoiceOver issues when entering an address using dictation
- Removed duplicate buttons for route details, show map, and an extra back button
- Improved performance of accented characters in street names and POIs
- Improved route following announcements
- Reduced the triggering distance of Pedestrian approaching turn and turn now announcements, which means you will be notified when to turn, closer to the actual turn.
- Added destination information to bottom left corner of route screen.
- Corrected a VoiceOver issue with reading Route ETA’s
- Moved the POI call button after route creation options
- Improved Shake functionality so a shake will not register if phone is upside-down in your pocket for example.
- Added Nearest POI to the Location screen.
- Improved POI searches when search term that ends with an s
- Improved POI LookAround, more POIs should be announced and also more relevant POIs that are closer will be announced.
- Fixed issue where intersection description occasionally would be incorrect when not moving.
- Expanded street abbreviations
- Added support for handling pedestrian roundabouts.
- Added LookAround POIs and Intersections to Map View announcements
- Removed duplicate announcements for Route and LookAround events while VoiceOver is still talking.
- Removed ability to search for OSM POIs due to a problem with the OSM POI service.
- Changed the “Other” button for route creation options to a “More” button.

What error message did you receive? Have you let Sendero know about it? If so, what has been their reply? I like the 1 month option if it works, because people won't have to buy a year's worth of service and then find out that, for some reason or other, they don't like it. I also find it a bit wrong for them to offer a free app that you can do nothing with until you buy a subscription. I would think that a better way to do it would be to charge a 1 month subscription for the app and specify that this is what you are purchasing. Then, if you like it, you can use the other purchasing options found within the app.

I agree 100 percent. Plus you can do the monthly subscription for $10. That is not much if you ask me. And i fyou don't like it you can cancel. And seeing eye did not decide to charge, it was the map services that dictate the price not seeing eye according to their faq.

Tc.

That's true. and I agree. i don't use the app myself, but I'm willing to give it a try once now that they have the monthly subscription I heard some canidian users use it and it's not as good as the us, but hopefully that will improve in time. too bad they cannot integrate the maps of waze in that it willsend map location and data to the servers and they make the correct map edits and send them down to us.

Tc

Version 1.4 is now available in the App Store. Interestingly, the navigation data source has been changed to TomTom.

"What's New in Version 1.4 There are 10 notable changes in Version 1.4 along with a number of other enhancements made under the hood.

Enhancements: • Map and POI content provider changed. • Location Screen: cleanup when ma data was missing. • User interface cleanup for low-vision users. • Reduced search radius for Look-Around Vehicle POIs from 5 miles to 1 mile. • When user goes off-route in addition to the sound effect, "recalculating" will be announced. • When off-rout with no cellular coverage previously you received no warning. Now you will be notified that you may be off-route • Improved messages spoken when you don't have an internet connection and are following a route. • Improved search results when searching for a specific name of a POI.

Bugs Fixed: • Entering the App with no cell connection will cause routes not to work correctly once a network connection is regained."

Is there a way to speed up the speech rate of Seeing Eye Gps' voice? If not, it would be a nice feature to have in the future.

What's New in Version 1.5

Added an additional Map provider, that can be changed under Settings / General.

Google Maps was added as a map provider in version 1.5. While using TomTom as my map provider, I noted that the app said my current location was in the upper digits of the address number range on my block. After changing the map provider to Google Maps, Seeing Eye GPS accurately reported my location--right down to the exact address...which is at the very lower range of the numbering for my block. Whether Google Maps will bring a marked increase in accuracy for locations other than my home address I am not yet sure.

I'll be interested to hear more experiences about whether the accuracy at different addresses has improved. It's the reason I didn't renew for another year; no matter what address I was at, this app always had me several houses down, but other apps would get it right each time.

I have found that with RNIB navigator the app places me several houses from my actual address, but blind square actually gets my address correct.
RNIB navigator is the UK version of this app.

Remember that any GPS app can be inaccurate. If your setting is for an accuracy to within 50 feet, I don't expect 50 foot accuracy. And if this app says, "Accuracy: Within 16 feet", it could be 66 feet off and still be within it's accuracy range.

I do think that the addition of Google maps may be an improvement, but agree with another poster who suggested the use of Apple Maps, which is the built-in map source of iDevices. I have used Apple Maps with no other GPS app running in conjunction, and found that it works pretty wel. The addition of this map source, along with the existing features of this app designed specifically for blind travelers would only be a plus.

Hi,

I admit I am having a bit of a quandary whether to go with Blind Square or Seeing Eye for my area. However, I wanted to chime in on the recent maps discussion.

Apple uses TomTom for its maps. So because TomTom is already a Seeing Eye provider, wouldn't that imply that Apple maps is covered already?

Secondly, I forgot how to do this, but you can set your home location based on the signal of your WiFi router. That might improve accuracy for those looking to plan a route back home.

Chelsea

recently I tried this app on the month subscription. however on using it, I found that the dirrections it was giving were extremely laggy. For example, it was telling me to turn when I really should have turned five minutes ago. more over, I have not found it on several occations to take me to the right place. I was at my house, and it was telling me to turn around and turn right on a different road that I was no where near. I really, really, really want to like this app, and am hoping it is some error I am making in the operation of the app. I love the dirrections and how easy it is to find places, but as of now I can't rely on it to get me anywhere. does anyone have any thoughts?

For those who prefer to pay a single upfront price rather than a subscription, Sendero have teamed up to offer a $299 option: Veterans Affairs Seeing Eye GPS

I hope they offer this in the UK, though sendero don't seem to be updating this app or RNIB navigator that much.

My question, and I'm surprised nobody has asked yet, do you need to be a veteran to purchas the subscription free version? If so, how do you go about showing your veteran status in the appstore?

I wouldn't think so, I mean how would such a policy be enforced?
the reason for the naming on this version is simply because they are the organisation who sendero has worked with to bring this version to market, like seeing eye gps, or rnib navigator.

The RNIB has only lent its name and funding to the UK version of the app, all the support and development is still done buy sendero, seeing eye gps and navigator are basically the same app accept with a few words changed hear and there so that rotory becomes round about, and I am not sure if we have different map and POI providers in the US and UK, but I don't think we can blame rnib for lack of updates.
Regarding the veterans app, I just don't know who would enforce the policy, I mean you couldn't expect apple to enforce it and how would it be handled if it was done on some kind of registration system I don't think it would be workable.
Anyway we don't have access to it in the UK so as you say it doesn't matter for us directly.

For our VA's it is often the case that the phone's are set up for the veterans before instruction begins. In that case, it would be a feasible policy with enforceability. On the other hand, it wouldn't make sense, since this kind of co-op helps raise awareness for the organization.

I just moved to a new area and have enjoyed using this for going to new places. However, I would not rely on it in a city or part of town that you have no familiarity with. I have noticed some inaccuracy about addresses (telling me my house was across the street from where it actually was) and some delay in telling me when to turn. Others have also mentioned these issues. So while it is helpful and makes me more confident as I travel to a new place, it's not at all fool-proof, and if you have a hunch that it's not quite right about something, listen to your gut.

What's New in Version 1.5.3

Added Google POIs (Google Places). Other voiceover improvements.

What's New in Version 2.1.1

Integrated iOS 9 optimization, now the app loads in half the time.
· Updated the Google Map SDK.
· Added indoor beacons to the POI sources for indoor orientation through Boni’s LoudSteps SDK.
· Added Magic tap gesture to repeat the last spoken route instruction when a route is loaded.
· Added a Repeat button to the route loaded, location and visual map screen when a route is loaded.
· Route instructions are numbered.
· Current route instruction is highlighted in the route details.
· Completely redesigned the visual user interface for low vision users, adding various text and background color themes.
· Replaced the menu buttons with menu tabs.
· Increased text font size.
· Removed the flashing yellow text for app announcements.
· Increased size of Next Turn symbol on route navigation screen.
· Added the ability to select orientation announcement preferences between clock-face & right/left, clock-face, or right/left.

Is free or not?

Hi Holger,

No, Seeing Eye GPS is not free. It's "Free" to download, but it requires an in-app subscription to activate and use.

I already have BlindSquare. Even though they've offered a free trial, after trying it for a while, I don't see why I'd want to subscribe. It doesn't offer anything of value, at least for me, that BlindSquare doesn't and I only had to pay once for that.

What's New in Version 2.5

1. Fixed bugs introduced with iOS 10, including background mode functionality.
2. Ability to receive position from Blindsquare and create a route.
3. Ability to create route to addresses in your Contacts database.
4. Simplified the process of adding a User POI with the following changes:

a) Added a Record User POI gesture, one-finger double tap and hold on the location screen to go directly to the Add User POI screen.
b) Automatically default to the ‘User’ category so that users do not have to do the extra step of selecting a category if they are not going to share user POIs.
c) Create a free-text field for tags so that the user can type their own tags and add further information about the user POI.

5. Added a shortcut gesture, perform a one finger double tap and hold on the POI tab, to go directly to nearest POI screen (only available in VoiceOver is on).
6. Revamp nearest POI search to be more consistent and relative to user’s immediate location.
7. Increased the number of POI's in announced in the LookAround wand.
8. Added a Submenu screen on the location screen to announce less essential information such as altitude, GPS accuracy and speed.
9. Added an accuracy filter for Side of Street indication in routes. Now if the POI has a questionable location, such as in the middle of the street, the app will not announce the side of the street.
10. User Interface improvements include:

a) Streamlined User Interface to reduce duplicate announcements.
b) Fixed the voice over cursor issue.
c) Fixed low vision contrast issues, border color to all buttons.
d) Removed irrelevant POI categories, “points_of_interest” and “street_address.”
e) Added all 4 route types on poi description screen.

First, is this application compatible with iPhone 6? The website does not indicate this. Second Can you landmark a specific location, for example, if you are looking for one apartment in a large complex, can you landmark it so that Seeing Eye will direct you to that specific apartment or building?

Hi all, I have a question about different versions of the seeing eye gps app that exist on the appstore,
sendero group have made this app, plus the rnib navigator app for UK users which are essentially the same app accept with different branding.
recently a friend made me aware of another app that sendero group has made on the appstore, this is called seeing eye gps xt it costs £199 in the UK, but the description for it looks identical to rnib navigator and the seeing eye gps app itself, is anyone familiar with the differences between this app and the normal seeing eye gps app and rnib navigator if any?
I know its an expensive app, but if there are no differences this app version could be better value for money for us than forking out for a yearly subscription, they certainly need to explain what or who this seeing eye gps xt app is aimed at and why the different versions.

thanks for that information charles, are you sure about this being a lifetime subscription? I mean have you heard this direct from sendero? the reason I ask is that I did wonder if this might be an app trying to impersonate seeing eye gps, as I found an app doing this a few years ago to knfb reader and it took them a while to sort the issue out after I reported it to the knfb reader developers.
I think it is very disingenuous to not make it clear on both apps that this one off subscription exists, as lets face it, short term yes its cheaper to pay for a subscription, but lets say you subscribe for two or 3 years you will quickly end up paying them far more than if you just buy the app outright. I don't think nearby explorer is available in the UK yet is it? why do you prefer nearby explorer? I do like the fact that rnib navigator which I use in the UK offers road layout descriptions and describes where things are on the clockface. I certainly won't be renewing my rnib navigator subscription after finding this app. I did a search and I have found nearby explorer online but there fully featured nearby explorer app which they reference in the description doesn't appear to be available in the UK.

Yes it is. I saw this in their web page. That is lot of money.

its a lot of money yes, but if you think about it long term it makes more sense to buy the app outright than say keep paying for monthly or yearly subscriptions. My point is that I didn't know this app was available, I have had I think its 2 or 3 years worth of rnib navigator subscriptions so it would have been better value for me to buy the app outright.
OK I get maybe if someone doesn't use the app that much it might be better for them to buy the odd month of use here and there, but the yearly subscriptions are not good value especially if you roll over from year to year, I don't use navigator that often, but I got the year subscription just for convenience so when I do need it its available. also, given that they offer this seeing eye gps xt app as a lifetime subscription, I don't see why the rnib navigator apps and the ordinary seeing eye gps app can't offer a lifetime subscription app on there inapp purchase screens, or at least say if you plan to be a longterm user then you should consider buying the seeing eye gps xt app. Its almost like they want to hide this other option of making a one off payment to buy the app.