The Travelear App - Accessibility Improvements

By Garett, 20 August, 2018

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hey friends! We've just released the newest version of the Travelear app with some big updates. Most are in the accessibility and VoiceOver areas. Those improvements were made with the help of the awesome people here in the AppleVis community.

I'm starting a new thread because I think we've addressed most of the feedback you all had on the app and I want to start fresh. Features like "listen offline" aren't available yet but we're working on them.

I would love for your feedback on the new version of the app, especially in areas you think we can improve.

Again, thank you to everyone who gave any guidance in helping us build this update.

-Garett

Travelear in the App Store
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/travelear/id1159408401?mt=8&uo=8&at=11l4LS

Old Thread
https://www.applevis.com/forum/ios-ios-app-discussion/introducing-travelear-listen-world-3d-audio

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Comments

By Remy on Monday, August 27, 2018 - 10:43

Hello Garettt

Thank you for making these improvements. You've got some really great ambiances here. . I've always loved binaural recording, and these really feel like you're right there. I am an audio theatre writer and composer and I have always wanted to do a project with binaural audio. All I need aside from the microphones is a good binaural audio plug-in for sound effects I didn't record myself. It would also be so cool to get some binaural ambiance tracks. Are there any future plans to put these files on a download service of some kind such as Sounddogs Freesound etc? Or making them purchasable in some other way?

By Garett on Monday, August 27, 2018 - 10:43

@Remy Thanks for your words, I like knowing you appreciate the quality. We do have plans to make them available offline in the app but not for download externally. The Travelear app's audio player is designed specifically for 3D Audio, using another service such as Sounddogs might compromise the audio and we want to keep the 3D Soundscapes as pure as possible. I'm interested in your binaural theatre idea, I'll message you directly.

@Predigsy Did you mean listen? If so, then thanks!

By Kelly Pierce on Monday, August 27, 2018 - 10:43

I record many public talks. I wear a pair of big over the ear studio headphones to make sure the speaker is near the microphone and the device is actually recording. I use a dynamic microphone so it usually captures everything. Sometimes a speaker turns away from the microphone. All the sighted speakers seem a little freaked out when I am moving either the microphone stand or the boom to move the microphone to a better pick up location. It is likely that sighted actors would be uncomfortable if a dude with binaural microphones were walking in front of the stage. Another possibility that would be binaural friendly would be spoken word performance art. People come to venues, usually bars, to tell dramatic stories they have experienced or they have written. The audience is usually highly expressive, and hearing a story with the audience along with the clinking of beer mugs and popping of bottle tops could be an unusual urban soundscape.

By Garett on Monday, August 27, 2018 - 10:43

@kelly my day job is a Sound Supervisor for TV shows, so I can relate when people don't exactly understand what I'm doing. The live binaural story telling is a good idea, I've never been to a venue like this, is there one near you? Is it a bit like "Wait wait don't tell me" on NPR?