Microsoft Soundscape

Part of the description has been printed twice.

It does have an Apple Watch app which enables you to request it to speak your location, what’s ahead ETC. This means you can leave your phone in your pocket :-). Brilliant app and I have enjoyed using it for several weeks and it has meant I’ve been able to get out with my guy dog in Waze I didn’t feel confident enough to do so before.

The Soundscape app does not appear to have apple watch support in the uk app store and not showing up in apple watch app https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/microsoft-soundscape/id1240320677?ls=1&mt=8

Im in uk and have app on my watch

This is a good start. However, it is a long way from being able to replace Nearby Explorer for me.

I can see it as an adjunct though.

I haven't played with it too much, and will go for my first walk with it today, but in looking through the app, here are some things it's missing, and that I fully expect will come with time.

Search for locations from my contact list, or from a street address
Turn by turn directions
Multiple map sources
Choice of POI sources

I am not sure if I will grow to like the effects on the voice. I think I will not just get used to it, but appreciate it as a way to differentiate the app's output from other concurrent sources.

I am conflicted about Microsoft's new apps. I really appreciate the incredible work they have done, and the price is right. But one of the good things lately has been the variety of options we have had. For example, Seeing Eye, Nearby Explorer, Blind Square, Around Me, and a host of lesser known GPS apps. The big ones can justify their price by providing a rich feature set. But if Seeing AI is an example of Microsoft's commitments, it won't be long before this app is a viable replacement

I am amazed at what is available, and what may be coming, but I am a little concerned about a contraction of the field of developers.

Some people are thinking that this will replace other apps. It! does! not!! This app is to be used in conjunction with a full blown GPS app such as Nearby Explorer, not to replace one. If you looked at the description in Thomas's article, this is obvious. I am excited about this app being released, and will try it out soon during a 40 mile car ride as well as a good walk. Thanks for the article, Anonymouse!

Hi. How do I get this app onto my Apple Watch, as well as on my phone? Will I get different functionality from the watch?

Unfortunately, the app is not yet available in Canada. But knowing Microsoft, wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make its way to the Canadian App Store in the next couple of months.

The Apple Watch app seems to have been removed since i upgraded from the beta to the final release.

This is a great app but for some reason it always thinks I'm facing north. I haven't tried it outside yet and maybe that is the issue?

Hey folks – this is Amos from the Soundscape team here, just to clarify the watch support confusion - we did experiment with a watch-based interaction during beta, and have removed it from the Appstore version due to inconsistencies in behavior. Hands-free use is an important goal for the experience and we’d love to hear your thoughts on the watch and other input devices.

Thanks for clarifying Amos. I knew I had used it. I personally found the watch app worked well. I wonder whehter it would be possible to have a fully functional version of the watch app at some point which can do everything the phone version does. At least on the watches with GPS etc anyway. But thanks for a brilliant app. I don't think the description does the audio prompts justice and how they help get a better understanding of the space around the user. I gather Microsoft is looking at a headset which will have it's own compass built in so the app will be aware of which direction the users head is actually pointing. I can't wait to try that out. I've used it with both the Trex Air headphones and the Apple Airpods and I mostly prefer the Trex Air but I don't find them loud enough in noisy environments and revert back to my Airpods for those situations.

Hi.
I don't get why apps not are available world wide. Why make those stupid restrictions? It is coming later like seeing AI, I know, but what is the reason for only make an app available in some countries? Some people would say the reason is some services are only available in some countries. I get this argument. I would also get the argument if we had to wait until the app was translated, but Seeing AI is not translated into my language, so I see no point of waiting to release SoundScape in other countries. Why only let some people download a free app? People who currently are blocked from downloading the app are following the news and reading the announcement about the release. When they find out the app is not available in their country, they usually loose the interest. I'm really enjoying Seeing AI, which also wasn't available in my country the first months of release. I lost the interest in the app because I was blocked from downloading it, and I saw no reason for sharing the announcement to other blind people in my country, because we couldn't download it anyway. Then, suddenly, I noticed by luck that the app was available. I made a demonstration of the app together with a friend of mine, and shared the podcast to the blind community in my country.
I would like to get an answer on this "You may see the announcement, but don't touch, because you don't live in the chosen country" behavior. Thank you.

This sounds really cool, pun literally intended. I'm totally a newbie with all this accessible GPS stuff, and in fact haven't even gotten my iPhone yet but I *think* I'm getting warmer, lol! But I can't wait to try this stuff out. Lol I don't even know how exactly to use Apple Maps yet, or Google Maps or any of them. But having said that, I'm intrigued by this wayfinding concept and am itching to try it out myself. This coming from someone who doesn't have very good independent travel skills, lol. But that's a long story, one which I won't get into on here. But this new Microsoft app was just mentioned on an email discussion list to which I recently subscribed.

Hi,

In Menu > Settings > Bluetooth: there are Microsoft SoundScape Remote and Headset accessories.

Does anyone know what these accessories are or how they work?

Thanks!

I also have the same question, I'd be interested in finding out more about accessories.

I took the app for a short walk. As I expected, I quickly got used to the effects on the voice. It does make the 3D effect stand out. It was quite easily understood playing over music.

The POI database has almost nothing in my area, except for a cemetery, and a middle school. Neither of which I have much need for. Ha. No other local businesses were announced during my fairly short walk. I intend to walk into a more commercial area as soon as the weather allows, and I assume I will have more luck with POI announcements.

On the way, intersections where announced before, and at the point of crossing.

The only issue I had was that on the way home, I received a call I ignored, and from that point on, I heard no further output from the app. When I got home, my phone said the app was still active and using my GPS.

I shall play some more.

Hello,
I recently installed Soundscapes and was trying to change the language from U.K. English to U.S. English. I tried double tapping on the language button in the soundscape settings and it was not accessible with voice Over. Does anyone know a workaround for this minor issue?
Thanks. :)

I tried out this app for the first time today, going for a walk in the neighborhood.

One thing I really like about the app is how it announces intersections as I approach them. I first hear the road on the left, announced in the left speaker, followed by the road that’s ahead, announced through both speakers, and then what’s on the right side, announced in the right speaker. I haven’t been to any intersections more complex than a typical four-way, but for the intersections I visited this approach worked really well. Easily better than BlindSquare and also beats out Nearby Explorer in my opinion. The app even managed to announce an intersection with a parking lot entrance, which it called a service road, something neither BlindSquare nor Nearby Explorer will do.

It appears the app is using OpenStreetMap exclusively, for both roads and points of interest. Although OSM has its advantages, I find the service to be problematic, because it relies on user contributed map data. In some places OSM works well, but in others the data is incomplete or even flat-out wrong. I hope Microsoft can add alternate data sources in future releases, and I would even consider paying a subscription to get access to other services if there are licensing issues involved.

One thing OpenStreetMap does offer is more details about footpaths and trails, many of which are identified by name. BlindSquare will announce intersections between a trail and a roadway, or between two trails, but Soundscape currently does not. I can certainly understand suppressing this information when traveling in a vehicle, but it would be nice if this info can be included when traveling on foot.

I am having difficulty using Soundscape in combination with audio from other apps. Initially the feature worked, but the sound from this app was not loud enough to be understood over the other audio sources I tried to use it with. Later, the feature stopped working entirely, and Soundscape went completely silent when other apps were playing. If I hit pause, then Soundscape would return while the other app was paused, but if I then hit play, the other app resumed playing and Soundscape went silent.

One more thing I would like to see is to set my current location as a point of interest for later use. Both BlindSquare and Nearby Explorer let me do this, but I don’t see a way to do it in Soundscape.

The app has a lot of promise, and I think this is a good first release, but it needs some work before I can use it regularly.

Hi! Like the other post here, why the apps should be limited in some areas. Because im from philippines, the soundscape is working well. But it is working best on walking, it has some inconstancy on announcing names even i save the place. But over all the app is great to use hope for apple watch app.

Hi everyone, this is Amos from the Soundscape team here again. I wanted to explain the internationalization issue. You might find it hard to believe but the reality is that apps such as Soundscape may require regulatory clearance prior to release in certain regions. We have been investigating the matter with the EU, and other select countries, and getting closer to a resolution path to release in those regions. Be assured we are doing what we can although I know that doesn’t help folks in the short term.

Let me clarify what I am looking for in Soundscape. I am definitely not expecting it to replace Nearby Explorer, but rather as an app that behaves more or less like BlindSquare does. Indeed, I would be using BlindSquare right now if it wasn’t dependent on the lousy Foursquare database for points of interest.

All I want to know when out and about is what streets I am approaching, along with the points of interest in the immediate vicinity. That is right in line with BlindSquare’s core functionality, and Nearby can be configured to work in more or less the same way. The other features of Nearby, such as turn by turn directions, virtual navigation, transit information, and so on, are beyond the scope of Soundscape and beyond what I am expecting Soundscape to do.

The thing that really got me excited about Soundscape’s behavior is how it announces upcoming intersections as I approach them. This is the one thing I am most interested in knowing while on a walk, and both Nearby Explorer and BlindSquare have disappointed me in the past in how this is handled. Nearby Explorer is way better than BlindSquare in the current implementation, but it still falls short of what Soundscape is doing. This feature alone is enough to make Soundscape a keeper for me, even if it is the only feature of the app I end up using.

Well I tried the app yesterday, and it bombed out big time. Not only did it not have POIs to any of the restaurants and other places in town I like going to, it only announced one street, and then it quit talking completely. If Microsoft is smart they will listen to the many of us who have had the same complaints that I have been reading on other lists I am on.

I really hope that Microsoft can sort out some problems that I've found during the short time I've had this app.

I've tried this app a few times, both while walking and in a vehicle. and I've found that it is very inaccurate and the maps are extremely old (for Dundee, Scotland). It quite often tells me I'm going in the opposite direction to the actual direction I'm travelling and describes places as being on my left when they are actually on my right. While walking down a main street, it told me about shops that have been closed for several years.

If Microsoft can sort out these problems, this could be a very useful app but until then, I'll stick with Blindsquare.

I just checked the app store for updates, and this app has been updated. Among the changes is that you can enter an address and use it for a beacon. Check the app store to update your app.

Version 1.1

- A new and improved search experience for setting audio beacons and reference points. You can now search for an address, yes, you heard right, an address, and use the address as an audio beacon or a reference point!
- We’ve also included some improvements to how Soundscape works while in a vehicle, making sure that you hear important callouts as you are on a bus or in the car. Try also using the beacon while on a bus or in a car. We’d love to hear what you make of it.
- We have also been fixing various bugs to ensure that you have a smooth and pleasant experience with Soundscape.

Hi! I'm in Canada so I don't have access to this app, but hopefully it's coming soon. I was wondering if it tells you the POI's and roads/streets in a vehicle whilst in travel. Also, whilst in a vehicle do you absolutely need headphones or a headset?

Just wondering why this ap is not available in Canada on the Ap Store? Looks like every other ap produced by Microsoft is available except for this one. Will it be made available here?

Hi everyone. Subject line pretty much says it all. I downloaded this app earlier today and it seems to work great. I was able to go through the set-up instructions and intro with absolutely no issues. When it asked me to create an audio beacon for a nearby location, I did so from my computer chair. The temporary beacon worked perfectly, but here's my question. Does this app give walking directions inside, or is it only to be used outside?

I tested out Soundscape today and I love it. It's really useful to know which direction streets go at intersections, and Soundscape did this flawlessly. I love the 3D sound, and the beacon feature is really useful. Having this app has given me the confidence to walk around on my own because I can easily keep track of what streets I'm crossing. This frees me up to enjoy my walk more, and when I do need help from people, this app ensures I'm within sight of my destination so people don't have to go too much out of their way. Can't believe this thing is free.

Since I idn't have a route to travel today, I decided to just test drive inside my house. the app is easy to set up. The app learning curve is simple. I set a beacon at my office chair. I walked to the furthest point across my house away from my chair and then returned. The beacon accuracy was very good. The beacon stopped working when I was within approximately 5 feet from my chair. Consider me impressed. I need real world live experience now but this looks really good so far.