[NAGDU] Using an accessible GPS while working your guide dog

Cindy Ray cindyray at gmail.com
Thu Aug 18 01:21:41 UTC 2016


We will want to be careful about staying on topic. Originally the topic was on; it is gently straying off topic.

Cindy Lou Ray, Moderator
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jameyanne Fuller via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2016 7:50 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jameyanne Fuller <jameyanne at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Using an accessible GPS while working your guide dog

A speaker clip sounds really interesting.
I just got a Bluetooth speaker wristband (the BEM speaker wristband) that is great. It fits well and has good sound and isn't huge at all. It also has nice tactile controls that allow you to skip or go back in your music (which I don't use while working my dog, but is generally handy), navigate the blindsquare app (I got it because blindsquare said it had the right controls to work without touching my phone), and also place and receive calls. I got it on Amazon. It comes in different colors, but the different colors are different prices for some reason, ranging in price from $13 to $40. I got blue, which was $14, and I love it.
I haven't done as much experimenting as I would like, but I imagine I'll be doing a lot once Mopsy and I move to Cambridge next week.
Jameyanne and Mopsy

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raul A. Gallegos via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2016 7:03 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Raul A. Gallegos <raul at raulgallegos.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Using an accessible GPS while working your guide dog

Hello. Yes Amazon does have them. However the one in particular that I found was at Marshall's of all places. Was there to shop for other various things and it was almost like an impulse buy item. Places like Best Buy and target might even sell them as well. I paid just slightly over $30 for mine. They come in different colors. Below is a link to the Amazon one which is gray. It is around $40 from what it looks.

JBL Clip+ Splashproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YAVF1FE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xYoTxbPPTDVG3

--
Raul A. Gallegos
Assistive Technology Trainer
“Any teacher that can be replaced with a computer, deserves to be.” – David Thornburg 

Voice/Text: 832.554.7285
Office: 832.639.4477
Personal Email: raul at raulgallegos.com
Work Email: training at raulgallegos.com
Twitter: @rau47 and @AT_Trainer


> On Aug 17, 2016, at 5:55 PM, Nancy VanderBrink via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> That's cool!  Where'd you find it?  Amazon?  Somewhere else?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Aug 17, 2016, at 3:56 PM, Raul A. Gallegos via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hello all. I am replying to an old message I know, but I wanted to 
>> share an experience. I have a Bluetooth speaker called the JBL Clip. 
>> It literally has a clip and it sounds good. So, if you have a 
>> backpack you carry with you, you can clip it to that. It's basically 
>> a carabiner clip. The idea I have and something I've used, is using a 
>> GPS such as the Seeing Eye GPS or Blind Square, or something else for 
>> street notifications, while the phone is on a hip holster or your front pocket.
>> Then the speaker can be clipped to either your backpack, purse, 
>> shoulder strap, or your belt, and you will be able to hear the voice 
>> clearly, even in noisy environments, and your phone won't need to be 
>> out, visible and at risk.
>> 
>> The JBL Clip costs around $30 and like I said, it has amazing sound 
>> and even includes a wired connection for other non-bluetooth things, 
>> like a portable reader for other things.
>> 
>> Hope this helps.
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Raul A. Gallegos
>> Assistive Technology Trainer
>> “Any teacher that can be replaced with a computer, deserves to be.” – 
>> David Thornburg
>> 
>> Voice/Text: 832.554.7285
>> Office: 832.639.4477
>> Personal Email: raul at raulgallegos.com Work Email: 
>> training at raulgallegos.com
>> Twitter: @rau47 and @AT_Trainer
>> 
>>> On 4/13/2016 7:51 PM, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU wrote:
>>> Whichever GPS apps you use, I can't recommend a pair of the Aftershokz headphones highly enough. Yes, they're a bit expensive, but you really won't regret it. 
>>> 
>>> I'm on my third pair. First pair was the original, and I mean original, wired model, still works fine. My second pair was the first generation Bluez (bluetooth model). The power switch died just out of the two-year warranty. I just bought the Trekz Titanium, which are very nice and lightweight. $129 buys them, $99 for the Bluez2. 
>>> 
>>> The chief advantage to these is they use bone conduction. The audio transducers rest on your cheekbones right in front of your ears. Thus, you get your GPS, or music, or whatever, and your ears are still open for environmental sounds. The company designed them for athletes, runners or cyclists specifically, and didn't even consider blind folks, but once they got wind of how useful they are to us, they've been pretty well on board. 
>>> 
>>> FWIW, I like and use (or have used) Seeing Eye GPS and blindsquare both. Seeing Eye GPS is nice because it puts turn by turn navigation and wayfinding announcements and lookaround in one app. If you use Blindsquare, I'd recommend in conjunction with something else. The other GPS app I use is Navigon. It's chief advantage is that it has offline maps available, so you still have turn by turn directions even if your phone loses Internet connectivity due to poor cell coverage. 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Apr 13, 2016, at 8:10 PM, Carmella Broome via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi everyone, I know aspects of this topic have been talked about on this list before, but I can't find anything recent and I have several questions. I  am interested in accessible GPS I Phone apps and incorporating their use into  my travels with my guide dog. I've heard about  Blind Square and  The Seeing Eye GPS app.   Are there others any of you use and like? Suggestions on preference and why would be much appreciated. Also, experiences using a GPS app while  out walking with/traveling with  your dog  would be great, as well.  I can't find many articles talking about people's first person experiences with such apps and that's what I'm interested in. I want using the apps to enhance my travels with my dog and to help  if I become disoriented on a route or so I can explore  more confidently.  I don't want using such an app to distract me from info my dog is  giving me or from my focus on her  and our work together.  Are any of the guide dog schools   incorporating  GPS app use into training or   giving suggestions to  graduates about using one while working a guide dog? Any thoughts  or experiences  are welcomed and appreciated as I believe very strongly in that knowledge is power idea.  I live in the US and  do not have useable vision. Thanks in advance.      
>>>> 
>>>> Carmella Broome and 3 year old yellow lab Brooklyn
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/buddy%40brannan.
>>>> name
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/raul%40raulgalleg
>>> os.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> NAGDU mailing list
>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/vandyvanderbrink%4
>> 0outlook.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/raul%40raulgallegos
> .com

_______________________________________________
NAGDU mailing list
NAGDU at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jameyanne%40gmail.com


_______________________________________________
NAGDU mailing list
NAGDU at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/cindyray%40gmail.com





More information about the NAGDU mailing list