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Looking for an app that probably doesnt exist

T

TheScappian

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 23, 2007
116
0
Here is the issue. I work in an office environment where occasionally my co-workers need to talk to me :(

I want to listen to my iPhone. If I use my nice vibe duo ear buds I can't hear anyone and they end up having to repeat themselves, which they seem to find annoying. If I wear the stock iPhone headset, well, they suck. I can hear more sounds around me but they fall out of my ears and constantly have to be repositioned.

So as I see it there are two potential solutions. A different kind of headphone/earbud possibly with the iPhone mic adapter for taking calls or an app. I have tried one app that seems to be on the right track called Volumatic. It senses surrounding noise and then mutes the audio. The problem is that it is either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Also sometimes after muting itself, it fails to restore the volume back up to where it was. What would be really nice is an app that lets you play music, podcasts, etc and also pipes in the audio at an adjustable level from your headset mic. I have seen hearing aid apps so I know that the audio amplification is possible.

Anyone have any ideas to solve my dilemma
 
TheScappian said:
Here is the issue. I work in an office environment where occasionally my co-workers need to talk to me :(

I want to listen to my iPhone. If I use my nice vibe duo ear buds I can't hear anyone and they end up having to repeat themselves, which they seem to find annoying. If I wear the stock iPhone headset, well, they suck. I can hear more sounds around me but they fall out of my ears and constantly have to be repositioned.

So as I see it there are two potential solutions. A different kind of headphone/earbud possibly with the iPhone mic adapter for taking calls or an app. I have tried one app that seems to be on the right track called Volumatic. It senses surrounding noise and then mutes the audio. The problem is that it is either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Also sometimes after muting itself, it fails to restore the volume back up to where it was. What would be really nice is an app that lets you play music, podcasts, etc and also pipes in the audio at an adjustable level from your headset mic. I have seen hearing aid apps so I know that the audio amplification is possible.

Anyone have any ideas to solve my dilemma
Click to expand...

Put a sign up on your cube / door that reads:

I am rocking out to mad beats right now. If you insist on talking to me, and you are certain it is worth my time, please tap me on the shoulder twice and wait for me to remove my headphones before speaking.

/thread

That will be 99 cents please.
 
lionheartednyhc said:
Put a sign up on your cube / door that reads:

I am rocking out to mad beats right now. If you insist on talking to me, and you are certain it is worth my time, please tap me on the shoulder twice and wait for me to remove my headphones before speaking.

/thread

That will be 99 cents please.
Click to expand...

I'm seriously putting this on my door right now! :D
 
Love the sign idea but sadly I have no door. I only have tape on the floor where hopefully one day walls will be. I have done the one earbud in and one out thing for a while but there is one problem. It is hard to have a conversation with your boss when in the other ear Howard Stern is having a queefing contest.

I just ordered the new Jaybird Sportband Bluetooth Headphones. Hopefully they will be as good as the reviews say. They look like they sit on top of the ear without enclosing it so theoretically I should be able to hear my name being called. That and I am a sucker for wireless.
 
TheScappian said:
Here is the issue. I work in an office environment where occasionally my co-workers need to talk to me :(

I want to listen to my iPhone. If I use my nice vibe duo ear buds I can't hear anyone and they end up having to repeat themselves, which they seem to find annoying. If I wear the stock iPhone headset, well, they suck. I can hear more sounds around me but they fall out of my ears and constantly have to be repositioned.

So as I see it there are two potential solutions. A different kind of headphone/earbud possibly with the iPhone mic adapter for taking calls or an app. I have tried one app that seems to be on the right track called Volumatic. It senses surrounding noise and then mutes the audio. The problem is that it is either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Also sometimes after muting itself, it fails to restore the volume back up to where it was. What would be really nice is an app that lets you play music, podcasts, etc and also pipes in the audio at an adjustable level from your headset mic. I have seen hearing aid apps so I know that the audio amplification is possible.

Anyone have any ideas to solve my dilemma
Click to expand...

Hi TheScappian,
I am the author of Volumatic and I'd like to help with any problems you're having with it! As you have found, there are two modes: office mode and automatic volume control. In office mode, the app works by listening to your current noise level and then triggering to mute whenever a 'loud' noise occurs. I'm wondering if the noise in your office is so loud that it's constantly triggering the app?

Have you tried adjusting the sensitivity controls in the 'settings' button? I'll let you know I am right smack in the middle of making a v2.0 of the app, and if there are ways I can make this app better - please let me know!

Some things I was thinking about adding that may help you:

- better settings conttrols: if anybody has feedback on this let me know how YOU would like to see the settings work
- frequency detection: only triggering office mode based on human voice frequencies
- visualizations: so you can "see" what the current noise levels are and where your settings are.
- smooth automatic volume control: if you're using the opposite of office mode wher e you want to mask outside noise, adjusting the volume more smoothly and slowly
- 2 different apps: one app for office mode, one app for automatic volume control.

Any other ideas or feedback of how you wou
 
bob-a-fett said:
Hi TheScappian,
I am the author of Volumatic and I'd like to help with any problems you're having with it! As you have found, there are two modes: office mode and automatic volume control. In office mode, the app works by listening to your current noise level and then triggering to mute whenever a 'loud' noise occurs. I'm wondering if the noise in your office is so loud that it's constantly triggering the app?
Click to expand...

It isn't so much that it is noisy but probably that I have to turn the sensitivity up to try and pick people up as they start to slightly raise their voice to talk to me. But yes it seems to get stuck on mute as it get triggers frequently.

bob-a-fett said:
Have you tried adjusting the sensitivity controls in the 'settings' button? I'll let you know I am right smack in the middle of making a v2.0 of the app, and if there are ways I can make this app better - please let me know!

Some things I was thinking about adding that may help you:

- better settings conttrols: if anybody has feedback on this let me know how YOU would like to see the settings work
- frequency detection: only triggering office mode based on human voice frequencies
Click to expand...

That would be awesome.

bob-a-fett said:
- visualizations: so you can "see" what the current noise levels are and where your settings are.
Click to expand...

Love it!

bob-a-fett said:
- smooth automatic volume control: if you're using the opposite of office mode wher e you want to mask outside noise, adjusting the volume more smoothly and slowly
- 2 different apps: one app for office mode, one app for automatic volume control.

Any other ideas or feedback of how you wou
Click to expand...

The other idea I would request, of possible, is to allow external audio to be mixed in during office mode. Some of these earbuds are so isolating that even muted you cant hear what is going on around you. If you could use the same basic technology that the "hearing aid" apps use but with a mixer that would be incredible. Thanks for your feedback.
 
kelpi said:
I own a pair of airdrives which aren't to hideous looking but they do the job without distracting you too much away from outside noise. Check em out:
http://www.airdrives.com/default.asp?contentID=22
Click to expand...

I had no idea they existed. They do seem to have some mixed reviews about the volume level and quality. I don't care so much about the quality as I am usually listening to talk radio or a podcast. My issue would be if in a relatively quiet office, if people can hear what your listening to. Howard Stern isn't exactly appropriate for a small open office with two women.
 
Picked up the AirDrives for iPhone at the Apple Store at lunch. Works perfect for my situation. You do have to be careful about how loud you crank them up because people can hear them. Audiophiles would hate them but for listening to talk radio and music while at the office, they work great. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
TheScappian said:
It isn't so much that it is noisy but probably that I have to turn the sensitivity up to try and pick people up as they start to slightly raise their voice to talk to me. But yes it seems to get stuck on mute as it get triggers frequently.



That would be awesome.



Love it!



The other idea I would request, of possible, is to allow external audio to be mixed in during office mode. Some of these earbuds are so isolating that even muted you cant hear what is going on around you. If you could use the same basic technology that the "hearing aid" apps use but with a mixer that would be incredible. Thanks for your feedback.
Click to expand...

You must be psychic! This feature has actually already been implemented. You can pass-through the outside audio, even amplify it.

It will also stop processing when audio is not playing to save battery :)

Someone suggested adding the gestures similar to what Flextunes does... not sure if this would be useful to anyone using this app but it's fairly easy to implement.
 
It sure wouldn't hurt. I use Fluxtunes primarily in the car and it does make it easier to navigate.
 
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