PeopleFinder Lite
Contributed by Joel Zimba, Special Projects Coordinator
Sendero Group has produced accessible mapping and GPS software for many years. They just released their long-awaited navigation app for the iPhone, which I will not be reviewing today.
Instead, Sendero has also made a first stab at solving a problem common to all, but perhaps particularly annoying to the blind – finding someone in a crowd. The PeopleFinder app is extremely simple. It broadcasts your location via Bluetooth. This lets someone close by know you are present and apparently a message about your location can also be sent. Note that my difficulty with this feature may have been the result of operator error.
Rather than broadcasting personal information, you can use any text you like, though mine defaulted to Joel’s iPhone. Your phone number is also an option.
So, how might this be useful? Sure, the original suggestion of finding someone at a large outdoor event might be simplified. How about knowing that the person you are meeting is on the bus which just pulled up. Since Bluetooth range is limited, this would be a handy trick.
Not by coincidence, PeopleFinder is available in the App Store now and is free. While it wasn’t quite released in time for the National Federation of the Blind Convention in Orlando this year, it will surely get much field testing at the upcoming American Council for the Blind convention in Columbus.
