voice tour guide

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TELL YOUR STORIES

We help organizations attract visitors, connect to travelers, and engage audiences by telling their stories in their own voice with our patented, award-winning technology.

HEAR THE STORIES

Connect to the world around you by exploring thousands of authentic, curated stories told by locals through our GPS-based, self-guided audio tours.

EXPLORE OUR

Self-guided audio tours, download our free free app.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP

Keyboard_arrow_down, build a deeper connection to the places you travel and want to travel., free gps self-guided audio tours - for travelers and virtual travelers, either onsite or from the comfort of your home, our tours can be enjoyed from anywhere, interested in building a tour of your location our team is here to answer your questions.

Winner of April 2018 Awards - Best Mobile App Design

Every Place Has A Story To Tell. Expand Your Audiences – TravelStorys' high quality tours can be built and enjoyed either onsite or remotely, specially designed to be enjoyed from anywhere.

Find A Tour Near You. Drive, walk, bike or paddle along a tour route at your own pace. Stories about where you are — the history, wildlife, culture, and more — will automatically play as you go.

Hands-Free. Heads Up. Start a tour and let our technology do the rest. Less like an app and more like a private tour guide, TravelStorys works offline and inside a pocket. Download a tour, hit the play button, and focus on your surroundings instead of your device.

Featured tours, check out our newest tours, piermont on the hudson, the history, the river, the village, welcome to arco, idaho, first in the world, explore kirksville, a historic downtown & more.

Explore the early beginnings of the vibrant village of Piermont. Learn about its connection to the Hudson River, its role in the American Revolution, its industrial past and its commercial significance to the country.

Welcome to Arco, Idaho! Arco is a place of transition, where the desert plain meets the mountains, blue streams disappear into black lava, and the urban of Idaho gives way to the wilds of Idaho.

Welcome to this walking tour of Kirksville, Missouri! This tour will take you to Kirksville’s most fascinating and historically significant landmarks, while sharing the stories of the people who made this such an interesting city.

What Users Are Saying

“Awesome App - A must have app for anyone who enjoys learning more about the area they are in. While being entertained by great stories and information. Great job!!!”

“Great idea! - What an innovative idea! So enjoyed my first tour (of Red Mountain Park) by using your app. I look forward to using it at other attractions in the future and have high hopes that all cities will offer this first class format to help enhance the experience of traveling.”

"We used this app in Jackson,WY and through Teton National Park. As we drove through Teton NP, we listened to the historical story of the area. It gave us so much more understanding of the area and added so much to our drive. It’s really easy to use and added so much to our trip. Would gladly use it again."

“Awesome app - This app is great when traveling around Wyoming. The stories told make you appreciate what you are driving or walking through! A must have whether you are a local interested in the history and wildlife or a tourist on the go!”

- Travelstorysgps lover!

“Excellent app! - I love this app! We used it on a recent trip through Grand Teton Park and it provided us with a depth and breadth of information (regarding the park) to which we would not otherwise have access! I look forward to seeing what other tours will be added. Great work!”

- IloveWyomingandtheTetons

“Fantastic road tripping tool! - My family used TravelStorys to plan our trip to Jackson Hole and this app was indispensable! We listened to several of their tours through the Tetons and absolutely loved it. The app spoke to us while driving, so we didn’t have to look at the phone once!”

“Great app for traveling families - When you approach a destination, the app will automatically start, you don’t need to do anything but listen. If you don’t want the audio, you can read the text. There are also great photos for each section. The stories are quirky and fun and both kids and adults will find them interesting.”

- onealmond.com

“Great app with great potential - I can’t wait until there are even more stories! Great idea.”

“Great App. A must have for self guided, easy to use interface!”

“What fun - Turns a normal drive into a fascinating history lesson”

“Fun tour app! - Learned so much without hassle!”

“Sooooo cool!! This is the best app I've ever used. If your traveling to new places use this app to learn the history! Couldn't live without it!”

- Ray Kennedy

“Eye opener My family and I have traveled to Wyoming many times but we always seemed to visit the same old places again and again. However this app allows me to check out new places I've never even considered before. I guess there is a lot more to the state than Yellowstone. Can't wait to plan new adventures.”

“Indispensable! Used this app to plan and then tour the Tetons and surrounding areas. Our whole family was entertained and we learned so much! And it's free. Thank you TravelStorys.”

“I like it, great idea! Music and Radio only lasts so long on road trips. This app is awesome because it tells you stories about what you are driving by, and gives you cool info about the area. Great idea!”

- William Davis

“Loved this! My sisters, mom, and 7-year-old niece used this app as we visited the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. It was wonderful! It really helped us feel a connection to the mountains and places we toured. I want this for everywhere I go now!”

- R. Tynker

“Love it, learn the history of where your traveling too via this awesome storytelling app. Love the vocals for the great Smoky Mountains! Grateful!”

- JillianPress

“Great! Local travel info & stories. I love this app. I learned a lot about the Jackson, Wyoming area & Grant Teton Nat’l Park. I have already recommended it to folk who connect with my own local Jackson based business, xcDogs. Everyone I speak to about it loves the idea…”

“Excellent adventure stories for the Grand Tetons”

- Rick Aune

"For new visitors paddling on a sunny day, the new TravelStorys app is an opportunity to understand the ecological and culture significance of the area. At home or in the classroom, the voice narration coupled with photos can entice and enhance the experience before a canoe even launches."

- NewJersey.com

"Great app for visitors & locals - This app rocks. Learned so much about Jackson Hole and the surrounding areas just by having my phone on me. Anyone who is adventuring in the wild Wild West should consider having this app on their phone. You’ll be surprised with how much you can learn on your trip!"

- Austin Hopkins

Neat app! Great for a frequent traveler or history buff! Very interesting stories about pikes peak! Can't wait for the Garden of the gods tour!

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VoiceMap: Audio Tours & Guides 4+

450+ cities inc. london, nyc, audio guide.

• 4.8 • 99 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Experience the magic of GPS audio walks, cycles, drives and even boat rides with VoiceMap's self-guided tours in over 450 destinations worldwide. VoiceMap tours are like podcasts that move with you, to tell stories about what you’re seeing right now. They're produced by insightful local storytellers, including journalists, filmmakers, novelists, podcasters, and tour guides. Sir Ian McKellen has even created a tour. It's around London's West End, where he’s performed for over 50 years. Features: • Explore at your own pace. Start and stop tours whenever you like, then use the resume option to pick up exactly where you left off. • With GPS autoplay, you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen. Tap on Start, and let VoiceMap guide you. • VoiceMap works offline. After you download a tour, the audio will be available offline along with an offline map. • If you do go off in the wrong direction, VoiceMap plays an audio alert, and you can follow the map on your screen to the next location. • Listen to tours as many times as you like, both in the destination and with your feet up, at home, using Virtual Playback. This turns every tour into a podcast or audio book. • With over 1,400 free and paid tours, VoiceMap offers huge variety VoiceMap works indoors too, combining insightful content that extends your attention span with an interface that helps you make informed choices about how you spend your time at a growing range of museums and art galleries around the world. Press: “High-quality self-guided walking tours...Narrated by local experts, they provide insight into corners of the city sometimes overlooked by regular guided tours.” Lonely Planet “We may be biased, but could there be anything more helpful than having a journalist in your pocket when touring a new city? How about a historian, a novelist or just a really passionate local? VoiceMap culls city-specific stories from them all and fits them neatly into walking tours.” New York Times User Testimonials: “My wife and I really enjoyed exploring Bruges at our own pace with this audio tour, and there were some memorable stories that the narrator shared. Also, the app worked great in relation to the location-based services. We easily followed the map and the audio was triggered in the appropriate spots. In comparison to the packs of people wandering the city with tour guides, this was a much better fit for us.” Viator review, Rick A “Great quality information - interesting and entertaining. The time flew by. And no waffle! This is far better than any other guided tour we found - they are much more expensive and far less informative. And you can do this tour any time, any day, at your own pace, and even do it twice!” Tripadvisor review, Carcassonne 's Medieval Walls: A Self-Guided Tour "Thoroughly recommend. Really enjoyed the tour. Very well done. Packed with information and took me round streets I’d never have thought to walk round. An audio and visual treat. Thank you." Janet, NYC “It was enjoyable to be under no time pressure to freely roam the city of Pisa as we so pleased. Wandering from attraction to attraction. The app is clever, concise and easy to use! Would do again - especially with another person or solo traveler.” GetYourGuide review, Grace L “Great value for money, interesting and very clear and easy to follow! I learnt lots about London I didn't already know and I have lived here over 30 years.” London’s Alternative History Tour, Carmella V. ** Just so you know, GPS runs in the background while you're on a tour. This decreases battery life and it's best to start a tour with your device fully charged.

Version 13.0.2

Bug fixes and performance improvements

Ratings and Reviews

Voicemap changed the way i travel.

If I’d known about VoiceMap earlier, I could have escaped years of inflexible, expensive guide-led tours on my travels, most of which left me feeling disappointed and herded. VoiceMap tours offer flexibility, authenticity, and simplicity. I don’t see myself taking traditional tours ever again, for as long as there are VoiceMap tours available wherever I travel. Highly recommend.

Quality issues?

After about 10 to 15 attempts I finally was able to purchase my tour for my school assessment. Seems like the purchasing through family sharing needs more testing or alternatively a voucher system, as you likely to miss the chance to enjoy the Voice Maps for a location you arrived to. Also noticed other bugs while swiping between comments, about, on tour etc. with the screen not showing up and app seems very slow. Looking forward to using it tomorrow. Hope it holds up.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for the feedback Joshua. There was a bug affecting the interface for comments on tours and other components of the tour detail screen. It was fixed in our most recent update, at the beginning of this week. Would you mind confirming this for us, on your device? You can email [email protected]. I'd also love to know more about the problem you had buying the tour with family sharing. I suspect that this was on Apple's end, as we just validate a receipt from them. I hope you enjoyed actually doing the tour! That's the trickiest and most important part of VoiceMap.

The app that always surprises me

So often, I think I've "seen" a place or "been there done that", and then a series of new voices offers me fresh perspectives through VoiceMap's growing library of audio tours. Always refreshing, always inspiring - thank you!

App Privacy

The developer, Audio Guide , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• User Content
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Afrikaans, Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Xhosa

• VoiceMap audio tour | P1 R39.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P3 R59.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P6 R119.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P5 R99.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P4 R79.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P9 R199.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P10 R199.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P1 R19.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P7 R149.99
• VoiceMap audio tour | P8 R149.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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Guiding your journey with personalized ai tours, 52802 places - 132 itineraries - 51 cities, unleash your adventure: tailored audio tours powered by ai, experience the future of travel with our cutting-edge app dive into immersive, audio-guided community tours for free and explore the world at your own pace. whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation, our universal tours are always accessible at no cost. for those seeking a more personalized experience, unlock customized storytelling and tailored itineraries for a unique journey., tailored to you interests, flexibility and freedom, seamless exploration, experience the world for free, rich and engaging content, on-demand accessibility.

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GyPSy Guide is now GuideAlong

It’s never been easy to explain simply what GyPSy Guide is.

Sure, we’re GPS-enabled, fully automatic, perfectly timed driving tours that provide interesting, informative, and flexible road tripping, but we are so much more. Road trippers like you tell us this all the time!

But the one thing customers say they love the most about our tours is— it’s like having a tour guide along for the drive. So, we’re changing our name to reflect the most important part of who we are.

Introducing our new name:

Your favorite narrator on every tour is the same, and so is our passionate team behind the scenes, who create all those road-worthy stories and recommendations.

Any purchased tours & bundles remain yours and are found in the My Tours menu.

And to make your road trips EXTRA special in 2023…

Oh, and another exciting piece of news! We’re creating new tours this year and releasing them throughout the road trip season.

We’ll be ready to share the new locations soon. Check your inbox in the coming weeks, you’ll be the first to know.

We can’t wait to to be your GuideAlong on your next road trip.

The GuideAlong Team

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Tour Guide System Showdown: Comparing the features of SmartGuide and VoiceMap

Digital tour guide systems are becoming increasingly popular among visitors. This pushes tourist destinations and attractions to innovate and implement digital guides. But with so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which tour guide system is best suited for your destination's or travel businesses' needs. In this blog post, we'll compare two of the most popular tour guide systems on the market: SmartGuide and VoiceMap.

Introducing the leading tour guide systems on the market

SmartGuide revolutionizes the tourism industry with its digital audio guide platform, transforming any smartphone into a personal tour guide. This innovative solution empowers destination management organizations (DMOs), tourist attractions, tour operators, and travel businesses to effortlessly captivate and enthrall visitors with immersive stories in almost 1000 destinations, and with its diverse array of features.

VoiceMap is another popular tour guide system that provides audio tours in over 300 cities around the world. Its audio tours are narrated by local experts who provide insight into the history and culture of each destination. Additionally, users can access interactive maps and photos of attractions to help them plan their trips more efficiently.

Destinations and tourism businesses seeking a dependable tour guide system can find unique advantages in both SmartGuide and VoiceMap . SmartGuide's all-in-one solution with comprehensive features caters to those desiring a complete package, while VoiceMap's immersive audio tours deliver a unique experience. Both services offer exceptional value for money.

SmartGuide: Empowering personalized digital tours

SmartGuide is a digital audio guide platform with a mobile app that offers self-guided tours and stories with extensive coverage of over 100,000 tourist places worldwide, featuring publicly accessible content, mostly for free.

One of the standout features of SmartGuide is its open self-service AI-powered content management system (CMS), which gives destinations, popular tourist attractions, and tour guides an opportunity to effortlessly publish their own digital guide in as little as an hour. Its level of accessibility allows for tailoring a personalized visitor experience, fostering engagement, and enabling businesses to attract more visitors with content aimed at their particular target audiences. SmartGuide's CMS has a built-in automatic text-to-speech feature (so the written text automatically converts to an audio track in seconds). It's also possible to translate an entire tour to another language with a single click with the integrated DeepL translator. By enabling fast and simple customized content creation for different audiences and nationalities, SmartGuide also serves as a solution for achieving more sustainable tourism in destinations by distributing visitors more evenly and guiding them independently to less crowded areas.

With SmartGuide, content creators can prepare mainstream content for a wide audience as well as specialized thematic tours tailored to niche interests. The platform also offers valuable features such as big data dashboards, GPS heatmaps of visitor behavior, and expert data analysis services, empowering destination management and marketing efforts.

SmartGuide's Impressive Accolades: Recognitions and Awards

SmartGuide has earned widespread recognition, receiving numerous accolades and awards in over 20 international industry competitions. Notably, in 2020, it received the prestigious Accelerator Award from the Singapore Tourism Board among hundreds of global startups, and the European Commission bestowed it with the Seal of Excellence for its exceptional response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The remarkable achievements continued as SmartGuide garnered the Hero of Tourism 2022 award, as voted by experts and the general public. It also received a special honor from the Minister of Regional Development and the Czech Tourism Director's Award in the Digitalization category. These acknowledgments demonstrate SmartGuide's excellence and impact in the tourism industry.

Recently, SmartGuide secured a remarkable €1 Million grant to develop an Artificial Intelligence system that will provide personalized travel recommendations based on individual interests and support augmented reality experiences. The company's exceptional work has been recommended for funding by the European Commission, and it has been approved as a preferred digital travel services provider within the DigiTour project funding initiative.

Further solidifying its reputation, SmartGuide was invited to present as a best practice tourism innovator at the European Tourism Forum 2022 and European Tourism Day 2023, sharing insights with EU tourism policymakers.

SmartGuide boasts an impressive roster of clients and partners, including Switzerland Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Bratislava Tourism Board, Carlsbad, Singapore National Heritage Board, Harvard Business School, Dubai Tourism, Pilsner Urquell, RegioJet, Thames River Sightseeing, Deutsche Bundesbahn, and many other esteemed organizations. These collaborations highlight SmartGuide's trusted position in the industry and its commitment to delivering exceptional digital travel experiences.

• No additional maintenance costs for destinations and travel businesses that want to operate digital guides.
• SmartGuide currently covers 100,000+ tourist places worldwide.
• 102 Languages available to create guides in (Chinese, French, German, Spanish, English, Hindi, Slovak, Croatian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Afrikaans, Dutch, and Finnish, to name a few)
• Free CMS with AI-powered text-to-speech and auto-translation for easy localization of content.
• Accurate and detailed insights provided by big data dashboards and GPS heatmaps of visitors' behavior.
• Expert analysis of data to understand visitor demographics, acquisition channels, and popular tours/places.
• Destination marketing services and expert consultations are available.
• Possibility for travel businesses to promote their offerings via POI Advertising ( contact us  to learn more)

• Less localized content is available in languages other than English, which is depending on the preference of content creators (since SmartGuide is an open platform where anyone can create a digital travel guide, the content localization mirrors the preferred languages of whoever creates a tour).
• Fewer integrations, although more are being implemented (currently, SmartGuide supports e.g. the GetYourGuide ticket sales).

Unlocking hidden gems with VoiceMap's audio tour app

VoiceMap is a digital audio guide and a mobile app that offers GPS-guided audio tours in more than 300 destinations worldwide. These tours are created by local storytellers, such as journalists, filmmakers, novelists, podcasters, and tour guides. By utilizing the visitor's device's location, the app automatically plays audio at the precise time, syncing with their movements. Additionally, VoiceMap provides directions, empowering destinations, and travel businesses to allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the environment instead of focusing on the screen. Similar to SmartGuide, the tours can be enjoyed offline, as you can install the audio and access an offline map.

VoiceMap's tours are designed to be easily discoverable through search optimization and are distributed through a vast network of partners. The app is available for download on both the App Store and Google Play.

This guided tour app offers flexible pricing plans, ranging from $20 to $50 for self-guided tours, with revenue sharing for tour publishers. Presales and aftersales support are provided.

Exclusive celebrity tours, like Sir Ian McKellen's London West End tour, are available only on VoiceMap.

• Offers the convenience of a single account that can be accessed across multiple devices.
• Has a forum where professional tour guides can discuss creating and testing their own tours.
• The CMS is a user-friendly, web-based publishing tool that provides estimated talk times and word counts, eliminating the need for extensive testing and recording.
• Provides alphanumeric vouchers for specific tours, which can be redeemed on their website or mobile apps. These vouchers are unique, allowing for one or multiple uses, and can be redeemed through apps, web browsers, or by entering codes in tour URLs.
• Doesn't incorporate AI-powered text-to-speech or any other AI-driven functionalities.
• Doesn't offer big data dashboards or GPS heatmaps as part of its features.
• Instead of relying on GPS, VoiceMap uses indoor positioning systems (IPS) to determine the user's position and provide accurate directions.
• Some visitors report VoiceMap does not automatically start the tour based on your location; instead, you must be on their designated route and heading in the correct direction. This can be frustrating for users accustomed to seamless location-based triggering.
• Visitors also report that the information provided during the tour is limited, offering minimal insights compared to what could be obtained from Google Maps.
• Another complaint reports encountering multiple instances of the app freezing.
• Not accessible on the Windows Phone Store.

By comprehending the advantages and disadvantages of each platform, destinations and travel businesses can make informed choices regarding the platform that aligns best with their requirements and enhances the visitor experience they aim to deliver.

Celebrating excellence: VoiceMap's accolades and recognition

VoiceMap has garnered extensive media coverage, being prominently featured in prestigious publications like Forbes, The Guardian, and TechCrunch. Furthermore, it achieved the distinction of being a finalist in the Web Summit Pitch 2018 competition. According to the VoiceMap blog, the app has received notable recognition and awards for its exceptional contributions.

Additionally, it boasts an impressive cumulative total of 10,000 ratings across all tours available on the platform. Moreover, the VoiceMap website proudly highlights the involvement of acclaimed producer Claire Schoen, renowned for her expertise in crafting captivating audio narratives for the app.

Features comparison

Both solutions deliver remarkable experiences to enrich the travel journeys of adventurers seeking unforgettable explorations, each offering distinct features that set them apart from the competition. VoiceMap specializes in B2C paid audio tours and stands out with its advanced tour preview and web version features. On the other hand, SmartGuide has gained significant traction in the market, even though it was launched three years later than VoiceMap. It boasts three times more destinations and five times more users. SmartGuide goes beyond individual tours and offers comprehensive destination guides that include information on specific points of interest, destination insights, experiences, services, and more. SmartGuide also offers additional smart functions, such as data analytics, user messaging, API integrations, and personalized recommendations. It supports a wider range of languages and provides a considerable amount of free content and functions. In contrast, VoiceMap has limited free tour options and restrictions on free tour generation and duration.

In summary, while both VoiceMap and SmartGuide provide CMS for publishing audio tours, SmartGuide offers a more extensive range of destinations, advanced features, and greater language support. It also provides a larger amount of free content and functions, making it a comprehensive and versatile choice for those seeking a digital audio guide platform.

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Bluehertz Audioguides offers several portable group audio guide systems to facilitate voice transmission and reception (whisper systems, tour guide system or audio guides for groups). The guide speaks into a transmitter equipped with a microphone, which wirelessly broadcasts their voice into the headphone receivers of each user, without creating noise or disruption to those around them.

GROUP GUIDING SYSTEMS (TOUR GUIDE SYSTEMS, WHISPER SYSTEMS)

TOUR GUIDE SYSTEM MODEL SPL1360 MAGNETIC

Our flagship model, for all types of group guiding: city tours, museum visits, factory visits, sports lessons, conferences with simultaneous translation... its uses are multiple, and its sound quality is perfect!

TOUR GUIDE SYSTEM MODEL SPL1500

A model conceived for visits in extreme industrial environments, where machines and ambient noise prevent the guide's voice from reaching the visitors' ears.

AUDIOGUIDE AND TOURGUIDE SYSTEM IN A SINGLE DEVICE

AUDIO GUIDE AND TOUR GUIDE SYSTEM 2 IN 1 MODEL AV120 DUAL

A recent innovation from our workshops, this device allows great versatility of use: enjoy it as an audio guide to listen to recorded audio, and also as a tour guide system so that the guide can lead the group and complete the explanations.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS A TOUR GUIDE SYSTEM (WHISPER SYSTEM)?  A tourguide system is a device composed of a wireless transmitter with a microphone which is used by the guide or speaker and a set of wireless receivers and headphones that are worn by visitors. The wireless receivers allow them to listen to the guide's explanations continuously throughout the tour. The aim of a tourguide system is for the visitors to be able to hear the guide clearly without being close to him/her. They are highly recommended for groups bigger than 10 and essential for even larger groups. Note: Tour guide systems are an alternative solution to audio guide players which are used by those who wish to take a tour independently without the presence of a guide. Visit the audio guides page to learn more.  audioguides 

WHY USE A TOURGUIDE SYSTEM ? Tour guide systems allow the user to easily hear the guide at a constant volume without having to worry about how far away the guide is. This ease of use during the tour improves listening attention and, as a consequence, significantly enhances the overall quality of the tour. Users who are given tour guide systems, also called whisper systems, tend to value their visit more highly.

TECHNOLOGY ANALOG OR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION  Tour guide systems or whisper systems were analog until the early 2000s. The appearance of digital transmission in tourguide systems brought about significant improvements:  - The audio volume in the receivers increased. - The coverage range increased to become greater than 100 meters. - The background noise or crackling that was constantly present in the recipient's receiver disappeared, even when the guide isn’t speaking. - Interference or clicks reduced significantly, only appearing when the receiver is about to leave the coverage area. - The maximum number of groups that could be in an area without interference went from two to 20. - Battery consumption reduced significantly, increasing the usage time between charges. Analogue and digital transmission equipment still coexist in the market. The main advantage of an analog system is its low price point.

Analog transmission whisper system

Digital transmission whisper system

TOURGUIDE SYSTEM 2.4G  In the last two years, a digital technology variant called 2.4G has entered the tour guide systems market which uses the 2.4Ghz frequency band. It’s cheaper than digital transmission because it uses the same technology as 2.4G wifi routers. However, it has the same range as 2.4G wifi devices, which is around 50 meters at best. In practice, this range is insufficient for a whisper system.

BATTERIES Currently, only two types of batteries are used in Tour guide systems: Lithium or lithium polymer batteries. These are the best options. Primary advantages include a low weight, a small size, fast charging and a large capacity. However, its price and the need for an intelligent charging system must be considered. Nickel-metal-hydride batteries (NI-MH) are the same AA and AAA rechargeable batteries found in conventional remote controls. These were the preferred option before the arrival of lithium batteries. The biggest drawback when used in tourguide systems is their weight which is uncomfortable for the users because the tour guide device must constantly hang from their neck. Their most significant advantage is a lower cost.

HOW TO USE A WHISPER SYSTEM The group guide or speaker must carry the transmitting equipment and microphone while each listener must carry a receiver with a headset or headphones. The devices are small in size and should be worn around the neck to ensure reliable coverage. Carrying the transmitter or receiver in a pocket is not recommended because it could reduce the range. All transmitters and receivers of a group must be tuned to the same frequency channel. Numerous frequency channels are available. GROUP SIZE There is no limit to the number of tourguide receivers in a group. For listeners to clearly hear the guide's explanations, they only need to be within the coverage area or range of the transmitter. The receivers do not interfere with one another. NUMBER OF TRANSMITTERS There can only be one transmitter at a time in each group. There may be several speakers with a transmitter in the same group, but they must coordinate among themselves so as not to have two active simultaneous transmitters in the same group. NUMBER OF GROUPS When using digital transmission equipment, there may be several groups in the same area or room (up to a maximum of 20 digital transmission groups). For this to work, each group must be on a different frequency channel. Note: If using analog transmission equipment, there can only be two groups in the same area. It is not possible to add a third analog group in the same area, even if it is in another channel. This is a limitation of the analog system.

RANGE A quality guided tour system (Tour guide system) should allow the receivers to hear the guide comments while being at a distance of at least 100 meters. A range below 100 meters does not offer a large enough coverage area. 

TYPES OF MICROPHONES The tour guide transmitter can use different microphones. Three types are typically used: Headset or head microphones: The microphone includes a headband to adjust onto the guide’s head. The microphone is very close to the mouth, approximately 2-3 centimeters away. The guide uses this microphone when in motion. It is also highly recommended for noisy environments. Having the microphone so close to the mouth effectively captures the voice while the ambient background noise is lower. The microphone cap, which is hidden by foam, is L-shaped and directive. The short side of the L should point towards the mouth. Neck or tie microphones: The microphone has a clip which snaps onto the neck of the shirt, not far from the throat. This microphone is used when the speaker is standing still or sitting down. It should not be used when the speaker is in motion or a noisy environment. The tie microphone will always have a volume lower than the headset. Pencil microphone: The microphone resembles a pencil. When connected to the transmitter, the set is used as a standard handheld microphone. This solution works wonderfully when several speakers are sharing the microphone because it is easy to pass between presenters.

Head microphone

Tie microphone

Pencil microphone

TYPES OF HEADPHONES Visitors can use different types of headphones with a tour guide receiver. Three types are typically used:  Monaural earset: These fit on one ear leaving the other ear free. This is the most commonly used type and is effective for guided tours in enclosed and open spaces. In urban areas with traffic, this is the only model that should be used because it does not distract the user from the environment. Its usage in noisy environments is not recommended. Headphones: These fit over the head thanks to a headband. Audio can be heard through both ears. These are only recommended in noisy environments. They should not be used in areas with traffic because they distract the user from the environment. Disposable earbuds: Only one user should use them because the button-shaped earbud is inserted deep into the auditory pavilion. They cannot be shared because they are not hygienic. The user does not have to return them upon finishing the tour.

Monaural earset

Disposable earbuds

Audioguides

Audio guide devices, Multimedia audio guides, Audio guide GPS tourist bus-train, charging bases and accessories.

Tourguide systems

Group guidance systems, headsets, charging cases, tour guide systems accessories.

Mobile Applications

Audioguides available from mobile devices, web App, downloadable App from Google Store.

Audioguides in several languages, translations, voiceovers. Audio descriptions, signoguides, visual contents for audioguides. 3D Reality. 

Audioguides Bluehertz

Calle Penelope 5 - 28042 Madrid (Spain) Eichborndamm 167 G55, D-13403 Berlin (Germany) 117 Avenue Victor Hugo - 92100 Boulogne (France) Piazza Teresa Noce 17D - 10155 Turin (Italy) © Copyright 2006 - Call&Talk

SELF GUIDED AUDIO TOURS HAWAII

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Here at Shaka Guide our goal is to connect people with places through storytelling.

Don’t you love learning about the places you’re visiting? Us too!

That’s why in 2016 we opened our virtual doors and invited you to explore Hawaii in a completely new way. Our audio tours give you all the benefits of a guided experience with the freedom to explore on YOUR terms.

We’re proud to have earned the title of Hawaii’s highest-rated travel apps. And now, we’ve taken our 5-star storytelling to the mainland. Although our company is rooted in Hawaii, we’re thrilled to offer a variety of tours across the country.

A tremendous amount of care goes into each tour we create. Every site we visit, word we say, and song we play has been hand-picked, researched and crafted for quality.

So what do you say? Let’s explore together!

Consider us your personal tour guide in an app.

Confused? Don’t be - we’re here to help! Here's how it works. Our audio tours use GPS to play automatically as you drive. That means, while you’re touring, we’ll provide you with turn-by-turn directions, stories, and music along the way. Cool huh?

We’ve laid out an awesome itinerary, filled with popular stops and lesser-known gems. But here at Shaka Guide, we truly believe that it’s your vacation, so what you see and do is totally up to you - pick the stops you like and skip the ones you don’t.

The best part? You won't just see these beautiful sites, you'll connect with them as you immerse yourself in their history and legends.

MEET THE TEAM

Co-Founder, Marketing & Dev

Co-Founder, Chief Strategist, Editor-in-Chief

Lead Customer Support Specialist

Content Manager & Marketing Specialist

Senior Backend Web Developer

Senior Audio Editor

Uncle Shaka

The Shaka Guide Voice

Graphic Designer & Illustrator

Tour Researcher & Writer

Tour Script Editor & Writer

Assistant Producer

Marketing/Data support

Sr. Product Manager

Social Media Manager

Developer - Web / Backend

Digital Marketing

Developer - Android

Customer Support & Admin Assistant

Myra Morehart

UI/UX Design

Marketing Assistant

Senior iOS Developer

WHAT IS A SHAKA?

Fold your middle 3 fingers down, and keep your thumb and pinky straight up. There you've got a Shaka sign!

In Hawaii, shaka is one of those things that everybody just gets. You make a sign to say "thanks", "you're welcome", "hello", "good bye", "how'z it", and even I love you. The sign is like the word aloha itself, having many meanings, and all of them good.

There are many stories about the origin of the shaka sign but one is about a worker at the Kahuku Suger Mill, Kalili Hamana. It was said that Kalili lost his three middle fingers due to an accident at the mill. Later he worked at "the Hukilau" or what would later become the Polynesian Cultural Center. As Kalili stood greeting tourists and visitors, he would wave with his hand of only the thumb and pinky and they'd wave the same sign back.

Over the years, the sign was popularized and is now used by just about everyone in Hawaii. You'll see politicians throw up a shaka during campaigns, news anchormen using one to sign off the air, you'll even catch it in TV commercials. When you are on a vacation in Hawaii, don't forget to throw out a shaka to the car that yields to you or the person that says aloha as you walk by -- they'll know what you mean!

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Smart live audio streaming for guided tours.

Simple smartphone guiding for groups..

As many tours of any size as you want. Add remote interpretation to offer tours in different languages.

On-site live audio

Flexible tour guide system: Real time audio transmission via smartphone.

Remote interpretation

Offer simultaneous interpretation into different languages – translators can work from anywhere in the world.

Flexible smartphone-based tour guiding system.

One app for guide and tourists..

Smartphone-based tour guide system: One simple app for both speaker and listeners. Works on any device that is connected to the internet via WIFI or mobile data like 3G, 4G or 5G.

No need for special hardware.

People use their own devices. No extra hardware needed. No more distributing and collecting of devices. No more hygiene issues. Flat fee, so you can offer as many tours as you want.

Works in the background.

LiveVoice runs in the background, so tourists can use their smartphone to take pictures, navigate via maps or use any other app at the same time. Minimal battery and data usage (120x less than e.g. YouTube). Quickly auto reconnects when connection was lost.

Easily add live language interpretation.

Add multiple channels according to your needs. Interpreters can be located anywhere in the world, so you can offer your tour in several languages at the same time without having a translator on site.

Works with any smartphone, tablet or computer.

Listeners bring their own devices. Works via WiFI or mobile internet.

Manage everything yourself.

Trusted around the globe.

• Fifteen Seconds Festival: Listening to any stage anywhere
• Innovation Salzburg Conference: Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI)
• Jewish Harlem: Guided Tours of New York
• ICF Church Zurich: Interpreting for hybrid services
• Opera Philadelphia: Audio Description for the Blind
• "With LiveVoice we finally found a solution that works! It's simple to use for translators and listeners, has many innovative features and their support is great." Simon Egli Head of Digital, ICF Zurich
• "It is great how simple to use LiveVoice is and that it enables us to interpret any number of languages at any time. In this way we are completely flexible and can accommodate to every request of our event customers individually." Robert Hild Head of Operations, Salzburg Congress
• "We are so happy we found this service. LiveVoice entirely changes the market, since it provides an easy way to stream audio without any expensive equipment. From now on, we will be able to offer Audio Description to the blind in all kinds of venues. I will recommend it to everybody." Dr. Marina Ramos University of Murica, Spain
• "We are always looking for new technologies that make our conferences even more valuable, efficient and visitor friendly. With LiveVoice we found a great, innovative tool that saves us a lot of money and gives us the opportunity to serve our international guests even better." Hartmut Wolf Head of Event-Produktion, Willow Creek Germany
• "With LiveVoice we could offer translation for our conference with 160 participants from 27 countries. The user friendly app has become an invaluable tool for us." Dipl.Päd. Monika Faes Event Lead, Women in Leadership Conference
• "LiveVoice makes conventional interpreting and tour guide systems look really old. With this smart app we can transmit audio successfully in a very easy way." Rupert Pichler CEO, Pansound Audio & Video Solutions Agency
• "As one of our panel guests was a Ukrainian journalist, we needed simultaneous interpretation for our event. However, the cost of an interpreting system would have exceeded our budget. Without LiveVoice, we would not have been able to carry out our event!" Marlene Klotz Salzburger Bildungswerk (Salzburg Institute for Education)
• "LiveVoice worked like a charm for our audio description. It was so easy for us and our blind audience using it. People would tell us the whole day about how great the app is. It worked better than I could have imagined." Magan Harms MindsEye Radio
• "The translation service of LiveVoice for the online event we organized for our global management team was very convenient and worked really well. This way everyone could take part in their language in a very flexible way, wherever they were." Sebastian Loh CEO, JLU Group
• "As a professional interpreter I use RSI platforms every day and I must say the LiveVoice platform is one of the best I used so far." Carla de la Vega Conference Interpreter

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Audio Guide Narration and Tours Voice Overs

• Highway Tour
• Historical Character Museum
• Museum Guide
• Exhibit Promo
• Tbilisi City Guide
• Interctive Tour
• Factory Tour
• Milan City Guide

Audio guide narration is a growing sector of the tourism industry. But audio guides, whether for cities, museums, or even whole countries, are just part of this burgeoning business. Audio guides are also found in hospitals, factories, real estate, apartments, and homes, even in communities yet to be constructed.

Whether accompanying video or alone as an audio-only element, these guides help listeners create mental pictures and recount the story or history of special places. Public sites, popular visitor destinations, historical places, permanent museum collections, or traveling exhibitions, people get more out of their visits with insightful engaging guided narration .

With a blended background in theatre and broadcasting, female voice over artist Kim Handysides has a wide array of tools in her narrator’s toolkit to supply your audio guide with the ideal tone and delivery. Her audio guides have been in the Smithsonian, in the White House, and countless exhibits in national and international museums. She voiced several roving art collections, including the Fabregé exhibit, Miro and Chagall. Kim can craft the right sound to accompany a trip back in time, to a far-flung corner of the world, or even to the future.

Company and Factory Audio Tours

Often used as safety guidelines for new employees, or offered to schools on a field trip, company and factory audio tours are a thriving industry made only more popular by the Metaverse and virtual reality technology. By making distant companies accessible to people that can’t visit a brick-and-mortar location, guided audio tours have facilitated the growth of international organizations in a way that would have previously been impossible. Through company and factory audio tours, businesses can promote a new venue of reach where they might have previously struggled to find brand awareness or teach people about how a product is made.

Museum Audio Guides

Museum audio guides often come in the form of small handheld tools with listening devices that people carry around inside a museum. As they go from exhibit to exhibit, these audio tours add extra levels of insight that spectators might usually miss. Museum audio guides have become exceedingly popular in recent years with the advent of augmented reality apps and services that are independent of the museums themselves and make use of the smart devices that people already have on them. Institutions like the British Museum already have apps available for Android and Apple that let people explore the exhibits at their speed from home comfort.

With a blended background in theater and broadcasting, female voiceover artist Kim Handysides has a wide array of tools in her narrator’s toolkit to supply your audio guide with the ideal tone and delivery. Her audio guides have been in the Smithsonian, White House, and countless exhibits in national and international museums. She voiced several roving art collections, including the Fabregé exhibition, Miro and Chagall. Kim can craft the right sound to accompany a trip back in time, to a far-flung corner of the world, or even to the future.

Tourism Audio Guides

Whether in person or in virtual reality, tourism audio guides give travelers the freedom to explore new cities or countries at their own pace – without being shuffled around by overbooked tour guides. By offering tourists the chance to visit landmarks in the order they choose, tourism audio guides have transformed the industry into an exciting customizable experience tailored to suit anybody’s needs.

City and outdoor guides require excellent storytelling skills and a clear, engaging tone. Keeping listeners informed and focused amid external stimuli is a challenge Kim is adept at meeting head-on. She has been the city-guide voice for ten towns in Canada and the US and the English voice for the guided walking tour series for the whole country of Georgia.

Apps and Services - The Future of Audio Guides

Whether it’s a listening device handed out by the MET or a service provided by a tourism board, guided audio tours have become an integral component of any trip or expedition.  In a post Metaverse world, apps and services that provide guided audio tours for museums, factories, and sightseers will only become a rapidly increasing necessity to connect with audiences now and in the future.

Real Estate Narrated Guides

Real estate is another sector that has moved primarily online. For significant projects seeking investors and pre-build buyers, a video showcasing what it will look like has become a critical part of the process. Kim has narrated projects from Florida to Michigan and Colorado to California. 

Retirement complexes, condos, gated communities, commercial real estate, and housing developments also use narrated guides to engage participants and buyers. From luxury skyscrapers to rustic mountain ski chalets, contact Kim if you need a unique, award-winning voice for your guided tour. She’d love to chat with you about your project.

CONNECT WITH KIM

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©2024 Kim Handysides // Female Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites

Tour Guide Systems

Vox cleartone and vdr, a vox tour guide system is a user friendly and reliable wireless audio system, allowing guides, presenters and interpreters to address a group of people without having to raise their voice..

Cleartone radios

Vox Cleartone radios are an affordable and reliable choice for group guiding and any type of presentation that involves a group of listeners. In recent years these units have proven to be a solid tool for tour operators, museums, factories, universities and convention planners. Originally designed with tour groups in mind, they have been used for anything from a silent disco on a 737 airliner to outdoor gatherings and events with hundreds of attendees.

Coming soon: VDR and VDR Micro

Vox VDR devices are made in Europe with a modern look and the latest technology.

Offered in 2 versions, VDR (2.5″ x 3.5″) and VDR Micro (2″ x 2-1/4″).

RENTALS IN N. & S. AMERICA

We offer rentals in over 50 countries around the globe. The equipment is shipped directly to your office, facility or hotel and arrives “ready to go”. All you have to do is switch on the radios and start your tour or presentation. A variety of earphones, including single user ear buds, ensures the best experience for your guests. At the end of the rental period just follow the easy instructions for the return and we’ll handle the rest. Seasonal rentals (minimum 4 months) are available.

Do you prefer to purchase a new or used Vox tour guide system? Contact us for a quote.