Entries by garyireland

5 brilliant (and free) phone apps for hearing loss

September 17, 2020 /0 Comments/in /by

No one would disagree that life is difficult for those with hearing loss, but modern technology is at least making the struggle a little easier than previous generations. Since the smartphone arrived on the scene in recent years, technology has been improving at an exponential rate. Our phones can do ridiculous things now, from tracking your cholesterol to pinpointing gunshots, so it’s not surprising that there are plenty of apps for hearing loss out there for people to try. We’ve picked five free apps for you to check out, which, hopefully, make your life a little easier.

Why YouTube are making a mistake removing their community captions

September 7, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

We all know that YouTube is a platform for videos, but did you know it’s also the second-largest search engine after Google? YouTube is used by millions of people every day for entertainment, education, or instructional videos, and with 100 hours of video uploaded every minute, there’s plenty to choose from. One of the best features of YouTube is the subtitles and closed captions, available on almost every video now uploaded. These subtitles help attract a wider community, increase watch time and shares, and boosts ranking.

3 places live captioning should be used

September 3, 2020 /0 Comments/in /by

Live captioning delivers an inclusive experience for the deaf, hard of hearing, and those who have English as a second language. As a person is speaking, a speech-to-text-reporter (STTR) types out verbatim what is being said, with the transcript appearing on a screen for everyone to read. The simple solution never interferes with what’s being said, while at the same time helps keep everyone in the loop with what’s going on. Below are the three main places where live captioning should be used.

Why transparent face masks should be mandatory

August 27, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

We’re past the six-month point of this Covid-19 pandemic, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like ending any time soon. Most countries have gone through their first wave, but as people return to work, kids return to school, and life begins to return to normal, a second wave is on the horizon. With face masks mandatory in most public places, this rule might well become an everyday part of life post-Covid. This opens up another can of worms that most people don’t even think about; lip reading. Covering your mouth makes life even tougher for the deaf and hard of hearing, and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed sooner […]

What the best captioning companies all have in common

July 27, 2020 /0 Comments/in /by

Captioning companies solve particular and distinct problems, so the market for them is relatively small. But like most things in life, there is a range of professionalism, competence, and quality, even within this small industry. Good captioning companies get the job done, but great captioning companies go above and beyond. To spot one of the great ones, you need to look at the following three things…

Live Captioning for Conferences, Universities, and Learning Providers

July 13, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

With the Covid-19 pandemic showing no signs of going away, our “new normal” will involve social distancing, greater hygienic practices, and a lot more people working from home or online. Unfortunately, these new norms will create even greater difficulties for deaf and hard of hearing people. The answer may lie in live captioning.