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Audiofetch News & Information
Jan 10
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AudioFetch Blog Header - 2022 Wireless Audio Streaming Predictions

5 Predictions for Wireless Audio Streaming in 2022

By | Education, Food for thought, Hearing Assistance, Home Audio, Wireless Audio | No Comments

As A/V technologies grow more advanced and consumers become more reliant on their smartphone devices, we expect the field of local audio over WiFi to continue growing in the new year. Below are our 5 predictions for wireless audio streaming in 2022.

1. Increased Focus on Accessibility 

If there is one positive thing to come out of the past two years it’s that we have all become more aware of the health challenges and disabilities of others. That includes individuals with hearing impairments. 

This spotlight on hearing has lead to a focus on providing more and better accessibility options in theaters and churches. We predict this focus will continue to grow in 2022, with even more businesses and organizations using audio over WiFi for hearing assistance. The venues we anticipate will grow the most are schools and universities, hospitals and conferences and convention centers.

2. Social Distancing Will Still Be Important

No, unfortunately, we are not yet done with social distancing. As new variants continue to spread throughout the word (and there will be more no doubt, Omicron is not the final one), we’re going to have to continue maintaining safer distances in certain public establishments and spaces.

Wireless audio streaming is a simple, flexible and affordable way to permit social distancing, while allowing businesses to stay open and provide entrainment options. Expect this to continue throughout most if not all of 2022.

3. New Applications Will Be Discovered

We get calls from folks all the time that want to know, “Will AudioFetch work for X?” or “Can I use AudioFetch for Y?” And 99.9% of the time, our answer is yes! 

AudioFetch is so flexible, so simple and so affordable, there are near-infinite uses. We could never rattled them all off or list them all on our site. Heck, we haven’t even thought of some of them! But if it has to do with helping people hear better in public venues or at home, AudioFetch can probably help! 

Take Itchy-O for example, a 57-member avant-garde marching band and performance music group based in Denver, CO. The Itchy-O band leader uses AudioFetch to communicate with the other members as they dance throughout the crowd during their performances. We certainly couldn’t have imagined this application, but what a cool use and perfectly suited use for AudioFetch! 

4. More Businesses Using Wireless Audio Distribution

Interest in using AudioFetch for wireless audio distribution has grow significantly in the past couple years as businesses look for more flexible and affordable audio solutions that meet the needs of today’s tech-savvy consumer. AudioFetch has replaced the existing wireless audio distribution system for a music festival and race track, and we expect to see even more businesses using AudioFetch in this way in 2022. 

5. Continued Interest in Home Entertainment Options

We’ve all spent a lot of time at home these past couple years. And while there were certainly times when the cabin fever seemed unbearable and we would have rather been ANYWHERE else on the planet, collectively, we have all learned how to be at home more, and some folks even now prefer it.

Just because we’re staying home more, however, doesn’t mean we don’t want to be entertained. This is clear when you look at all the home-focused technology to come out of CES this year. We especially loved Samsung’s The FreeStyle projector that would be perfect for hosting outdoor movie nights with AudioFetch Home as the audio solution! 

We are choosing to stay positive and have an optimistic outlook for 2022. We look forward to working with even more large franchises, mom and pop businesses and individuals to help more people hear better in both commercial and residential spaces. 

Jun 07
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AudioFetch Blog Header - Theater Assistive Listening

Performing Arts Centers Use AudioFetch for Assistive Listening Solution

By | Hearing Assistance, Theater | No Comments

As theaters and performing arts centers around the globe begin to reopen, one key thing is on their mind–how can we provide a safe yet entertaining experience for guests? This question has led many to reconsider their accessibility solutions for guests with hearing impairments. 

How have theaters traditionally provided hearing assistance? 

There were two key methods for providing assistive listening solutions–shared hearing devices and hearing loops. 

Handing out hearing devices is no longer acceptable–these shared devices have always been a headache to clean and maintain, but now the stakes are much higher than a little headache. 

Hearing loops have been used for decades, but they can be complex, inconvenient and expensive, and after many theaters had to close their doors for the better part of a year, every penny matters.

Enter AudioFetch. Theaters and performing arts centers around the world are turning to AudioFetch as their assistive listening solution for three key reasons:

  • Simplicity – Plug AudioFetch in, connect to WiFi and start broadcasting immediately.
  • Affordability – At just $549 and no monthly fees, AudioFetch Express is a fraction of the cost of other assistive listening solutions.
  • Convenience – No more keeping track of clunky, finicky and unhygienic assistive listening devices. Listeners use their own smartphones.

Check out these three performing arts centers that recently tapped AudioFetch to provide assistive listening. 

The Star Performing Arts Center

The Star Centre - AudioFetch Audio Over WiFi

The Star Performing Arts Center is a Civic and Cultural Zone in Singapore. The Center comprises many elements: The Star Terrace, an airy outdoor theater; The Star Loft, an exclusive event space and rooftop terrace; The Star Gallery, a state-of-the-art multi-purpose hall; and The Star Theatre, Singapore’s first 5,000 seat theater. The Star Theater is the key venue in the Center and is fitted with a high-end audio, video and production lighting system, providing an exceptional audio-visual experience. And with the addition of AudioFetch, they’re also able to provide next-gen assistive listening capabilities for their diverse audiences.

GoggleWorks Center for the Arts

GoggleWorks Arts Center - AudioFetch Audio Over WiFi

GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, Pennsylvania is focused on transforming lives through unique interactions with art. Since 2005, GoggleWorks has encouraged their community to develop skills, ask questions, experiment freely and investigate the human spirit through workshops, classes, visiting artists, community outreach programs, summer residency, youth programs and camps, on-site studio artists, film screenings, art exhibitions and communal maker studios. The building is a former goggle factory, hence the name, and is composed of 145,000 square feet of creative and community space. 

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre front FB - AudioFetch Audio Over WiFi

Metropolis Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Their theater houses 329 seats and hosts hundreds of performances each year, including concerts, comedy and cabarets. Through the Metropolis School of Performing Arts, they provide students of all ages with private lessons, group classes, workshops, camps, productions and community engagement. 

If you’re looking for an effective and cost-efficient way to provide accessibility for your hearing-impaired patrons, AudioFetch is the ideal solution! Contact us by calling 844-HI-FETCH or scheduling an appointment to discuss your theater application and get a quote. 

Mar 15
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AudioFetch Blog Headers - Hearing Impaired Accessibility

How AudioFetch Creates a Welcoming Environment with Assistive Listening Solutions

By | Hearing Assistance | No Comments

Whether you’re a restaurant serving food to guests, a travel group providing tours, a church serving your members, or an organization hosting an event, you have one universal goal in mind–you want every person to have a positive experience so they’ll come back again and/or tell their friends about it. 

Businesses and organizations go to great lengths to provide this positive experience, but there’s one area they often overlook–accessibility. 

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), some 38 million American adults over the age of 18 report some trouble hearing. That’s approximately 15% of people that could be struggling to hear when they’re at your establishment. 

You can make your establishment more accessible to those with hearing impairments by using our next-gen assistive listening solutions. Following are three ways AudioFetch can help your business or organization create a more welcoming environment for customers and guests:

1. No Hearing Aids Required

Lots of people don’t wear hearing aids when they need them. In fact, according to the  International Journal of Audiology, a whopping 80% of 55-74 year olds 55-74 don’t. That’s a lot of people who’ve made a conscious decision to go without a device that could benefit their lives. 

Why would they do such a thing, you ask? Well, there are numerous reasons people don’t wear hearing aids when they should. For some, they find hearing aids bulky or uncomfortable. For others, it makes them feel old or embarrassed. And for still more, they simply forget to bring it out with them. Whatever the reasons, not wearing a hearing aid when someone needs one can leave them feeling left out and isolated, a negative experience you don’t want them to have at your business.

Our assistive listening solutions eliminate all of those reasons. All the listener needs is their smartphone (which we all know no one ever forgets to bring out!) and headphones. 

2. No Asking to Use a Shared Device

Even when an establishment provides assistive listening devices, people oftentimes won’t ask for one. Again, the reasons here can be myriad–they don’t want to call attention to themselves and their hearing loss, they don’t know the devices are available, or, more common these days, they don’t want to use a device that may have been touched by others. 

AudioFetch solves this problem. Since listeners use their own smartphone and headphones to hear the audio, they don’t need to ask for or handle any additional devices. AudioFetch is ideal as an assistive listening system for churches, theaters, and schools and educational facilities. Travel and tourism businesses also benefit from replacing their shared hearing devices with our wireless tour guide system.

3. No Tech Skills Needed

If you know how to download and open an app, you know how to use AudioFetch. 

Listeners simply search for AudioFetch in the app store (or scan the QR code on signage we provide), download the app, and then open it. If there’s only a single audio channel, they’ll hear it immediately. If there are multiple channels, they simply select the one they want (which is easy to determine with the signage we also provide!) and listen in. 

Listeners will never be asked to enter any personal information. They’ll never be asked to create an account. They’ll never be asked to do anything but sit back and enjoy the sound! 

At AudioFetch, we’re devoted to helping people with hearing loss or impairment stay connected with the world around them, and helping businesses create a more welcoming environment for these individuals.  If you have questions about how AudioFetch can be used for assistive listening at your establishment, do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to helping your business create a more welcoming environment for everyone. 

Feb 01
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AudioFetch Blog Header - New Tech for New Normal

New Technology for a New Normal

By | Churches, Education, Fitness Centers, Hearing Assistance, Restaurants, Sports Bars, Tour Guides, Translation | No Comments

We’re all eager to return to some semblance of normalcy in our daily and public lives. Yet, with new more contagious and more deadly variants of COVID-19 spreading across the globe, that possibility keeps getting further and further away. And even when the world does get a handle on this pandemic, and public businesses and events can resume at full capacity, it won’t be what we all consider “normal” for a long time. 

In this new normal, people will be extremely cautious when it comes to patronizing businesses or attending public events. We’ve gotten used to the regulations. They not only provide safety from a physical standpoint–wearing masks and standing farther apart makes it more difficult for disease-carrying saliva droplets to land on others–they also provide emotional safety by making us feel safer and protected from the things we can’t fully control. Once the pandemic is controlled, the physical aspects go away quickly, but the emotional ones will stick around for a long while.

Even if businesses do open back up at full capacity and all regulations are lifted this year, it’s wise to continue providing safety measures for your customers and guests, allowing them to feel more comfortable and confident at your establishment. 

Our audio over WiFi streaming solutions can help your business provide these safety measures now, and in a post-pandemic world. Following are three ways our technology can help in the new normal. 

Continued Social Distancing 

Our wireless tour guide system lets tour guides broadcast their voice to anyone within 300 feet in any direction. This allows for ample distance between tour group attendees, and provides your business with a responsible and marketable advantage. 

At restaurants and sports bars, AudioFetch allows you to broadcast audio from muted TVs to your customers’ smartphones and tablets. No need to gather around a single TV to hear the audio, or even have tables grouped nearby. Customers can hear the TV audio anywhere in the building or patio seating by using the free AudioFetch app. This allows everyone to maintain a safe, comfortable distance from others, while enjoying the entertainment, the food and drinks, and the community experience. 

Less Shared Equipment

Even pre-pandemic, hearing assistive devices and transmitters were always a pain to keep clean. Post-pandemic, customers and guests will be less willing to use a shared device. At best, this creates a less enjoyable experience; at worst, they’ll look for another venue that is more welcoming and accommodating. 

AudioFetch solves this problem. Since listeners use their own smartphone and headphones to hear the audio, you don’t need to provide (or maintain!) any additional devices. AudioFetch is ideal as an assistive listening system for churches, theaters, and schools and educational facilities, or as a translation streaming solution. Tour groups also benefit from replacing their shared hearing devices with their attendees’ smartphones and the AudioFetch app.

Fewer Surfaces to Touch

For fitness centers and gyms, instead of using entertainment screens attached to cardio machines or allowing anyone to control shared TVs or sound systems, members use their own smartphones to listen to TV audio or music throughout the club. This reduces the number of surfaces that members come into contact with at the club. It also limits the amount of equipment that must be disinfected by your staff throughout the day. 

In addition to tour groups, sports bars, churches, theaters, schools and fitness centers, AudioFetch can benefit numerous other types of businesses and organizations that want to help their guests hear better and feel safer. Call us today at 1-844-443-3824 or schedule a meeting to discuss how your business can use new technology for a new normal.