HearPlanet Launches Premium Travel App

HearPlanet has announced the premium version of its popular travel application for iPhones that provides spoken descriptions for nearly 250,000 points of interest around the world. HearPlanet Premium increases usability with the addition of interactive maps that enable users to graphically browse and interact with points of interest without ever leaving the application. HearPlanet Premium is now available for download in Apple's iTunes App Store for $5.99.

Since launching the free version of HearPlanet at Macworld in January 2009, more than 300,000 copies have been downloaded from Apple's iTunes App Store, making HearPlanet one of the most popular travel applications on the iPhone. HearPlanet turns the iPhone into a "talking tour guide" that uses voice to deliver detailed information about locations around the globe including landmarks, historic sites, restaurants, cultural and entertainment spots, nature and recreation areas, famous buildings and parks and sports venues.

Unlike traditional printed guidebooks that require travelers to thumb through pages of small print to find the right information, HearPlanet speaks to users directly through their iPhone so they are free to take in the sights while listening to the guide. Both travelers journeying to far off places and people exploring their own cities and neighborhoods can use HearPlanet to expand their knowledge and enjoyment of their surroundings. It's like having a docent or professional tour guide always by their side.


Expanding on the voice and text interface pioneered in the initial version of HearPlanet, the HearPlanet Premium application includes a new built in map view. In the map view, users can explore points of interest displayed on a pannable and zoomable interactive map of locations around the world with street-level detail. Because the maps are integrated into the HearPlanet's premium application, users can explore the maps of locations in their vicinity without interrupting the spoken descriptions of their surroundings.

"HearPlanet changes the way people access information when traveling and exploring, allowing them to discover the world around them in a whole new way. Users can listen to detailed descriptions while they take in the beauty and grandeur of their surroundings," said Steven Echtman, CEO of HearPlanet. "Maps have been our most requested feature and now interactive maps are a great addition to the product."

HearPlanet taps into a massive database of spoken descriptions of hundreds of thousands of points of interest around the world to provide a wealth of content. HearPlanet uses a combination of text-to-speech and human voices speaking a range of content from sources including Wikipedia. HearPlanet is adding more locations and professionally recorded content daily, with new content immediately available to all HearPlanet users.

Pricing and Availability:
HearPlanet Premium is now available in the Apple's iTunes App Store for $5.99 (USD). The highly popular free version of HearPlanet will continue to remain available as well. Download HearPlanet in the App Store by searching for 'HearPlanet'.



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