Ancestors

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 14:51

GiggleTouch is back! This a fun, free app if you have young ones around. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/giggletouch-laughing-sounds/id378753803

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 14:57

I made this app way back in 2010 for my then 1 year old twins. In 2014 I updated it to use SpriteKit and improve the sounds.

I basically left it alone at that point. A couple years ago Apple decided to remove apps that hadn't been updated recently, so they removed it from sale.

It was a free app, and not really high on my list of things to do. That is until I got an email from someone looking for it…

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz

Toot

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 14:59

She wrote:

"It [was] an amazing app for people working in my field. I work in the disability field & my work colleague happened upon your app to help people we support in many different stressful settings, such as medical appointments, de escalating high anxiety moment’s etc.

Your app is more powerful & helpful than you may realise. For all ages & abilities. 💜"

This was really moving, and got me off my butt to dust off the code and resubmit it!

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz

Descendants

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 15:00

It makes me happy to be able to do something small and have an impact like this. Even for a small number of people.

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz

Written by Mitch Cohen on 2025-01-02 at 17:18

@bens Nice to see this come back! I remember using it with my kids (now 17 and 14). My wife works with little kids at school, I’ll suggest she take a look. (FYI it won’t play audio when the device is muted. Might want to set the AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback if unintentional.)

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from mitchcohen@mastodon.social

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 17:20

@mitchcohen I am a little cautious about this one, but you’re probably right

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz

Written by Mitch Cohen on 2025-01-02 at 17:26

@bens Always two sides to that one. My thinking is if the sound is the primary/expected output of user input, then make the sound when muted. If it’s incidental, then no. For GiggleTouch, the giggle is (probably?) the expected output. For some it might just be the smiley faces? (I’m now thinking how much fun it would be to have a focus group of toddlers to sort that out…)

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from mitchcohen@mastodon.social

Written by Kyle Hughes on 2025-01-02 at 17:17

@bens God, that’s so animating. It’s like, “oh yeah, that’s what fulfillment feels like.” Good job.

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from kyle@mister.computer

Written by Ben Scheirman on 2025-01-02 at 17:20

@kyle thanks Kyle!

=> More informations about this toot | More toots from bens@mastodon.xyz