By Frank Petrie
There are a plethora of apps that deal with relaxation, mindfulness and such, but White Noise by TMSOFT takes the concept to every imaginable requirement that you may have and them some.
Utilizing the ambient sounds that are included with their Mac or iOS Free or Pro version, you can do amazing things. You can create playlists, mix various sounds, or even create your own mixes and share them within the community.
Over 100-plus additional sounds(“singles”) can be purchased at their market or at iTunes, Amazon Music or Google play as MP3 audio files. Or you can download the Market App and download new sounds for free. With my iMac, I had the choice to stream additional sounds via Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play Music, Amazon Cloud, Rhapsody, and Groove to name a few. All singles are pristine HD audio.
There are also three videos available that are each eight hours long. However, they can only be viewed on Amazon Video.
There are two obvious situations where White Noise is invaluable, the most obvious being peaceful sleep. Whether you’re on vacation or business, if there are sounds that you’re used to hearing in the background as you sleep, you know that without them this can sometimes prevent restful sleep.
For instance, all of my life I have lived within 100 yards of a major highway or roadway. Once, I went with some friends to spend a weekend in the Catskills. WAY OUT IN THE CATSKILLS.! Looking up at the stars without any ambient city lights obscuring the view was astounding. But when it came time to sleep, I just wasn’t possible. It was completely silent and I wasn’t comfortable with that. If I had an app such as this, I could have picked the sounds of a roadway or anything that helped me relax, then I would have had a decent night’s rest.
Secondly, there’s relaxation (meditation, mindfulness, etc.). Science has proven how the reduction of stress in your life is important to both your physical and mental health. If your out and about, you can simply plug in your earphones and take a breather. At home or in the office, you can play your singles through your speakers. I found that the singles were much more pleasant to listen to in the background than listening to music as I wrote this review.
Another White Noise app utilizes singles to calm your baby or gently put them to sleep (it includes a shut off timer). What a brilliant concept! (Unfortunately, my review baby was in the shop for maintenance, so I couldn’t put this feature through its paces.) If you’re incredibly lucky, you’re newborn doses off instantaneously. But if not, this could be worth it’s weight in gold.
Binaural beats are an interesting concept. They recommend that you listen to them preferably through headphones to achieve their full sensory impact. “Binaural beats can help with sleep, focus, and meditation. They are an auditory illusion perceived when two different tones of slightly different frequency are presented to each ear. The frequencies are very low and each one is tuned specifically for each ear which is why headphones are required.”
There is also Creator app, three generator apps, and a plethora of streaming media. Also, there’s a You Tube Channel with many videos accompanied with sound to help you rest. And in case you’re concerned whether or not it’s bedtime. there’s a Clock face. Click for more detailed information on how it works. You’ll find more information there than I could possibly cover in this review. Support and FAQ information is available on their website.
White Noise for iOS is available in a Mobile Free Version, Mobile Full Version, and a Mobile Pro version. As for the Mac, there is a Desktop Free Version and a Desktop Pro Version. Free versions are ad supported, whereas all Full and Pro versions are ad free. White Noise is also multi-platform.
White Noise is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The Mac version is available at the Mac App Store for $4.99. It requires macOS 10.7 or later and is 64- bit. You can also download any of these apps at TMSOFT.
Enjoy.
Apple World Today Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★
