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Android users can get Dark Sky weather updates for one more month
The Dark Sky weather app was supposed to shut down already on Android now that it's owned by Apple, but it will continue service through August 1st.
Google shutters Bulletin, its hyperlocal news experiment
Google is ending its hyperlocal news experiment Bulletin. Similar to Nextdoor, Bulletin was a blog-like service that allowed users to post stories with video and photo content to the app. People nearby could see those posts, and they could appear in Google Search. The service launched as a pilot in 2018, and now, Google is shutting it down.
Google Bulletin is powered by your hyperlocal news updates
Google has been toying with the idea of hyperlocal news for a while now. It tested Google Now cards back in 2013 that could display information as close as your neighborhood, for example. The company's latest take, Bulletin, is in testing as an app to create and instantly publish those hyperlocal stories from your phone. Currently only in early access in Nashville and Oakland, Bulletin encourages local journalists and everyday folk to capture a video, take a snapshot and build a story around events wherever they happen.
Dark Sky brings its 'hyperlocal' weather forecasts to Android
Dark Sky has been a darling of the iOS app scene for years. It has a nice design, and all the features you'd expect from a weather app, but its unique selling point is "hyperlocal" reports that can pinpoint rain to the minute. To do this, it "statistically aggregates" data from 19 meteorological sources, as well as from users themselves. Although the competition has improved in recent years, and despite being a paid app in a sea of free alternatives, it remains on many a "best weather app" list.
PayPal to add mobile payment features, hopes to redefine how we shop (till we drop)
Like the side ponytail craze of the '80s, the newest trend is turning out to be the mobile wallet -- especially as major players like Google, MasterCard, Verizon, Discover and now PayPal board the bandwagon. Our old buddy -- best known for its love affair with eBay (and ripping our own Darren Murph off a solid two large) -- has plans to implement new payment features primarily for (but not limited to) mobile. On the to-do list are things like QR / barcode scans, hyper local deals, fast checkout via NFC, etc. The company is adamant that it's not "just shoving a credit card on a phone," but rather planning to change the whole shopping experience. We'll know more when PayPal releases more details in early October, and when it launches the pilot product sometime later this year. Until then, check out the semi-cryptic video while brushing up on old episodes of SuperMarket Sweep after the break.
HomeElephant app connecting neighbors worldwide
We've written about hyperlocal apps before -- apps such Patch, which enable users to see what's going on in their city or town, no matter how small it might be. Now there's an app that allows users to go even more local -- call it hyper-hyperlocal if you will. HomeElephant is a service and app that allows you to connect with your neighbors on a social level. I know, why not just get off your butt and walk next door to see what the Joneses are doing, right? HomeElephant isn't meant to subvert regular social interaction, rather its primary purpose is to create a private social network for your neighborhood that allows residents to share relevant information. Users can create alerts, schedule neighborhood events or even ask others if anyone has a lawnmower they can borrow this weekend. HomeElephant can be really handy when you're away on vacation. Say you're out of town when a bad storm hits; you could quickly get reports from your neighbors to see if there's any major damage to the neighborhood or any service outages of any kind. This kind of information might not readily be available from traditional, larger news sources. HomeElephant is free to join and is currently in neighborhoods in 38 countries around the world. You can download the free universal iOS app here. [via CBS8]
AOL's Patch sites get iPhone app for hyperlocal news
AOL has released an iPhone app for its Patch news sites. Patch.com offers hyperlocal news for more than 800 towns across America. Each location has one editor and uses a collection of freelance writers to report the news. The idea behind Patch and other hyperlocal sites is that resident editors and writers can fill the void left by cash-strapped local newspapers, which, thanks to declining staff, no longer have the funds to cover all of the latest stuff in town. Want to know the score of the high school football game? Patch can tell you that. Looking forward to that all-you-can-eat buffet bar opening? Patch has all the deets about the dessert items on the menu. For example, I grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin, where absolutely nothing happens. Ever. But opening up my Patch app right now, I can see that the Borders on Manchester Road just sold its last book this weekend. Yeah, that's not as exciting as what goes on here in London, but at the same time, it's incredibly cool that I can get such hyperlocal news from my hometown -- and now I can get it right on my iPhone. The Patch app, released this week, features a handy dashboard screen that gives you quick access to your local weather, news, events and a directory of local businesses. It also offers a "Front 5" feature, which is a collection of the most relevant hyperlocal stories of the day. The app has a well-designed UI, and more importantly, the whole Patch concept is a lot more useful now that I can access it on my iPhone while out and about. Patch for iPhone is a free download and requires an iPhone 3GS or later. [Shout out to my Ballwin hommies: The Patch app just told me the Easter Bunny is appearing at Chesterfield Mall every day this week from noon to 1 PM. Rock on.] Disclaimer: AOL is the parent company of TUAW.
