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Researchers can predict bad weather up to a month in advance
Climate change means that it's no longer certain that the tailgate you've planned for the third weekend in August will have clear skies and sunshine. Fortunately, a group of Chinese researchers think that they've developed a system that'll predict catastrophic weather events from anything up to 30 days in advance. That's a big deal, since the traditional limit for making an educated guess about an impending monsoon was less than half that. The paper, published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, reports that the team has managed to overcome a key principle of chaos theory that's long held-back such research: the Butterfly Effect.
Tiny house uses light to put you in the middle of a thunderstorm
Standing in a greenhouse and listening to the rain thunder against the roof can be strangely relaxing and therapeutic. Now, imagine if the same experience was recreated artificially. For the Triennale Der Photographie exhibition in Hamburg, designer Leigh Sachwitz has constructed a miniature house covered with semi-transparent projection screens. Once you step inside and turn off the hanging bulb, a series of projectors spring to life and batter you with heavy weather, including tornadoes and tropical thunderstorms. The dynamic sounds are recreated with speakers, but it's the projectors -- four on the inside, with another two cutting through a haze machine on the outside -- that really bring the installation to life. Circles quickly appear and disappear to recreate raindrops, while streaks of diagonal light imitate heavier downpours. It's not a particularly accurate art piece, but in terms of capturing atmosphere and mood, "INSIDE OUT" feels pretty spot on.
Dark Sky uses your iPhone's sensors to improve weather forecasts
Your iPhone gives you weather forecasts right from the get-go, but it's now ready to shape those forecasts as well. Dark Sky has given its iOS app a big overhaul that, if you like, uses the barometer on your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus to contribute pressure readings. The hope is that these will dramatically improve short-term forecasts in the future -- you'll know that it's about to rain because iPhones nearby gave you a heads-up. There have been apps that crowdsourced pressure data before, but rarely with the intent to directly improve forecasts -- and not on the scale of Dark Sky, one of iOS' best-known weather tools.
Google delivers news headlines to your Apple Watch
If you were gutsy enough to buy an Apple Watch on launch, you've likely been asking a common question: where are the Watch-savvy Google apps? Well, one of them is finally here... although it's probably not the one you want. The search firm has updated Google News & Weather with support for Apple's wearable, so you now have a quick way to scan major headlines from your wrist. It's definitely convenient, although these tidbits take a while to load and don't include the "weather" part of the iOS app. However, the real question is when the Google apps that you're likely to use will show up. It'd be great to dictate Hangouts messages or triage an overflowing Gmail inbox.
'4D' movies bring rain and snow inside the theater
Most people would consider going to the movies a way to avoid inclement weather, but drop into a 4DX theater and you'll be taking the rain and snow with you. The "4D" cinemas, which only landed on American shores last year, augment the standard big screen and booming sound with smells (like flowers or gunpowder), wind and even fake lightening. At CinemaCon in Las Vegas the company behind 4DX, CJ Group, will be demonstrating new effects, including rainstorm, snow and warm air. Why would you want to be showered with rain, shrouded in fog or buried in snow while you're trying to watch a movie? That's a good question, CJ Group would argue it creates a more immersive experience. Though, it remains to be seen how "immersed" people want to feel in the brutal sand storms of Mad Max.
How much does this game cost? Depends on the temperature
Finally, a game where the pricing structure is as clever as its mechanics. A Good Snowman is Hard to Build is an adorable puzzle game about a monster trying to make snowmen, from established puzzle-game designer Alan Hazelden, co-creator Benjamin Davis and composer Ryan Roth. It's charming, cute and surprisingly complex, and it's available for $8 right now, though that number will probably change tomorrow. You see, the game's price directly reflects the celsius temperature in London, Hazelden's and Davis' home base, from now through March 10. After such a rough winter for many people, A Good Snowman is Hard to Build offers a cool reason to be thankful for chilly temperatures.
The Big Picture: The frozen US as seen from space
Wondering why February has been so mind-numbingly cold? Here's why. NASA's Terra research satellite took a snapshot on February 19th showing that much of the US has been draped in Arctic and Siberian air masses, painting the country white with snow. Even southern cities like Macon, Georgia dipped well below freezing, according to weather reports. While those conditions are (thankfully) going away, they made for a spectacular view from space -- not that you'll likely want to see it again.
Smart, touch-free thermometer gets temperatures for almost anything
There's no shortage of smart thermometers out there, but they tend to have one or more catches: many only work in certain conditions, aren't very pocketable or require some kind of contact. JoyWing's upcoming Wishbone may just tackle all of those problems in one fell swoop. The tiny, Y-shaped gadget plugs into your smartphone's audio jack and uses an infrared sensor to gauge temperatures without contact, regardless of whether you're pointing it at your baby's forehead, a hot drink or the great outdoors. It should be both accurate and fast (just two seconds to get a reading, the company claims), and the matching Android and iOS apps will let you track conditions over time.
Amazon's Prime Now one-hour delivery delayed by winter storms
As a winter storm starts to drop several inches of snow on the northeast United States, Amazon's advising Prime Now customers in New York City not to rely on its one-hour deliveries. The service started dropping off orders around Manhattan in mid-December, and the online retailer is already seeing a rise in demand as weather conditions get worse. "We're watching the storm also, and will be operating on a limited schedule," Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman told Bloomberg. "Customers can get updates through the Prime Now app on delivery availability." So if you're looking to restock a few "everyday essentials," you may want to make other arrangements.
Get the weather and a joke thanks to Funny or Die Weather app
And now for something completely different. It's a nicely performing weather app, with weather sourced from Weather Underground, and along with the weather you get a joke or funny anecdote. The app, Funny Or Die Weather (free) has the usual stuff you want from a weather app, like current weather, a 5 day forecast, the UV index, sunset and sunrise times, moon phases and tides, but along with that are some nice animations reflecting the current weather and a joke. Sometimes it's silly, sometime a little profane or sarcastic, and it is sure to at least make you grin. It doesn't matter if the weather is good or horrible, a joke will always be there. If you like the humor, you can share it via text, email or social media. You can add multiple locations to the app by zip code or city name, and each city will have different humor when you access it. Funny or Die Weather is certainly unique, and it's free, with no in-app purchases or ads, neither of which would be truly funny. Funny or Die Weather requires iOS 8, and it is optimized for the new iPhones so you get full screen humor. Recommended.
Gloria Victis adding a second server, weather, and more
Gloria Victis seems to be moving right along, if its latest pre-alpha changelog is any indication. The devs have added a new weather system, the initial stages of a crafting revamp, and various optimization tweaks. The dev team also plans to launch a US server "within a few days," and existing characters will in fact work on both of the title's shards. An NDA lift is coming, too, and with it an item wipe (but not a character or level wipe, so yay for that).
2 new weather apps just in time for your holiday sojourns
Apalon has released two weather apps that could make your holiday travel more predictable. Weather Live (US$1.99) features animated, customizable backgrounds that look great and a widget for quick access to your most important weather info. You can set a number of different cities, and swipe between them. The main screen offers in-depth weather stats, along with sunrise and sunset times, and 7 day forecasts. Tap on the radar icon and you'll get animated weather radar, and you can set up alerts for freezing temperatures, and for when the temperature drops below zero. The app also features sharing options so you can brag or complain about your weather to family and friends. The app looks very striking, and is about as full-featured as a weather app can be. It also gives you an icon badge with the current temperature, something Apple and Yahoo weather have failed to offer for reasons that escape me. The second app in the set, NOAA Radar Pro ($1.99) is more oriented toward radar. You get a rain map that provides rain forecast for the range of next 24 hours right on the terrain map, satellite cloud cover maps shows real-time cloud cover, and detailed Weather info for any location including current conditions, 24-hour and 7-day forecasts, plus active alerts for practically any location in the USA. Both apps are excellent, but have a pretty large overlap of info. Having one pretty much makes the other unnecessary. NOAA Radar Pro does have more radar data, but I think most people will find the radar display just fine in Weather Live. Both apps look great, and are certainly among the top weather apps I've seen for iOS. Weather Live and NOAA Radar Pro are both universal apps, the requires iOS 7 or later and they are optimized for the iPhone 5 and 6 series of phones. Recommended.
Wthr Complete is a weather app with details and a nice desgn
There are so many weather apps out there... As a general rule, I often find that the pretty ones don't have a lot of information, and the ones with more information provided have worse user interfaces. Wthr Complete (US$1.99) breaks that rule by adding a lot of depth and a beautiful interface. It has all the usual information, but adds things I like such as sunrise/sunset times and moon phases. It also adds 150 U.S. NOAA weather stations to give you audio forecasts and alerts. There are also detailed radar maps with animation, earthquake maps and the maps have layers so you can see a basic map or satellite view. Perhaps the most unique feature is a database of the last four years of weather information for any location for any particular day. I find that really useful, as people are always wondering what the weather was on this date last year or the year before. No more guesswork on that subject. The app has notifications of course, for severe weather and flooding. You can add any number of other cities, and when the app launches you can select the city you want. Weather conditions have nice animations, and there is nerdy stuff like ultraviolet intensity and dew point as well. All in all, Wthr Complete is a really nice weather app. Although it is universal, it runs only in portrait mode so many iPad users who spend the day in landscape mode will be unhappy. I'm amazed that developers haven't figured this out. I see new apps almost every week that are locked into the portrait orientation. Dumb. In the wild, almost every iPad I see is in a case or on a stand in landscape mode. Aside from that failing, Wthr Complete is one terrific little app. It requires iOS 7.1 or later, and it's scaled properly for the iPhone 5 and 6 phones. There are nice weather apps for free, including Apple's and the well-designed Yahoo weather app, but Wthr Complete goes deeper and is just as pretty.
Moving wind forecast puts beautiful weather in your browser
It's hard to get excited about weather forecasts unless they promise warm and sunny days, but you might just make an exception for Windyty. The browser-based meteorological tool shows you living, breathing view of the world's wind patterns along with overlays for everything from temperature to humidity. Arguably, it's both beautiful and useful -- those mesmerizing swirls will help you understand why it's going to be unusually blustery or chilly on a given day. The page works on both your phone and desktop, too. There are still some definite holes in Windyty's map (it doesn't show borders or cities right now), but it's worth a look if you're done with old-fashioned weather charts and radar views.
Gloria Victis pre-alpha patch adds weather system
While it's still very much a work in progress, a weather system (with clouds!) has come to Gloria Victis with the advent of pre-alpha patch v.0.1.1. The new patch isn't solely about additions that make Weather Channel fans geek out, of course. The title added an item decay and repair system, updated the world map, included more music, improved mob AI, and further optimized performance. Still, if gorgeous sunsets and foggy days are the sort of eye candy that gets you excited about an MMO, the weather may be the biggest addition yet to Gloria Victis.
Google News and Weather adds search and prettier forecasts
It may have taken Google ages to bring Android's News and Weather app into the modern era, but it's seemingly bent on making up for lost time. The company has posted a new version of News and Weather with some fresh features that you're genuinely likely to use. To start, you can now search the news, including newly curated stories. You'll also get easy-to-understand (not to mention prettier) weather forecast charts, and there's an optional dark theme that should be easier on your eyes at night. The refresh is hitting devices now, so check for an update if Android's official news app is part of your daily routine.
Weather or Not gives you weather forecasts for events on your calendar
What a clever idea for a weather app! Weather or Not (US$2.99) takes two things important in your daily life -- weather and your schedule -- and blends the two. On its own, Weather or Not is a very nice weather app with beautiful animated graphics. You get the temperature, wind and humidity at whatever locations you set, as well the chance of precipitation. As you swipe your finger on the screen, an animated sun or moon moves to show you predictions for future times. The best part is that the app accesses your calendar and gives you a forecast for future events. You'll get weather seven days ahead; In addition, the app provides you with daily weather reports and forecasts for any upcoming events you have on the calendar, and the app provides a Today extension for iOS 8. It's a complete package, with calendar/forecast integration being the really good idea here. The graphics are first rate, and you won't need any help setting this app up. When you run it for the first time, it will ask for access to your calendar. If an event is in another city, and that location is in your calendar, the app picks that up and gets you the right out of town forecast. With holiday travel upon us, the app should be doubly useful as you make plans away from home. Weather or Not requires iOS 7, but you'll need iOS 8 to use the Today extension. Weather or Not is a well thought out app that works well and looks great. The only thing I'd like to see are sunset and sunrise times. Weather or Not is optimized for the iPhone 5 and 6.
BeWeather 2 is a very customizable app with a widget
BeWeather 2 (US$1.99) is an attractive collection of weather information that can be customized both in the data presented and the look of the app. It as features similar to many other weather apps, but BeWeather's overall presentation still makes it compelling. You get detailed current conditions, a seven-day and 24-hour forecast with sun and moon times, animated radar (US, Canada and Europe), severe weather notifications (US and Europe), very localized rain forecasts, and storm and hurricane tracking. With a swipe down, the weather map with animations goes full screen, and left and right swipes lets you change to your pre-set locations. The app also supports widgets, with customizations for current conditions and forecasts. You can also switch locations from the widget. Setting up additional cities is easy, just hit the + button from the settings menu. There are a variety of colored themes for the app. I liked the darker themes which seem to make everything more legible. The data provider is Weather Underground, so you also get access to several local weather stations, which might make your local forecast even more reliable. While there are plenty of free, and paid apps for weather, I like BeWeather for its depth and easy to use presentation. It requires iOS 8 and it's optimized for the iPhone 5 and 6 series iDevices. BeWeather 2 is going to be handy with the upcoming winter weather, and will be valuable all year too.
Live Weather Forecast app adds weather radio and HD Radar
Even with lots of weather apps to choose from, including excellent free apps from Apple and Yahoo, I'm always interested to see something new come along in the weather category that has a unique feature set. Live Weather Forecast (US$0.99) is a graphically pleasing universal app that packs a lot of information into an uncluttered user interface. Of course you get temperature, wind speeds, humidity, feels-like temperature, and a nice ten-day forecast, but you also get the Ultraviolet Index for your chosen location and an interactive map with radar and satellite maps for cloud cover, precipitation, snow and more. It allows unlimited cities to be added for review, and there is a nice, unobtrusive animated background reflecting the weather in each city. Swiping down provides more detail for the current location, while swiping left to right displays any other cities you have added. A circular swipe on the current temperature shows predictions of temperatures for many hours ahead. I think the nicest feature of Live Weather Forecast is full access to NOAA Weather Radio. NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) comes from stations that are set up by the U.S. government to broadcast timely forecasts and alerts for bad weather. It can also provide information during severe incidents like oil spills or other disasters like earthquakes. It's handy to have NWR built into the app. It can play in the background while you do other things with your iDevice, and as a bonus, the app supports AirPlay. Live Weather Forecast does not provide dedicated weather alerts, but if you want audio notifications of significant events that feature is built into your iPhone. Most U.S. cellular carriers support this feature. To turn it on, navigate to Settings > Notifications, then scroll to the bottom of the screen and you can turn on (or off) AMBER alerts and Emergency Alerts. I think the only thing Live Weather Forecast lacks is text-based weather notifications. Moonrise/set times would be also nice considering all the other information that is provided. This is a nice app for under a dollar, and the NOAA Weather Radio service is a solid addition. Live Weather Forecast requires iOS and is optimized for the iPhone 5 and 6 series of devices.
Seasonality Go is a top tier weather app
I reviewed Seasonality Go (US$5.99) a couple of years ago when it was an iPad-only weather app and pretty pricey at $10.99. I liked the app, but wished for a lower price and an iPhone version. Those wishes have been granted, as the app is now 40 percent cheaper, and has a first class iPhone version. There are plenty of free weather apps, so you'd wonder what makes this app worth putting money on the table. First off, there is a wealth of information here: 30,000 weather locations in 200 countries, and astronomical data like sunset/sunrise time and moon phase. There are graphs for 10 weather variables including temperature, wind speed, precipitation, cloud cover and more. There is an animated satellite map with radar and infrared weather data. This latest version has been thoroughly rewritten and adds even more data like dew-point temperature graphs. My favorite feature is the Particle Mode. It simulates what you would see if you dropped some confetti into the air and watched the patterns as it blows. You can watch in a worldwide view and see major weather systems, or zoom down to your location and see the wind direction or how the winds interact with weather fronts. Maybe it's more weather data than you think you need, but you will get used to the richness of the data and the striking GUI. This latest version has been optimized for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and it really looks clean and easy to read. Most people won't buy a weather app and are well served by freebies like Yahoo Weather, but if you crave more, Seasonality Go is really worth a close look and your consideration. There is built-in help and good explanations of what you are seeing. It requires iOS 8, runs in both landscape and portrait mode, and to me it is worth the investment. Check it out on the app store and see if it catches your fancy.
