Category: Cell Phone Talk
I'm working on a project for work regarding weather applications for the iPhone. I was just wondering if anyone had any favorite. I need applications that are accessible with voiceover.
I have toured applevis.com so no need to refer me there lol!
Also, I'm looking for weather applications or any that go along the lines of emergency preparedness. They can be free or cost, doesn't matter.
iMap Weather Radio is one I have and use for emergency preparedness: it even has the marine warnings. This app will just ring notifications and have the application play the NOAA weather warning that you need.
Again, it's called IMap Weather Radio.
So far the two that I've tried and that seem accessible are Forecast Now and Fahrenheit. They do not bring up any emergency info, though, but both of them have certain advantages. If you want the current temperature on your home screen, get Fahrenheit, plus you get a forcast for I think ten days. Forecast Now also has a seven-day forecast but it's good and detailed including percentage of precipitation. My only concern with weather apps as well as any weather service is even if I give it my ZIP code or location, I have no idea where the temperatures are actually being grabbed from. Is it right in my neighborhood or downtown somewhere or at the airport or out in the sticks somewhere. I say this because many times if I compare one of these apps to the built-in weather app that I believe uses Yahoo weather for its data, there are differences in not only the current temperature but the temps that are forecast for later.
Awesome, thanks both of you. I have one that I trialed but I can't remember what it was called. I'll look tomorrow when I get to the office and reply. Its simple, cuts right to the chase. Tellls you today, current, and tomorrows. Cuts out all the other BS.
I like the one installed on the phone.
It seems to be correct as to where I actually am, because it uses the phones tracking if you allow it to.
The Red Cross has one as well.
The one on the phone doesn't alert you or anything, but gives you the 5 day forcast, and updates as the day goes on.
If you click it on, you go to the actual page, mine is Yahoo weather, so get a pretty good sampling of what is happening.
What I believe you are after are Amber alerts. Search for that in the app store.
I haven't used these, but they can be set to sound alarms and such when things happen, and this is on the phone as well.
I'm going to take a look at the setting for weather, because I believe I saw a way to get it to alert you.
Yeah, the one on the phone is adequate, but it does only the simple. We are looking for weather apps that would assist someone with a disability on warnings who might be more than likely not able to watch the tv or receive them via the net.
Yes, I looked all over it. It is good enough for my needs, but than I'm not in to the weather that heavily, so I understand what you are after.
I'd think it update well enough, plus the things that you can tell outside your door.
Maybe try a search for weather text alerts?
Being that you are talking an iPhone, or for that matter, anyphone that you can use texting on, Androids as well, and can get alerts for just about everything from sports scores, Facebook updates, you name it, I'll bet you could find some that would send text alerts when weather is going to be bad in an area?
Did you check out the Red Crosses app?
I didn't look at it, but have read it gives lots of info?
I have yet, its on my list of things to do this week
like Wayne, I find the weather app on the phone suits me just fine. I also use NFB's Newsline weather alerts, though, whenever there's some kinda warning I wanna read.
I have an android, but I think it is the same for everyone as far as apps go. Used to have an IPod touch, so I know how that goes. LOL. I do know that sometimes the default app for weather is sometimes severely incorrect. A good app I like to use and that gives a lot of good information is The Weather Channel. You can get stories, up to the minute radars, reports, etc. You name it, they've got it. Hope I was able to be helpful.
I had said I thought the weather app on the iPhone was sufficient, and I have more proof that this is so.
I live in Colorado, and we are having major flooding, flash floods, and such things.
It has been raining, and is really messy.
On the iPhone if you want what I’ve called Amber alerts to work you must turn on the weather widget in the notification center. This can work with other weather apps as well.
To do this go to settings, notifications. Scroll down until you find the weather widget.
Tap it and you find the setting to turn it on or off.
When this is set, if you have warnings, or weather emergencies, they will appear in notification center, and the phone can make a sound, sound vibration, or vibration, depending on how you want it set.
To see the notification if you are blind you must swipe down from the top of the screen to open it.
I make mine work by finding the carriers logo on the top left of my phone, touch it, than swipe down.
My notification told me about flash flooding, and gave me directions of a page I could get to by tapping it for more information.
You can also have more than one city setup in your weather, and again, as you move around and have tracking on, your weather updates to your location.
Another free weather app that works well, and iTunes suggest is The Weather Channel.
To get it open iTunes store, what’s free on Itunes, and you will find it under apps.
I know that IOS 7 has just hit, but I thought you might wish to know this for your updated information.
I spoke about notification center. You will now notice at you have well defined on and off settings for the Amber and emergency alerts. On mine, these were on after the update, but you can check and also suggest to any clients this is available.
A personal public safety note: Amber Alerts are only missing persons while emergency alerts should always be on, they will contain information for evacuation or boil advisory / boil orders when you have contaminated water and things like this. Instructions from local police, National guard or Coast Guard units for assistance will be in these alerts. A lot of people don't take this stuff very seriously, often till it's too late, then it's quite costly and time consuming for those of us tasked to come and get you.
When we had flash flooding, the phone continued to udate on happenings. I would say you are right on people not paying attenchen even to posted signs.
20 people drowned because they wouldn't leave a camp site when told. Not good.
Yes, all good information, thanks. I tried out the weather channel app and for some reason I found it hard to navigate, not sure if it is a little tricky or if it was just me.
Nah, the weather channel app is definitely hard to navigate. Even on the android. Which I have now.
I think NOAA has an app. They used to have one anyway but honestly it kinda sucked. It would play the NOAA braudcasts but if you're looking for something that alerts you in real time, this isn't it. Plus, often the app would buffer to the point of futility.
I'm in a new position at my job so i don't do much research now on apps, but what i have found is that there are good general apps that are a personal perference, but then there are some based on type, like there is a tornado app and a hurricane app, both by redcross i believe.
I'm telling you the one on the phone Apple provides is it. Accessible, works.
Yes apple provides an app with the phone through Yahoo weather, but I found when I had my IPod, that most of the time it sucked majorly and was inaccurate. I go by my local news weather app now days or the weather channel for what it is worth. Even the Android google weather is horrible. And not so accessible.
I use a weather app called wc wearther alert USA. I think it costs something like ten dollars. You can get ntified about weather emergencies, and the app will give you notications, three different ones depending on the type of alert it is, and it will also update that notifcation with any changes. This app is usable with voicover.
I think the name you were looking for is WX Alert USA. It's a bit pricey, but gets the job done. I can't seem to get iMap Weather radio to work anymore, so removed it from my phone.
I also had that problem, so switched to wx weather alert USA.