Pocket Weather Australia Offers Hourly Forecasts

37 responses to “Pocket Weather Australia Offers Hourly Forecasts”

1. 

   ejparker

   August 3, 2012

   Brought this a couple of days ago, very nice UI, a couple of force closes every now and again but still worth it.

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2. 

   Jason Hammond

   August 3, 2012

   Also available for Android, and well worth it, especially the new UI

   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.shiftyjelly.android.pocketweatherau&hl=en

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3. 

   Chris Fox

   August 3, 2012

   Will try it out, but I do like the UI of Pocket Weather Oz

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4. 

   Shifty Jelly

   August 3, 2012

   “I’m not aware of any other weather service anywhere in the world that doesn’t derive its data from BOM”

   – Yahoo, Google, Apple, every other world weather app gets it’s data from the US forecast models. None of them use the BOM. I think you need to amend your article ;-P

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5. 

   Dee

   August 3, 2012

   Very disappointing… I paid for the “original” Pocket Weather AU that you wrote about and linked to, but it seems like they’ve done something funny here: people who have that original Pocket Weather AU, do not get this as a free upgrade. You have to pay again because it’s a separate app, according to iTunes store…

   Nothing wrong with the original one, but I got excited when I saw the revamped UI, then was brought down when I realised what they’ve done…

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   1. 

      Glenn

      August 3, 2012

      Dee, that’s simply because Apple refuses to allow app developers to charge for upgrades, all app updates have to be free. It would be great if they could do an in-app purchase for the next upgrade, but they can’t.

      Why should all upgrades be free? This is a new version, you have to pay for each version of Windows/OSX.

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      1. 

         Gavin

         August 3, 2012

         Quite odd.. I got this update a while ago on the Android version, and from the previous version it was just a free upgrade. I like it too, a nice upgrade and visually a massive leap forward.

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      2. 

         Harigovind

         August 15, 2012

         Hey, I’m doing some blog hopping today but I autaclly saw you featured on Allied Moms where I’m a member too and thought I’d come on by and say ‘Hi’. New follower too-

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   2. 

      Shifty Jelly

      August 3, 2012

      @Dee I’d be curious as to what part you find disappointing? We’ve been releasing free updates for the old one for 4 years now (more details here http://blog.shiftyjelly.com/2012/08/02/announcing-the-new-pocket-weather-australia/) and we’ve committed to keeping that one running. We’re now paying for brand new BOM data and brand new servers though, we can’t continue to do that forever for free. At some stage you either get no new features ever, or we give you new features and go out of business. At the end of the day It’s an optional $2 app and we’re not forcing anyone to update 🙂

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      1. 

         Dee

         August 3, 2012

         Look — you can partly blame Angus for my disappointment — “Its latest update rewrites the app from scratch”. Is it an update of Pocket Weather AU? No. It’s actually a brand new application with exactly the same name…

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         1. 

            Randall

            August 6, 2012

            Agree with both Dee and Shifty – but I would have liked something to say “there’s a new version, we have to charge for it” – I don’t have a problem wuith paying for it again but LH’s aricle confused me… It isn’t an update/upgrade – it is a brand new version (and I will happily purchase again – the original is awesome!)

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   3. 

      Michael Rowe

      August 3, 2012

      Dee:

      It’s $2. For a completely re-written app with many more features. That’s not a lot of money for anyone who can afford to have an iPhone in the first place, or compared to the money (and effort) spent by the developers to produce the app.

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6. 

   Rossco

   August 3, 2012

   There is an Android version too.

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7. 

   Ben

   August 3, 2012

   They have completely re-written the app, and it’s now when you pay $2 you get an iPhone AND iPad version.

   How much do you pay for a coffee anyway?

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   1. 

      Dee

      August 3, 2012

      $0… It’s the principle, though — it says it’s Pocket Weather AU version 3.0, but it’s not available to version 2.x owners without paying again… If I have to pay again, I’d rather spend my money to try one of the other competing services…

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      1. 

         Peter Wells

         August 3, 2012

         Thw principle? I’ve received free updates for 4 years. Now, after a complete re-write, they want another $2 for a universal app. Should Windows 7 be free cos you paid for XP? It’s just an upgrade!

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         1. 

            Dee

            August 3, 2012

            Maybe the solution is to call it something else? Like Windows XP to Windows 7. I don’t expect to get Office 2010 for free just because I’ve bought Office 2007…

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      2. 

         Craig

         August 3, 2012

         Do you have to pay for each version of any other software? Hell yes you do! Operating Systems, Word Processors, Games…

         I don’t know why, but suddenly all users have this sense of entitlement around the cost of “apps”. They software just like anything else running on your personal computer. If fact, you might be surprised to find that “app” is short for “application” *gasp*.

         Clearly the guys at ShiftyJelly have rewritten this app from the ground up, spent a lot of time and money on design & user experience and thus deserve to be paid. It’s their job. It’s what they do.

         So skip a coffee, chocolate bar or some other treat today & just pay the money. If you’re in Australia and like your weather forecasts to be accurate, this app is definitely the best I’ve seen.

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      3. 

         Jimmy

         August 3, 2012

         Only on the App Store do people expect their $2 to get lifetime support and updates, even when the update is a total rewrite that took several months to develop. There is no principle here – you don’t complain when Microsoft releases a new Windows and you have to pay for an upgrade.

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8. 

   JC

   August 3, 2012

   Hey Dee, you’re right. Your original purchase should enable you free updates forever. Once you pay the developers your hard earned $2 once, that’s all they should ever get, no matter how hard they work on a totally new UI. You should also give them a 1 star review about that fact and look like more of an idiot.

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9. 

   Ben

   August 3, 2012

   You are wrong Angus.

   For example, Weather HD is obviously NOT using BOM data. It states today’s forecast as 15/7, whereas Pocket Weather reports 16/8. The wind speeds are different too.

   Did you mean to say you don’t know of ANY other weather apps that use the BOM data.

   Apple’s weather app is another example of frequently wrong forecasts coz they use weather.com or something.

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   1. 

      Dee

      August 3, 2012

      A weather “forecast” is just an estimate, so I don’t think you can say Apple’s weather app provides “wrong forecasts” — it must just use a different process for calculating those figures…

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   2. 

      Drew

      August 3, 2012

      The BOM provides 3rd party services the RAW data who then analyse it and come up with their own forecasts.

      Just because you are using the same raw data, doesn’t mean that the predictions will be the same.

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10. 

    Mike

    August 3, 2012

    I use Celsius which I find pretty good as the temp is a badge. However my all time favourite is oz radar which uses BOM info. I also like the weather warnings it gives.

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11. 

    boris

    August 3, 2012

    It’s good except the widget is too small on my screen.

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12. 

    Phil

    August 3, 2012

    I’m a big fan of Shifty Jelly’s work: to the best of my knowledge there aren’t any others that use the BOM feed in the same way that this app does, particularly given I know (having watched their blog and listened to interviews) that they pay for a BOM data feed to offer a more comprehensive service to their paying customers.

    Dee – Do you get a free refill coffee just because you’ve bought coffee at a shop before?
    It’s a new app, look at it as a new coffee!

    They (devs generally) pour hundreds of hours into apps, particularly when it’s rewritten from scratch. I personally feel that your argument about the principal is fatally flawed.

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    1. 

       Dee

       August 3, 2012

       *principle

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13. 

    Graham Bucknell

    August 3, 2012

    Are you sniffing Glue?
    Other apps especially US based ones use Accuweather, Weatherbug or even Google as their source of weather, the reason Pocket Weather from ShiftyJelly is so good is that it gets its info from the BOM.

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14. 

    Mr. Reading Comprehension

    August 3, 2012

    How confused are you, Angus?
    “its data is sourced directly from the Bureau of Meteorology, though that claim needs to be taken with a grain of salt — I’m not aware of any other weather service anywhere in the world that doesn’t derive its data from BOM.”
    First, how does not being aware that any app does NOT use BOM data imply that you should be skeptical about this claim from Pocket Weather Australia? That’s what “with a grain of salt” means, maybe you thought it means “I am not impressed by this”.
    Second, are you really suggesting that foreign weather services derive all their data from BOM sources? Why don’t all those other apps offer as much detail as this one then?

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15. 

    Ryan

    August 3, 2012

    So sick of the whole “it’s the principle of it” arguments over free upgrades. It’s a totally new version. It’s $2. What’s the problem?

    When a movie/game/book sequel comes out, do you expect it for free if you bought the original?

    Do you expect to be able to trade in a 2011 model year car for a 2012 for free?

    Maintenance updates and minor feature updates are one thing, but complete overhauls and rewrites are another. The developers need to eat and put a roof over their heads, and $2 is such a small price to pay. Would you rather they just closed up shop and never released any more updates?

    I understand that $2 is not much, but To some people it’s still just $2 they can’t afford. That’s fine, and you can still use v2 as far as I know. Acting like you are entitled to v3 for free, based on some BS moral principle is not fine, it’s selfish and childish at best.

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16. 

    James

    August 3, 2012

    As mentioned, this update to the iOS version follows the Android update recently, it looks identical (and which was an amazing update).

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17. 

    Blake

    August 3, 2012

    I dunno, this’ll be the third time I’ve paid for the app. I’ve paid for it once for my phone and once on my iPad.

    Kinda get tired if paying for the same thing over and over again your know?

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    1. 

       Dee

       August 3, 2012

       Glad someone agrees with me here… It’s not about being entitled to free updates forever, but each time you have to pay again is when you start considering alternatives…

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18. 

    Phil

    August 3, 2012

    And you paid for it how long ago and have had how many updates for free in the meantime.

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    1. 

       Blake

       August 3, 2012

       Which is fair enough again. But in the same breath, the new features don’t seem to be things that I’m really that interested in.

       I mean I was a little annoyed to be honest that I had to buy a seperate app for my phone and my iPad. Now this new one does both. So if i was to buy it, it would be for the third time. It’s their program and all so they can do what they want.

       I just don’t think I’ll be dipping for a third time for functionality I’m not too excited for.

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19. 

    Nitrobuggies

    August 3, 2012

    What a bunch of children.

    What at your jobs? What fields do you work in? I suspect very simmilar business models are in practice, the result of that keeps you employed and able to provide for yourself and/or your family.

    I would love to see come up with a viable (not even profitable, just viable) business model that allows them to pay for BOM data, servers and time spent creating new versions etc etc. How do you propose this happens? Annoying adverts would be one, or a new CHEAP version after 4 YEARS is another. Hell this year alone I’m positive I have dropped/misplaced/lost more then $2 (5c coin here, 20c piece there)

    Think about things in a bigger picture first. Not just how you feel you have an entitlement. You talk about principles, where’s your principles in paying for what you want/need/use???

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20. 

    Brett

    August 3, 2012

    Weather Australia by funtopia.tv uses BOM data. Is free and available on google play. Does everything BOM does including radar. Enough for me.

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