Anyone try iPhone Windspeed app?

pthorner · Joined: 29 Mar 1994 Posts: 164

So far I've avoided the iPhone because I hate AT&T, but I'm now tempted if this application that converts wind noise on the mic into wind speeds really works. Any one using it and have feedback?

http://goingapps.com/default.aspx

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/iphone-gets-a-wind-meter-20090425/

Peter

jse · Joined: 17 Apr 1995 Posts: 1460 Location: Maui

I doubt it can be very accurate. One way to find out is to attach it to your windshield and drive down the road. Although I'd hesitate to do that with my own phone.

The biggest problem is it only goes up to 28 mph. Usually, I want to get readings much higher than that - as in "You should have been there, we were getting gusts into the 50's"

Steve

goinoff · Joined: 01 Feb 1998 Posts: 154

I'll give it a try....I'll test it against my anemometer for accuracy.
The IPhone rules and is completely worth ditching your hatred for AT&T.
F'n phenomenal device...

mogunn · Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 1307 Location: SF Bay

Hi Peter,
I have the app. I've never been a "windmeter" person but I'm a sucker for trying out iApps. It works as advertised and seems accurate compared to other anemometers on the beach.
Try it, you might like it. It's only a buck, right?

pthorner · Joined: 29 Mar 1994 Posts: 164

Thanks for the feedback. I'd pay the buck hands down if I had the iPhone already... even if it was just to support innovation. My experience leads me to believe that AT&T has cells that get overloaded and drop in progress calls rather than fail to connect new calls. I watch my signal bounce up and down repeatedly from 0 bars to 4 bars over the course of a minute. We are moving to Brooklyn in a month, so I'll bring my blackjack and if the service is decent there, then I'll join the cult. I figure I'll be looking at lighter winds and it will help me know whether it is worth rigging when there is no one out to be my wind dummy. For 30+, I just rig small, get on the water, and claim it was gusting 50.

Peter

victor · Joined: 03 Aug 1998 Posts: 581

thanks for finding the app. i'm going to check it out. i've paid a buck for apps much less usefull.

in addition to accessing i windsurf i use a couple of tide apps that are nice and also use my iphone to look at the NWS satelite pictures.

i can tell you the iphone doesn't have the best reception. i have been in areas with no signal on the iphone and borrowed my sister's phone which is on the same AT&T family plan and hers worked fine.

a freind's iphone wouldn't work in bonaire and now he's in maui and its not working. in bonaire his buddy had a regular cell phone using AT&T and it worked fine.

it's definitely an urban device. once you get out in the sticks it's pretty spotty. particularly annoying when you want ot use gps. out in the sticks is where gps comes in handy. it'll probabaly work in brooklyn, though.

soheilzahedi5 · Joined: 05 Apr 2002 Posts: 70

There's another app in the iphone app store right now called Wind Speed by SIS software that goes up to 100 km/h (60mph). It costs $1.99 though... I think it looks a bit better too, but I haven't tried it yet.

s.

YippieYo · Joined: 16 Jul 2000 Posts: 108 Location: San Francisco

related discussion on the general forum

http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17325

itopic · Joined: 01 Nov 2010 Posts: 2

I tried Wind Sensor.
It definitely has the best accuracy, much better than those two.
Its really handy when you don't have dedicated anemometer near.

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

"now he's in maui and its not working"
That may be a clue to the problem
The majority of my friends in Maui use our Iphones here.