Editor’s Note: AppleNApps and AppTudes are venturing into a new partnership, so both sites can bring you more of what you love. This review is written and reprinted with permission by Trevor Sheridan.
Solar (iPhone/iPod Touch) by Hollr Inc., is not just another one of the many similar types of apps for the iPhone. It takes a cue from the Clear to-do app to make a very distinct, eye-catching weather app – a welcome breath of creativity and innovation in the genre. Like Clear, Solar utilizes a high-constrast heat map style, simple UI, and outstanding gesture controls, making it both attractive to view, and easy to use.
Opening Solar fills the iPhone screen with color based on temperature on the bottom and weather on the top. The colors show the conditions wonderfully, and change accurately throughout the day. The app also provides the current temperature, conditions, time and date in the upper left hand corner.
Users can also pull down to reveal the three day forecast with just high, low, and conditions. There’s also the ability to scroll upwards to view the 24 hour forecast sliding through the time with your finger. These simple gestures add a lot of subtle functionality, without having to navigate through multiple cluttered menus filled with text boxes and links to click.
It’s very neat to see the color change while dial the clock to see weather and temperature for later in the day. The app supports multiple locations, and with a simple swipe to flip between them, or pinch or double tap to view four at a time. The interface is top notch, and it provides a great way to view the weather as quickly as possible.
SOLAR – Available Monday July 23 for iOS from HOLLR Inc. on Vimeo.
For hardcore weather fans who like their apps to come with numerous statistics, measurements, and radar apps, Solar might be a little disappointing. Part of the clean, uncluttered concept means there is a slight loss of functionality, which a less robust feature than some other more weather-dedicated apps.
Solar (iPhone/iPod Touch) isn’t the most feature-rich app, but it brilliantly blends neat design and useful touch gestures to deliver a worthwhile daily weather app. Solar is worth picking up, especially if you enjoy apps like Clear, where clean UI and crisp aesthetics are the name of the game.
I love weather apps. I may try this one as I am bored with the others right now. Thanks for the review!