Graphic weather on your smartphone

Graphic weather on your smartphone - help beta test

by Daria Blackwell on 3 Nov 2010

Smart phone weather - beta testing and looking for input SW

www.passageweather.com!Passage_Weather is the website cruisers worldwide rely on for accurate weather information while planning off shore passages from on shore. Now they are beta-testing an app for iPhone, Android and various other handheld mobile devices and looking for input. If you have a handheld mobile device, please help Passage Weather with their beta testing.

If you haven't come across Passage Weather, it's an easy-to-use free global service that provides distilled yet enhanced and animated grib files along with sea state, visibility, precipitation and several other variables. We found it essential for accurate weather prediction for up to a week in advance.

Whether you're planning a passage or a day sail, or even just dreaming about it, check it out and help them perfect the mobile app. You?ll be helping us all improve our safety at sea.

Passage Weather a useful addition to any sailor's armamentarium and now we'll be able to take it along with us.

The development will include most modern smartphones - iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Palm, Symbian, etc. and other mobile devices (iPod touch, etc.)

Please keep in mind that this web app is still in it's early (beta testing) stages, so what we have now is not the finished product... In fact, we have a long way

Smartphone menu © SW

to go before it's finished, with many features yet to be included...

Passage Weather have tested it on iPhone and Android devices, and they report that 'it all seems to work fine so far...'

Blackberry devices should have the latest operating system (OS6) for it to work properly, but that hasn't been tested yet.

It should also work on most Symbian devices (such as Nokia and some Sony-Ericsson smartphones), but the forecast images weren't so clear on the ones it's been tried on...

Passage Weather are asking you to try it out and let them know how it works. Read on for more info on installation and how to send them feedback:

Installation Instructions:

NOTE: This web app is not designed to be used in a desktop browser, so it won't work in Internet Explorer and other desktop browsers.

iPhone

Smartphone next screen © SW

Open Safari, and go to www.passageweather.com/mobi
Tap the + sign at the bottom of the screen
Select 'Add to Home Screen'
Run the web app by tapping the PassageWeather icon

Android
In the Android Browser, go to www.passageweather.com/mobi
Click the 'Settings' hard button on your Android phone
Choose 'More' from the settings options
Click 'Add Bookmark'
Click 'Ok' to save the bookmark
Go to a free spot on your Home Screen and long press on the screen until 'Add to Home Screen' shows up
Choose 'Shortcuts'
Choose 'Bookmark'
Choose your recently created bookmark for PassageWeather
Run the web app by tapping the PassageWeather icon

Blackberry
On your Blackberry, go to www.passageweather.com/mobi
Press the Menu key
Click 'Add Bookmark' and adjust the name if desired

Press the Menu key and click 'Add'
Choose your recently created bookmark for PassageWeather
Run the web app by pressing the PassageWeather icon

Symbian
On your device, go to www.passageweather.com/mobi
Hope it works!
On the Nokia phones that we've tested it on, it all seems to work OK, except that the forecast images weren't so clear, so we needed to hit the Zoom button to view them properly
With Nokia, use the built-in browser that came with your device, as the Opera Mobile browser and the SkyFire browser don't seem to work very well.

NOTE: Instructions may vary between models

To make any comments, suggestions or to report any bugs or problems, please send an email to info@passageweather.com

Please include your phone/device make and model in your email, and if you know the operating system version please include that as well... They are trying to work out all the bugs and problems, so you are encouraged to help them make this web app work properly on your phone/device...

Daria Blackwell is the co-author of http://www.coastalboating.net/Resources/Books/CSBooks/HappyHooking.html!Happy_Hooking:_The_Art_of_Anchoring - www.coastalboating.net

If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/76492

Related Articles

Cruise with confidence with Doyle Sails
Doyle Sails is the sailmaker of choice for many cruising catamarans and performance multihulls Doyle Sails is the sailmaker of choice for many cruising catamarans and numerous performance multihulls worldwide, continuing to lead the fleet when it comes to reliable, durable, and easy-to-handle cruising sails.
Posted today at 12:08 am Zhik kits out Australia's Olympic sailors
With industry-first high-performance neoprene-free wetsuit When Australia's 12 Olympic sailors take to the waters of Marseille in July this year, they'll wear the industry's first high-performance, neoprene-free wetsuits created by Sydney sailing apparel company Zhik.
Posted on 1 May Holcim-PRB sustains bowsprit damage
Nicolas Lunven continues racing towards New York While in fifth position in The Transat CIC fleet, Team Holcim-PRB skipper Nicolas Lunven alerted his shore team on Wednesday morning that the boat's bowsprit had broken. The incident occurred overnight amid strong wind conditions.
Posted on 1 May Momentous day for INEOS Britannia
As AC75 sets sail for first time INEOS Britannia's new race boat for the 37th America's Cup has set sail for the very first time. The British Challenger's AC75 took to the water in Barcelona with Olympic Gold medallists Sir Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott at the Helm on Wednesday 1st May.
Posted on 1 May FlyingNikka is ready to fly again
Set to get back in the water for a new season of regattas Three appointments are planned for what is to all extents and purposes the first yacht in a new generation of full foiling regatta sailing boats, starting from the Spring Regattas held next weekend in Portofino, Liguria.
Posted on 1 May 52 Super Series PalmaVela Sailing Week Day 4
A thrilling Thursday title tussle is on the cards after no racing was possible Wednesday A thrilling Thursday title tussle is on the cards after no racing was possible Wednesday at the 52 SUPER SERIES PalmaVela Sailing Week due to very strong winds on Mallorca's world renowned Bay of Palma.
Posted on 1 May PlanetSail Episode 31: New Cup boats
With records and drama down under It's been a big month for the America's Cup as four of the six teams unveiled their brand new AC75s. Years of development work and close to 100,000 hours of build time, there is plenty riding on each of these new launches.
Posted on 1 May Transat CIC day 4
Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme continue to lead in the Atlantic On The Transat CIC solo race across the North Atlantic from Lorient to New York, there are close duels at the top of both the IMOCAs and Class40s.
Posted on 1 May Henri-Lloyd New Arrival: Dri Fast Polo
Designed to perform for long days in the sun, on or off shore Created by Henri-Lloyd 30 years ago, the DRI FAST Polo has become an industry staple. Clean and smart, the DRI FAST Polo is an extremely comfortable, quick drying polo, with added UV protection.
Posted on 1 May Cup Spy May 1: Kiwis call it quits
Emirates Team NZ have confirmed that they have finished sailing in NZ and are headed for Barcelona Emirates Team New Zealand has concluded their first sailing bloc, on May Day in Auckland. The America's Cup champions got away to an early start, in the face of a forecast of a freshening breeze, and finished sailing just after midday.
Posted on 1 May