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iPhone app reviews: Ice Cream Weather

by Joan Inong

A few days ago, I had an exciting time downloading all different sorts of weather apps for my iPhone. Most of those apps were free, and one of them was Ice Cream Weather. Its App Store description claims that Ice Cream Weather is an app that is supposed to show users where to get ice cream, a five-day weather forecast that includes a rating for how fast one's ice cream will melt in current weather conditions, as well as the ability to change what kind of virtual ice cream cone the user wants to see.

Ice Cream Weather's graphics are perhaps one of the best features of this app. They are simple, but the ice cream cone really takes the cake. The user can customize the ice cream cone to match the type of real ice cream that he or she would get. The start-up screen also looks deliciously cute. The animation is very "child-like," so it makes you feel as if you were 8 again and waiting for the ice cream truck to pull up in the neighborhood. 

However, my favorite feature in Ice Cream Weather is its awesome user-friendly interface. The user can easily switch from one screen to the next; the user can look at the current weather forecast, as well as the forecast for the next five days. After that, the user can switch to the map view, which shows the user some of the ice cream shops in his or her own neighborhood. This feature is especially helpful because the user might get a little craving for ice cream after seeing the virtual ice cream cone. Also, there is an options menu that allows the user to change some settings, such as turning the music on or off, changing the weather units, and changing the user's zip code. 

The biggest problem that Ice Cream Weather has, however, is the fact that some of the weather forecasts are inaccurate. Of course, most weather apps will have this problem, but Ice Cream Weather has glaringly obvious errors when it comes to forecasting. Another problem is what I call the ice cream "melt-o-meter." It does not really help me determine whether or not today would be a day that could melt ice cream quickly or slowly. This feature is just "fun" nonsense.

All in all, I will recommend Ice Cream Weather with some warnings and inhibitions.

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA