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The iPhone 99-cent Wind Meter Works Well

IPhonewindmeter A description of how the thing works is not convincing:  You hold the iPhone into the wind, and the windmeter app determines the wind speed by the noise picked up by the microphone.  How the heck can that be accurate?

I'm here to tell you it's pretty darn good.   I gambled $ .99 and bought the iPhone Wind Meter App a month ago, and have tested it a half dozen times.   I've compared it side by side with conventional windmeters in  20-30mph wind, I've compared it against sailing results on the water, and the thing has been both consistent and accurate.   The only shortcomings I've found are that you have to hold the thing to your side and then glance at the display (because the microphone is on the front of the thing…look at me using it in the photo) and it probably shouldn't be used in rain or near splashing waves.  So if you sail and have an iPhone, it's a bit of a no-brainer.  Wind speed can be displayed in MPH, knots, kmph, Beaufort, meters per second, and feet per second.  Note that while the "dial" portion tops out at "25+" the digital readout does not.  I've seen it display 35mph.   The Wind Meter App currently works only for the 3G model of the iPhone…its creators tell us they're working on 3GS and 2G  versions and hope to have them available soon.

(One situation in which it consistently fails:  holding it out of a car
window and comparing the measured wind speed against the vehicle
speed…it always reads low.  I suspect this has to do with the
background noise created by the tires.)

IPhonebeach iPhones (and presumably other smart phones) are great digital "swiss army knives" for windsurfers; my own iPhone gives me the wind meter, tide charts, surf reports, forecasts from NOAA and iWindsurf, GPS-enabled maps to help me drive to new launches, access to the the local windsurfing forum, and of course a phone to call my sailing friends.   If the thing was only waterproof then I'd also have a GPS tracker and speedometer, a camera (still and video) and a map to help me get back to shore in the fog.   That would be really cool.

(The editor with both his iPhone windmeter and a spiffy US Windsurfing sweatshirt, at North Sea Road.  Photo by Jeff Schultz.)

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9 responses to “The iPhone 99-cent Wind Meter Works Well”

  1. azam Avatar
    azam

    tis iph application is soo cool…
    http://www.mazawindsurfing.blogspot.com
    mr_wolly

    Reply
  2. Brian S Avatar
    Brian S

    Michael,
    Does the scale only read to 25 mph?
    BTW, between the iPhone and the US Winsurfing duds, you must get all the chicks!!!

    Reply
  3. the editor Avatar
    the editor

    Ah, I should address that in the piece, Brian. The meter does not top out as far as I can tell (I’ve seen it display up to 35 on the digital readout) though the “dial” portion does top out at “25+”)
    And yes, I’m quite the stylee stud! 🙂

    Reply
  4. scott kielt Avatar
    scott kielt

    it should read well over 35 thu.!!

    Reply
  5. TonyWind Avatar
    TonyWind

    A few days after I got my iPhone I made a statement that said it all: “that’s the most useful piece of crap since the invention of the radio”. Worth every penny.

    Reply
  6. Robert Diller Avatar
    Robert Diller

    Hi guys, we love the editor’s review and your subsequent comments concerning our Wind Meter APP for the IPhone. Yes, we developed it, because we Kite Surf and Wind Surf, it does work as advertised for those with 3G iPhones.
    We were wondering if you would be interested in helping us out with some reviews at the App Store, Apple-Itunes? We state it up front that, The Wind Meter was designed for “3G ONLY”! But, we have been getting some people who try it on their 2G or 3GS phones and of course it does not work for them. We are trying to accommodate these people and make a new version of the Wind Meter for them, it should be out soon.
    Unfortunately, the people who own the “3G phone” where it does work great, often do not take the time to give us the reviews at the Apple APP store. We have been in the Top 20 Paid iPhone Weather APPs for 6 months straight, and a over-all rating of 2 1/2 stars which is not bad, but we sure could use the reviews from those of you who love our sport and who appreciate this kind of technology.
    Thanks So Much for any possible reviews. Catching the Wind 🙂
    Rob Diller co-developer of the “Wind Meter”
    @ GoingAPPS

    Reply
  7. scott kielt Avatar
    scott kielt

    excellent !!!!

    Reply
  8. Turinas Avatar
    Turinas

    Try dipping your iphone in saltwater. I did by accident and it said “Device not compatible”. Which is the best euphemism for “Do this again and I’m f’ed”

    Reply
  9. Geert Avatar
    Geert

    I have the “wind speed” App on my iPhone and it seems to have some slight advantages:
    1. it is free
    2. it turns the display around, allowing you to put the microfone into the wind and still be able to read the display normally
    As far as I remember my physics classes, sound is nothing but pressure waves and I guess this is what is actually measured by the microfone: the pressure of the wind on the membrane of the microphone. So your inaccurate car results will have nothing to do with the noise of the tiers but much more with the turbulence caused by the car it self.
    And yes, the iPhone is a great tool for lots of things. You can even use it to make actual telephone calls 😉

    Reply

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