WeatherBug has revamped its Android application with new features that help get information to consumers quicker and more efficiently.

Examples of features that have been included are photos, videos and real-time data. Weather remains a top activity that mobile consumers use their devices for, and companies are constantly looking to update their apps and sites.

"While millions of people use our apps and recognize our ladybug logo and brand, they may not know we own and manage the world?s largest weather and lightning detection networks in the world," said Amena Ali, chief marketing officer at WeatherBug, Germantown, MD.

"These networks and the billions of pieces of data flowing through in real-time provide deeper weather insight for planning and safety that?s exclusive to WeatherBug and only available to our users," she said.
 
"We believe that people, if given the best forecasts, the fastest alerts and key insights based on data from our networks, will be empowered to make the right decisions to plan their day, have the most fun, and stay safe from dangerous weather."

Mobile refresh
The WeatherBug Android app has been updated with the Know Before section, which the company claims gives users neighborhood-level weather. The weather updates are compiled from WeatherBug?s 10,000 local levels of sensors.

Weather is available for hourly, same-day and week-long forecasts. Weather information is updated every two seconds.

Additionally, detailed information such as humidity, precipitation and wind speed is also included in the app.

The app has also been updated to include live tiles, which display radar, live camera images and pollen count. More than 2,000 weather cameras are included in the app.

Consumers can also customize the app?s background theme.

WeatherBug has equipped a feature called Spark into the app, which serves up information on when lightning will strike based on a device?s built-in GPS.

The feature is a minute-by-minute guide to help keep consumers safe and informed with information on when to seek shelter, for example.

Mobile past
In addition to the revamped Android app, WeatherBug has apps for a wide variety of devices, including BlackBerry, Windows, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

WeatherBug also recently updated its iPhone app with alerts and real-time information (see story).

Weather is inherently mobile and remains one of the most-accessed feature for mobile users.

Additionally, brands have tapped into the WeatherBug app to reach targeted groups of consumers.

For example, Subaru of America was the launch sponsor of the company?s Motorola Xoom tablet app with information that included driving-related forecast information (see story).

"Mobile is playing a bigger role for us as users flock to mobile platforms," Ms. Ali said.

"For us, it?s about meeting the needs of a wide range of users from the weather fanatic who?s constantly checking multiple locations and wants to drill-down for lots of details, to the everyday user who checks it a few times a day and just wants an overview of the weather that?s on the way," she said.

Final Take
A demo of the new WeatherBug Android app