iPhone App Spotlight: The Weather Channel

Price: FREE

Producer: The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.

The Lowdown: One of the most used apps across multiple mobile platforms is The Weather Channel app. The app has come a long way from it's early days and has the features to prove it - geolocating, severe weather alerts, a looping radar map, and even a local video forecast.

Pros: A clean interface gives way to a more-than-dependable app - it barely, if ever, crashes while completing tasks, whether it's text, maps, or video. The weather information could be passed along more quickly, but updates every 15-to-20 minutes or so. The radar map can be expanded outwards to use more of the iPhone's screen. The app packs the expected features - radar, forecasts, and video - as well as some extras - pollen counts and road cameras (where available).

Cons: One of the only complaints that can be made about the interface might be the obnoxious advertisement at the top of the app that seems to be presentat every turn throughout its use. The ads take up about 1/8th of the screen - space that could be used for other information or to make the window feel a little less clutered. The app also does not push weather alerts to the iPhone, a feature that seems that it should be included whether free or not.

The Verdict: Sure, the ads are in the way and I'm not being buzzed every second about a change in the weather, but the app is free. For the amount of features packed into the it, the app is more than worth it. The Weather Channel will quickly find its way into one of your most used apps.