Given the fact that the Midwest is currently going through a polar vortex (including the person writing this article), I thought it would be a good time to do an app review of this app.
Since a lot of people have a Mac at work but cannot always access their iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch while at work or doing other tasks, that is where CARROT Weather for Mac can come in handy.
For starters, this app gets you your basic weather information. This is crucial, especially given the fact that a lot of the free weather apps and services are not entirely accurate these days. Since CARROT Weather is paid app and service, there is a reason for the sources and developers to be honest when it comes to the weather.
In my experience, there have been times when local news outlets are saying we’re supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow with a 90 percent change of that happening. Meanwhile, CARROT is only saying that we are only going to get less than inch. If the app does say that we are supposed to get 3-6 inches or 4-7 inches of snow, it will then say that the chance of us getting that is only between 30-40 percent.
Yes, it could be going off similar information, but it at least has the decency to tell you the truth of whether or not you are going to get a storm of some sort.
Another nice feature about this app is the notifications. This means that if it is about to rain, snow or a flat out thunderstorm is about to begin, this app will notify you 10-15 minutes before it happens and then right as it begins too.
To make it even cooler (no pun intended), if you have the iPhone version of the app, the notifications from the Mac version can be sent your iPhone. What this means is that if you have a Mac that is open and is simply not being used and have CARROT opened, the notifications from the app will be sent to your iPhone.
Other notifications can be as nice as ones that tell you when you’re in a watch or advisory in your area. Again, it is all done to keep you informed while you are doing other tasks on your Mac.
I also like the fact that it has the menu bar so that you don’t have to always open the app to get your weather information. By opening the app via the menu bar, you can still see the current temperature, the Feels Like temperature, what the weather will be like over the next several hours and that you can get a seven-day forecast. If that is not convenient, then I do not know what is.
The only downside with the app is the built-in radar. Although it does work, it’s a very basic radar and does not come close to the ones that are in the iPhone and iPad versions.
Overall, CARROT Weather for the Mac is getting 3/4 stars from me. The functionality of the app is great and I love the attention to detail of it so that you can get exactly what you need without going to a local weather source or opening an app on your smartphone or tablet. Where it loses a star is the radar since it is not that great, nor is it that big. It could definitely use some tinkering and fixing.
Other than that though, this is an app I would recommend to anyone who is often in work even a college lecture hall that has a strict smartphone policy, to get this app. CARROT Weather currents costs $11.99 in the Mac App Store. CARROT also has a subscription for the iOS version that includes the Premium Club that costs $3.99 a year (or .50 cents per month) and the Ultrapremium Club that costs $9.99 per year ($1.49 a month).
Rating: 3/4 stars.
