<p>We’re in the middle of summer now and that means one thing: It’s time to head to the beach and have some fun. But before you go, make sure you’ve downloaded the apps you need to make your day at the beach the best it can be.<br /><br />The weather, of course, plays a major role. <br /><br />WeatherPro, $4 (Rs 240) on iPad and Android tablets, is great at telling you what to expect before you leave home. <br /><br />The app is crammed with detailed weather information, yet it displays the data so clearly that a mere glance at the app can convey how sunny or windy it is at your favourite beach spot.<br /><br />Just type in your location, and the app shows a weather summary at the top of the screen. </p>.<p>More detailed forecasts for the week ahead, like wind speeds, appear below the summary as easy-to-read graphics.<br /><br />WeatherPro is useful whether you are planning to chill out by the sea or try something more sporty like windsurfing. Best of all, it indicates the UV index for your location, which can help you limit your skin’s exposure to damaging ultraviolet rays. <br /><br />The app is also available in a slightly simpler format at $3 (Rs 180) for Windows Phone, iPhone, BlackBerry and Android phones.<br /><br />If WeatherPro is too technical, but you would still like a UV index app, then the Environmental Protection Agency has SunWise UV Index, free on iOS, Android and BlackBerry. <br /><br />The app shows the UV index for a location, and has advice on what clothing to wear for the conditions and so on. <br /><br />The app is a little ugly, and sometimes it can be hard to spot the information, but the price is nice for information from a reliable source.<br /><br />Like to sit back in the sand and soak up a book? The well-known e-reader apps like Kindle (free on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry), Apple’s own free iBooks app and Nook (free on iOS, Android) are great for beach reading.<br /><br />With any of these, you can skip lugging a heavy tome to the beach. But it can be hard to read a smartphone or tablet screen in the sun, so for the beach I prefer to put in headphones and listen to audiobooks through the Audible app.<br /><br /> It can take a while to become used to its layers of menus, but the app works well and the audio quality is impressive.<br /><br />Audible is free on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, but the books are not. <br /><br />Some books are $30 (Rs 1,800) each, although subscription packages are available that can lower the price.<br /><br />If your idea of a great beach day is more about surfboards, winds and tides, then you will probably prefer an app like Oakley’s Surf Report, free on iOS.<br /><br /> The app provides the day’s swell, wind conditions and tide times for your location, as well as a basic weather report. All the information is displayed through clear graphics and simple statistics. <br /><br />You can even share the reports via Twitter or by email if you’re trying to entice friends to surf with you.<br /></p>
<p>We’re in the middle of summer now and that means one thing: It’s time to head to the beach and have some fun. But before you go, make sure you’ve downloaded the apps you need to make your day at the beach the best it can be.<br /><br />The weather, of course, plays a major role. <br /><br />WeatherPro, $4 (Rs 240) on iPad and Android tablets, is great at telling you what to expect before you leave home. <br /><br />The app is crammed with detailed weather information, yet it displays the data so clearly that a mere glance at the app can convey how sunny or windy it is at your favourite beach spot.<br /><br />Just type in your location, and the app shows a weather summary at the top of the screen. </p>.<p>More detailed forecasts for the week ahead, like wind speeds, appear below the summary as easy-to-read graphics.<br /><br />WeatherPro is useful whether you are planning to chill out by the sea or try something more sporty like windsurfing. Best of all, it indicates the UV index for your location, which can help you limit your skin’s exposure to damaging ultraviolet rays. <br /><br />The app is also available in a slightly simpler format at $3 (Rs 180) for Windows Phone, iPhone, BlackBerry and Android phones.<br /><br />If WeatherPro is too technical, but you would still like a UV index app, then the Environmental Protection Agency has SunWise UV Index, free on iOS, Android and BlackBerry. <br /><br />The app shows the UV index for a location, and has advice on what clothing to wear for the conditions and so on. <br /><br />The app is a little ugly, and sometimes it can be hard to spot the information, but the price is nice for information from a reliable source.<br /><br />Like to sit back in the sand and soak up a book? The well-known e-reader apps like Kindle (free on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry), Apple’s own free iBooks app and Nook (free on iOS, Android) are great for beach reading.<br /><br />With any of these, you can skip lugging a heavy tome to the beach. But it can be hard to read a smartphone or tablet screen in the sun, so for the beach I prefer to put in headphones and listen to audiobooks through the Audible app.<br /><br /> It can take a while to become used to its layers of menus, but the app works well and the audio quality is impressive.<br /><br />Audible is free on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, but the books are not. <br /><br />Some books are $30 (Rs 1,800) each, although subscription packages are available that can lower the price.<br /><br />If your idea of a great beach day is more about surfboards, winds and tides, then you will probably prefer an app like Oakley’s Surf Report, free on iOS.<br /><br /> The app provides the day’s swell, wind conditions and tide times for your location, as well as a basic weather report. All the information is displayed through clear graphics and simple statistics. <br /><br />You can even share the reports via Twitter or by email if you’re trying to entice friends to surf with you.<br /></p>
