Little Use
The app does not work in identifying clouds other than what you could find by your own research. Using the iOS, the app did little in interacting with the photos at least in my own experience in trying to research the clouds or identify them.
LOL
This app is so old
Is this app still being monitored?
I heard about this app recently while reading about clouds online and thought I’d give it a try. When I first opened the app, I was really excited, and couldn’t wait to start uploading clouds, but I’ve since noticed there are a few issues, some of them major:
Under asperitas clouds, it says that the cloud has not yet been recognized. This isn’t try, however, as asperitas could were officially recognized in 2017. As of the time of writing this review, it is 2024, meaning this information is woefully out of date.
I listed my location as the United States when I regestered, but all the “nearby” clouds are located in Iceland. I’m not entirely sure why this happened, and there’s no real personal profile I can go onto in order to fix/edit anything.
Perhaps most frustratingly, I uploaded some cloud photographs several days ago, and they have yet to be confirmed by the team of experts the app tells me it has. Also concerningly, none of the clouds on the recently spotted page have changed since I uploaded mine. Is this app even being monitored anymore?
Under asperitas clouds, it says that the cloud has not yet been recognized. This isn’t try, however, as asperitas could were officially recognized in 2017. As of the time of writing this review, it is 2024, meaning this information is woefully out of date.
I listed my location as the United States when I regestered, but all the “nearby” clouds are located in Iceland. I’m not entirely sure why this happened, and there’s no real personal profile I can go onto in order to fix/edit anything.
Perhaps most frustratingly, I uploaded some cloud photographs several days ago, and they have yet to be confirmed by the team of experts the app tells me it has. Also concerningly, none of the clouds on the recently spotted page have changed since I uploaded mine. Is this app even being monitored anymore?
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App not working
Paid and downloaded. Registered but wouldn’t let me in. Kept dropping out and returning to the app icon.
Sign-In?
App downloaded then promptly deleted. Not entirely sure why an app to ID clouds requires a mandatory login and password, unless just another way to acquire data for third-party sale. Why can we not opt to not upload our own photos “to experts”? Fed up with 1,001 logins to random things sprawling across the internet. Not for me.
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Can’t create an account??
I took my photo. I did’t have an account. So I figured I’d better create one. There is NO PLACE to create an account, only a place to log in. That is ridiculous! So I guess I’ll just have to delete the app.
Poorly documented
Lacks adequate help text. Irritatingly childish video keeps popping up. Support address don’t respond
I can’t take my eyes off the sky
I’m a pilot who struggled with meteorology when studying for my exams. This app really helped me understand weather to the point where it became a hobby! After learning all the cloud types I felt on sync with the atmosphere and it’s workings as an art. Now I just can’t take my eyes off the sky. If you haven’t read The Cloudspotter’s Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, I also recommend.
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Problems uploading
Since my iPhone 8+ upgraded to iOS 15.1, I have not been able to upload ANY clouds to the CloudSpotter app. I have deleted and reinstalled the app several times, which seems to be the solution, but it is not ideal and most tedious! HELP! I’m a very keen CloudSpotter and have been doing so with the CloudSpotter app since 2013.
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Error Correction
When uploading a cloud photo that is incorrectly identified, it would be nice to know what cloud it actually is. This would help with learning and proper identification. I realize the verification of clouds is likely done by volunteers so this may not be possible. Also, which clouds are considered ‘rain clouds’ for achieving the Silver Lining badge of a rain cloud and a rainbow in the same day. Would it be any cloud that produces rain light, heavy or otherwise? Thank you :) ⛅️🌦⛈☁️🌨🌩 Finally, how do I delete failed uploads from my cloud collection? Thank you for this fun, educational app! Trish
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Love! Would like improvements, but great as is
Several years ago, when I first found this app, I assumed there would be many such apps (ones to identify features and things out in nature), but alas, there really aren’t! I so appreciate this app for existing! It’s been a lot of fun—for me and my family and friends who have known I’m using it—to find these wonderful features in the sky; watching the sky, just enjoying it, has been a love of mine since I was a child. It’s neat that I now have my mother and child finding, say, sun dogs with me! It’s also so great to learn about the cloud and optical rarity types. What I wish: the in-app camera to have more features (apparently zoom has been added—yay!—I haven’t tried it yet) including things like upping contrast, etc, as sometimes it’s hard to show what I’m seeing! I also question some of the stars, like only 4 for spotting a tornado! LOL… okay, maybe it’s not as rare, actually, as ones I’ve gotten five stars for (I guess!), but I think if we manage to catch it, we’d deserve 5 ✨!! Also, if I see a really cool formation which I’ve already gotten points for, I know I can still capture it again, but I’d like to be able to make it my primary picture in my collection if it’s better than the first. I also wonder if the pic is eligible for “cloud of the day” when we submit clouds we’ve already gotten credit for 🤔 Finally, I understand why we need to use the in-app camera, to avoid people cheating (which seems absurd—ppl probably wouldn’t, but it would ruin the app if they did!); HOWEVER, maybe there’s a better solution, with all the metadata that pictures contain, is it not possible for the app to be able to read the metadata and “see” that we didn’t cheat if we did take the pic with a different camera (like if the app was offloaded, or something else occurs, and I need to do so—use my phones camera—I just wish it could tell that this was legit! I have had these things happen—cloud and special optical happenings are so fleeting! I had to use my moms phone to get, for instance, the wonderful sun dogs we saw; I wish very much I could upload these to the app!) I would pay for such features were they possible. ANYWAY, it’s a really cool app, and I just hope they keep working to make the app even better because, well, of course I do! But I’ll continue to enjoy it as much as I can :)
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Fun app
Wish I could upload photos instead of having to take them within the app though!
iOS update so it doesn’t work!
This app is brilliant and would get 5 stars usually. However, since the latest iPhone update it doesn’t even open ... please fix it!
Excellent for those who really love clouds
Since my childhood, I am a person who is interested in atmosphere phenomenons. This application was found after reading Gavin’s cloud collector’s handbook, and I really appreciate the truth that there would exist a place for those love clouds. Although such persons might be few, they mostly understand nature’s beauty and have the relevant knowledge of atmospheric effects.
The overall user experience is fine, but some improvements could make it better. At first, it worth a major update. The interface is aged and falling behind current smartphone capabilities. Next, the photo shoot function should be changed. It only has binary zoom options and does not support the full size of photos. [square images are fine, just want it to handle more pixels] The functions and information provided in this application is good, though some space of polish exists.
Anyway, thanks Gavin who founded the cloud appreciation society at Oxford University. It is interesting to know this society made some significant contributions to cloud types. [asperitas actually, which leads to the update of international cloud atlas in 2017, and I have read it thoroughly online] Looking at sky and clouds often is one of the best ways to let the pressure go and relax. It is also good for your mental health.
The overall user experience is fine, but some improvements could make it better. At first, it worth a major update. The interface is aged and falling behind current smartphone capabilities. Next, the photo shoot function should be changed. It only has binary zoom options and does not support the full size of photos. [square images are fine, just want it to handle more pixels] The functions and information provided in this application is good, though some space of polish exists.
Anyway, thanks Gavin who founded the cloud appreciation society at Oxford University. It is interesting to know this society made some significant contributions to cloud types. [asperitas actually, which leads to the update of international cloud atlas in 2017, and I have read it thoroughly online] Looking at sky and clouds often is one of the best ways to let the pressure go and relax. It is also good for your mental health.
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Antiquated and it requires an account
This is an antiquated app that requires you to sign up for an account, it is not compatible with Apple sign in, then the content is mediocre and outdated. Waste of money.
Can’t use without an account.
I had to pay to download, but it won’t let you use it without an account. I don’t need experts to review my pictures, or to get points. I just want to cloud spot. Useless.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
•Cool cloud library with descriptions in layman’s terms.
•Will definitely help you learn to ID clouds.
Cons:
•The in app camera access is terrible.
•Cannot submit pictures from outside the app.
•Moderators do not tell you correct type clouds you have misidentified.
•The ‘Recently Spotted Near Me’ section never changes. I’m in Canada and it only even shows me the same 8 pictures from Africa.
•No ability to connect with other users.
•Many of the badges are out of reach for people without the means to travel.
•Cool cloud library with descriptions in layman’s terms.
•Will definitely help you learn to ID clouds.
Cons:
•The in app camera access is terrible.
•Cannot submit pictures from outside the app.
•Moderators do not tell you correct type clouds you have misidentified.
•The ‘Recently Spotted Near Me’ section never changes. I’m in Canada and it only even shows me the same 8 pictures from Africa.
•No ability to connect with other users.
•Many of the badges are out of reach for people without the means to travel.
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3 is average
Clouds spotted nearby has not been updated since I started this app - Ghana is not nearby either! 😂Update please. We do not all live in Europe so when I do travel and spot something flying over another continent I expect some recognition, but the app shows a ? for location. The reference library is set in stone so adding to it is not a badge anyone could aspire to. Daily photo’s are chosen by someone very biased to a particular cloud type at sunset. It’s fun, but frustrating.
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The cloud police
I was very excited when I first learned about this app, checked it out and downloaded it to find out that you have to take photos in the spot and can’t upload from your library, which I find ridiculous. But what I found more disappointing is their assumption that people would cheat should they allow uploads, ridiculous. This is for fun, people, come on!
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Poor Customer Service
I joined The Cloud Appreciation Society. I was given a user name that does not work. For three days I've waited for customer service to help me access the app I paid for.
