Living Earth HD Updated With Custom Alarm Options, Better Graphics Rendering, And More
August 2, 2011
One of the App Store's more unique world clock and weather apps, Living Earth HD, was enhanced both visually and functionally earlier today. The update adds features to the alarm clock, location list, improves rendering, and more.
Living Earth HD was an app with beautiful graphics from the get go, and it has only gotten better. In this release, the app better utilizes the processing potential of current generation iDevice hardware (iPad 2, iPhone 4, and 4G iPod touch) to create even more stunning visuals. The animation of spinning the globe is a bit slower than previous versions, but it's rendered much more smoothly and "topographical height maps add shadows and highlights over mountain ranges and terrain."
Speaking of visuals, there are two more changes that most should notice fairly quickly upon launching the app after updating. The first is an icon and loading screen change, a bit more dramatic and cinematic. The second is the time display. Moshen Chan has reduced the "AM" and "PM" signification considerably for both iPhone and iPad use, plus added a bit more boldness to the date on the iPad -- or so it appears to me. Unfortunately, there does appear to be a minor bug with the display of sunrise and sunset times on the iPhone and iPod touch UI. We've been informed an update to correct this has already been submitted to Apple.
As mentioned earlier, the update does provide a bit more functionality and convenience through a couple new features. In addition to managing locations through the settings area, v1.25 also offers access to add, remove, and rearrange the order of cities by opening the locations list, scrolling to the very bottom, and tapping on "Add City." Instead of a simple on or off toggle, the alarm settings sections has an expanded repeat options menu including never, everyday, weekday, weekend, and custom.
Further changes to Living Earth HD v1.25 include:
• Adding a new location via the Location button now adds a new city instead of replacing the last city added with Location.
• Settings changes on iPad now get reflected immediately versus waiting for the Settings menu to close.
• Fix issues with certain weather stations not reporting current conditions.
• Many other small changes and fixes.
Living Earth HD is a universal app compatible with iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third generation iPod touch, and fourth generation iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later, and available in the App Store for $.99.
