Wthr

Wthr is a minimal iPhone app built on Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of design.

17 Comments leave a comment below

  1. Note that they have a bug where the app never lets go of location services, and so doesn’t stop running in the background. I’d hold off on putting it on your device until a fix is submitted.

  2. Silly

    *WARNING: Daily use of the WTHR™ App may cause bouts of joy, happiness and in some extreme and severe cases, audible gratitude from your eyeballs. In some case studies users also gained acute symptoms of good design choices and a bias towards well made things. Results may vary.

  3. Hey Andrew! You are correct, there is an issue with the location services. I’ve created a fix already…just waiting on Apple to adjust something on their end…and it should work flawlessly!

    And Lauren…thanks for noticing the fun copy! Haha.

    Enjoy!

  4. I heard theres some bugs with it and doesn’t work on some 3g’s but the look of it is nice.

  5. I am not often negative in my comments, but as far as I am concerned, this is the exact opposite of good design.

    Instead, this is a prime example of skeuomorphism, using the design language of a bygone age (physical dials and swtches) transposed on a screen based device where they make zero sense.

    Sorry :(

  6. It certainly looks nice, which is more than can be said for the weather outside my window.

  7. I agree with Andrew

  8. @Andrew, Alex:

    Pffft, you guys are no fun! :P

    Why don’t the physical dials and switches make sense? Would the app be any easier to use if it used system buttons and checkboxes? Nope!

    The skeumorphic design doesn’t away from the straight-forward design.

    You could say it’s unnecessary, but I think delightful interfaces with some personality are mandatory! :)

  9. I am not saying that the app isn’t pretty.

    I own several Rams designed radios and if look and feel would be all that mattered, this would fit right in.

    However, something being pretty doesn’t equate to it being well designed.

    The creator stated that he specifically set out to follow Rams’ principles of design. This app doesn’t. Instead, it copies some of the external expressions of the design of Dieter Rams, specifically the iconic white look created for Braun, but none of the design principles that led to that expression.

    Pretty, yes. Well designed, no.

  10. So how have you seen any of the various synth or recording apps that mirror physical controls of the actual devices? How would you feel about those?

  11. There’s a huge misunderstanding of Dieter Rams “Principles of Design”

    A part from the actual fact that Design has no strict rules, if we consider Dieter Rams’ innovative thinking I don’t think we can consider all the skeumorphic trend of today going in the same direction of minimalism and honesty in design.

    I think blogs with an audience power like Swiss-miss should take care of this aspect instead of just promoting cute things that are only inspired by aesthetics

  12. If you feel good using it, it’s good design. Theories and principles aren’t always spot on you guys really think too much.

  13. Hi, I actually installed the app and it’s very hard to use. The contrast between the text/icons and the background is very low, making the 7-day forecast unreadable.

    @Mo: the question is really one of usefulness; most people will not switch between F & C, and the “reload” button doesn’t really do anything. The two main controls in the UI are not useful; why are they included? For novelty, I guess.

    The developer is invoking Dieter Rams, but this is simply a poorly designed app from a usability perspective.

  14. Weird, installed the app, but the window with weekly weather is empty and there is also no text or numbers on elsewhere on the screen. Am i doing something wrong? Is there a manual somewhere?

  15. Just installed the app and it’s telling me it’s sunny and 95 here (it’s currently 10pm). Maybe it’s just expected that anyone reading swiss-miss would have an iphone 4 (i love this site and say that in the kindest possible way).

  16. Really?If Rams were ever have designed such a thing it would have more useful and legible. I can’t read the forecast numbers unless I’m out of direct light. It is different from other weather apps, not as useful, and IMHO, not worthy of associating it with Dieter Rams.

  17. totally agree with andrew.