Our Sun is able to give not only warmth and a bronze tan, but also helps moles to go over to the side of evil and be reborn in skin cancer. To prevent this from happening, you need to clearly understand how much you can be under the rays of the sun and when you need to protect your skin from excess ultraviolet light. UV index tracking apps help with this, and this review is dedicated to them.
Evaluation criteria: ease of use, compatibility with the device(Android 8.1.0), bonuses.
Before we start looking at applications, let's understand the theory.
The level of ultraviolet light on the surface of our planet is usually measured by the UV index (UV Index). It is necessary to understand when to use sunscreens.
The index values range from 0 to 11+. The larger the value, the higher the potential threat to the skin and eyes of a person, and, accordingly, the less time you need to be in direct sunlight.
In clear weather, the UV index is calculated based on the following indicators:
- the concentration of the ozone layer, the location of a certain territory;
- sun positions;
- albedo (reflectivity) of the earth's surface;
- the number of aerosols and their composition;
- the calculation takes into account the waves, the length of which is 100-400 nm.
So, with the theory finished, let's start looking at the applications.
UVLens
The app has 3 sections: directly calculate the UV index with the clock.
The MySkin section, where a small questionnaire is added to determine the type of skin
and personal recommendations for skin protection, which can be found by clicking on the icon with a bottle of cream
Settings. Here you can choose a language, register an account, add temperature and UV icons to the desktop screen, and support the app developers. At the very bottom of the page, you can see an ad for the SkinVision app for tracking moles.
Review of the SkinVision app can be read here.
Ease of use — 5 stars
Compatibility with the device — yes
Bonuses — calculation of sunscreen, language selection.
UV index global
The app also has 3 sections, but unlike UVLens, each section has a lot of additional information and visual accompaniment.
The Home screen shows the UV index, and also makes a breakdown with radiation readings by the hour and gives tips on how to protect yourself from the sun.
The second section, “Skin type”, helps you determine your skin type using a detailed questionnaire, and then get recommendations on how to behave in the sun. The section ends with a mini-test to test your knowledge about tanning and solar activity.
The third section Cities allows you to compare the UV indices of different cities for the week ahead.
Ease of use — 5 points
Compatibility with the device — 5 points
Bonuses — lots of additional information and tips, no ads.
UV index
The application has only one screen, which shows the UV index for the day with a mark of what it is now.
Geolocation is determined automatically, and if you want to see another place, you will have to enter the geographical coordinates manually. At the moment of viewing the index, a full-screen video ad suddenly turned on, which can not be missed.
To remove the ad, you will have to pay $3.64
Easy to use — 3 points
Compatibility with the device — Yes
Bonuses — non-switchable advertising.
UV index Microsis
The app has only one screen and the UV index is also shown based on the location of the device. You will not be able to choose another location in the free version. Paid $0.99
Little information on how to protect yourself from the sun can be found in the collapsed menu.
Ease of use — 3 points
Compatibility with the device — Yes
Bonuses — advertising and the paid version.
UV skin protection
The application has 4 sections. Directly UV index, which is determined only by Geo. No other location can be selected.
The Today section will tell you about the change in the UV index during the day
The Forecast section did not show anything
And the Setting section, where you can see your account details, if it is created, and also keep in touch with the developers.
Ease of use — 3 points
Compatibility with the device — Yes
Bonuses — beautiful design.
Conclusion
The main task of UV applications is to show the index of ultraviolet radiation in a certain place. And only you will have to choose what is better-a minimum of data or extended information with hints.
As for accuracy, you can see that the readings are different, even if the geoposition was the same during use. And the cherry on the cake - when the review was written, it was raining outside the window, but this did not prevent some applications from setting a dangerous UV index of 9 points.