Air Quality Info On-The-Go? We Put Smartphone Apps To The Test

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This winter has been an especially bad one for air quality in the San Joaquin Valley. With long stretches of high particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5), staying informed with accurate info about air quality forecasts and current conditions is important for your health. We took a look at some popular apps for both iOS and Android devices that provide air quality information. Valley Air: (official app of Valley Air District) Pros: Accurate information; includes both forecasts and observed data; push notifications available Cons: Dated design; push notifications require configuration to work; currently iOS only AirNow: (official app from EPA) Pros: Accurate information; compatible with iOS and Android Cons: Dated design; lack of additional features; some bugs in upcoming forecasts, not as good as AirNow website Air Matters: Pros: Good user experience; provides PM 2.5, PM10, and ozone; push notifications available; compatible with iOS and Android Cons: Design emphasizes pollen over air
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