Skill Review: Big Sky

The Amazon Alexa Big Sky voice skill powered by Philosophical Creations focuses on delivering hyper-local, minute-based weather forecasts. The location-specific weather updates are sourced based on the zip code or address provided by the user. The author of the skill has attempted to provide a satisfying user experience by designing it to seamlessly provide the most accurate, as well as real-time updates to its dedicated Alexa users. According to CNET, the American media website, Big Sky is regarded as “one of the 7 essential Alexa skills” besides being considered as the best Alexa-powered weather source by PC Mag, Wired, and others.

The major highlight of the voice app is that it can be tailored to generate custom weather alerts. The custom feature, a paid premium option offers the ability to schedule alerts by choosing the requisite type, hour, and location suited to the user’s needs. Overall, the robustness of the skill rests on the continuously updated, well-rounded forecasts it offers. Other apparent features covered by the skill include hourly temperature, wind direction, humidity levels, precipitation, and rainfall data among other few. The display graphics woven into the skill are both informative as well as alluring with its sequenced climatological details. Additionally, the help segment offers a condensed summary of the multidimensional aspects of the skill that deals with common issues, screensavers, premium user experience, etc. Also, Big Sky account users can leverage the opportunity to personalize their skill by linking it with their Big Sky account. Moreover, Premium users are entitled to video backgrounds, radar imagery, 5 custom alerts besides assigning custom labels to different addresses. Well, that being said, there seem to be a few downsides that could let down users at times. The skill abruptly stops soon after responding to the user’s request. Consequently, users are compelled to revisit the skill each time when having to ferret out information for related queries. All the more, intuitively guiding the users through the conversation seems to be amiss at times. Random instances of inconsistency in handling the user’s request meagerly affect the optimal user experience.

The VOGO Voice team scores this skill 4.6 out of 5 stars based on our rating system. Yet, you’ll have to try for yourself and see how useful and timely the weather updates for your chosen addresses are. Bear in mind to visit the Alexa Skills store to know more about the user utterances to source the needful forecasts. So why not try out the skill and see if it offers real-time information that will come in handy just when you need it.