Skill Review: Surf Now

Surf Now, an Alexa-powered voice skill developed by Marcus Molchany renders surf forecasts and reports for select spots located in the city of Los Angeles. The skill comes as a boon to many surfers who are always on the lookout for reports related to the surf spots such as information on off-shore winds, the ocean waves, and swell models that will help predict the surf conditions in the area they have chosen to explore. All of the data supported in this skill are powered by Magicseaweed, a popular surf forecasting platform.

The interactive voice skill aims to provide its users with surf reports at the very outset. It’s a straightforward voice app that delivers the reports upon requests and winds up the session. ‘Surf Now’ has been carefully designed to cater to the community of dedicated surfers who are eager to fetch information way in advance to find the most favorable time for surfing at the desired location. It covers spots, such as Venice, El Porto, Malibu among many others which surfers can inquire about. To sum it up the key highlights of the voice skill are surely the surf forecasts of localities in Los Angeles which involves a breakdown of essential information such as wave height, details of prevailing wind stream, the surf rating out of 5 stars, etc. Another positive worth mentioning is the rendering of accurate real-time updates on the surf spots which come in handy for surfers so as not to miss out on the best surfing experience as well as avoid charging out on an unfavorable day at the surf spot they are planning to visit. The voice app allows users to save time and get the requisite details hassle-free at their fingertips without having to browse websites or ferret out information through telephonic queries or other mediums. Well, that being said, there seem to be quite a few downsides that could let down users most often. One of the downsides the skill poses is the absence of a ‘Repeat’ option which tones down the user experience. Also, in certain instances, the voice app tossed random reports when users’ requests weren’t recognized properly. Another letdown is that the ‘Help’ segment doesn’t quite offer useful voice cues to efficiently engage the user and manage the conversation with the least hiccups. To add to that, the skill abruptly stops after delivering the requested details. Last but not least, users need to be fully aware of the names of the surf spots they wish to request information on, i.e. in the neighborhood of Los Angeles because the skill does not provide a list of those it supports.

The VOGO Voice team scores this skill 3.2 out of 5 stars based on our rating system. While the ‘Surf Now’ provides surfers with real-time info on ocean analysis, including waves, wind, and swell reports, you’ll have to see for yourself if it is a surfer-friendly voice app that will aid users in making informed decisions before setting out to the surfing spot. Moreover, you’ll be able to find out whether the details provided are truly accurate and up to date. So why not try out the Alexa skill and see if it offers the enriching experience you had anticipated.