PressureNET is an interesting app that aims to make a global network of Barometers. First off, this app currently only works with the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. You are probably wondering why a device manufacturer would include a barometer in a phone in the first place. The BOSCH BMP 180 barometric pressure sensor (used in the Galaxy Nexus) gives your device a fairly accurate Z Axis (altitude) reading, which greatly speeds up GPS location. When you combine thousands of phones running this app, updating their readings every 10 minutes, you get PressureNET.
PressureNET uses this chip to detect the current air pressure around you. Barometric pressure can be used to forecast things like storms.Currently, the developers of PressureNET have not implemented any sort of program that uses the pressure data, but development is underway. The app currently has a nice line graph that shows your personal readings over time, and a good looking widget (not required to auto-upload readings). I have not noticed significant battery usage by the app, even with uploading every 10 minutes. Once there are programs to use this data, PressureNET will become a powerful forecasting tool. Should be interesting to see how this app turns out!
(Galaxy Nexus or Xoom required to upload results)
